Why Wolf?
As popular as The Skins Game was and The Match is, both are essentially one-dimensional games where the lowest score wins a skin. Other than being aggressive and playing for birdies, there is no strategy involved. In two decades, there has been only one change made to the original format – validation. Validation means that the player who wins a skin must win or tie the next hole or his skin doesn’t count. Much to the dismay of the fans, 2002 Skins Game did away with the validation feature.
The Wolf Game is vastly different from The Skins Game and The Match. Every golfer who plays the game knows that Wolf is far more fun to play and would be equally more entertaining to watch on television. Unlike the other two formats, Wolf forces the players to communicate and strategize with each other. Partnerships, and therefore loyalties, change on every hole.
Picture This
The Match 2 aired in 2020 and featured Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning vs Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady. Charles Barkley was also in the mix as an analyst. Imagine a scenario with The Match 2 being played in The Wolf Game format.
Peyton and Tom would both be playing with their full handicaps. Assume that each player has been given $1 million to “bet” during the round with a minimum bet of $100,000. It’s a long par five. Peyton is the Wolf. He and Tom both stroke on this hole. Peyton stripes his tee shot down the middle. Tom is next and hits a slice into the trees. Peyton passes on Tom. Tiger Woods is third to hit and his tee shot finds the fairway.
Now, it’s decision time. Peyton is thinking, “I’m lying net zero with a five or six iron to the green. If I get it on and two-putt, it will take an eagle to tie me.” He could pick Tiger Woods as his partner and be a cinch to win $100,000, or he could go Lone and easily win $300,000. With no reason to wait for Phil to hit, Peyton goes Lone. So far, so good. Peyton hits the green but is 30 feet away. No worries. He’s only two putts away from $300,000. Oops, Tiger Woods hits a great second, 6 feet from the pin. Still, no reason to panic. He’s thinking with two putts, he still has a decent chance to win the hole. Worst case scenario, he ties.
As Peyton’s 30-footer slides 10 feet by, lightning strikes. With Tiger Woods 6 feet away, Peyton’s opponents drop the Hammer. Peyton now has the choice to accept or decline. If he accepts, the bet doubles and he could easily lose $600,000. If he declines, he automatically loses the hole and $300,000. Of course, he could always hope that he makes it and Tiger Woods misses – then Peyton wins $600,000. In the space of a few minutes, Peyton has gone from a heavy favorite to win $300,000 to a possible loser of $600,000 – a $900,000 swing! That’s called riveting television.
Back to the action. Peyton has a big decision: does he accept or decline the Hammer? We'll find out after the commercial break. Those who play the game know that this kind of scenario happens all the time in Wolf – different names and different stakes, of course. Loyalties change on every hole. There is strategy involved, which requires a lot of communication between teammates. Feathers can get ruffled and quite often do. Gamesmanship is a huge part of the action.
There is not the slightest possibility that The Match or The Skins Game can produce scenarios remotely as interesting as the one described above. Nevertheless, Skins was a profitable venture for 20 years and The Match appears to have a bright financial future as well. So does Wolf.