Betting three balls in golf is a popular format for friendly matches or informal tournaments. It can add an element of strategy and fun to the game. Here’s how you can set up and play a three-ball bet in golf:

### Setting Up the Bet

1. **Choose Players**: You need three players to form a three-ball bet. If you have more than three players, you can form multiple groups or have a separate bet within the group.

2. **Define the Stakes**: Before teeing off, agree on the stakes of the bet. This could be money, drinks, or any other agreed-upon prize.

3. **Decide on the Format**: Determine if the bet will be based on the best score of the three, a skins game, a Nassau (which includes bets on the front nine, back nine, and the entire round), or another format.

### Common Formats for Three-Ball Betting

– **Best Ball**: The group’s score for each hole is the lowest score among the three players. This is the most common format for three-ball betting.

– **Skins Game**: Each hole is worth a certain amount (a “skin”), and the player with the lowest score on a hole wins that skin. If there’s a tie, the skin carries over to the next hole.

– **Nassau**: A combination of bets that cover the front nine, back nine, and the entire round.

### Playing the Round

1. **Tee Off**: Each player tees off from the starting hole. The player with the honors (the lowest score on the previous hole or, for the first hole, the player with the lowest handicap) tees off first.

2. **Play the Hole**: Each player plays their own ball throughout the hole, following the standard rules of golf.

3. **Record Scores**: After each hole, record the individual scores and determine the group’s score for the hole based on the agreed-upon format.

4. **Keep Track of the Bet**: Depending on the format, keep track of who is winning or owes money. For example, in a skins game, you would track who wins each hole or if the skin carries over.

5. **Continue to the Next Hole**: Move on to the next hole, with the player who had the lowest score on the previous hole teeing off first (or following the honors system if you’re using handicaps).

### Conclusion of the Round

1. **Final Scores**: At the end of the round, tally up the scores or the skins won to determine the winner or winners of the bet.

2. **Settle the Bet**: Collect or pay out the agreed-upon stakes based on the results of the round.

3. **Handicaps**: If you’re using handicaps to level the playing field, make sure to adjust the final scores accordingly before settling the bet.

Remember, the key to a successful three-ball bet is to have clear rules agreed upon before the round starts and to keep the atmosphere friendly and enjoyable. Betting in golf should enhance the experience, not detract from it.