Per-hole side game · 3 points up

How to play Bingo Bango Bongo

Three points on every hole, one for each milestone: first on the green (Bingo), closest once everyone's on (Bango), first in the cup (Bongo). The format rewards order-of-play over raw scoring, so a high handicap who plays smart can hang with low handicaps. The friendliest dollar game in the bag.

Players
3 to 6
Format
Per-hole points
Points per hole
3 (max swing $9 at $1)
Also known as
BBB, "the par game"
The basics

How Bingo Bango Bongo works

Three points per hole. Each settles independently. Each pays a per-point stake from every opponent.

1

Set the per-point stake

Pick a number, like $1 or $2 per point. That is what each opponent pays the winner of each point. With three opponents and three points on a hole, the max swing per hole is 3 × 3 × $1 = $9 at the lowest stake.

2

Bingo: first on the green

First ball to come to rest on the putting surface wins the Bingo. The player furthest from the hole hits first (honor goes to the furthest), so the highest-handicap player often has the best shot at this point.

3

Bango: closest when all are on

Once every player has a ball on the green, the player whose ball is closest to the pin wins the Bango. Honor goes to whoever is furthest from the hole. The player who reached the green last often has the best shot here.

4

Bongo: first in the cup

First ball to finish the hole wins the Bongo. Whoever is furthest from the hole putts first, so the player closest to the cup often is last. Putt out in turn and the Bongo decides itself.

Variations

How groups play it in the wild

FLOG ships with the standard rule: three per-hole points, exclusive per point, paid per-point per-opponent. The variations below are common agreements groups apply at the first tee, not configurable toggles in the app today.

FLOG default

Honor order strictly enforced

The furthest player from the hole hits first on every shot. Cutting in line voids your shot at the next point. The whole format depends on honor; without it Bingo and Bango get arbitrary.

House rule

On the green to count

A ball that lands on the green but rolls off does not earn the Bingo. Strict version. Looser groups let any ball that touched the green during the shot count.

House rule

No closest-with-a-chip

Bango is only awarded among balls that reached the green from an APPROACH SHOT (not a chip-on). Prevents a player who chips on from claiming Bango when others reached the green earlier with a long iron.

House rule

Pot-style payout

Everyone antes a fixed amount at the start and the player with the most total points across 18 holes takes the pot. Simpler settlement, less arithmetic. FLOG settles per-point per-opponent today.

In the app

What it looks like in FLOG

Three small buttons per player per hole: Bingo, Bango, Bongo. Tap as each point settles. Each is exclusive across the foursome; tapping a different player flips the award.

🎪 BBB · Hole 7 (par 4) $2 / point
MH Bingo Bango Bongo
AK Bingo Bango Bongo
RD Bingo Bango Bongo
BW Bingo Bango Bongo
MH +$6 · AK +$6 · RD +$6 · BW −$18 (this hole)

The BBB row. Three exclusive buttons per player per hole. Tap to award; tap a different player to reassign. The Summary tab totals each player's points and dollars.

Play smart

Strategy & etiquette

Honor is the format. Don't cut in line.

BBB only works if the furthest player hits first on every shot. Cutting in line, even unintentionally, hands away a Bingo or Bango. Walk to your ball, check whose is furthest, and wait if it's not you. The format polices itself if everyone plays in turn.

Questions

Bingo Bango Bongo FAQ

What does Bingo Bango Bongo mean?
A per-hole side game with three points up for grabs on every hole. Bingo for first ball on the green. Bango for closest ball to the pin once every ball is on. Bongo for first ball in the cup. Each point pays a set dollar amount from every opponent.
Why do groups consider it the fairest side game?
It rewards order of play instead of raw scoring. The furthest player hits first, so a high-handicap player who plays in turn often has the best shot at Bingo and Bango (they get to see what's needed and then aim there). A higher handicap can sweep a hole just by being patient.
What's the max anyone can lose in a round?
With $1 per point, 3 points per hole, and 3 opponents, the max swing per hole is 3 × 3 × $1 = $9. Over 18 holes the theoretical max loss is $162. Realistic losses are much lower since points usually split across players. Most rounds settle within a $20 to $40 swing per player at $1 to $2 per point.
What if my ball lands on the green and rolls off?
Standard rule: it doesn't count for Bingo. The ball must come to rest on the putting surface. Some groups loosen this; settle the rule at the first tee. FLOG just tracks who you tap; the on-green rule is honor-enforced.
How does Bango work if someone chips on?
A chip-on still counts toward "all balls on the green," so Bango goes to whoever is closest at that moment. Some groups house-rule that Bango only counts among balls reached from an approach shot, not a chip; that prevents a chip-on player from leapfrogging others. Pick a rule before the round.
Can you tie a point?
Functionally no. FLOG's exclusive picker awards each point to one player per hole. In real golf, ties on Bingo (two balls land at the same moment) are vanishingly rare; if it happens, groups usually no-award the point or split it by agreement.
How does BBB pair with other games?
BBB is a quiet side game that runs alongside any main game: Nassau, 2-Man Teams, Skins. The per-point stakes are small enough that it does not overshadow the main bet but keeps every hole interesting.

Tap the winner. We'll do the math.

FLOG's three-button BBB picker is one tap per point, exclusive across the foursome, and the running total updates on the Summary tab the second you commit it.

Try it free → Browse all games
Keep reading

Explore other games