In this Article
The snake golf game is a simple side bet that punishes three-putts: whoever holds the snake at the end pays. Learn the rules, payout options, doubling math, and 5 tips to stay off the hook.
Every group has that one player who can stripe it off the tee and then three-putt from 25 feet like it is a family tradition. The snake golf game was built for that player. It is a simple side bet with one job: punish three-putts, and make the last person to three-putt pay everyone else.
I have run Snake with my students in Chicago for years, and it does more for their lag putting than any drill I assign. This guide covers the rules, how the snake changes hands, payout options, the math behind doubling, and five tips to stay off the hook.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
What Is the Snake Golf Game?
Snake is a putting game you play on top of your normal round. The first player to three-putt “gets the snake.” They hold it until someone else three-putts, and then the snake passes to that player.
Whoever is holding the snake when you walk off the 18th green loses. They pay each other player in the group, or pay into a pot, depending on how you set it up.
That is the whole idea. It costs nothing to learn, needs no extra scoring beyond a mark on the card, and it works with any main game you are already playing.
Snake Golf Game Rules
The rules fit on the back of a scorecard. Agree on these five points before the first tee shot and you will avoid almost every argument.
1. A three-putt takes the snake
Any time a player takes three or more putts after reaching the green, they take the snake from whoever has it. If nobody has it yet, the snake is now theirs.
2. Only putts from the green count
Most groups only count strokes from the putting surface. If you use your putter from the fringe and then two-putt, that is not a three-putt. Golf Monthly describes the same standard, and it is the one I recommend.
3. No gimmes
Every putt must be holed. A two-footer you would normally scoop up is now a real putt, because missing it is how most people end up holding the snake. This is the rule that makes the game useful practice.
4. The holder at the end pays
It does not matter how many three-putts you had. If you made the last one, you lose. A player who three-putts four times on the front nine and then putts well on the back can still walk away free.
5. Track it on the card
Pick one scorekeeper. Put a small “S” next to the score of whoever takes the snake on each hole. Some groups carry a rubber snake in the cart and hand it over each time, which is half the fun.
How Snake Payouts Work
There are three common ways to settle up. Choose one on the first tee and write it down.
| Payout style | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Flat stake | The final holder pays a set amount, like $5, to each other player. | Casual groups and new players |
| Growing pot | Each three-putt adds a set amount, like $1, to a pot. The final holder pays the whole pot, split among the others. | Groups who want stakes to build |
| Doubling | The value starts small and doubles every time the snake changes hands. | Low-handicap groups only |
You can also skip cash entirely. Plenty of my groups play for the first round of drinks or lunch at the turn. The pressure feels the same, and nobody goes home annoyed.
The Doubling Math (Read This First)
Doubling sounds harmless until you do the numbers. If the snake starts at $1 and doubles every time it changes hands, the eighth three-putt makes it worth $128. In the classic version, that is $128 owed to each other player.
How many three-putts should you expect? Shot Scope data reported by Golf Monthly shows a scratch golfer three-putts on about 3% of holes, a 10-handicap on about 7%, and 20 and 25 handicaps on about 13%.
| Handicap | Holes ending in a 3-putt | Rough 3-putts per 18 holes |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 3% | About 0.5 |
| 5 | 6% | About 1 |
| 10 | 7% | About 1.3 |
| 15 | 11% | About 2 |
| 20 | 13% | About 2.3 |
| 25 | 13% | About 2.3 |
So a foursome of 15 to 20 handicaps will usually pass the snake eight or nine times in a round. That is exactly where doubling gets ugly. If your group is in that range, start at a dime or a nickel, or use a flat stake instead.
A Worked Example
Here is a real-style round with four players, Mike, Jen, Carlos, and Pat, playing a growing pot at $1 per three-putt.Hole Three-putt by Snake holder Pot 3 Carlos Carlos $1 7 Jen Jen $2 8 Carlos Carlos $3 12 Pat Pat $4 15 Mike Mike $5 17 Jen Jen $6
Jen three-putted the 17th and two-putted the 18th, so she finishes holding the snake. She pays the $6 pot, split $2 each to Mike, Carlos, and Pat.
Notice Carlos had two three-putts and still walked away a winner. That is the charm of the game. Nobody is out of it until the last putt drops.
Popular Variations of the Snake Golf Game
Once your group has played the basic snake golf game a few times, these house rules keep it fresh. Pick one at most, so the scorekeeper does not need a calculator.
- Four-putt penalty. A four-putt takes the snake and adds an extra unit to the pot. It rewards players who protect against the disaster putt.
- Back-nine snake. Run separate snakes for the front and back nine. A bad front nine does not follow you to the 18th green.
- Trip snake. On a golf trip, the snake carries across every round. The final holder on the last day pays for dinner. It gets expensive fast.
- Snake with a “save.” If the holder one-putts from outside a set distance, such as the length of the flagstick, the snake goes back into the middle.
Snake also runs alongside almost any main game, from skins to Stableford, since it only needs one extra mark on the card. If you want a second rundown of the basic rules, The Golf News Net has a good one.
How to Set Up a Snake Golf Game in 60 Seconds
You do not need an app or a special scorecard. Here is the quick first-tee script I use when I start a snake golf game with a new group.
- Name the stake. Say it out loud: flat $5, $1 per three-putt, or drinks at the turn.
- Confirm the fringe rule. Putts from off the green do not count unless everyone agrees otherwise.
- Kill the gimmes. Everyone holes out, every hole, no exceptions.
- Pick a scorekeeper. One person marks an S on the card each time the snake moves.
- Agree on any extras. Four-putt penalty, back-nine reset, or none at all.
That takes less time than finding a tee in your bag. It also settles the two questions that cause almost every snake golf game dispute: what counts as a three-putt, and how much the loser owes.
If a new player joins mid-round, let them in at the next hole with a clean slate. The snake stays with whoever holds it, and the newcomer can take it the same way as everyone else.
Snake vs Other Golf Side Games
Most side games reward good shots. Snake is different because it punishes one specific mistake. That makes it a great equalizer, since a long hitter has no edge on the greens.
If you want a main bet underneath it, a Nassau in golf is the classic choice. For hole-by-hole action, try a skins game. If your group likes short-game bets, pair Snake with greenies on the par 3s and sandies from the bunkers.
Greenies reward the first putt or two, and Snake punishes the third. Together they cover the whole green.
5 Tips to Avoid Holding the Snake
The players who win a snake golf game are rarely the best putters. They are the players who avoid the big miss. These are the five habits I teach.
1. Lag to a three-foot circle
From 30 feet and beyond, forget the hole. Picture a three-foot circle around it and roll the ball into that circle. Most three-putts come from a first putt that finishes six feet away, not from missing short ones.
2. Speed first, line second
On long putts, distance errors are much bigger than direction errors. Spend your practice strokes feeling the length of the putt while looking at the hole. Read the break once, then commit to the pace.
3. Hit your approach to the fat part of the green
A 40-footer from the back edge is a three-putt waiting to happen. When you hold the snake, play to the middle of the green and leave yourself an uphill putt. Being below the hole is worth more than being close.
4. Practice the putts gimmes used to hide
With no gimmes, two- and three-footers suddenly matter. Before the round, hole 20 putts in a row from three feet on the practice green. It builds a routine you can trust when the snake is on the line.
5. Do not change your stroke when you hold the snake
Players holding the snake often get tentative and leave putts short, which creates more three-putts. Keep the same routine and the same pace. Treat each putt as its own task, not as a referendum on the bet.
Pace of Play and Etiquette
The one real downside of Snake is time. Holing every putt adds a few seconds per green, and that adds up over 18 holes. On a busy Saturday, it can push you behind the group ahead.
Keep it moving. Putt out in turn without long re-reads, mark the card on the next tee, and keep celebrations short. If the course is packed, play Snake on the back nine only. Our guide on how long 18 holes of golf takes covers more ways to protect your pace.
And keep the stakes friendly. The best snake golf game is the one where the loser laughs while buying the drinks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the snake in golf?
The snake is a side bet on three-putts. The player who three-putts takes the snake, and whoever holds it at the end of the round pays the group.
Does a putt from the fringe count in Snake?
Usually not. Most groups only count putts made from the green, so putting from the fringe and then two-putting is not a three-putt. Agree on this before you start.
Are gimmes allowed in Snake?
No. Every putt has to be holed out. That rule is what makes Snake both stressful and great practice.
How much should you play Snake for?
For most groups, a flat $5 per player or a $1-per-three-putt pot works well. Only use doubling if your group rarely three-putts, or start it at a dime.
Can you play Snake with two players?
Yes, though it works best with three or four. With two players, it becomes a simple head-to-head putting bet, and the snake tends to swing back and forth.
Is Snake fair for high handicappers?
Fairer than most games. In a snake golf game, high handicappers three-putt more often, but only the last three-putt matters. A scratch player who three-putts the 18th green loses just the same.
The Bottom Line
The snake golf game is the easiest side bet to add to any round. Three-putt and you take the snake, hold it at the end and you pay. Agree on the payout, count only putts from the green, and hole everything.
Play it for a few weeks and watch what happens to your lag putting. Nothing sharpens your speed control like a rubber snake sitting in your cart.
