Wolf Scotch Golf Game Rules

Wolf Scotch is regular Wolf with a richer scorecard. Same Wolf rotation, same agonizing partner pick, same double-or-nothing Lone Wolf — but instead of one best-ball bet, every hole is worth 8 points, split Scotch-style across four ways to win.

How it differs from regular Wolf

In Wolf, a hole is a single best-ball match: the better score on each side wins one stake, and that's it. Wolf Scotch keeps everything that makes Wolf great — the Wolf tees off first then watches, picks a partner after each tee shot, or goes Lone Wolf for double — but it scores the hole across four separate 2-point categories. You can win a hole on score and still cough up points for a missed birdie or a blown par 3. More ways to win means more swings, and a lot more to argue about.

The setup

1. Set a stake per point (points add up fast here — a small number goes a long way).
2. Fix a hitting order on the first tee. The Wolf rotates every hole and always tees off first, then watches everyone else hit.
3. Each hole the Wolf side plays the other side for 8 points, settled on net scores.

How the 8 points are split each hole

A tied category awards nothing to either side, so a flat hole can be a quiet 2–2 or even 0–0. The fireworks come from the Blitz: sweep every point on offer and they all double — a clean run is worth a stunning 16 points.

How a hole plays

1. The Wolf tees off first.
2. The next player hits. The Wolf must immediately decide: take them as a partner, or pass. Once passed, a player can't be picked later.
3. Repeat for each tee shot. Pass on everyone and the Wolf is a Lone Wolf — one against the field, and the hole's point difference pays double.
4. Play it out, then award the four categories. Net the points: the difference between the two sides is what's paid, at your stake per point.

A worked example

Four players, par-3 hole, $1 a point. Dee is the Wolf and takes Amy as a partner; Ben and Cole are the other side. Net scores: Dee 2, Amy 4, Ben 3, Cole 5.

• Low ball: Dee's 2 is lowest — Wolf side +2.
• Low total: Wolf side 2+4 = 6 vs other side 3+5 = 8 — Wolf side +2.
• Birdie: Dee's 2 on the par 3 is a birdie, the other side has none — Wolf side +2.
• Proximity: par 3, low score is Dee's — Wolf side +2.

That's all four categories to one side — a Blitz. The 8 points double to 16. Wolf side wins 16–0, so Ben and Cole each hand over points to Dee and Amy. Now imagine Dee had gone Lone Wolf there: that swing doubles again. One hole, one decision, the whole round on the line.

Strategy

Because birdies and team totals matter, the partner pick changes. In plain Wolf you want one player who can make par; in Wolf Scotch you also want a partner who can contribute a second low number for the total point and chase a birdie. On par 3s, two points hinge on getting it close, so the Wolf should weigh going alone when the tee shots leave the field scrambling. And always respect the Blitz — protecting a single category to deny the sweep can save you half the hole.

Who Wolf Scotch is for

Best with four players who already love Wolf and want more action per hole. The extra categories reward all-around play — driving, scoring, and short-game touch — so it suits groups of mixed strengths better than a pure best-ball game. If you like decisions, you'll like Wolf; if you like decisions and bookkeeping drama, Wolf Scotch is your game.

Keeping the books straight

Wolf Scotch is a genuine math problem by hand: a rotating Wolf, partners changing every hole, four point categories to award, Blitz doubles, Lone Wolf doubles, all on net scores. Nobody at the turn can tell you the running total. SideAction Saloon tracks the Wolf rotation, every pick, every category, the Blitzes and the Lone Wolf doubles — and can run it alongside Skins with one score entry. The round ends with one screen: who owes who. SideAction Saloon tracks all of it automatically.