Thread by @LouStagner

I posted about the betting game wolf yesterday and a TON of players reached out asking how to play. This is my favorite game!

Here are the details, with a bunch of variations at the end.

If you play wolf and have different rules/variations, post them below!

🧵👇

Players Needed:
Best with 4 players.

Objective:
To win the most points by playing as either a Lone Wolf or as part of a team during each hole.

Setup:

Determine the Order of Play: Before teeing off, decide on the rotation for each hole.
(e.g., Player A, B, C, D on Hole 1; then B, C, D, A on Hole 2, etc.).

Continue to rotate in order.

The player who tees off first is the "Wolf."

Point System:

Decide on a point value for each hole. Common points values are:
1 point per hole for a win
2 points per hole for a win if playing as a lone Wolf.

Rules

Tee Off Order and Decision:
On each hole, players tee off in order. The Wolf tees off first and decides if they want a partner or to play lone.

Choosing a Partner:
After each player’s tee shot, the Wolf can either:
1. Choose the player as a partner (if they like the shot).
2. Pass and wait for the next player’s tee shot.
3. Playing as a lone Wolf: After seeing all other players' shots, the Wolf can decide to play the hole alone for double points.

Choosing a partner MUST be done before the final tee shot hits the ground.

If the last tee shot hits the ground and the Wolf has not yet picked a partner, the Wolf is forced to play as a lone wolf.

Winning the Hole:

The team (or lone Wolf against other 3 players) with the lowest NET score on the hole wins the points.

This is a net game, so it is played with handicap.

If teams tie, no points are awarded for that hole.

Scoring:

Normal Hole (Team Play): Each player on winning team gets 1 point each.

Lone Wolf Win: Lone Wolf receives 2 points from each opponent (The wolf wins 6 points total).

Lone Wolf Loss: Each opponent of the lone wolf wins 2 points each (The wolf loses 6 points total).

On the 17th hole, the player with the lowest point total gets to be the wolf.

This is to try and give them an opportunity to win some points back. Lots of players will often try to play as the lone wolf in this situation.
Sometimes you make up points, some times you fall deeper into the hole!

The same thing happens on the 18th hole. The player with the lowest points through 17 holes gets to be the wolf.

Variations:

Blind Wolf: The Wolf can declare themselves a "Blind Wolf" before anyone tees off, committing to play lone. A Blind Wolf win results in triple points, while a loss requires paying double points.

Progressive Wolf: Points for each hole increase by 1 as the round progresses (e.g., Hole 1 = 1 point, Hole 2 = 2 points, etc.). This raises the stakes, especially on later holes.

Reverse Wolf: In this variation, the last player in the rotation on each hole is the Wolf. This change adds variety and reduces predictability.

Ghost Player for 3 Players: If you only have three players, add a "Ghost" as a fourth. The Ghost’s score for each hole is the average of the other three players' scores, allowing for standard Wolf play.

Team Wolf: For larger groups, two players can be the Wolf on each hole, allowing for a more strategic team dynamic. The points can be adjusted accordingly for team play.

Random tees. The wolf gets to pick the tees you play from (everyone plays from the same tees).

How do you play wolf?

What rules/variations do you have?