How to play Banker

How it works

Each hole one player is the banker. Everyone else plays the banker one on one, for a bet they pick on the tee between the smallest and biggest bet set in setup ($1 to $5 to start). The lower score wins each bet; a tie is a push. The banker wins or loses every bet on its own.

Who is banker

• Low score is banker (the default): the low score on a hole is banker on the next one. On a tie the banker stays banker if they tied; otherwise it’s the first tied player in order.
• Take turns: the players are banker in the order they’re listed.
• Player 1 is banker on the first hole, and the banker can be changed by hand on any hole.

Presses and birdies

• Presses: a player can press to double their bet, and the banker can press back, which doubles every bet on the hole.
• Presses are ×3 on par 3s (a house rule): each press triples instead, so a press and a press-back on a par 3 make ×9.
• A birdie doubles the bet: a winning real birdie or better doubles that bet.

Handicaps

Net (the default), with full handicaps or off the low player, or gross.

Example

Ann is banker. Bo bets $3, Cy $1, and Di bets $5 and presses, so $10. Ann makes 4, Bo 5, Cy 4, Di 3. Ann wins $3 from Bo, Cy pushes, and Di wins $10: Ann is down $7 on the hole.

More games

• Nassau For 2 to 6 players, one on one, or two teams of two in a foursome.
• Skins For 2 to 6 players.
• Wolf For a foursome.
• Vegas For a foursome, in two teams of two.
• Stroke play For 2 to 6 players.
• Stableford For 2 to 6 players.
• Dots For 2 to 6 players, on top of any game.
• Birdies For 2 to 6 players, on top of any game.
• Sixes For a foursome. Also called Round Robin or Hollywood.
• Bingo Bango Bongo For 2 to 6 players.
• Low ball / high ball For a foursome, in two teams of two.
• Nines For a threesome. Also called 5-3-1.
• Team skins For a foursome, in two teams of two.
• Team stroke play For a foursome, in two teams of two.