Every18

Side Bets & Junk · Betting Games

Snake

Also called The Snake, Three-Putt Snake, Snakes, Black Mamba

Every three-putt passes the snake; whoever holds it after 18 pays the pot.

Players
2–6 players, best with 3–4
Play as
Everyone for themselves
Scorekeeping
Easy
Handicaps
No handicaps needed
Money
Money game
Type
Side Bets & Junk

How to play

No gimmes and putts from the fringe do not count. The first three-putt of the round takes the snake (a poker chip or token) and adds to the pot; each later three-putt passes the snake to that player and grows the pot. Whoever walks off the 18th green holding the snake pays.

Scoring

Fixed version: a set amount per three-putt (for example $2; five three-putts = $10). Doubling version: the value doubles with each three-putt ($2, $4, $8, $16, $32 = $32 after five; another common example starts at $5 and reaches $50 after 10). The holder pays each other player, or the pot is split among the others.

Variations

  • Most three-putts pays instead of last
  • Four-putts count double
  • Forfeit is drinks or lunch instead of cash
  • Badges/Animals extension with camel, fish, squirrel etc.
  • Multi-round snake on golf trips
  • Doubling snake
  • Settle at 9 and 18
  • Snake as a -1 negative dot in Junk instead of a pot

Tips

  • Lag long putts to tap-in range
  • Never concede putts; everyone holes out
  • Layers cleanly on any other game
  • Lag the first putt to tap-in range on the last three holes
  • Away player always putts first to prevent gamesmanship

A two-footer on 18 suddenly matters to everyone in the group.

Works with

Each link opens every game that works for that number of players.

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Sources

Rules reflect the version most groups play, cross-checked across these sources. House rules vary; agree yours on the first tee.

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