Side game · 3 (exactly) players
How to play Banker
Also called: banker golf game · threesome banker
A threesome game. Each hole one player is the Banker and plays two separate matches at double stakes — one against each opponent.
The rules
- The Banker rotates in order: player one on hole 1, player two on hole 2, player three on hole 3, then repeat.
- The Banker plays head-to-head against each of the other two players on that hole.
- Each of those two matches pays double the unit, because the Banker is exposed twice.
- Ties push — no money on that pairing.
- The two non-Bankers do not play each other on that hole.
A worked example
Setup. $2 a unit, three players. A is the Banker on hole 1.
- Scores: A = 4, B = 5, C = 3.
- A beats B, so A collects double the unit: +$4.
- C beats A, so A pays double: −$4.
Result. A nets $0 for the hole. C is +$4 and B is −$4.
This is exactly how Bagpipe Golf settles it: hole by hole, zero-sum, no arguing at the 19th.
Variations and house rules
- Some groups let the Banker double the stake once per round. Not in the app.
- Others rotate the Banker by who won the previous hole instead of a fixed order. The app uses the fixed rotation.
How it works in the app
- Add Banker at setup — it needs exactly three players.
- Enter scores; the rotation and both matches are computed from the hole number.
- Settlement shows each hole, who banked, and the two results.
Banker FAQ
- Why does the Banker pay double?
- Because the Banker is in two matches at once while everyone else is in one. The double stake is what balances the exposure.
- Can we play Banker with four?
- Not in the app — the rotation and the double-exposure math are built for a threesome. With four, Wolf or Round Robin is the closer game.