Wolf is one of the most popular golf games for a foursome because it adds strategy to every tee shot. Instead of playing the same teams for the entire round, Wolf lets players choose partners hole by hole. On some holes, you may team up with another golfer. On others, you may decide to go alone and play against the rest of the group.
That mix of strategy, risk, and changing teams makes Wolf a great game for players who want something more exciting than standard stroke play.
This is a simulation, not a live round. Tap the green Start Simulation button to learn the game and watch this made up match unfold one hole at a time. Just like in our app, you'll see a summary of the drama below the holes and a leaderboard.
The scores above are invented, but the scoring is not: this is the same card and the same live leaderboard your group sees on Big Fairways while you play.
Play WOLF Now! Pick your five, and Big Fairways handles the pointsWolf is a golf betting or points game most commonly played by four players. On each hole, one player is designated as the Wolf. The Wolf watches the other players tee off and decides whether to pick one of them as a partner or play the hole alone.
The goal is to win points by having the best score on the hole, either as a two-person team or as the lone Wolf.
The exact origin of Wolf is not clearly documented, but the game has been popular in recreational golf for decades. It likely grew out of traditional match play and team betting formats, where golfers wanted a way to rotate teams and keep every hole interesting.
Wolf became especially popular because it works well for foursomes, creates constant decision-making, and gives every player a chance to be aggressive or conservative depending on the situation.
Wolf is usually played with four golfers. Before the round starts, players decide the teeing order. That order rotates throughout the round.
On each hole:
The Wolf rotates from hole to hole so every player gets a turn.
For a foursome, a simple rotation looks like this:
Because 18 holes does not divide evenly by four, many groups let the player with the fewest points be Wolf on holes 17 and 18. Another option is to keep the same rotation all the way through. The important thing is to agree before the round starts.
The rotation only divides evenly for part of the round, so Big Fairways uses the catch up rule for the closing holes and works it out again on every tee, which means the Wolf can change from one hole to the next:
The Wolf watches each player tee off and can select a partner after seeing that shot.
For example:
If the Wolf does not choose a partner, the Wolf plays the hole alone against the other three players.
This is called going Lone Wolf.
Going Lone Wolf is riskier, but it is usually worth more points. If the Wolf wins the hole alone, they earn more than they would have earned with a partner. If the Wolf loses, the other three players earn points instead.
Some groups also allow the Wolf to declare Lone Wolf before anyone tees off. This is usually worth even more points because the Wolf is taking the risk without seeing any other shots.
Wolf scoring can vary, but a simple beginner-friendly version is:
The demo round above uses five players, which is common when a fifth man shows up and nobody wants to sit out. The teams become two against three, or one against four when the Wolf goes alone, so the point values are scaled up to match the odds:
Let's say Player A is the Wolf.
Player B tees off and hits the fairway.
Player A passes.
Player C tees off and hits a great drive.
Player A chooses Player C as a partner.
Player D tees off.
Player A and Player C now play as a team against Player B and Player D.
If Player A and Player C win the hole, they each earn a point. If Player B and Player D win, they each earn a point.
Wolf is fun because every hole feels different. You are not locked into the same partner all day, and every tee shot matters.
The Wolf has to think about:
Before teeing off, agree on:
If you are new to Wolf, start with this simple version:
Wolf is one of the best golf games for a foursome because it combines teamwork, risk-taking, and strategy. It gives every player a chance to make decisions, change partners, and win points throughout the round.
If you want a golf game that keeps everyone engaged from the first tee to the final green, Wolf is a great format to try.
Keep score automatically and settle up in the app Every hole, every partner pick, every point, tracked for youFour is the standard, because the Wolf plus a partner makes an even two against two match. Five works well too, and is common when an extra player joins: the teams become two against three, and the point values are scaled up so the smaller side is paid fairly for the longer odds. Three players can play, but the Wolf has fewer partners to choose from, so most of the strategy disappears.
A Lone Wolf is a Wolf who passes on every partner and plays the hole alone against everyone else. It pays more than winning with a partner, which is what makes it tempting, but if the Lone Wolf loses the hole, every other player collects a point. Some groups also allow a blind Lone Wolf declared before anyone tees off, and pay it double.
No. The Wolf has to choose a partner immediately after that player's tee shot, before the next player hits. Once the next ball is in the air, the previous player is off the table for good. That one rule is what makes the order of play matter and creates most of the tension in the game.
Most groups do, because the Wolf is picking partners based on who is playing well rather than who is the best golfer, and net scoring keeps everyone in the conversation. Strokes are allocated by stroke index in the normal way, and the team score on each hole is the better net score of the two players. The demo round above uses full handicaps for exactly this reason.
The rotation does not divide evenly into eighteen, so groups need a rule for the last few holes. The two common answers are to continue the rotation from the top, or to give the Wolf to whoever has the fewest points, which gives the player who is behind a way back. Big Fairways uses the second, and works it out again before every closing hole, so a player who scores enough to climb out of last place hands the Wolf to somebody else. A tie goes to the man with the higher gross score.
On the tee box, immediately after that player's tee shot and before the next man hits. Nothing that happens after the tee shots can change the pick, so a great approach from a player the Wolf already passed on is no use to him. That single rule is what creates the tension in the game, and it is why the order of play matters.