Side bet · par 3s only

How to play CTP

Closest to the pin. The simplest bet on the card: hit the tee shot that finishes closest to the flagstick on a par 3 and you win the CTP for that hole. Four par 3s, four chances to be the winner, no scorecard needed.

Scope
Par 3s only
Winners
One per hole
Decided on
Tee shot
Also known as
Greenie (in some groups)
The basics

How CTP works

Walk up to a par 3, hit a tee shot, and if your ball is the closest one to the flag, you win. That's the whole game.

1

Set the stake per CTP

Pick a number, like $5. That's the per-CTP rate: every opponent in the foursome pays the CTP winner that amount for each par 3 they win. Win all four CTPs with three opponents at $5 each? $60 in the pocket.

2

Hit your tee shot

You're playing for one thing on a par 3: distance to the flag. Most groups require the shot to finish on the green. Off the green and the next-closest on-green shot takes the CTP.

3

Mark the closest ball

Walk up, eyeball it, or pace it off if it's tight. The closest ball wins outright. Step it off or pull a tape measure when the call's close.

4

Tap the winner in the app, move on

Pick the player who won, hole's settled. Four par 3s, four winners. The pot adds up at 18.

Variations

How groups play it in the wild

FLOG ships with the standard rule: closest tee shot on a par 3 wins, paid per CTP per opponent. The variations below are common agreements groups apply at the first tee, not configurable toggles in the app today.

FLOG default

On the green to win

The tee shot has to finish on the putting surface. Off the green, no CTP, even if you're somehow closest. The most common rule and what most groups assume.

House rule

Anywhere counts

The closest ball wins, on or off the green. Common in casual rounds where most tee shots miss. Played-it-where-it-lies.

House rule

Carryover on no-winner

If no one hits the green and you're playing the on-green rule, the CTP rolls over to the next par 3. Next winner collects both. Stacks if multiple par 3s pass empty.

House rule

Pot-style payout

Instead of per-CTP per-opponent, everyone antes a fixed pot at the start and the player with the most CTPs at 18 takes the whole thing. Ties split. Simpler settlement.

In the app

What it looks like in FLOG

On a par 3, every player gets a 📍 CTP pill on their score entry. Tap the winner, exclusive across the foursome, and the running total updates on the Summary tab.

📍 CTP · Hole 7 (par 3) $5 / CTP / opponent
MH 📍 CTP
AK CTP
RD CTP
BW CTP
MH +$15 (this CTP) · running CTP total: +$30

The CTP picker. One winner per par 3, exclusive. Tap to commit, tap again to clear. Off-par-3 holes hide the chip entirely.

Play smart

Strategy & etiquette

Take dead aim. The CTP rewards the one good iron shot.

A round with four par 3s gives you four chances. Stiff one and you're playing house money the rest of the day. The mistake is bailing to the fat part of the green: the player taking dead aim at the flag is the one collecting CTPs.

Questions

CTP FAQ

What does CTP mean?
Closest to the pin. A side bet on the par 3s of a round, awarded to whichever player hits the tee shot that finishes closest to the flag. One winner per par 3.
Does the shot have to finish on the green?
In the standard rule, yes. The tee shot must finish on the putting surface. If no one hits the green, no CTP is awarded (or the pot carries over, if you're playing that house rule). Some groups loosen this and let the closest ball win wherever it ends up.
Do you have to make par to keep the CTP?
Not in the standard rule, and not in FLOG. CTP is decided on the tee shot only. Once you tap a player's CTP chip, they keep it regardless of what they score on the hole. Some groups house-rule a par-or-better requirement; if you play that way, you'd need to clear the CTP manually in the app when the winner bogeys.
How much do groups play CTP for?
A common rate is $5 per CTP per opponent (what FLOG uses; set the $ amount in Setup). With three opponents and four par 3s, a clean sweep nets $60. Stakes scale with the group's appetite; some play $1, some play $20. Pot-style (one ante, winner takes all CTPs) is a common variation, but FLOG settles per-CTP per-opponent today.
What is a CTP carryover and does FLOG handle it?
If no one hits the green on a par 3 (under the on-green rule), the CTP doesn't disappear. It rolls forward to the next par 3 and the next winner collects double. Carries can stack across multiple par 3s. FLOG doesn't auto-carry today; if you play this rule, double-up the next CTP's $ amount manually or wait for the carryover toggle.
Can two players tie for CTP?
Technically no, the rule is closest. If two balls look identical, pace them off or use a tape; the closer one wins outright. In very casual rounds groups will split the CTP pot for a tie, but that's not the standard.
How is CTP different from a greenie in Dots?
A greenie in Dots is closer in spirit but pays in dots (the running side-game currency) and usually requires par-or-better to keep. CTP is a standalone bet decided purely on the tee shot, paid per-CTP. Some groups run them as the same bet; some run both at once.

Tap the winner. We'll handle the math.

FLOG's CTP pill is one tap, exclusive across the group, and the running total updates on the Summary tab the second you commit it.

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