What is longest drive?
Longest drive is the bet that makes everyone want to let one go off the tee. On the chosen holes, whoever hits the longest tee shot wins — with one condition: the ball has to finish on the fairway. That means it is not just about power, but about finding that combination of distance and control under pressure.
How to play
- Choose which holes count before the round, usually long par 4s and par 5s.
- Everyone hits their tee shot.
- The longest tee shot that finishes on the fairway wins the hole.
- A ball in the rough or out of bounds does not count.
How the pot is decided
Each chosen hole has its own pot of the stake times the number of players, and whoever has the longest valid drive takes it. Put longest drive on several holes and there are several pots to fight over.
Wager Golf lets you choose the holes, mark the winner on the spot and works out the pots for you, so you can concentrate on finding the fairway with a little extra speed.
A worked example
Say there are four of you staking 30 on two chosen holes, a long par 4 and a par 5. The pot on each hole is the stake times the number of players, so 30 × 4 = 120. With two holes there are two pots to fight over.
On the first hole Anna hits it furthest, and the ball finishes on the fairway. She takes the whole 120 pot. Because her own 30 stake is already in the pot, her net on that hole is +90. The other three are 30 down each on hole one.
On the second hole Erik hits it furthest of all, but finds the rough, so his drive does not count. Johan is longest on the fairway and takes the pot, netting +90 on hole two.
Adding both holes together gives the overall net for the round:
- Anna: +60 (+90 on hole one, −30 on hole two)
- Johan: +60 (−30 on hole one, +90 on hole two)
- Erik: −60 (−30 on each hole)
- The fourth player: −60 (−30 on each hole)
It sums to zero, a pot-neutral settlement where the winnings always match the losses. Wager Golf works out the pots and shows who owes what.