We were having so much fun in Vegas, we decided to stick around.
Actually, we stayed on to shoot a second Whats In The Bag? in Las Vegas because there are more cool on-course golf games than can be fit into even that many shows ' but we figured nine holes just isnt enough.
Just to recap, in the first show about games golfers use to sharpen the competition (which aired Monday, May 16), we reviewed some old favorites and included a few you may not have heard of. Of course, The Golf Channel doesnt take a position on on-course wagering, so what you play for ' lunch, chips, dollars, pounds sterling, pork belly futures ' is all up to you.
So it was on to our golf game back nine. The second show airs Monday, May 23 at 10:50 p.m. ET as part of Your Game Night.
Nassau, Part Deux. We began at the very windy Paiute Golf Resort outside of Vegas, which offers some stunning views of the desert and faraway mountains. It also has some challenging driving holes, especially when the wind howls, as it did on this day. This was the beginning of the third way of the popular three-way bet: Stakes are available on the front nine, the back nine and the overall. Most everyone knows some version of this standby.
Snake. Well, it was the desert, after all. But this one can be worse than a rattler, at least in a metaphorical sense. As we discovered at Silverstone Golf Club, its a simple burden: Whoever three-putts gets the snake, and carries it until someone else three-jacks ' if they ever do. Whoever has it at the end of the round pays stakes agreed upon beforehand. Some people go so far as to bestow a rubber snake on the poor carrier, which we find works so much better than a real one. Variation: The snakeholder can nominate his successor, pressuring that player to get down in two. And you can do all kinds of multiplying of the stakes every time theres a three-putt.
Aces & Deuces. Sometimes called Acey Deucey, is a four-player enterprise. We tried this at the beautiful Aliante Golf Club. On each hole, the low score, or ace, wins a predetermined amount from the other three, and the high score, or deuce, loses to the other three. The ace bet is usually worth twice the deuce, but you can juggle that any way you want. Ties dont pay, and carryovers are at the groups option. Handicaps? Again, up to you, but without em, its tough to be the D player. Trust me on that one. And can you lend me bus fare?
Gruesomes. Not so much a reference to my game as an especially devilish team competition. At TPC at the Canyons, we fired this one up. Both team members tee off ' and then the other team picks what drive they have to play. From then on in, the teams play alternate shot. Kind of spreads out the suffering. But think of the hero recovery possibilities. Play this only with people you really like, and empty all the sharp stuff out of your bag first.
Up and Downand Down and Down. We actually made this one up at Las Vegas popular Angel Park Golf Course. Its a great on-the-spot bet for people who miss a lot of greens (who, me?). The idea is, whoever gets up and down wins the bet ' and the amount he wins can be increased by a per-stroke amount to be paid by the hapless player who does not. Better players can give odds to less-able golfers to even things up a bit. So if a stick who can get up and down a lot bets, say $2 per stroke, and you bet 50 cents, you pay him half a buck for every putt it takes you after the first one to get in the hole. Conversely, if you get up and down and he three-jacks, you could make $10. This one was fun because we thought it up, and as so many of you have told us since last week, youve been pretty creative yourselves.
Bingo Bango Bongo. Heck, your Grampa used to play this one. I think I saw him at Tuscany Golf Club, where we B-B-Bed it up. Any number of players can get in on the action in this old chestnut, which has stood the test of golf time. Points (and there agreed upon value) are awarded for first to get on the green (bingo), closest to the pin once all balls are on (bango), and first to hole out (bongo). Highest point total at the end of the round wins. Naturally, to avoid unnecessary violence, you have to play in order ' the player who is away always plays first. And you can add your own variations, such as double payoff for anyone who wins all three on one hole.
The remainder of our extended round, which we played at Legacy, a fine club, and Royal Links, a Scottish-like test not far from the Strip, decided all the outstanding bets, garbage and non. And I came up on theumshort end of thewrong side of theI lost.
But what a time I had, checking out all these old and new games. As long as there are golfers, there will be games, bets, competition ' in short, fun, in all its local and regional variations.
So keep it up, folks. We shot the show, but over the decades, you wrote it. Play on, play well, andhey, lemme see your handicap card. Oh, really? Well, well just call your club about this right now.
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