[PHOTO: Gregory Shamus]
When you imagine a major champion preparing for a US Women’s Open, you’re probably filling your mind with images of someone on the range all day, hitting hundreds of balls in hopes to be ready for the incredible test that awaits them. What you might not imagine is a player gambling against her husband. But that’s exactly what Hannah Green, the 2019 KPMG Women’s PGA winner, did last week ahead of the 2024 US Women’s Open at Lancaster Country Club.
Green’s husband, Jarryd Felton, is also a professional golfer. And the 27-year-old from Perth said they’re always competing. “I think because my husband plays golf too, we’re very competitive no matter what we’re doing,” Green said, “so it’s kind of fun playing with him.”
Beyond the standard putting and chipping contests, the two played a popular golf betting game called Wolf. If you want an in-depth look at how to play, check out this article. Generally, Wolf is played with four players, where players rotate who’s the wolf and the wolf chooses either to play the hole alone or to play the hole with a partner. You get points for winning the hole, more points if you win as the lone wolf, and the player with the most points at the end of the round wins.
So how did it work out for Green?
“Let’s just say he owed me some money,” said the two-time winner on the LPGA Tour in 2024. “I don’t know if he was being nice since it’s coming into US Open,” Green joked.
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Playing these types of games is good for your golf game, says Molly Braid, a Golf Digest Best Young Teacher.
“Playing games keeps you present on the shot in front of you and not your score,” Braid said. “Too many people are adding up their score in their head as they play, which puts too much emphasis on the outcome versus the process.”
If you’re catching yourself getting lost in thoughts about your score instead of the shot in front of you, take inspiration from Green and try Wolf.
