Few things can closely mimic the feeling of a pressure putt on the golf course, especially during practice, but the putting game 21 comes pretty close. This game is a great way to have some competition with your fellow playing partners. If you take the game seriously, you can get that little adrenaline rush needed to learn how to handle the pressure on the real course. This game even penalizes you for the dreaded three whacker.
The Objective of 21
The goal of the game is to be the first person to reach a total score of 21. You receive points for sinking a putt or simply getting closer to the hole than your competitors.
What You Need
You will need at least two players. If you are one of those people who play for a little scratch,then the more people who play, the more money that is on the line. Here’s what you’ll need:
* At least one putter
* Two golf balls per person
* Your game face (whatever that is)
How to Play
You and your playing partners choose a location to putt from. You each hit two putts. It’s usually more fun to putt both balls and then have your opponent putt both balls, but that’s your choice. You want to sink the putt or lag it as close to the cup as possible to achieve the highest score per round. Whoever scores the most points chooses the putting spot for the next round. Once a player reaches 21, the game ends, and the payments begin.
Keeping Score
This is the standard score keeping method for 21, but you can play around with the numbers to adjust them to your liking. The negative feature of the three-putt really helps you to focus and putt well.
The scoring is as follows:
Closest to the Pin | 1 point |
Both balls closest to the pin | 2 points |
Hole-in-one | 3 points |
Two holes-in-one | 7 points |
Three or more putts | -1 point per extra stroke |
Variations of 21
This game can also be played by chipping and putting. In this instance, the goal is to get up-and-down. The scoring is as follows:
Closest chip to the pin | 1 point |
Both chips closest to the pin | 2 points |
Up and a two putt | 3 points |
Up and down | 7 points |
Up and three putts | -1 point per extra stroke |
Chip in | 10 points |
Strategies
Of course, as with any competitive game, you may want to be strategic. Here are some possible plays to help you win.
1. If you have the opportunity to do so, hit your opponent’s ball if it is in your line to move their ball farther away.
2. Try to block the hole with your putts, unless of course you can sink your putt.
Overall, just have fun with it and learn how to focus your energy to improve your prowess on the greens.
If you really love the game and want to take your skill to the next level, check out the careers in golf available to you.