Golf (on a pool/snooker table)

[NH Steve]

Saturday night some of you may have tuned in to Lenny's live stream. Turned out for the time I watched, it was not One Pocket, instead it was a couple of guys playing 'Golf' on the TV table -- which was a Diamond 9' table, seemed like average pocket size.

Anyway, I have never been around anywhere that they play that game (although we do play a distant relative near here, involving all 15 balls). So I was very curious. Here is what I got from the rules, and please, correct me where I am wrong and add to it. I'd like to get some basic standard 'Golf' rules up here on OnePocket.org. It looks like a very interesting cue ball and object ball control game, with a ton of banking; in other words, it looked like a lot of fun!

1. Two or more players
2. Each player gets their own object ball
3. Opening shot is from "inside the D" with the cue ball, object ball on the designated "spot" -- the designated spot might vary depending on the difficulty level of the table itself, and the advanced level of players?? (on Lenny's stream, they used the center of the foot rail, but it looked like not frozen to the rail, but rather about a half a ball off the cushion).
4. The basic object of the game is to pocket your own object ball in each of the six pockets, in order, before your opponent does
5. The order of pockets is first the back corner to your right, as you stand at the head of the table facing your opening shot, and then clockwise around the table until you finish at the "six pocket", which would be the right side pocket as you face your opening shot
6. On the opening shot, each player in turn takes ball in hand from within the "D" for their first shot. Once all players have shot their opening shot, then the cue ball is played where it lies.
7. Every time your ball is pocketed, it is re-spotted on the agreed upon "spot"
8. Golf is a wagering game, with the main stakes based on who makes all six pockets first, and secondary stakes per each scratch (called a "hickey")
9. For a legal safety in Golf, you need to meet the standard pocket billiards requirements for ball and rail contact as in other games, or you can legally play safe by striking a rail or rails first, and then simply contacting your object ball with the cue ball, without the requirement of hitting a rail afterward. Either play is a legal safety in Golf.
10. You are penalized a "hickey" any time you pocket scratch; anytime you pocket your opponent's ball; anytime you strike your opponent's ball before your own; anytime your cue ball flies off the table; anytime you fail to play a legal safety; anytime you pocket your own ball in any of the wrong pockets (any pocket other than the pocket you are "on")

There seem to be other rules that call for picking up your object ball off the table, until it is placed on the spot when your shot comes around again -- but I didn't understand that.

I know we have some long time Golf players here.... help me out, and correct me if I am wrong!

 

[Skin]

Saturday night some of you may have tuned in to Lenny's live stream. Turned out for the time I watched, it was not One Pocket, instead it was a couple of guys playing 'Golf' on the TV table -- which was a Diamond 9' table, seemed like average pocket size.

Anyway, I have never been around anywhere that they play that game (although we do play a distant relative near here, involving all 15 balls). So I was very curious. Here is what I got from the rules, and please, correct me where I am wrong and add to it. I'd like to get some basic standard 'Golf' rules up here on OnePocket.org. It looks like a very interesting cue ball and object ball control game, with a ton of banking; in other words, it looked like a lot of fun!

1. Two or more players
2. Each player gets their own object ball
3. Opening shot is from "inside the D" with the cue ball, object ball on the designated "spot" -- the designated spot might vary depending on the difficulty level of the table itself, and the advanced level of players?? (on Lenny's stream, they used the center of the foot rail, but it looked like not frozen to the rail, but rather about a half a ball off the cushion).
4. The basic object of the game is to pocket your own object ball in each of the six pockets, in order, before your opponent does
5. The order of pockets is first the back corner to your right, as you stand at the head of the table facing your opening shot, and then clockwise around the table until you finish at the "six pocket", which would be the right side pocket as you face your opening shot
6. On the opening shot, each player in turn takes ball in hand from within the "D" for their first shot. Once all players have shot their opening shot, then the cue ball is played where it lies.
7. Every time your ball is pocketed, it is re-spotted on the agreed upon "spot"
8. Golf is a wagering game, with the main stakes based on who makes all six pockets first, and secondary stakes per each scratch (called a "hickey")
9. For a legal safety in Golf, you need to meet the standard pocket billiards requirements for ball and rail contact as in other games, or you can legally play safe by striking a rail or rails first, and then simply contacting your object ball with the cue ball, without the requirement of hitting a rail afterward. Either play is a legal safety in Golf.
10. You are penalized a "hickey" any time you pocket scratch; anytime you pocket your opponent's ball; anytime you strike your opponent's ball before your own; anytime your cue ball flies off the table; anytime you fail to play a legal safety; anytime you pocket your own ball in any of the wrong pockets (any pocket other than the pocket you are "on")

There seem to be other rules that call for picking up your object ball off the table, until it is placed on the spot when your shot comes around again -- but I didn't understand that.

I know we have some long time Golf players here.... help me out, and correct me if I am wrong!

Atta boy, Steve! You are doing the one pocket learners communty a real service by this.

Skin

 

[gulfportdoc]

There are a pretty good set of basic Golf rules published by the BCA. I imagine they'd be available online. There are many variations, and each room has its own unique idiosyncrasies. As you know it's usually played on a snooker table, but I have seen it played on a 9-footer. That's probably why they used the center foot rail position for the OB rather than the foot spot.

Doc

 

[CaliRed]

Saturday night some of you may have tuned in to Lenny's live stream. Turned out for the time I watched, it was not One Pocket, instead it was a couple of guys playing 'Golf' on the TV table -- which was a Diamond 9' table, seemed like average pocket size.

Anyway, I have never been around anywhere that they play that game (although we do play a distant relative near here, involving all 15 balls). So I was very curious. Here is what I got from the rules, and please, correct me where I am wrong and add to it. I'd like to get some basic standard 'Golf' rules up here on OnePocket.org. It looks like a very interesting cue ball and object ball control game, with a ton of banking; in other words, it looked like a lot of fun!

1. Two or more players
2. Each player gets their own object ball
3. Opening shot is from "inside the D" with the cue ball, object ball on the designated "spot" -- the designated spot might vary depending on the difficulty level of the table itself, and the advanced level of players?? (on Lenny's stream, they used the center of the foot rail, but it looked like not frozen to the rail, but rather about a half a ball off the cushion).
4. The basic object of the game is to pocket your own object ball in each of the six pockets, in order, before your opponent does
5. The order of pockets is first the back corner to your right, as you stand at the head of the table facing your opening shot, and then clockwise around the table until you finish at the "six pocket", which would be the right side pocket as you face your opening shot
6. On the opening shot, each player in turn takes ball in hand from within the "D" for their first shot. Once all players have shot their opening shot, then the cue ball is played where it lies.
7. Every time your ball is pocketed, it is re-spotted on the agreed upon "spot"
8. Golf is a wagering game, with the main stakes based on who makes all six pockets first, and secondary stakes per each scratch (called a "hickey")
9. For a legal safety in Golf, you need to meet the standard pocket billiards requirements for ball and rail contact as in other games, or you can legally play safe by striking a rail or rails first, and then simply contacting your object ball with the cue ball, without the requirement of hitting a rail afterward. Either play is a legal safety in Golf.
10. You are penalized a "hickey" any time you pocket scratch; anytime you pocket your opponent's ball; anytime you strike your opponent's ball before your own; anytime your cue ball flies off the table; anytime you fail to play a legal safety; anytime you pocket your own ball in any of the wrong pockets (any pocket other than the pocket you are "on")

There seem to be other rules that call for picking up your object ball off the table, until it is placed on the spot when your shot comes around again -- but I didn't understand that.

I know we have some long time Golf players here.... help me out, and correct me if I am wrong!

5. In Seattle, we always played the 1st pocket was the left one from where you shooting from. Thus the last pocket was the left side pocket from where you stand.

If you scratch, you always pick up your ball till it's your turn.

The order of shooting is always drawn, because it's in your favor to follow some idiot that has a habit of selling out It is considered a sin, if you main focus not protecting the cueball from leaving the next person a shot. Or not spending your turn to take out a opponents ball that is easy for the next guy to make.

We also played where you had to kick or bank the last pocket in

Golf requires you to be a "team player" in keeping others from winning, while at the same time trying to win yourself. When one guy is way ahead, everyone else should be helping slow him down. People that sell out or think of only themselves, don't get asked to play in group golf

It is a very fun game, when you have a bunch of your pool buddies playing 6 handed or so. There can be a lot of woofing and ball busting, which makes it so much fun.

Some of my favorite memories involve Friday and Saturday night games at the 211 Club on a beautiful Brunswick 6 x 12 with a bunch of the older gentlemen, including the owner. Not very many people my age played it, but I enjoyed very much playing with the older guys and while I hardly ever won, as long as I "protected" them, they liked having me in the game

 

[Skin]

There are a pretty good set of basic Golf rules published by the BCA. I imagine they'd be available online. There are many variations, and each room has its own unique idiosyncrasies. As you know it's usually played on a snooker table, but I have seen it played on a 9-footer. That's probably why they used the center foot rail position for the OB rather than the foot spot.
Doc

Yeah, Doc. On a 9 foot pool table, if you make the #2 hole and the ball goes on the spot instead of on the foot rail, you easily ought to be able to play simple positions to get out from there.

btw: a while back I searched for those BCA rules (Official Rules and Records book) from the 70s online and could not find them.

Skin

 

[Gerry]

I was playing this same game yesterday for the first time here at home too Doc. I saw it on Lennys stream too, and it seemed interesting. I have a question tho. I was playing OB 1 ball width off the end rail. What happens if both balls need to be spotted? it is kind of a penalty if you make your ball and the other guys ball is on the spot. Maybe it goes on the rack spot?

This game could easily catch on if we knew how the heck to play it up here in 14.1 land

thanx, G.

 

[jrhendy]

Saturday night some of you may have tuned in to Lenny's live stream. Turned out for the time I watched, it was not One Pocket, instead it was a couple of guys playing 'Golf' on the TV table -- which was a Diamond 9' table, seemed like average pocket size.

Anyway, I have never been around anywhere that they play that game (although we do play a distant relative near here, involving all 15 balls). So I was very curious. Here is what I got from the rules, and please, correct me where I am wrong and add to it. I'd like to get some basic standard 'Golf' rules up here on OnePocket.org. It looks like a very interesting cue ball and object ball control game, with a ton of banking; in other words, it looked like a lot of fun!

1. Two or more players
2. Each player gets their own object ball
3. Opening shot is from "inside the D" with the cue ball, object ball on the designated "spot" -- the designated spot might vary depending on the difficulty level of the table itself, and the advanced level of players?? (on Lenny's stream, they used the center of the foot rail, but it looked like not frozen to the rail, but rather about a half a ball off the cushion).
4. The basic object of the game is to pocket your own object ball in each of the six pockets, in order, before your opponent does
5. The order of pockets is first the back corner to your right, as you stand at the head of the table facing your opening shot, and then clockwise around the table until you finish at the "six pocket", which would be the right side pocket as you face your opening shot
6. On the opening shot, each player in turn takes ball in hand from within the "D" for their first shot. Once all players have shot their opening shot, then the cue ball is played where it lies.
7. Every time your ball is pocketed, it is re-spotted on the agreed upon "spot"
8. Golf is a wagering game, with the main stakes based on who makes all six pockets first, and secondary stakes per each scratch (called a "hickey")
9. For a legal safety in Golf, you need to meet the standard pocket billiards requirements for ball and rail contact as in other games, or you can legally play safe by striking a rail or rails first, and then simply contacting your object ball with the cue ball, without the requirement of hitting a rail afterward. Either play is a legal safety in Golf.
10. You are penalized a "hickey" any time you pocket scratch; anytime you pocket your opponent's ball; anytime you strike your opponent's ball before your own; anytime your cue ball flies off the table; anytime you fail to play a legal safety; anytime you pocket your own ball in any of the wrong pockets (any pocket other than the pocket you are "on")

There seem to be other rules that call for picking up your object ball off the table, until it is placed on the spot when your shot comes around again -- but I didn't understand that.

I know we have some long time Golf players here.... help me out, and correct me if I am wrong!

I have played golf on 5 x 10's & 6 x 12's since the 50's. Only places to play in Northern CA that I know of is CA Billiard Club in Mtn View and on a 5 x 10 in Modesto.

I have played it all over the country and there is not any real standard set of rules other than making six holes. Some places go around backwards, some places have rules where you can go back a hole and there are many many more depending on house rules.

I played in a game in So. CA once where the house man had a gun sight mounted on a 2 x 4 to look and see if you had a full ball to shoot at or not.

The game at Kolby's is played on the front Diamond table, which is very fast and the game on a std pool table is much more offensive than golf on a snooker table. The reason they play on the Diamond is there are no snooker tables left in the Phoenix area. It used to be a great golf town but the tables are all gone.

I drive 2 1/2 hours every couple weeks to play on the 6 x 12 in Mtn View. They play some $10/1, $20/2 ring games and I play the house man $50/5 or $100/10. He has me stuck pretty good but one day I will get him.

IMO, next to one pocket it is the best game in a pool room.

 

[androd]

I was playing this same game yesterday for the first time here at home too Doc. I saw it on Lennys stream too, and it seemed interesting. I have a question tho. I was playing OB 1 ball width off the end rail. What happens if both balls need to be spotted? it is kind of a penalty if you make your ball and the other guys ball is on the spot. Maybe it goes on the rack spot?

This game could easily catch on if we knew how the heck to play it up here in 14.1 land

thanx, G.

Gerry, Welcome to the site, I don't think there's a situation where there would be 2 balls on the spot. I haven't played in 50 yrs so my memory is a little vague. You foul I believe if you make your ball and another players in the same shot?. You never spot a ball as a penalty, that's what the hickeys are.
You look a lot like Efren. I look a lot like my avatar also.
Rod.

 

[Skin]

some places have rules where you can go back a hole

You are the first person, Mr. Henderson, that I've heard of in a looong time who ran into that rule somewhere. I was taught golf rules by some [very] old timers in Dallas in a little pool hall where I first started to play pool and that rule was in force for pocket scratches and making yours or the other guy's ball in an illegal hole. Plus, you were charged with a hickey. Brutal.

Skin

 

[jrhendy]

You are the first person, Mr. Henderson, that I've heard of in a looong time who ran into that rule somewhere. I was taught golf rules by some [very] old timers in Dallas in a little pool hall where I first started to play pool and that rule was in force for pocket scratches and making yours or the other guy's ball in an illegal hole. Plus, you were charged with a hickey. Brutal.

Skin

The strangest rules I have ever seen were the golf game the Gypsy's played at 6th and Western in Los Angeles years ago. They gambled high but we never fooled with them and their very strange rules.

At Hard Times in Bellflower they still play a daily game on a very tight 6 x 12. A bad hit or making another ball in any hole is price of the game, paid immediately plus a scratch.

 

[Cowboy Dennis]

There seem to be other rules that call for picking up your object ball off the table, until it is placed on the spot when your shot comes around again -- but I didn't understand that.

Steve,

We had a group of old guys at the poolroom who played if you fouled or didn't hit your ball(even if you were hooked I believe) it came off the table until your next shot. This rule allowed these guys to play with young straight shooters. It was brutal in a 6 or 7 handed game. Your ball went on the footspot when it did go up. This was on a 5X10.

Dennis

 

[jrhendy]

Steve,

We had a group of old guys at the poolroom who played if you fouled or didn't hit your ball(even if you were hooked I believe) it came off the table until your next shot. This rule allowed these guys to play with young straight shooters. It was brutal in a 6 or 7 handed game. Your ball went on the footspot when it did go up. This was on a 5X10.

Dennis

That is probably the best rule in golf on any size table. It allows for the weaker players to have a chance. If they are in trouble, you send them the cue ball to snooker or play safe. If they shoot at you when you are trying to help, you then hang them out and get them stuck double (we always played double on sellout).

 

[Frank Almanza]

You are the first person, Mr. Henderson, that I've heard of in a looong time who ran into that rule somewhere. I was taught golf rules by some [very] old timers in Dallas in a little pool hall where I first started to play pool and that rule was in force for pocket scratches and making yours or the other guy's ball in an illegal hole. Plus, you were charged with a hickey. Brutal.

Skin

I've played that if you hit the wrong ball it's foul, you pay that player the price of the game, and you go back a hole. I've also played that if you got three fouls in a row you go back a hole. That last one is brutal, they all gang up on you when you have two fouls going.

 

[One Pocket Ghost]

You are the first person, Mr. Henderson, that I've heard of in a looong time who ran into that rule somewhere. I was taught golf rules by some [very] old timers in Dallas in a little pool hall where I first started to play pool and that rule was in force for pocket scratches and making yours or the other guy's ball in an illegal hole. Plus, you were charged with a hickey. Brutal.

Skin

Skin.....I played a fair amount of golf back in the 70's in Chicago, and that's the way we always played, and went back a hole.

- Ghost

 

[KindlyOleUncleDave]

Golf

Golf

6x12. Period.

 

[Cowboy Dennis]

6x12. Period.

...and if there was no 6X12?

 

[NH Steve]

I own a rare book published in 1980 called Official Rules and Directives for Billiard Golf, by Kenneth R. LeBar, and it seems like it has a ton of crazy rules! It apparently originated out a Miami area poolroom that had a real regular Golf scene on the 6x12 tables. Some of the names mentioned in the introduction are "Camp", "Kokomo Joe", "Irish" and "Spin-the-Ball George".

And Doc, the rules for "Golf" in the BCA book are some kind of completely different game -- not what we are talking about here.

I'll start posting some of the nearly one hundred rules in the LeBar book tomorrow. A lot of them seem like local quirks. One of the variations they talk about is "Two ball Golf", which would be a partners game, where each team has two balls and they can shoot at either of their balls, which sounds interesting!

 

[SJDinPHX]

I've played that if you hit the wrong ball it's foul, you pay that player the price of the game, and you go back a hole. I've also played that if you got three fouls in a row you go back a hole. That last one is brutal, they all gang up on you when you have two fouls going.

Hi Frank,

Golf has always been my favorite game, after one pocket...Never was a big fan of ring games, they are real crap shoots, but they can be fun, if you have a regular crowd, of knowledgeable players (who aren't partnered up )...and will bet it up a little.

Having played a lot of golf, all over...It is the only game I know of, that can have a completely different set of rules, in two pool rooms only a few blocks apart. State to state, it can be almost unrecognizable as the same game.

As you know, most golf rules are designed to protect (and entice) weaker players in a ring game. Many incorperate some horrible rules for head up play...
Very few places realized the need for a radically different set of rules, when playing head up,(or partners)...Phoenix., Alburqurque, and Denver, are the only places I've been, that recognized that fact. They modified them accordingly, and left the ring game rules intact.

Golf on a 6 X 12, or even a 5 X 10, is a great game...It appears gone forever....5-6 years ago, there were 30-40 snooker tables (all sizes) in the rooms around the Phx. area...Today, there are none...Big loss, especially for the older crowd, looking for comraderie.

 

[Cowboy Dennis]

...Never was a big fan of ring games, they are real crap shoots, but they can be fun, if you have a regular crowd, of knowledgeable players (who aren't partnered up )...and will bet it up a little.

The first game of golf that I saw with "good players" was at the "Eddies Rack & Cue", the joint that Steve Lomako now owns. This was 30 or more years ago. I remember a couple of the players to have been Cornbread, John Beyerlein, Shaky, Al Naif and a few others that I cannot remember now. They all played the game very well & they all knew what shot to shoot on every turn at the table. I only watched as I was no match for them at that point in time but it was fun watching good players play the game.

Dennis

 

[Skin]

One of the variations they talk about is "Two ball Golf", which would be a partners game, where each team has two balls and they can shoot at either of their balls, which sounds interesting!

I have not seen that played but read somewhere of a British configuration on a snooker table where the two players each have two sets of balls (a cb and ob is a set). One set is for blocking and the other set is for going around the table.

Skin