The 'Three Points' Putting Green Game

Three Points (or 3-Points) is a putting game for the practice green. Depending on what happens on each "hole" of the putting course you and your fellow-competitors pick out, as many as three points or as few as one are up for grabs for each round.

To play Three Points, head to the practice green at your local driving range, golf course or (if you're lucky!) backyard. You can pick out any putts to any holes, long, short, flat, breaking, whatever you want. On each "hole" (the hole being the cup to which are you putting, from the starting point you've picked), each golfer takes one putt.

After all the golfers in your group have putted, compare the results. This is how points are awarded:

• Any golfer who makes the putt earns the full three points.
• If nobody makes the putt, then the golfer who is closest to the hole out of all the attempts earns one point.
• If the golfer who is closest to the hole also got her putt past the cup, they earn two points instead of one.

You can play Three Points for nine holes, 18 holes, six holes, 12 holes, whatever you want. Or, if you are at the golf course before your round, play it until you are called to the first tee. Any way, at the end players compare their points earned and high points is the winner (or, if wagering, you can pay out the differences in points earned).

As with any practice green game, make sure you are considerate of any other golfers who are also using the green.

More games:

• How to play Putt for Dough
• How the 21 (Twenty-One) putting game works
• The 50/50 putting game explained

Sources:
(Book titles are affiliate links; commissions earned)
Bohn, Michael K. Money Golf: 600 Years of Bettin' on Birdies, Potomac Books Inc., 2007.