Fun game to play with 4 players "Twist"

[easyyy]

Nassau or wolf is the go to for years. But have any of you played "Twist"??? Might be called something else but I find it better than Nassau or Close Out because every hole is an opportunity to for a new bet. 

 

Here is the premise for Twist...

 

1. Choose partners
2. Same partners for 18 holes
3. Six point game
4. Two points for low ball
5. Two points for low total
6. One point for natural birdie
7. One point for proximity
8. Umbrella Rule if all six points are achieved doubles to 12 points 
9. Walker Rule if two natural birdies are achieved 12 points go to 24 (or points soon is doubled)
10. $ amount from .10c to $100.00
11. Typically $1.00 to $3.00 a point
12. Losing team can Twist or double the bets for 1 hole. The winning team tees off first every time to allow the team behind to "TWIST" after they see the tee shots of their opponents. If their tee balls rant great and or you or your teammate gets a shot you can twist them after they hit but before you hit your first shots. Doubles the bets for one hole.

 

Anyone play it? 

[mark m]

This game historically has been called “Scotch” and has been around for decades. There are many different versions; 5 point, 6 point, etc - the stakes and version of the game obviously would need to be settled on before play. In my opinion it works best when all 4 players are within 3 to 4 handicap strokes. Then the high and low can partner against the middle two. You might have to flip a coin to determine partners if some have the same handicap. But then you play the game without handicaps. I personally like it because all scores matter. And I like the nearie on every hole aspect as it concentrates the mind in terms of course management, GIRs, and proximity to hole. It helps to develop into a player (IMO) because some pressure is involved.

 

https://chicagogolfguy.com/2012/08/03/the-scotch-game-golfs-most-popular-and-confusing-gambling-game/

[easyyy]

Thanks... I knew there was a traditional name for it since I couldn't find anything online.

 

 

[deadsolid...shank]

We call it umbi, short for umbriago. The main difference is we also have a point for total putts per team, bringing the point total to seven. And we play in a 6-6-6 format so partners change. Fun game, can get expensive especially with a press or twist. Except for us it has to be called before any shots are hit on the hole. 

[larrybud]

too much going on for my liking. Let's just keep it simple and play a straight up nassau.

[Abh159]

Seems fun as long as I'm not the one trying to keep up with it 😂

[StudentGolfer4]

I’ve seen it played many ways. It’s the standard game at a couple of clubs I’m familiar with. They also add points for up and downs, putts made longer than the length of the flag pole, and a few other things. 
 

Unfortunately the game is not great for pace of play. Requiring the winning team to always tee off first slows things down quite a bit. The points awarded for low total does the same thing. Not uncommon to see a guys grinding out a double or triple bogey because it’s worth a point. Commonly guys will ask, “does this putt mean anything?” when deciding if they can scrape the 4 footer for double+. Some groups have gone away from the press, bridge, twist, aspect of the game and it has noticeably speed up play because it’s ready golf off the tee box. 

[deadsolid...shank]

11 hours ago, StudentGolfer4 said:

I’ve seen it played many ways. It’s the standard game at a couple of clubs I’m familiar with. They also add points for up and downs, putts made longer than the length of the flag pole, and a few other things. 
 

Unfortunately the game is not great for pace of play. Requiring the winning team to always tee off first slows things down quite a bit. The points awarded for low total does the same thing. Not uncommon to see a guys grinding out a double or triple bogey because it’s worth a point. Commonly guys will ask, “does this putt mean anything?” when deciding if they can scrape the 4 footer for double+. Some groups have gone away from the press, bridge, twist, aspect of the game and it has noticeably speed up play because it’s ready golf off the tee box. 

I think that it still depends on the players in the group. If you have people who play quickly, and more importantly, are always ready to play, they’re going to move fast. Just like , if it’s players who are just slower, that’s what their pace will be. And as long as your press can only happen before play has started on a hole, then order on the tee doesn’t matter (I’ve never been a fan of a press after a ball has been hit, that’s just piling on someone after they’ve hit a poor shot. Just my opinion though). 
 

You’re right though in that on occasion there is a grind over a putt for for a big(ger) number, usually because we use total putts as one of our points. You will hear the” does this matter”. 
 

It also takes a quick, competent scorekeeper. You can’t be waiting to move on because someone is still calculating. We had a unique set of circumstances at our club, we always played kind of between the morning and afternoon rush so we were very seldom held up, and everyone in the group is a quick player. If we shared carts, three hours was about the max, if we each had our own it was usually about two and a half. 

We usually calculated the outcome of the hole as we were walking off the green too, so it just needed to be quickly marked down once back to the cart. Like everything else when it comes to pace, it’s all about how efficently  people play. 

 

Edited May 24, 2023 by deadsolid...shank

[Ferguson]

On 5/14/2023 at 6:40 AM, mark m said:

This game historically has been called “Scotch” and has been around for decades. There are many different versions; 5 point, 6 point, etc - the stakes and version of the game obviously would need to be settled on before play. In my opinion it works best when all 4 players are within 3 to 4 handicap strokes. Then the high and low can partner against the middle two. You might have to flip a coin to determine partners if some have the same handicap. But then you play the game without handicaps. I personally like it because all scores matter. And I like the nearie on every hole aspect as it concentrates the mind in terms of course management, GIRs, and proximity to hole. It helps to develop into a player (IMO) because some pressure is involved.

 

https://chicagogolfguy.com/2012/08/03/the-scotch-game-golfs-most-popular-and-confusing-gambling-game/

 

 

"twist"  

 

 

 

[MountainKing]

It's a fun game now and then if you find somebody that's willing to keep track of things.  Just be careful with the amount you bet - $1-3 per point doesn't sound like much, but if you're having a rough day you could find yourself way into the hole pretty quickly, I may or may not know from experience.

[EddieEdwards]

Sounds fun.  A little like dots or junk we called it “the game”.  Points for low hole, low total, polies, sandies, greenies on par 3s. They carryover if no one hits the green and must be validated with at least a par. Losing team can press.