Golf Games: Birdie or Better

We discussed the golf "skins" game in the past. In skins games all players chip in a set amount of money. Players who score the single lowest score on a hole without ties win a "skin." There can be multiple skins per round. The amount a player wins per skin is based on the total pot, divided by the number of skins. One drawback of skins is that there is usually a small number of winners. Birdie or Better One similar game to skins, but perhaps a little more forgiving in that more players can win, is called "birdie or better." In this game the committee decides on a hole or holes (even all 18), which will be the birdie or better hole(s). On those holes any player who makes a birdie is guaranteed to win part of the pot, regardless of ties. Example For a 9-hole league the tournament organizers have decided that the 1st and 9th holes are the birdie or better holes. 100 players chip in $5.00 each to participate in this game. The first hole is an easy par-5. Eight players out of the group make birdie and two make an eagle. Therefore there are 10 birdies or better. The ninth hole is more difficult. Only two players make birdie. Adding the 10 players for the first hole and two players for the ninth makes the total players who won part of the birdie or better pot 12. 100 players times $5.00 each means the pot is $500. $500 divided by 12 is $41.66. So each player who won part of the pot wins $41.66. There's a catch though. The player who made the birdie on the ninth hole also made birdie on the first hole. He wins two of the birdie or better bets. $41.66 times two equals a payday of $83.32.