Junk golf game rules
Junk (also called dots or trash) pays for good moments on the course, whatever the scorecard says. Each dot is worth an agreed amount from every other player.
The dots Side Pot scores
Turn on the ones your group plays and set a value for each:
- Greenie: closest to the hole on a par 3 with your tee shot. By default you must make par or better to keep it.
- Sandy: get up and down from a bunker for par or better.
- Birdie and eagle: counted automatically from the score.
- Chip-in: hole out from off the green.
- Polie: make a putt longer than the flagstick.
- Barkie: hit a tree and still make par.
- 3-putt: a negative dot — you pay everyone else.
Scoring
Every dot is paid by each other player to the player who earned it. A negative dot works the other way: the player pays each other player. Totals are netted at the end, so you only settle the difference.
Worked example
$1 dots, four players. Dave hits the green on par-3 hole 1 and makes par: greenie. Mike gets up and down from the sand on 2: sandy. Sam birdies 3, and Jon 3-putts it.
Dave, Mike and Sam each collect $3 for their dot. Jon pays $3 for his 3-putt, plus $1 to each of the other three dots. Dave +$2, Mike +$2, Sam +$2, Jon −$6.
These numbers come straight from the scoring Side Pot uses in a real round. Load them into the calculator below and change anything.
Junk calculator
Dave, Mike, Sam, Jon
- Dave+$2Net up
- Mike+$2Net up
- Sam+$2Net up
- Jon−$6Net down
Why (12 entries)
- Mike → Dave $1 · Junk hole 1: Dave Greenie
- Sam → Dave $1 · Junk hole 1: Dave Greenie
- Jon → Dave $1 · Junk hole 1: Dave Greenie
- Dave → Mike $1 · Junk hole 2: Mike Sandy
- Sam → Mike $1 · Junk hole 2: Mike Sandy
- Jon → Mike $1 · Junk hole 2: Mike Sandy
- Jon → Dave $1 · Junk hole 3: Jon 3-putt
- Jon → Mike $1 · Junk hole 3: Jon 3-putt
- Jon → Sam $1 · Junk hole 3: Jon 3-putt
- Dave → Sam $1 · Junk hole 3: Sam Birdie
- Mike → Sam $1 · Junk hole 3: Sam Birdie
- Jon → Sam $1 · Junk hole 3: Sam Birdie
Common questions
Does a greenie count if you three-putt?
Not with the default rule: you need par or better to keep a greenie. You can turn that off in setup.
What is a barkie in golf?
Hitting a tree on a hole and still making par. Some groups call it a woodie.
Can you play junk alongside another game?
Yes — Junk is usually played on top of a Nassau or Skins. Side Pot nets all games together at settle-up.
Related games
Let Side Pot keep the book.
Tap scores, and every Junk result, the money and the settle-up are worked out for you.
Score your next Junk round