Planning a golf tournament? You’ve got the golf covered.
Now it’s time to add a little fun.
The best golf tournaments aren’t just about the scorecard.
They’re about getting players laughing, chatting and enjoying themselves along the way.
And a few simple golf tournament games can make a big difference.
You don’t need elaborate setups or expensive prizes, either.
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From quick challenges at individual holes to games that keep the whole group involved, there are plenty of easy ways to add some extra entertainment to your day.
Whether you’re planning a charity golf tournament, company golf outing, club event or ladies’ golf day, these 21 fun golf tournament games are easy to adapt to your group.
So grab your scorecards, pick a few favourites and let the games begin!
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What’s Inside
Looking for easy ways to make your golf tournament more fun? Here’s what you’ll find in this guide:
- 21 fun golf tournament games to keep players entertained
- Hole-by-hole games and challenges that are simple to set up
- Fun ideas for all skill levels so everyone can join in
- Golf tournament games to raise money and add to your fundraising total
- Prize and winner ideas to give players something extra to play for
- Ideas that work for charity tournaments, golf outings, company events and ladies’ golf days
Whether you want a little friendly competition or just a few laughs along the way, there’s something here for your next golf event.
Save this post for your next tournament! 📌
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1. Closest to the Pin
A classic for a reason!
Choose a par 3 and set up a Closest to the Pin challenge. Players try to land their ball as close to the hole as possible.
Keep a simple marker or sign beside the green so players know where to record their result.
Want to make it a little more interesting? Add a small prize for the winner. Golf balls, a gift card or a fun golf accessory all work well.
Best for: A simple, competitive hole challenge.
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2. Longest Drive
Give your big hitters a chance to shine with a Longest Drive competition.
Choose a suitable par 4 or par 5 and mark the fairway with a Longest Drive sign. Players compete to hit the longest drive that stays within the designated fairway area.
You can have separate categories for women and men, or create additional categories such as seniors or juniors if that suits your event.
And remember — it doesn’t have to be a serious prize. A silly trophy or bragging-rights certificate can be just as much fun!
Best for: Adding some friendly competition to a longer hole.
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⛳ Make your tournament games easy to spot.
Add ready-to-print contest signs for Closest to the Pin and Longest Drive.
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3. Beat the Pro
Here’s one that can get players talking.
Choose a par 3 and set up a target distance based on a professional golfer’s shot. Players then try to hit their ball closer to the hole than the “pro.”
No pro at your event? No problem. You can use a club professional, tournament host or even a previous winning score as your benchmark.
Make it a fundraising game by charging a small entry fee. Anyone who beats the target wins a prize or gets entered into a prize draw.
Best for: Tournaments looking for an extra challenge with a fundraising twist.
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4. Mulligan Challenge
Who doesn’t love a second chance?
Offer players the opportunity to purchase a mulligan before or during the tournament. They can then use it when they want to replay a shot.
Set a limit so the game stays fair and manageable. For example, each player could purchase one or two mulligans.
This is particularly useful for charity tournaments because it’s easy to turn a simple golf tradition into an additional fundraising opportunity.
Just make sure your tournament rules clearly explain when and how mulligans can be used.
Best for: Charity tournaments and casual golf outings.
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⛳ Planning to offer mulligans?
Make them easy to sell and track with printable golf tournament mulligan tickets.
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5. Golf Ball Target Challenge
Time to test those accuracy skills!
Set up a target on a suitable hole and challenge players to get their ball as close to the target as possible. You could use a marked circle on the fairway, a target board or another simple visual marker.
Want to make it more entertaining? Give the target different point values. The closer players get, the more points they earn.
This one works particularly well as a team challenge, too. Add up each team’s points and award a small prize to the highest-scoring team.
Best for: Adding a quick skill challenge without slowing down play.
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6. Poker Golf
Add a little luck to the round with Poker Golf.
Before the tournament, decide how players will earn cards. For example, players could receive a card for a birdie, par, winning a hole challenge or completing a designated task.
At the end of the round, players reveal their cards and the person with the best poker hand wins.
You can keep the rules simple or make it more competitive depending on your group.
Best for: Adding a fun game that continues throughout the entire round.
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7. Beat the Bucket
This one is simple to set up and surprisingly addictive!
Place a bucket or basket at a designated spot and challenge players to get their ball inside. You can use a short chip shot, pitch or even a putting challenge depending on where you set it up.
Give each player one or two attempts and award a prize for anyone who makes it.
For a charity tournament, charge a small fee for each attempt. A few dollars here and there can quickly add up across a full field.
Best for: A quick challenge with fundraising potential.
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8. One-Handed Putt
Ready to make putting a little harder?
On a designated hole, players have to complete one putt using only one hand.
You can choose the hand before the round or let players pick their preferred hand. For an extra challenge, make it the first putt after reaching the green.
It sounds easy until you actually try it!
Award a small prize to the player who sinks the longest one-handed putt.
Best for: A quick laugh and a little extra challenge on the green.
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9. Team Trivia Hole
Mix golf with a little general knowledge.
Choose one or several holes where each team receives a golf-related trivia question. They can discuss the answer while playing the hole and submit their answer before moving on.
Questions could cover golf history, famous players, rules, fun facts or even the local area.
You could award points for correct answers and add them to the team’s final score.
It’s also a great opportunity to include questions about your charity, company or event sponsors.
Best for: Team tournaments and events where you want players interacting beyond the golf.
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⛳ Want to add trivia to your tournament?
Our Golf Tournament Trivia Kit gives you ready-to-print questions, answer sheets, a host answer key and winner certificate.
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10. Lucky Ball
Give every player a little extra luck!
Before the round, each player chooses or receives a numbered golf ball. Keep the matching numbers secret until the end of the tournament.
After the round, draw one or more numbers. Anyone holding a winning ball takes home a prize.
You could also make it a mystery prize, so players don’t know what they’re playing for until the winner is announced.
It’s incredibly easy to run and doesn’t interrupt the golf at all.
Best for: Adding a simple prize-draw element to your tournament.
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11. Beat the Balloon
Add a little colour and fun to one of your tournament holes with a Beat the Balloon challenge.
Place a balloon at a designated target area and challenge players to get their ball as close to it as possible. You could use a tee shot, approach shot or even a putting challenge.
For an extra twist, write a prize or challenge on each balloon. Players who hit the target can pop the balloon to reveal what they’ve won.
It’s a simple way to create a memorable tournament hole without a complicated setup.
Best for: Fun, casual tournaments and themed golf days.
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12. The Mystery Hole
Keep players guessing with a Mystery Hole.
Before the round, choose one hole where something unexpected will happen. You could give players a special scoring rule, award bonus points or introduce a surprise challenge.
For example, everyone could receive an extra point for hitting the fairway, or teams could earn bonus points for making par.
The trick is not to reveal the challenge until players reach the hole.
Best for: Adding an element of surprise to the round.
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13. Golf Bingo
Turn the round into a game of observation with Golf Bingo.
Create bingo cards featuring things players might see or experience during their round. Think:
- Make a birdie
- Hit the fairway
- Find a water hazard
- See a wildlife friend
- Make a one-putt
- Hit a bunker
- Get a compliment from another player
Players mark their cards as they complete each challenge.
The first player or team to complete a row wins a prize. You can also create different cards for each team to keep things interesting.
Best for: Social tournaments where the goal is to keep everyone engaged throughout the round.
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14. The Putting Challenge
Give players a reason to stick around the putting green with a Putting Challenge.
Set up a few different putting stations and give players a set number of attempts at each one. Award points based on how close they get to the hole or whether they manage to sink the putt.
You could even create a mini putting tournament with a simple knockout format.
This is especially useful before the main tournament starts or during a post-round reception.
Best for: Pre-event entertainment, post-round activities and casual competitions.
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⛳ Ready for a putting challenge?
Our Putting Challenge Kit makes it easy to set up a fun putting game for your golf tournament, golf outing or even a backyard golf day.
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15. The Funniest Golf Outfit
Not every tournament game needs a golf ball!
Invite players to get creative with a Funniest Golf Outfit competition. Give everyone a theme or simply let them come up with their own ridiculous golf look.
Think bright socks, outrageous hats, retro golf outfits or anything that gets a few laughs.
Let players vote for their favourite outfit during the tournament or announce the winner at the awards ceremony.
For a charity event, you could even charge a small entry fee to participate.
Best for: Charity events, ladies’ golf days, themed tournaments and relaxed golf outings.
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16. Red Ball Challenge
Add a little mystery to the round with a Red Ball Challenge.
Give each team a red golf ball to use on a designated hole. The challenge is simple: see which team can get the red ball closest to the hole.
You can use it as a single-hole competition or make it a team challenge where the ball is passed between players throughout the round.
Award a small prize to the player or team with the winning result.
Best for: Team tournaments and easy hole competitions.
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17. Par 3 Jackpot
Turn a par 3 into a mini jackpot hole.
Players pay a small entry fee before taking their shot. Anyone who hits the green, makes a birdie or gets closest to the pin can win a prize, depending on the rules you choose.
For a charity tournament, you could put part of the entry fees toward the prize and the remainder toward your fundraising total.
Just keep the rules and prize structure clear before players tee off.
Best for: Charity tournaments and fundraising golf outings.
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18. Team Putting Relay
This one gets everyone involved.
Set up a short putting course and have each team take turns completing it. Player one putts to the target, then player two continues from where the ball finishes.
Keep going until the team completes the course.
The team with the fewest total strokes wins.
It’s quick, easy to understand and gives players something to do while waiting for the next part of the event.
Best for: Team-building events and corporate golf outings.
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19. Beat Your Partner
Pair players up and give them a simple challenge to complete together.
For example, on a designated hole, each player takes a shot and the team scores the better result. Or give partners a putting challenge and combine their scores.
You can change the format to suit your tournament.
The fun comes from seeing whether partners can actually help each other — or whether the competitive spirit takes over!
Best for: Pairs events, couples’ tournaments and relaxed golf outings.
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20. Team Photo Challenge
Get the teams involved in a little friendly photo fun with a Team Photo Challenge.
Give each team a short list of photo prompts to complete during the tournament. Keep them simple and golf-related, such as:
- A team selfie on the first tee
- The best golf pose
- A photo with a sponsor sign
- A funny golf cart photo
- A team celebration
- The most creative golf photo
At the end of the day, collect the photos and choose a winner. You could award a small prize for the most creative, funniest or best team photo.
It’s also a great way to create some fun memories from the day — and, with permission, a few photos could make great content for your event or charity afterwards.
Best for: Corporate golf outings, charity tournaments and social golf events.
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21. Golf Tournament Scavenger Hunt
Finish the list with a game that gets players looking beyond their scorecards.
Create a simple golf scavenger hunt with things players need to spot or complete during the round.
You could include items such as:
- Spot a bird on the course
- Find a four-leaf clover
- Take a team photo
- Spot a golf cart with a certain number
- Find a particular sponsor sign
- Make a birdie
- Hit the fairway
- Complete a designated hole challenge
Give each team a checklist and award a prize
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How to Choose the Right Golf Tournament Games
You don’t need to use all 21 games! In fact, 3–5 well-chosen games are usually plenty for one tournament.
Try to mix different types of challenges so players don’t feel like they’re doing the same thing over and over.
For a Charity Tournament
- Closest to the Pin
- Longest Drive
- Mulligan Challenge
- Par 3 Jackpot
- Team Photo Challenge
For a Company Golf Outing
- Beat the Pro
- Team Trivia Hole
- Team Putting Relay
- Team Photo Challenge
- Funniest Golf Outfit
For a Fun, Social Golf Day
- Golf Bingo
- One-Handed Putt
- Golf Ball Target Challenge
- Mystery Hole
- Team Photo Challenge
A good rule of thumb? Choose a couple of competitive games, add one or two just-for-fun challenges, and include a fundraising game if appropriate.
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⛳ Need to organise your tournament prizes?
A Prize & Awards Planner helps you keep track of prizes, award categories and winners, so everything is ready when it’s time to celebrate.
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A Few Tips for Running Tournament Games
A little preparation goes a long way. Keep your tournament games simple and make sure players know what to expect.
- Keep the rules simple. Players should understand the game in a few seconds.
- Use clear signs. Let players know which holes have a challenge and what they need to do.
- Tell players ahead of time. Include the games in your player information or mention them at registration.
- Have prizes ready. They don’t need to be expensive. Small golf gifts, gift cards or fun trophies can work perfectly.
- Don’t overdo it. Three to five well-chosen games can be plenty for one tournament.
The goal is to add a little extra fun — not to slow down the round!
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⛳ Planning a charity event?
Take a look at our Golf Fundraising Kit for more ideas to help boost your tournament’s fundraising potential.
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Ready to Add Some Fun to Your Golf Tournament?
A few well-chosen games can turn a good golf tournament into a day players remember.
Pick your favourites, keep the rules simple and have fun with it. After all, the best golf events are about more than the score.
Happy planning and happy golfing! ⛳ 💚
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