How to play Snake (golf): three-putt rules and examples
In Snake the player who last three-putts holds the snake, and whoever is still holding it when the round ends pays everyone else. It is a putting game that anyone can lose.
- Players: 2 to 5 players
- Also called: snake, three-putt game
- Teams: Every player for themselves
- Scores needed: Not just scores: some results come from order of play or putting
Tap the golfer who three-putted, on the hole it happened.
Never be the last to three-putt.
How to play Snake
- Nobody holds the snake at the start of the round.
- The first player to three-putt takes the snake. Each time a different player three-putts, the snake passes to them.
- Agree what counts as a putt. The default counts only strokes made from the putting surface.
- At the end of the round (or each nine if you play it that way) the holder pays every other player the stake.
- The stake can be flat, grow by a step with each three-putt, or double each time.
A worked example with numbers
Four players at 2 flat. Ann three-putts on hole 3 and takes the snake. Bo three-putts on hole 11 and it passes to him. No one three-putts after that.
Bo holds the snake at the end of the round, so he pays Ann, Cy and Di 2 each, a total of 6. With the step value on, each three-putt adds to the stake, so a round with several three-putts costs the final holder more.
Options and defaults
These are the rules groups change. The first column is the setting, the second is what Hole19Tally starts with, and the last says what it changes.
| Option | Default | Choices | What it changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Segments | eighteen | eighteen, nine | One snake for the round, or one per nine. |
| Value | flat | flat, step, double | flat: fixed stake. step: grows by the step with each three-putt. double: doubles with each three-putt. |
| Step (multiple of stake) | 1 | 0.5, 1, 2 | How much the stake grows with each three-putt, as a multiple of the stake. |
| What counts as a putt | surface | surface, putter | surface: strokes from the putting surface only. putter: any stroke with a putter. |
| Conceded putts | one | one, not allowed | one: a conceded putt counts as one putt. notAllowed: putts cannot be conceded while Snake is active. |
| Two players three-putt the same hole | last | last, more | last: the last to finish holds it. more: the one with more putts holds it (ties go to the last to finish). |
| Player withdraws | stand as is | stand as is, void, forfeit | standAsIs: that player's bets settle as they stand. void: bets with that player are cancelled. forfeit: they score nothing for the remaining holes. |
| Round cut short | segments | segments, void, last | segments: only completed segments settle. void: nothing settles. last: settle on standings at the last completed hole. |
Common disputes
What counts as a three-putt?
Three strokes from the putting surface by default. You can count any stroke with the putter.
Are conceded putts allowed?
A conceded putt counts as one putt by default. You can ban conceded putts while Snake is on.
What if two players three-putt the same hole?
The last to finish holds the snake, or the one with more putts if you set it that way.
Frequently asked questions
Is Snake played every hole?
It is a side game running alongside whatever else you play.
One snake or one per nine?
One for the round by default, or one per nine.
How many players can play Snake?
Two to five.
Is Hole19Tally a betting app?
Hole19Tally is a scorekeeper. It records scores, works out strokes and shows who owes whom, but it never holds, moves or takes a share of money, and it is not a gambling service. Players settle up directly with each other.
Score it in Hole19Tally
Hole19Tally keeps the score for Snake, applies the handicap strokes and shows who owes whom. Hole19Tally is a scorekeeper. It records scores, works out strokes and shows who owes whom, but it never holds, moves or takes a share of money, and it is not a gambling service. Players settle up directly with each other.
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