Dice Golf Game: Rules, Odds and Best Strategy
Dice Golf is a quick game where, just like real golf, the lowest score wins. You play nine holes. On each hole you roll two dice and may reroll a couple of times, but you must keep your last roll. Do you settle for a 6 or risk it for a 3? It takes about ten minutes, needs only two dice and a pencil, and every hole is a small decision about chance.
What You Need
- Two six-sided dice, or our Dice Roller set to two dice.
- A score card with nine holes for each player.
- One or more players. It also works as a solo challenge.
Who Tees Off First
Each player rolls one die with the Dice Roller and the highest roll goes first. In a big group, spin our Random Name Picker instead. After that, the player with the lowest score on the last hole tees off first on the next one, as in real golf.
How to Play
There are many versions of dice golf. These are simple home rules, so agree on any changes before you start.
- Roll two dice on your turn. The total is your score for this hole.
- Reroll if you like: you may roll both dice again up to two more times, so three rolls at most.
- Keep the last roll: once you reroll, the old score is gone. You cannot go back to it.
- Write down your score for the hole and pass the dice.
- After nine holes, add up your scores. The lowest total wins.
How Much Do Rerolls Help?
A single roll of two dice averages exactly 7, so nine holes with no rerolls average 63. Each extra reroll lowers that, as long as you use it well. In the table, “Rolls allowed” is the most rolls per hole, “Best avg per hole” is the lowest average score per hole you can get with the best keep-or-reroll choices, and “Best avg, 9 holes” is that average over a full round. These numbers are exact, rounded.
| Rolls allowed | Best avg per hole | Best avg, 9 holes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7.0 | 63 |
| 2 | 6.0 | 54 |
| 3 | 5.5 | 49 |
| 4 | 5.1 | 45 |
The first reroll helps most. Going from one roll to three takes about 14 strokes off a typical round. For the maths of why 7 is the average and middle sums are common, see our dice probability guide.
The Best Strategy
With three rolls, the best rule is simple: keep any score of 6 or less, and reroll 7 or more. On the second roll the reroll averages exactly 7, so a 7 is a coin toss and anything lower is worth keeping. On the first roll you still have two rolls left, which together average about 6, so the same rule applies.
We simulated 100,000 rounds of nine holes for different rules. In the table, “Strategy” is the keep rule used on the first two rolls, “9 holes (avg)” is the average total, and “9 holes (typical)” is the median. These are simulated estimates.
| Strategy | 9 holes (avg) | 9 holes (typical) |
|---|---|---|
| Keep 6 or less | about 49 | 49 |
| Keep 5 or less | about 50 | 50 |
| Keep 4 or less | about 53 | 53 |
| Reroll unless 2 | about 61 | 61 |
| Never reroll | 63 | 63 |
Being greedy costs strokes. Players who reroll a 5 or 6 hoping for a 2 or 3 usually end up with a worse total, because a fresh roll averages 7. A round of about 49 is par for a good player, and anything in the low 40s is a great round.
Tips
- Keep 6 or less. It is the best rule with three rolls, and easy to remember.
- Do not chase a 2. Only one roll in 36 is double 1. A 4 or a 5 is already a good hole.
- On the last hole, play the scoreboard. If you need a very low score to win, rerolling a 6 may be worth it. If you are ahead, keep anything low.
- Count the strokes saved. With young players, write both the first roll and the kept roll, to see how much each decision helped.
Dice Golf in the Classroom
Dice Golf is a handy lesson starter for addition and averages. Ask the class to agree a keep rule before the round, play nine holes, and compare the totals of different rules on the board. It also shows why the average of two dice is 7, and how a simple rule can beat gut feeling.
Variations
- 18 holes: play a full round for a longer game.
- Par holes: give each hole a par of 5, 6 or 7 and score how far over or under par you are.
- Hole in one: a double 1 scores 0 for the hole instead of 2.
- Water hazard: a 12 on your kept roll adds a penalty stroke.
- One die: for young children, roll one die and allow one reroll. Keep a 3 or less.
- Team golf: pairs take turns rolling and must agree whether to keep or reroll.
For more short games with two dice, see our easy dice games. If you like deciding when to stop, try Twenty-One.
Where Does the Game Come From?
Several quite different dice games are called golf, from this simple roll-and-reroll version to games with more dice and special scoring. They are played in homes and classrooms with many local rules, and we found no reliable record of where any of them started.
For another sport you can play with two dice, try Dice Baseball.
FAQ
How do you play dice golf?
Play nine holes. On each hole, roll two dice and keep the total as your score, or reroll up to two more times and keep the last roll. The lowest total after nine holes wins.
What is the best strategy in dice golf?
With three rolls per hole, keep any score of 6 or less and reroll 7 or more. In our simulation that gave the lowest average total, about 49 for nine holes.
What is a good score in dice golf?
With three rolls per hole, about 49 is average for a player using the best rule. Anything in the low 40s is a very good round.
Why is 7 the average roll of two dice?
Each die averages 3.5, so two dice average 7. The sum 7 is also the most common result, with 6 of the 36 combinations.
Can you play dice golf alone?
Yes. Play nine holes and try to beat your best total, or try to finish under 49.
Can you play dice golf with an online dice roller?
Yes. Set our free Dice Roller to two dice and keep the score card on paper.