Playing golf and drinking alcohol go together like peanut butter and jelly.

While the game of golf must be respected at all times, there’s nothing wrong with having a few drinks on the course with your friends. Many golfers find they shoot lower scores and have more fun after a few sips of their favorite adult beverages.

Not sure what type of drinking game to play with your buddies during your next round? We can help with that! Here are 15 insanely fun drinking games to try with your friends the next time you hit the links.

1. Your Beer Stays In Your Hand

Here’s a fun game that is easy to play, with only one rule! Each golfer must hold a beer in their hand on the course. The rule doesn’t apply when the golfer is hitting a shot.

Any time a golfer is caught without a beer in their hand, the penalty is they have to chug an entire beer. This rule can be modified if you like to where the punishment is only three-second gulps. After all, you never want to be completely wasted after only a few holes.

2. For Every Mulligan, Take a Shot of Liquor

Let’s face it, we all need to take a few mulligans on the course from time to time. This drinking game will add a little spice and hilarity to the process. Any time a golfer in the group opts to take a mulligan, they also have to take a shot of liquor or down a beer.

3. Beer Bogey

Beer bogey is one of the most popular drinking games on the golf course, and it’s been around for quite a while. We’ll show you how it works.

Each golfer in the group adds up their score after each hole. You must take a sip, shot, or gulp for every stroke over par.

So, just to clarify, that means a bogey equals one drink, and a double bogey equals two drinks! If your group is filled with lots of high handicappers, it’s probably best to go with sips instead of shots or gulps! Otherwise, those quadruple bogeys will get every person in the group wasted way too quickly!

4. Sand Trap Drinking Game

This one is simple, but it’ll add some enjoyment to those dreaded bunker shots. Each time your golf ball lands in a bunker, you must take a shot or a sip. So, you must take three drinks if it takes three attempts to get out of a bunker.

5. Closest to the Pin

Here’s a great golf drinking game for all of the par 3 holes on the course. After every golfer hits their tee shot, determine which one is closest to the pin. Every other golfer in the group has to take a shot.

You can also opt to play a different version of this game on par 3 holes. Every golfer that doesn’t wind up on the green with their tee shot has to take a drink. That’ll make folks want to dial in their iron game a little more.

6. Water Hazard Drinking Game

This one is just like the sand trap drinking game but for water hazards. Every time a golfer winds up in the water, they have to take a drink. At least the drink will help ease the pain of losing yet another golf ball!

7. The Birdie Game

Every time a player in the group makes a birdie, the rest of the group has to take a drink! If you happen to be the best golfer in your group, it’ll be fun watching your buddies get a little woozy!

If you play in a group with lots of talented golfers, you could change to the Eagle Game instead. In that case, other golfers would have to drink when someone makes an eagle.

8. The Fairway Drinking Game

Here’s another golf drinking game that is simple and fun to play with larger groups. After every golfer hits their tee shot, the ones who didn’t end up in the fairway have to take a drink.

This game makes everyone focus on hitting the ball straighter instead of farther. It’ll also increase the number of drinks for each person because even the best golfers sometimes miss the fairway.

9. Even and Odd

This golf drinking game has nothing to do with the scorecard. Before a round of golf, players randomly decide on an even or odd number. Once that is determined, each golfer will take a shot or drink a beer on every even or odd hole.

Keep in mind that this game works best with shot glasses, so keep a few in your bag in case other players don’t bring their own. If a player drinks beer instead of liquor, they must finish their beer before that hole is completed. The punishment for not finishing the beer is that they must drink two on the next hole.

 10. Lower Your Score

Here’s a creative way to make your golf game more interesting. In this drinking game, each person in the group gets to deduct one stroke for each drink they consume. Be careful, though, because the ball gets much harder to hit after a number of drinks!

11. Highest Score Drinks

This drinking game is fun to play and easy to understand. At the end of each hole, the player with the highest score has to take a shot. If a few people in the group are already buzzed after nine holes, you can switch the rules to where the one with the lowest score on each hole has to take a shot.

12. Hole-In-One

Hole-in-ones don’t happen often, but they must be celebrated when they do. If anyone in the group scores an ace, every golfer has to take a shot or shotgun a beer. Also, make a picture of the golfer with the flag stick because a hole-in-one is a monumental achievement.

13. The Chip-In Game

Knocking a chip shot into the hole from the fringe, fairway, or rough is an incredible feeling. With this drinking game, every time a player chips in, the rest of the group has to take a drink. This may give golfers some extra motivation to work on their chip shots.

14. Tee Box Drinking Game

Here’s another fun one! Make every golfer in the group play from the tips (the tee box that is farthest away from the hole). Anyone who wants to play from a tee box that is closer must finish a drink before teeing off.

Each closer set of tees means an additional drink. Want to tee off from the ladies’ tees on that long par 5 hole? You’ll need to finish three beers or shots before doing so.

15. Loser Pays

Here’s another fun game that works well on par 3 holes. After each golfer hits their tee shot, determine who is farthest away from the pin. That person has to buy the next round of drinks. This drinking game can be played on any hole, but it’s easiest on par 3s because it’s simple to see who is farthest away.

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

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Many folks assume that you can’t play any fun golf games unless you have an even number of players.

For that reason, most people will limit their golf groups to either 2 or 4 people. However, as you’ll soon discover in this article, that isn’t necessary.

A foursome may be the most common grouping on the golf course, but there are tons of fantastic games that can be played with 5 golfers. Let’s look at some of the best five-person games for your next round of golf.

After trying out a few of these fun games, you’ll find that there’s just something special about playing golf in a team format.

1. Two Carts

Here’s a fantastic golf game for 5 players, and it’s a great way to get some added exercise. As the game’s name implies, only 2 carts can be driven. This means that there are only enough seats for 4 golfers.

All 5 players will tee off on the first hole and abide by regular stroke play rules. Each golfer plays their own ball and adds up their shots. At the end of the hole, the golfer with the highest number of strokes has to walk the next hole.

This game is loads of fun because the other 4 players get to comfortably ride in the carts and crack jokes at the loser who has to walk. However, the loser can get a seat back in one of the carts on the next hole if they don’t shoot the highest net score again. This game is easy to play, and everyone will enjoy it.

2. Wolf

We wrote an in-depth piece on how to play Wolf and how much fun it can be for larger groups of golfers. Wolf is possibly the most popular golf gambling game on the planet because the stakes can be whatever the group decides. Here’s how it works:

Gather near the first tee box to decide who gets to be the wolf on the first hole. The easiest way to do this is to spin a tee until the rotation of play is established. Each player will take turns being the wolf.

The advantage of being the wolf is that you can decide whether you want to play with a teammate or as the lone wolf. If the team format is chosen, each team will play a best ball scramble after each golfer has hit their tee shots. The wolf also gets the privilege of being the first player to tee off on that hole.

After the wolf hits their tee ball, he can announce that he’s the lone wolf or wait until others hit their tee shots. However, if the wolf wants to team up with another golfer, he must announce it directly after their tee shot.

If the lone wolf wins the hole, they get 2 points instead of just one. The other 4 players get 1 point each if the lone wolf loses the hole. If the team format is chosen, each player on the winning team receives one point at the end of the hole.

Another great thing about Wolf is that there are a ton of variations, which means that golfers will never get bored with it. For example, players can agree to play for a set amount or change their bets on each hole.

3. Round Robin

Want a golf game that keeps things fresh and is never dull? Round Robin is an excellent choice for a group of 5 golfers because the matchups change every 3 or every 6 holes. This keeps one team from dominating the entire round of golf.

When playing Round Robin, the format is that a team of 3 golfers takes on the other 2. Once either 3 or 6 holes have been played, the rotation changes, and the golfers must re-pair.

Need help deciding who to re-pair with? Golfers can take turns spinning a tee (just like in Wolf). Whichever person the tee points to is your partner.

Golfers can also toss golf balls toward a target and decide the groups based on the closest golf balls. In Round Robin, each golfer should keep up with their own score and how many matches they won. The winner is whoever won the most matches at the end of the round.

4. Best Ball Scramble

This game is perfect for beginners, those with high handicaps, or a group that just wants to have a good time. The beauty of the Best Ball Scramble is that everyone is on the same team! On a side note, I might’ve given up learning how to play golf if not for this game.

In Best Ball Scramble, each golfer hits their own ball off the tee. The players will then decide which person had the best drive, and everyone will hit their second shot from that position. The rotation continues until the hole is completed.

Once the hole is finished, the team of 5 records its score. Best Ball Scramble is one of the most fun golf games out there, and it’s even more enjoyable with a few adult beverages.

5. High vs. Low

High vs. Low is usually played with a foursome, but it works well for a group of 5. In this game, the 2 golfers with the lowest handicaps team up against the 3 golfers with the highest handicaps.

The teams will follow the best ball scramble format and record their scores after each hole. Though the logic may sound a bit weird, there’s not much of an advantage for the low handicappers because the threesome is getting to hit an extra shot.

If one team beats the other pretty badly, you can switch the teams up after 9 holes have been played. The goal is to make things as fun and competitive as possible.

6. Stableford

This game is a favorite of scratch golfers or those with low handicaps. Instead of traditional stroke play, Stableford follows its own unique scoring system. An albatross is worth 5 points, eagles score you 4, birdies count as 3, pars count as 2, and a bogey gets you 1 point.

Double bogeys, or worse, don’t come with any points. A nice thing about Stableford is that it doesn’t penalize a golfer too severely after a bad hole. They simply won’t get any points for that hole.

When playing Stableford, the player with the highest score wins instead of the lowest, like in regular stroke play. Another cool thing about Stableford is that it works well for a group of 5 golfers. Golfers can decide before the round if they want to team up with a 2 vs. 3 format or play every golfer for themselves.

7. Captain’s Choice

Here’s another outstanding golf game for larger groups. Tear up a sheet of paper into 5 pieces and number each piece 1 through 5. Have each golfer draw out a number.

The rotation of the teams depends on the number you draw. Numbers 1 and 4 will face off against Numbers 2 and 3. The one who draws Number 5 is a wild card, and they must switch teams every 3 holes.

Each team will play a best-ball scramble. This is a neat feature of Captain’s Choice because the Number 5 golfer can help both teams quite a bit. Each player should keep their own scorecard to determine if the Number 5 golfer belongs to the winning or losing team.

After half the round is completed, the golfers can vote on whether they want to change up the teams or keep them the same for another 9 holes.

8. Ghost

Not a lot of golfers have heard of Ghost, and no were aren’t talking about the classic movie with Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore. Ghost is the perfect solution for any group of golfers with an odd number. The ghost is an imaginary player who plays on the team with the least number of players.

Before you get all weirded out and think that Ghost is just an imaginary game for kid golfers, let us explain. If a group of 5 golfers wants to play a team match, they’ll split up as 3 vs. 2. The ghost will play on the team with only 2 golfers.

Here’s the dirty little secret about the ghost: he’s a scratch golfer that shoots par on every hole. That means that whichever team the ghost plays on can do no worse than par! Each team will play a best-ball scramble, record their scores, and the ghost can give handicap strokes on certain holes.

A lot of folks like Ghost because it can easily be played with match play or stroke play rules. The team who plays with the ghost can let it all hang out and take greater risks. This can lead to some incredibly good or incredibly bad shots, which will lead to lots of laughs on the golf course.

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

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Concentration has never been my strong point. 

When I was 6, my teachers wanted me on Ritalin, but my free-thinking parents resisted. I could not focus for long, which made the driving range a boring endeavor. However, over the years, I learned various range games. They optimized my training and made it more exciting.

Instead of aimlessly whacking golf balls, you practice with a purpose. As a result, your game is better for it, and the range becomes a place of enjoyment rather than boredom. The practice range games in this post are ideal for friendly competition and betting folk.

Before we fall into game mode, you might want to review our golf alignment stick drills to ensure you are set up correctly. There is no point in playing games if you are not executing the tasks correctly.

Long and Mid Range Games 

1. Longest Drive

This is a simple challenge where a launch monitor is a handy accessory. Determine the boundaries of your imaginary fairway, and start bombing drives. You could use the naked eye to determine the winner, but a launch monitor offers the most accurate results.

You no longer need to fork out thousands on a device. There are highly affordable options. For example, the Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor or the FlightScope Mevo.

The idea is to hit 5 drives each, and the longest yardage inside the boundary wins. Those struggling to maximize distance off the tee can find solutions in our golf driving tips guide.

2. Fastest Ball Speed

The fastest ball speed range game allows you to channel your inner Kyle Berkshire and reign supreme over your buddies. Like the longest drive drill, each player swings 5 times, and the golfer with the fastest ball speed takes the crown.

Unless your superpower is a doppler radar, you need a launch monitor to provide feedback on the numbers.

3. Fastest Clubhead Speed

This challenge also requires a launch monitor to determine the velocity of your clubhead. Everybody bombs 5 drives from the hitting bay, and the player with the quickest clubhead speed is the victor.

A driver should produce the fastest clubhead speed, but your party can use a variety of clubs. As long as you are on equal terms. For example, if one player hits a fairway wood, everyone should use the same club. Otherwise, the results will be wildly erratic and defeat the purpose of the drill.

Golfers with slower swing speeds may find that a change of equipment can slightly boost velocity. Start with these golf balls for players with slow swing speed.

4. Play The Dogleg 

Just because you are an adult, it does not mean you cannot channel your imagination. I use this drill to work on my shot shaping and boost my creativity on the golf course. I picture a dogleg hole on a link I know well and pretend that I am playing the hole.

If it is a dogleg right, I attempt to fade the ball off the tee and land it in a zone the size of the fairway on that hole. Depending on the distance of my drive, I use the relevant club for the approach shot. Obviously, I cannot putt. However, it helps you with positioning and distance control.

Learning how to play different types of shots also trains you to escape trouble. When you drive it into the trees during a round of golf, you have options at your disposal to recover and limit the damage.

5. Horse

You can play horse in a variety of forms and even switch out the letters for points. That is what my buddies and I do. The game I play is a variation of the original but offers twice the enjoyment. The only downside of this version is that a launch monitor is required for data on select challenges.

Each player hits a total of 10 shots. However, before you hit the next shot, the winner of the previous point chooses what to do. We usually include the following challenges:

• Longest drive
• Ball Speed
• Clubhead Speed
• Straight Shot
• Biggest Draw
• Biggest Fade Curve
• Highest Apex
• Closest To The Pin

The winner of each challenge gets a point, and the highest score after all the tasks are complete wins. You will need a launch monitor for these drills to avoid any debates or uncertainty among your mates.

6. Flagstick Challenge

Another elementary golf drill that does not require any technology. If your driving range contains flags, it presents the perfect opportunity to test your iron accuracy game. Pick out the various locations you wish to hit, and away you go.

Each participant hits 5 shots to get it as close to the flagstick as possible. The closest to the mark wins the round while the others receive zero points. You can offer extra points for hitting the stick, but that complicates matters.

The best approach is to pick 4-flags and hit a 4, 7, 9-iron, and pitching wedge.

Short Range Games

7. Closest To The Pin

Moving out of the hitting bay and onto the putting and chipping green. These drills lead to better golf, a lower handicap, and fewer total strokes. Closest to the pin works similar to the flagstick challenge. 

Pick 5-holes on the green, and try to get your ball closer to the cup, and claim a higher score than your opponents. Every golfer chips five balls to each hole, and the closest earns a point.

You can also use the same hole but chip from varying distances. It is irrelevant whether you use a sand or lob wedge for this drill.

8. Around The World

Around the world is a putting challenge, similar to a basketball drill I did in high school. You place ball markers around the cup, approximately 5 to 7-feet away. The participants decide on the start and end point, and you are all set.

You cannot progress to the next marker until you have successfully drained a putt in your current position. The player to successfully journey around the world first claims top honors.

Our guide to improving your putting stance could boost your performance in this challenge, helping you dominate your mates.

9. Manilla Folder Challenge 

Place a folder or piece of paper on a specific point, and attempt to get the ball to stop on the marker. Every player has 5-putts, and each time your ball stops in the zone, you claim a point. The player with the most points wins.

10. Down The Drain 

I love this challenge, and it boosts your confidence on the putting green. Place markers down at 3, 5, 10, 20, and 30-feet intervals, and start with the closest point. This time, every player putts 1 ball. If you drain the putt, you card a birdie, and a 2 putt is a par. 3-putts are bogey, and a 4-putt is a double.

Tally up your scores, and the player with the lowest round is the champion with the flatstick.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years.

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It’s obvious how near and dear the sport of golf is to our current president. It’s nearly impossible to be involved in the golfing community without seeing Trump splayed across course signage and news headlines. But, The Donald isn’t the first Commander-in-Chief to take charge of his golf game.

It’s easier to list the presidents who didn’t play. (Teddy Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, Harry Truman, and Jimmy Carter, were the only non-golfing ones, according to The Atlantic.) And when political leaders tee up, they’re just like us. They get excited over a great lie and they get business done. Golf breaks down political walls. Leaders get to talk golfer-to-golfer rather than leader-to-leader with sand traps being the most intimidating enemy out there.

But golfing while in-office is a double-edged sword. Play too much and the public thinks you have an absentee leader; play too little and you’re somewhat unrelatable. Ronald Reagan was known for counting every single stroke in a play – no gives – and Barack Obama was extremely personable. On the other hand, Eisenhower was notorious for improving his lie in order to “identify his ball.”

However, golf continues to play a large role in the realm of decision making. In fact, it’s pretty unavoidable when the president himself owns 17 courses.

So, we’ll continue to listen with perked ears and bated breath, in the spirit of competition, of course! Because while Trump’s handicap of 2.8 may be a little tough to hit, Obama’s reported 13, George W. Bush’s and Clinton’s 10 since leaving office, and Ronald Reagan’s healthy 12 are great numbers to beat!

Do you have upcoming golf games?

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