Dots and Junk: Greenies, Sandies, Barkies and the Rest

Quick answer: Dots — also called junk or garbage — are small side bets for specific achievements during a round, each worth one "dot" at an agreed value. You collect them independently of your score, and settle up at the end.

How it works

Pick which dots are live before you tee off. The common ones:

Greenie — closest to the pin on a par 3, hit in regulation, and you must make par or better to keep it.
Sandie — up and down from a bunker for par or better.
Barkie (or woodie) — hitting a tree and still making par on the hole.
Polie — holing a putt longer than the flagstick.
Arnie — making par without ever being on the fairway.
Oozle — first to hole out on a hole. Sometimes called the ferret.

Scoring

Every dot is worth the same agreed amount. Add them up at the end and settle around the group. Because dots are small and frequent, they are the most forgiving money game here — a bad round rarely costs much.

The one rule that makes it work: you have to claim a dot when it happens. Claims remembered on the 18th tee are not claims.

When to play it on a golf trip

Dots run alongside anything and cost nothing to administer beyond a pencil. They are the perfect background game for a group that wants a little money in play without a serious wager.

They also reward the parts of golf that no leaderboard notices, which matters on the round where somebody is playing badly and needs something to show for it.

House rules worth agreeing first

Which dots are in play. Agree the list, not just the concept.
The value of a dot.
That greenies and sandies require a par — this is the most commonly disputed condition.
That dots must be claimed at the time.

FAQ

What is a greenie? Closest to the pin on a par 3 in regulation. Most groups also require you to make par or better to keep it.

What is a barkie? Hitting a tree during the hole and still making par. Improbable enough to be worth paying for.

How much should a dot be worth? Small. Dots are frequent, and the fun is in claiming them, not in the money.

Run it without the spreadsheet

GolfTracker Trips scores this format across every round of a trip, alongside whatever
else your group is playing, and rolls it all into one leaderboard for the weekend.
Start free at GolfTracker Trips — up to 8 players and 2 rounds, no card.