Bingo Bango Bongo

Three points to fight over on every hole: first on the green, closest to the pin and first in the hole. It rewards good play rather than a low handicap.

2 to 4 players Hole by hole

What is Bingo Bango Bongo?

Bingo Bango Bongo is a points game where three points are at stake on every hole, but not for whoever hits it furthest or lowest. Instead it rewards three different achievements: reaching the green first, lying closest to the pin, and holing out first. That makes the game surprisingly fair, because even someone who is not the longest can pick up points.

How to play

Three points are awarded on every hole, one for each part:

  • Bingo: first ball on the green.
  • Bango: closest to the pin once every ball is on the green.
  • Bongo: first ball in the hole.

One detail matters above all: the order of play decides everything. Whoever lies furthest from the hole plays first, all the way through. That is how a shorter hitter can take bingo, by reaching the green first despite lying closest after the tee shot.

How it is worked out

At the end of the round everyone's points are totalled. The points difference between players is converted into money: each pair is compared and the difference times the stake changes hands. Whoever collected the most points takes from those with fewer, and it balances out across the group.

Because no strokes or handicaps are counted, there is no fiddling with stroke index. Wager Golf keeps track of bingo, bango and bongo on every hole, then works out the final balance and shows who owes whom.

Common questions

What do bingo, bango and bongo mean?

Bingo is whoever gets their ball on the green first. Bango is whoever lies closest to the pin once everyone is on the green. Bongo is whoever holes out first. Each one is worth a point.

Do you need handicaps in Bingo Bango Bongo?

No. The game is built on order of play and precision rather than the number of strokes, so it works without handicaps. It is one of the few formats where a shorter hitter can take points off a longer one, as long as the order of play is respected.

Does it work across different standards?

Yes, unusually well. Because points are awarded for three different things on every hole, even someone who is not the longest gets their chances, particularly on bango and bongo. It levels things out between players of different classes.

Stop working out Bingo Bango Bongo by hand

Wager Golf works out the game and settlement automatically with the right WHS handicap, then shows exactly who owes whom.

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