Wikipedia talk:Articles for deletion/Wolfgoatpig

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It is difficult to confirm or deny the historical origin of Wolf Goat Pig, but I can verify that the modern version of the game is alive and well - at least in a small portion of the United States.

Most commonly referred to as "Wolf" by most, it is indeed a format for wagering on a round of golf, akin to "nassau" or "nines". Wolf's rules are not uniformly applied from one course to another; as a result the game's wide acceptance has been stymied due to confusion over how it is really played.

There is a group of golfers who live and play the game on the island of Bainbridge in the state of Washington. Imported to Wing Point Golf and Country Club by an architect of questionable repute, Wolf Goat Pig (only the long version of the name is used, to use the stunted term of "Wolf" is considered to be slanderous amongst the Bainbridge cognescenti) has evolved to be quite intricate, with additional rules, addendums, corollaries, variations and options considered, voted on and adopted over the last ten to fifteen years.

The common element of "Wolf" is this: players rotate the opportunity, from hole to hole, to be the first to strike their ball from the tee box, then step back to determine which of the remaining players will be asked to become the original striker's partner. In a foursome, once the alliance is determined, the balance of the hole is played as a game of four ball, or perhaps more commonly known in the United States as "best ball". A predetermined wagering value is placed on each hole before play begins, but once the alliances are formed this value can be doubled via an offer by either team. Redoubles are permissable, ala the board game of backgammon. If a double, or redouble, is offered but turned down, then the team offering the increased wager wins the bet for that hole at the amount already agreed to prior to the denied double.

So, as the article's originator suggested, the Wolf is the leadoff player from each hole. Who is the Goat? And, who is the Pig? The history is a little murky. Occasions arise where the Wolf will ask a player to join him in a partnership, or alliance, for a particular hole, but the asked player has the option of saying "no", in which case the Wolf becomes automatically aligned with the remaining players. The game then becomes three balls versus one. Clearly, the player who decides to go on his own versus the other three is the Pig. But does he become the goat if he loses the wager to the other three? Or did the Wolf become the Goat when he was originally turned down for a partnership by the Pig? It is not clear, and some might say it is not important.

But these are the basics of the game of "Wolf". These basics are not always adhered to, which is certainly the right of the individual games, as long as no member of the game feels bamboozled by a shifing of the rules.

But on Bainbridge, the game of Wolf Goat Pig is treated as sacred. While, yes, the basic rules are adhered to, the game itself becomes far more interesting as more players are added to a group. The aura of Wolf Goat Pig literally explodes like ivy as the standard foursome becomes a fivesome, or a sixsome or sevensome. The game becomes so rapt that only a few have been able to master it, and some within the few would say even fewer than that.

The game has spawned a blog site, banquets and a website. Psychological bantering has spilled over from the golf course to the every day lives of the players. They are heard to use terms such as "hoepfinger" and "aardvark" and "the vinnie" in common sentences. It has been accepted by those beyond the few at Wing Point Golf and Country Club that Wolf Goat Pig is not really golf at all. In fact, that sentiment has only led credence to the motto of the Bainbridge game "we can accept bad golf, but we can't accept bad betting".

There are some who are familiar with the game of Wolf who are attracted to Wing Point in order to sample the more intricate, some might say advanced, game of Wolf Goat Pig that is played there. Often time these adventurers become bewildered, as they are not able to keep up with the many variations and corollaries that have developed at what has become the home of Wolf Goat Pig.

It is true that the game of golf was born in Scotland, despite what the Dutch say. And while the game of Wolf has no doubt been around for a century or more, there is no doubt that it has transplanted its roots on the isle of Bainbridge under the worshipped care of the devoted few.

[edit] Wolfgoatpig deletion

A simple Google search using the words "wolf" and "golf" turns up many references to the betting game described in this article. The most prominent is that in a published book by professional golfer, Chi Chi Rodriguez. The book, titled "Chi Chi's Golf Games You Gotta Play", describes the game called "Wolf", the simple version of the game Wolf Goat Pig.

Wolf Goat Pig is a much more developed betting scenario, including significantly greater options for all of the players involved. Although the author of this article may have theorized on a history which may be a bit fanciful, the remainder of the information is quite accurate.