Wolf: The Rotating-Captain Golf Game, and When to Go Lone Wolf

Quick answer: Wolf is a four-player game where one player each hole is the Wolf. They tee off last, watch everyone else's drive, and then either pick one of them as a partner for that hole, or go Lone Wolf against all three for a bigger payout.

How it works

Set a tee order on the first hole and rotate it. Each player is the Wolf every fourth hole.
The Wolf tees off last, after watching the other three.
Immediately after a player's drive, the Wolf may claim them as a partner. Pass, and that player cannot be chosen again on that hole.
If the Wolf passes on all three, they play Lone Wolf against the other three.

Scoring

Best ball of each side decides the hole. Typical points:

Wolf and partner win — one point each
The other pair win — one point each
Lone Wolf wins — three points to the Wolf
Lone Wolf loses — one point to each of the other three

The "must decide before the next player tees off" rule is what makes Wolf a game rather than a lottery. Passing on a good drive to wait for a better one is a real risk.

When to play it on a golf trip

Wolf needs exactly four players and a group who will keep to a tee order. It rewards paying attention to everybody's ball, which makes it the most sociable game on this list.

With eighteen holes and four players, everyone is Wolf either four or five times — so agree how to handle the last two holes.

House rules worth agreeing first

Point values, especially the Lone Wolf multiplier.
Blind Wolf — declaring Lone Wolf before anyone tees off, usually for four or five points.
How the final holes are handled so the rotation comes out even.

FAQ

How many players do you need for Wolf? Four. It is built around a four-man rotation and does not adapt well.

What is Blind Wolf? Going alone before seeing a single tee shot, for a larger payout than a normal Lone Wolf.

Can the Wolf pick a partner after everyone has hit? Only the last player, and only if they passed on the first two. The decision must be made before the next person tees off.

Run it without the spreadsheet

GolfTracker Trips scores this format across every round of a trip, alongside whatever
else your group is playing, and rolls it all into one leaderboard for the weekend.
Start free at GolfTracker Trips — up to 8 players and 2 rounds, no card.