Friendly Golf Side Games
Golf side games are small bonus contests played alongside your normal score. You earn a point for pulling off something specific on a hole, such as making par after visiting a bunker (a sandy) or after hitting a tree (a barkie). They're often called "junk" or "trash" games, and they work perfectly well for points and bragging rights instead of money.
The best thing about them is that anyone can win one. A high-handicapper who scrambles a par from the trees collects just as much as the club champion.
The classic side games
Definitions vary between groups, so treat these as the common versions and agree your own before the first tee.
Sandy
Make par or better on a hole where you were in a bunker. The classic sandy is an up and down from a greenside bunker: splash out, hole the putt. Some groups only count greenside bunkers; others count any bunker on the hole.
Greenie
On a par 3, hit the green with your tee shot and finish closest to the pin of everyone who did. Most groups add a condition: you must then make par or better to collect. A greenie that three-putts is no greenie.
Barkie
Hit a tree (or at least clearly clip it) and still make par or better. The tree has to be heard or seen by someone else, so agree a witness rule.
Arnie
Make par or better without your ball ever touching the fairway on that hole. It's named after Arnold Palmer, famous for scrambling from all over the course and still saving his score. Par 3s usually don't count, since there's normally no fairway to miss.
Polie
Hole a putt that's longer than the flagstick. Lay the flagstick down if anyone disputes it.
Chippie
Hole out from off the green with a chip or pitch. Some groups say it only counts if it saves par.
Fishie
Make par or better after your ball went into a penalty area with water (the area once called a water hazard). It means taking a penalty stroke and still saving the hole.
Hogan
Hit the fairway, hit the green in regulation and make par. It's the reward for boring, excellent golf, and named after Ben Hogan's famously precise ball-striking.
Side games at a glance
| Side game | You need to | Usually needs par? |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy | Be in a bunker | Yes |
| Greenie | Hit a par 3 green and be closest | Often |
| Barkie | Hit a tree | Yes |
| Arnie | Never touch the fairway | Yes |
| Polie | Hole a putt longer than the flagstick | No |
| Chippie | Hole out from off the green | Sometimes |
| Fishie | Go in a water penalty area | Yes |
| Hogan | Hit the fairway and green in regulation | Yes |
How to play side games without money
- One point per side game. Keep a tally in the margin of the card.
- Add negatives if you like. A three-putt or a lost ball costs a point; snake is a whole game built on three-putts.
- Total points at the end. The winner picks the next course, or chooses the music in the car.
- Play side games alongside a main format, such as Stableford, so weaker players still have something to play for on every hole.
- Keep a season table. Points carry over across rounds, and the most sandies of the year earns a title.
For something more structured with a foursome, wolf and skins work well with junk points added on top.
Side games in Mashy
Several side games work in Mashy, a free pixel-art golf game in the browser, with a few tweaks.
- Sandies: Mashy has bunkers, including deep pot bunkers on Salty Links. A good splash and a putt makes a sandy.
- Greenies: every course has par 3s. Hit the green from the tee and make par or better.
- Fishies: Mashy Park and Dogleg Downs both have ponds. Find one and still make par.
- Arnies: on par 4s, try saving par from the rough or the sand.
- Polies: putts can be up to 26 yards long, so a holed bomb counts.
Chippies are the exception. In Mashy only a putt can drop: chips and full shots that reach the cup lip out. Swap chippies for "tap-ins": a chip that finishes close enough for a short putt.
Frequently asked questions
What is a sandy in golf?
A sandy is a side game point for making par or better on a hole where your ball was in a bunker. The classic version is getting up and down from a greenside bunker: one shot out of the sand, one putt in. Some groups count any bunker on the hole.
What is a greenie in golf?
A greenie is won on a par 3 by the player whose tee shot finishes on the green and closest to the pin. Many groups add that the player must then make par or better to collect it, so a greenie followed by a three-putt doesn't count.
What is an arnie in golf?
An arnie is making par or better on a hole without your ball ever landing on the fairway. It's named after Arnold Palmer, who was known for recovering from trouble and saving his score. Most groups only allow arnies on par 4s and par 5s.
Can you play golf side games without betting?
Yes. Give one point for each side game won, keep a tally on the scorecard and total them at the end of the round. The winner can choose the next course, pick the music or simply enjoy the bragging rights. Many groups play this way.
What is a barkie in golf?
A barkie is a side game point for hitting a tree during a hole and still making par or better. Because it can be hard to prove, most groups need another player to have seen or heard the ball hit the tree before the barkie counts.