Last Updated: November 2, 2026

Quick Summary

The five easiest golf games for 3 players are Skins, Sixes, Bingo Bango Bongo, Wolf and Nines (5-3-1). Each keeps all three golfers involved on every hole through points, rotating partners or hole-by-hole prizes, and none needs an app, spreadsheet or committee, just a scorecard and a pen.

  • Skins carries over when two or three players tie a hole, so the pot grows.
  • In Sixes, partners rotate every six holes and each segment splits six points.
  • Bingo Bango Bongo awards three points per hole for specific shots, not total score.
  • The Wolf rotates each hole and can take a partner or play alone against both.
  • Nines splits nine points per hole as five, three and one by finishing position.

Table of Contents

Why three-player golf games beat a plain stroke-play round

Three is the awkward number in golf. Foursomes have their standard games, twosomes have match play, and golf games for 3 players usually just add up strokes and call it a day. That's a missed opportunity, and at Wildcard Golf we think it's the easiest fix in recreational golf.

The difference shows up in pace and attention. Players who are chasing a point for closest to the pin or a carryover skin stay locked in after a bad drive. Those who are nine strokes back mentally check out by the turn.

Wildcard Golf is a mobile app that adds side-game cards to a real round, with rewards, penalties, score swaps and counter-cards, available on iOS and Android. See how the side-game cards for a real round work.

Quick comparison: setup time, complexity and pace for each game

Here's the short version before the rules. Setup time and complexity are rough guides for groups new to each format.

Game Setup time Complexity Pace impact Best for
Skins 2 minutes Low Neutral Groups that want simple hole-by-hole stakes
Sixes 3 minutes Medium Slightly slower Rotating partners and team play
Bingo, Bango, Bongo 2 minutes Low Slightly slower Keeping all three involved on every shot
Wolf 2 minutes Medium Neutral A captain-style decision each hole
Nines (5-3-1) 3 minutes Low Neutral Easiest points game to score

None of these need an app, a spreadsheet, or a committee. For a deeper comparison of Wolf, Sixes, Bingo Bango Bongo and other formats, see the best golf games for a group of four compared. A scorecard and a pen will do.

1. Skins: the golf skins game rules made simple for a threesome

Skins is one of the best golf games for 3 players because it turns every hole into its own small contest. The golf skins game rules are straightforward: each hole is worth a set value, the lowest score on the hole wins it, and if two or three players tie, the skin carries over to the next hole.

Set the value before you start. Many groups play a point per skin with no money involved at all, which keeps it friendly. The key rule for a threesome: a tie by any two players means nobody wins the hole, so the pot grows. That's what keeps a group engaged after a rough start.

A worked example: on hole 1, all three players make par. The skin carries. On hole 2, one player makes bogey while the others make par, so the two pars tie and the skin carries again. On hole 3, one player makes birdie alone and collects three skins.

2. Sixes: six point golf game rules and rotating partners

Sixes solves the threesome problem by making everyone a teammate at some point.

The standard rotation for three players: holes 1-6 are Player A and Player B against Player C, holes 7-12 are A and C against B, and holes 13-18 are B and C against A. In each segment, the team score decides how the six points split. A common split is 4-2 for a win and 3-3 for a tie, though groups vary it.

Here is how a segment actually plays out, because the six-point total is where most first-timers get lost. Say holes 1-6 are A and B against C, and the segment is scored hole by hole as match play.

Play it as match play within each segment or as stroke play, whichever your group prefers. The rotating-partner structure means no one gets stuck carrying a weaker player for 18 holes, which matters when skill levels are uneven. It also creates natural conversation, because alliances shift every six holes.

Watch out: decide before the first tee whether a halved segment splits 3-3 or rolls into the next segment, because that single rule changes how aggressively the trailing team plays the last two holes of each six.

3. Bingo, Bango, Bongo: points on every hole for three players

Bingo, Bango, Bongo is the best format for a threesome where one player is clearly stronger, because it rewards specific shots rather than total score. Three points are available on every hole, and they go to different players more often than you'd expect.

Three golfers watching a putt on the green during golf games for 3 players

The three points break down like this:

  • Bingo: the first player to get on the green in regulation
  • Bango: the player closest to the pin once all three are on the green
  • Bongo: the first player to hole out

Each is worth one point, so a single hole can produce three different winners. A high-handicapper who hits a decent tee shot can take Bingo even if they three-putt. That's the appeal: the format rewards good shots, not just good scores, and it keeps everyone watching every ball.

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Track it on the scorecard with three small columns per hole. Watch out: agree on what counts as "on the green" before the first tee, because a ball on the fringe causes more arguments than any other rule in this game.

4. Wolf: a three-player format with a rotating captain each hole

Wolf gives one player a decision on every hole, and with three players that decision gets interesting fast. The captain, or Wolf, tees off first, then chooses whether to take a partner from the other two players or play the hole alone against both.

The order rotates each hole, so everyone gets to be Wolf six times in an 18-hole round. Points are simple: if the Wolf and a partner win the hole, they each get a point. If the Wolf plays alone and wins outright, the Wolf takes extra points, usually double. If the Wolf loses, the other two split the points.

With three players, the Wolf's choice is genuinely tactical. Take a partner and you halve the risk but also halve the reward. Go alone and you're betting on yourself against two balls. That decision, made six times a round, is what makes Wolf feel like a game rather than a scorecard exercise. It's also a natural fit for a small wager if your group plays for stakes.

5. Nines (5-3-1): the easiest points game to score with three players

Nines, also called 5-3-1, is the simplest points format for a threesome, and it's the one we'd hand to a group that has never played a side game before. Each hole is worth nine points, split by finishing position: five for the lowest score, three for second, one for third.

A worked example: on a par 4, Player A makes par, Player B makes bogey, Player C makes double bogey. A gets five points, B gets three, C gets one. If two players tie for low, they split the top two places (four points each) and the third player takes one. If all three tie, everyone takes three.

The beauty is that no hole is ever worthless. Even a triple bogey earns a point, so the player having a bad day still has something to play for. Add up points at the end and the highest total wins. For a nine-hole round, just play the same rules over nine holes and settle up at the clubhouse.

3 person golf betting games and how to keep them fair for mixed handicaps

Betting is optional in every game above, and the strongest version of a threesome game is often the one with no money at all.

Start with the no-wager version, which is the one we recommend for new groups. To track wagers and settle payouts for Skins, Nassau and Wolf, compare the best golf app for side bets.

Handicaps are the real equalizer. For more ways to make golf rounds more competitive fairly, see the full guide. Use each player's course handicap to adjust scores on the hardest holes, or play net skins where the higher-handicap player gets a stroke on designated holes.

For Bingo, Bango, Bongo, give the higher handicapper a small point allowance at the start rather than adjusting individual holes, because the game rewards specific shots rather than total score. For Nines, apply the handicap strokes before awarding points, so the 5-3-1 split reflects net scores.

Two more rules that keep it fair:

  • Agree on tie-breakers before you start, usually a closest-to-the-pin playoff on the 18th
  • Revisit handicaps every few rounds, because a player improving quickly can make last month's strokes feel unfair

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the easiest golf game to play with three people?

Nines, also called 5-3-1, is the simplest to run with a threesome. On each hole the three players compete for points split 5-3-1, so there is always something to play for and no partner rotation to track. Bingo, Bango, Bongo is a close second because it awards points for first on the green, closest to the pin and first putt in, which keeps weaker players involved. Both need only one scorecard and no handicap maths.

Can you play skins with three golfers?

Yes, and the golf skins game rules work well for three. Each hole is worth a set value, and the lowest score wins it outright. If two players tie for the low score, the hole carries over and the pot grows. With three players ties happen often, so decide before the round whether a tie means carryover or a split. Playing net skins using handicap strokes stops the strongest player from sweeping every hole.

How do the six point golf game rules work?

In Sixes, six points are available on each hole. The format rotates partners every six holes, so each player partners with the other two in turn. Points are split between the two sides based on who wins the hole, and the player with the most total points at the end takes it. Three players can play a modified version by rotating a single partner pair each six holes while the third plays alone, or by using Sixes as a nine-hole game with three-hole rotations.

What are good 3 person golf betting games that stay fair for different skill levels?

Use net scoring rather than gross so handicap strokes level the field. Three-way Nassau splits the round into front nine, back nine and overall, giving each player three chances to win. Wolf with a rotating captain also evens things out because the captain chooses a partner each hole. If your group would rather skip money, play the same formats for points, drinks or bragging rights instead.

What are fun golf games for three players that do not involve betting?

Bingo, Bango, Bongo and Nines both run purely on points, so no cash changes hands. Skins can be played for points that carry over instead of money, which keeps the pressure without the wager. Wolf works the same way, with the losing side buying the drinks or taking the cart. Wildcard Golf is another option: its side-game cards add rewards, penalties and score swaps to a normal round so the stakes stay social.

Three-player rounds don't have to be the flat version of a foursome. Pick one format from this list, agree the rules on the first tee, and the round changes immediately. At Wildcard Golf, we built the app for exactly this: side-game cards for real rounds, with rewards, penalties, score swaps and counter-cards that add a layer of strategy to every hole, on both iOS and Android. Get started with Wildcard Golf and turn your next threesome into the round your group talks about on the drive home.

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