Explaining Gotchas on the Golf Course

Gotchas (got you's) is the name of a golf game that is best played only by friends — especially the second, more, um, personally invasive version of the game. Basically, Gotchas gives each golfer in your group the right to try to disrupt your swing once or twice during the round.

The standard version of Gotcha (the game can be called Gotcha, singular, or Gotchas, plural) goes like this:

• Each golfer in a foursome gets one or two "gotchas" to use the round. Two is the more-common number, but you might want to limit the two better players in the quartet to just one.
• If you have a gotcha to use, then, at any time during any opponents' backswing (full swing or putt), you can yell out "gotcha!" in an attempt to distract them and make them play a poor shot.

That's it: Each member of the group has one or two gotchas to yell during the round. Use them anywhere against anyone at any time. (As with any game that involves yelling things out, be sure to maintain good golf etiquette for any other golfers around — just not the ones who are playing Gotchas with you!)

This version of Gotchas is also known as Noonan or Noonans.

The, Um, Dirtier Version of Gotchas

There is another version of Gotchas that should only ever be played among a quartet of very good friends who are completely comfortable with zinging each other. Never play this version of Gotchas with strangers or anyone of the opposite sex.

Why? Because this version of Gotchas involves giving up some of your, well, bodily autonomy. And perhaps some of your dignity.

We'll let European Tour winner and Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance explain. In his book Out of Bounds (affiliate link), Torrance told a story about Sam Snead being challenged to a money match by a club member who insisted Snead give him two gotchas as a handicap. But these weren't the gotchas described in the first section above:

"Snead was crouching over his birdie putt when the member approached from the rear, reached down and grabbed Snead's balls, shouting 'gotcha'. The member went on to win a few thousand. Well, you try playing 17 holes not knowing when the second 'gotcha' was going to come."

Understand now why this version should only be played among longtime golf buddies?

And please note the requirement to creep up behind one of your buddies in this version means you need to be very, very careful not to get whacked in the head by someone's backswing.

Play this version of Gotchas at your own risk!

More golf games:

• How to play the Zookeeper game
• How to play 3-Putt Poker
• Marshmallow long drive: what it is, how to win