How it plays
- 1Set the tee order at the start. The Wolf rotates one place every hole, so with four players everyone is Wolf twice in eight holes.
- 2The Wolf tees off first, then watches each opponent hit.
- 3After any player's tee shot, the Wolf may claim them as a partner — but only immediately, before the next player hits.
- 4If the Wolf lets everyone hit without picking, they are Lone Wolf against the field.
- 5Declaring Lone Wolf before anyone tees off is the Blind Wolf, and it is worth more again.
- 6Play the hole out; the best ball on each side decides it.
Scoring and handicaps
- Wolf and partner win the hole: 1 point each. Opponents win: 1 point each to the other two.
- Lone Wolf wins: double — the Wolf takes 2 points per opponent beaten. Lone Wolf loses: each opponent takes 1.
- Blind Wolf (declared before any tee shot) is worth triple in most groups.
- Over nine holes, total the points; most points wins the round.
Over nine holes
With five players the Wolf rotation runs cleanly over nine holes and the ninth hole Wolf can always be set as the player who most needs the points — the format's built-in finale. That decision, taken out loud on the tee, is the most quotable moment of any format we play.
How to actually win it
- Watch the Wolf's face, not the ball. The pick is the entertainment; the golf is secondary.
- The correct Lone Wolf spot is a short par 3 or a hole where you get a stroke and nobody else does.
- Rotate the order so the same player is not Wolf on the ninth every week — or fix it deliberately and make it a rule.
Questions people ask
How does the Wolf pick a partner?
The Wolf tees off first and then watches each opponent hit. Immediately after any tee shot the Wolf may claim that player as their partner for the hole. Once the next player hits, the previous one can no longer be chosen — so a good drive early forces the Wolf's hand.
What is a Lone Wolf in golf?
A Lone Wolf is the Wolf choosing to play the hole alone against all the other players instead of taking a partner. It is worth double if they win the hole and costs them a point to every opponent if they lose. Declaring before anybody has teed off is a Blind Wolf, usually worth triple.
Can you play Wolf with 5 players?
Yes, and it is arguably better with five. The Wolf rotates one place each hole and can pick a partner from a larger field, and with five players the Wolf may take two partners on a hole in some house rules — a 3v2 split that changes the maths completely.
Watch it played
We film Wolf live, badly, every season
Five friends, one camera, nine holes, and a forfeit waiting for whoever finishes last. The full round card for every Wolf week is on this site the day the episode drops.