How to Play the Perfecto Golf Game

Perfecto is the name of a golf game that a group of golfers can use to put a little money — or just pride — on the line. Perfecto rewards golfers who hit greens and fairways and make their putts. Easy, right?

To earn a point in Perfecto (or to win the wager amount), a golfer must do all three of these things on a hole:

• Hit the fairway with his or her drive;
• Hit the green with the approach shot (second shot on par-4s, or by the third stroke on par-5s);
• And take two or fewer putts to make a par or birdie.

A golfer who ticks those three boxes on a hole scores the Perfecto in this game.

High- and even mid-handicappers aren't making a ton of pars or birdies during a round, nor hitting a ton of fairways and greens. So Perfecto is a good option to wrap into other, all-inclusive games that go by such names as Garbage, Dots, Junk or Trash (games the combine many different bets).

Before the round starts, be sure all the members of your group understand what Perfecto points are worth. You can make each worth a specific dollar (or cents) amounts. Or you can tally all the points at the end of the round and then pay off the overall winner.

Perfecto has a couple variations that groups might choose to play. Many golfers play Perfecto only over the last three holes of each nine (holes 6-9 and 16-18), placing greater emphasis on finishing strong.

Also, in Perfecto it is common to double the points or bet amount when a golfer makes a Perfecto with a birdie rather than a par. So if the value of a Perfecto is set at, say 5 points, you would earn 10 points by making the Perfecto with a birdie. If the wager amount is $1, you would earn $2 with a Perfecto birdie.

Also note that Perfecto is sometimes known by the name Hogies, after Ben Hogan, who hit a lot of fairways and greens on the way to birdies and pars (and the article on Hogies — click the preceding link — explains some possible differences between it and Perfecto, too).