The Wolf Pack

The other day we had a normal golf outing with the usual suspects. I'm sure your foursome consists of some of these archetypes: the brazen and brash elder statesman, who screams at bad shots and acts like a general maniac 80% of the time. The young fit father of two who “hasn't played much” but proceeds to stripe it 280 off the tee every other hole; the grizzled golf vet who has seen it all and has stories to fill a book nobody in their right mind would read. And then there was me, an over-dressed idiot with much smoke and not enough fire in the swing department.  

Instead of playing a normal round in stroke play, counting every stroke and pretending that it builds character. We decided on a new game: Wolf

We didn't invent this game, but I thought it might provide us with enough excitement to play without worrying about our current score. For those who haven't played it, Wolf is part golf game, part gambling, and part psychological warfare. 

On each hole, one player becomes the wolf. After all players have hit their tee shot, the wolf can either play as a lone wolf for double the points or play with a teammate against the other two members. 

Go lone wolf, and the rewards double, but so does the risk, awarding everybody else a point if you fail.  

By the turn, the group had been absolutely ravaged by the younger golfer who had found his game and the opportunities to slip ahead of the pack.

 Despite having a higher handicap and not playing regularly, he was collecting points like they were being handed out for free at the snack shack. 

This leaves me with a question I never thought to ask: shouldn't the best all-round golfer win? 

Not in this case. Thats the best part about Wolf, 

Unlike stroke play where one bad hole can haunt your whole round, Wolf rewards timing as well as skill: play well when it matters, or hitch your wagon to a player with a hot hand and stop before they cool off. It's less about consistent great play but knowing how to read everybody else's play. It's gambling without the casino.

Toward the end of the round, there were some massive swings being taken. Every time I played lone wolf, I dreamt of glory; every time, reality would promptly inform me that I was not Rory or Scotty. 

As the game wore on, players attempted to stay in the game; the top players became targets, safe players became aggressive, and aggressive players became reckless. It provided a strange and exciting dynamic. 

By the 8th hole, I knew I was out of the game; this became surprisingly freeing. My goal had then switched to sabotage. This was the most fun, watching the destruction of someone's plans because you strategically play poorly.

Golf has a way of becoming too serious at times, hyper-fixating on our swings, our handicaps, launch monitors, the newest technology. Then a little game comes along and reminds us of why we play in the first place: for friends, for camaraderie, for afternoons filled with cursing and laughing. 

If your week group is stuck in the doldrums of stroke play, give Wolf a try. You never know, the most unlikely of players might win it all.  

I will say the young man played better than most; it's hard to beat pure athleticism when you're shaped like an inflatable car lot tube man.

I spent the remainder of the day making everyone else's day a little harder. Which for me was more fun than trying.