Yes, it’s a real game. And yes, it’s the one Kevin rattles off in the The Office episode “Job Fair”. But long before that, Bingo Bango Bongo was already a beloved golf game for one simple reason: it gives every player in the group something to win on every hole.
Three points are up for grabs on each hole — one for being first on the green, one for being closest to the pin, one for holing out first. Over 18 holes, that’s 54 moments of glory, and the beauty is that you don’t need to be the best golfer to collect them. The short hitter, the wild driver, the nervy putter — everyone has a lane. Let’s break down exactly how it works.
What Is Bingo Bango Bongo?
Bingo Bango Bongo is a points-based side game for 2–4 players, played alongside a normal round of golf. Forget your total score — on each hole, three achievements each earn one point:
- Bingo — 1 point to the first player whose ball comes to rest on the green (not the fringe, not the apron — on the putting surface).
- Bango — 1 point to the player whose ball is closest to the pin, measured once all players are on the green.
- Bongo — 1 point to the first player to hole out.
That’s 3 points per hole, 54 per round. The player with the most points at the end wins. Most groups attach a value to each point — $0.50, $1, $5, whatever fits the friendship — and settle up after the round.
One critical detail: the Bingo goes to the first player on the green regardless of how many strokes it took to get there. A player who reaches the green in 6 still beats the player who gets there in 2, as long as they get there first. That’s what makes this game such a great equalizer — and why the order of play is everything.
The Order of Play: The Rule That Makes the Game Work
Bingo Bango Bongo has one sacred rule, and the whole game collapses without it: the player farthest from the hole always plays next. No ready golf. No “go ahead, you’re ready.” Strict, old-school, away-plays-first order — from tee to green, on the fairway, in the rough, and on the putting green.
Why does it matter? Because every point in this game is a race to be first: the shortest hitter is usually away on approach shots, so they get the first crack at the green — and the first shot at the Bingo point. The long hitter who outdrove everyone by 60 yards now waits, watching. On the green, the player farthest from the hole putts first — first chance at the Bongo point.
This is also why gimmies are banned in Bingo Bango Bongo. If a player is closer to the hole than another, they must putt out — no picking up short putts. A conceded 2-footer could be the putt that steals the Bongo.
How to Play Bingo Bango Bongo: Step-by-Step
Before the round:
- Set the stakes. Agree a value per point (or play for bragging rights / a round of drinks). Decide how ties in total points are broken, if at all.
- Decide honors on hole 1. Random draw is fine. From hole 2 on, lowest score on the previous hole has honors.
- Agree your house rules. Par-3 scoring? Hole-in-one bonus? Sweep bonus for winning all three points on a hole? Decide now (see Variations below).
On each hole:
- Tee off in honor order. The player with honors goes first.
- Play in “away” order from there. After every shot, the player farthest from the hole plays next. No exceptions.
- Award the Bingo. The moment a ball comes to rest on the putting surface, that player banks the Bingo point. Mark it on the scorecard.
- Award the Bango. Once the last ball is on the green, stop and measure. Whoever is closest to the pin takes the Bango point.
- Award the Bongo. Putting continues in away-order. The first player to hole out banks the Bongo point.
- Repeat for 18 holes. Total the points. Most points wins. Golf Digest’s explainer adds the practical note: this game works best with players who respect pace — no dawdling while you’re “away,” since everyone is watching.
Scoring and Settling Up
With 3 points per hole over 18 holes, the maximum any player can score is 54 — but realistically the points scatter. A typical round might end 19–18–17.
Settling bets is simple arithmetic. Say points are worth $1 and the final tally is Amy 22, Ben 17, Cara 15. Ben owes Amy $5, Cara owes Amy $7, and Cara owes Ben $2. (Or the group just has the low scorers buy the drinks — the stakes are yours to set.)
One popular twist: double points for a sweep. If one player wins all three points on a hole (Bingo + Bango + Bongo), the hole pays 6 points instead of 3. It happens rarely, and when it does, the table erupts.
Bingo Bango Bongo Handicaps
Here’s the honest position: there is no official WHS handicap allowance for Bingo Bango Bongo. It’s a casual side game, and unlike formats such as Chapman/Pinehurst or foursomes, it doesn’t appear in the handicap allowance tables.
But here’s the thing — it barely needs handicaps. The game’s structure is the equalizer: the Bingo favors the short hitter (away first on approaches), the Bango favors precision over power once everyone’s on, and the Bongo favors the hot putter, regardless of handicap.
A 20-handicapper and a scratch golfer (what is a scratch golfer, exactly?) genuinely contest all three points on most holes. The recommended default is gross, no strokes. If your group insists on strokes, apply normal Course Handicaps (get yours from our handicap calculator) per hole by stroke index — but expect the high handicappers to point out the game was already fair.
Posting for handicap: Like Wolf, Bingo Bango Bongo is played on top of a normal round under the Rules of Golf — your gross score is your gross score, so the round is acceptable for handicap purposes. Just play by the rules while you chase the points.
Worked Example: Three Points, One Par 4
A 380-yard par 4. Three players: Amy (long hitter, CH 6), Ben (mid, CH 14), Cara (short hitter, CH 24). Amy had honors from the previous hole, so she tees off first — which, as we’ll see, is a disadvantage here.
Tee shots: Amy crushes one 260 (fairway). Ben 225 (fairway). Cara 190 (fairway). Second shots (away order): Cara plays first — a tidy hybrid onto the front of the green. Bingo point: Cara. Ben lands his approach 25 feet from the pin. Amy, playing last from 120, lands 12 feet away. Bango: all three are on — Amy’s 12-footer is closest. Bango point: Amy. Putting (away order): Ben lags from 25 feet to 3 feet. Cara leaves hers 4 feet short. Amy drains the 12-footer. Bongo point: Amy.
Hole tally: Cara 1 (Bingo), Amy 2 (Bango + Bongo), Ben 0. Notice what happened: Amy, the best player, won two points — but Cara, the shortest hitter, stole the Bingo simply by playing first. Ben hit two perfectly good shots and got nothing. That’s Bingo Bango Bongo: three separate little dramas per hole, and the scorecard never tells the story.
Bingo Bango Bongo Strategy Tips
- If you’re short off the tee, attack the Bingo. You’re away on approaches — this is your structural advantage. Be aggressive with the shot that could reach the green first.
- If you’re long, play for the Bango. You already know the Bingo is probably gone. A controlled iron to 15 feet beats a heroic one to 40 feet — closest-to-pin is a precision contest, and precision is a choice.
- Lag putts are dangerous. The away player putts first — and an aggressive first putt that races 6 feet past gives the next player a look at the line and leaves you a knee-knocker coming back.
- Watch the Bongo race develop. If you’re putting first from 20 feet with everyone else still out, give it a confident run. First to hole out takes it. If two players are already in, the Bongo is gone — don’t do anything silly.
- On par 3s, honors are gold. Teeing off first on a par 3 means first chance at the green (Bingo) and often the first putt. Win the previous hole and you start the next one with a real edge.
- Track points live. Keep a running Bingo/Bango/Bongo tally on the scorecard. Knowing you’re two points behind with three holes to play changes how aggressively you chase the Bingo.
Variations Worth Trying
- Par-3 scoring: Some groups award only 2 points on par 3s — Bingo (first on) and Bongo (first holed out), skipping the Bango since everyone’s teeing off from the same spot. Agree it beforehand.
- Hole-in-one = automatic sweep: A hole-in-one banks all 3 points instantly. (You’ll be buying drinks anyway.)
- Longest-drive Bingo: Per Golf Digest, some groups award the Bingo to the longest drive in the fairway instead of first on the green — a compromise when one or two long hitters dominate the group.
- Lowest-score Bongo: Instead of first to hole out, the Bongo goes to the lowest score on the hole. Removes the putting-order gamesmanship; some purists prefer it.
- Team version: Split into pairs and combine points. The order-of-play strategy gets wonderfully complicated when your partner’s Bingo attempt sets up your Bango.
A Note on Pace of Play
The one legitimate criticism of Bingo Bango Bongo: no gimmes and strict order of play can slow things down. The fixes are simple — keep pre-shot routines snappy, play ready golf between shots where no point is at stake, and pick up when a hole is truly decided. As National Club Golfer notes, the game is at its best when everyone commits to the order-of-play discipline and keeps moving.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bingo Bango Bongo in golf?
It’s a points-based side game where 3 points are available on every hole: Bingo (first on the green), Bango (closest to the pin once everyone is on), and Bongo (first to hole out). Most points after 18 holes wins.
How does the Bango point work exactly?
Play continues until every player in the group is on the green. Then you determine whose ball is closest to the hole — that player wins the Bango point, regardless of who got on the green first.
Does the order of play really matter?
Yes — it’s the core of the game. The player farthest from the hole always plays next (no ready golf), and honors on the tee go to the lowest scorer on the previous hole. This is what makes the game fair for short hitters.
Are gimmes allowed in Bingo Bango Bongo?
No. Every player must hole out — a conceded short putt could decide the Bongo point, so tap-ins and gimmies are banned.
How many points are available in a full round?
54 — 3 points per hole over 18 holes. Many groups add a sweep bonus: win all 3 points on a hole and score 6 instead of 3.
What happens on par-3 holes?
By the standard rules, all 3 points are still in play. But a common house variation awards only 2 points on par 3s (Bingo + Bongo, no Bango). Agree it before the round.
Is there a handicap system for Bingo Bango Bongo?
No official WHS allowance exists for it. Most groups play gross with no strokes — the game’s structure (away-plays-first order) already equalizes different skill levels.
Why is it called Bingo Bango Bongo?
Nobody knows for certain — it’s simply the rhyming names of the three achievements. The game got a pop-culture boost from The Office, where Kevin lists it among his golf bets during a round in the “Job Fair” episode.
