What is Bingo Bango Bongo?

Men's fourball.

Bored of Stableford? Finding medals too much of a grind? Maybe it's time you mixed things up with a different format, of which there are plenty.

The beauty of golf is that there are lots of ways to enjoy the game, where one poor shot, or even several, doesn't mean the end of the world.

One of these is Bingo Bango Bongo.

Bingo Bango Bongo is points-based game, and on every hole there are three points up for grabs: the Bingo (1 point) goes to the first player on the green, regardless of the number of shots it took to get there; the Bango (1 point) is awarded to the player who is closest to the pin once everyone is on the green; and the Bongo (1 point) is picked up by the first one to hole out.

It doesn't work if someone plays out of turn - so there's no playing 'ready golf' in this format. It's also important to stick to who has the honor on the tee (the player who had the lowest score on the previous hole).

Of course, there should be no gimmes, either - which is good, as it creates that bit of pressure that even fun games need.

You only need two players to play Bingo Bango Bongo, but it's more enjoyable when played as a group (Image credit: Tom Miles)

There are a number of variations of the game, such as the awarding of double points on a hole if a player achieves all three parts of Bingo Bango Bongo.

Another appealing aspect of this format is that the points system can favor the less skilled golfer.

Because the furthest player from the hole plays in first, it gives shorter hitters the first attempt at winning the Bingo point on short and medium-length par 4s.

Similarly, the player who gets the first attempt at Bongo is the player whose ball is in the worst position on the green, therefore giving the high handicap golfer a chance when competing against better/more skilled players.

For a bit of extra fun, you can decide on how much a point is worth before you tee off. If you are going to have a gamble, though, keep your stakes small and only bet what you can afford to lose.

Tactics also come into play, and you'll soon realize that playing a good shot doesn't always work to your advantage. To see what we mean, we recommend you give Bingo Bango Bongo a try...