“Junk” is the collective name for golf’s little side games — fixed-value claims that ride on top of whatever main game you’re playing. Four classics cover almost every group: greenies, sandies, birdies, and polies.
And then there’s the press — not junk exactly, but the same spirit: a side stake that appears mid-round and keeps every hole alive. On paper this is the stuff that gets lost. On a board, it’s the best part of the day.
| Junk | What earns it | The fine print |
|---|---|---|
| Greenie | Par 3 — on the green off the tee, closest if several | Keep it with par or better (default on); one per par 3 |
| Sandy | Par or better after visiting a bunker | Gross par by default; a net toggle exists |
| Birdie | Gross birdie or better | Auto-claimed from the scorecard; eagles pay double by default |
| Polie | Holed putt longer than the flagstick | Honor system — tap to claim, group polices it |
Greenie carryovers (off by default): nobody on the green means the next par 3 is worth two.
Everything is claim-based and peer-visible — anyone in the group can remove a bogus claim, and every add or remove is logged.
Junk is two taps on the hole card — claim it, everyone sees it. Auto-validation does the honest work; score a bogey after claiming the greenie and the claim voids itself when the score lands.
Claims persist through score edits (they're decisions, not derived state) — TwoDown flags one that looks stale instead of silently deleting it. Finalize the round and the junk freezes with everything else.
Join the beta on TestFlightWhat's a press again?
A fresh match over the remaining holes at the same stake, opened by a side that's down — the comeback mechanic in Nassau and Match Play. Two down is the classic trigger, and TwoDown prompts it.
How does junk settle?
Each claim collects its value from every other player, and it all folds into the same one-payment settlement as the main games.
Can junk stack on one hole?
Yes — a sandy and a birdie on the same hole both pay. That's half the fun.
Who keeps the junk honest?
The group — every claim is visible to everyone the moment it's made, and the app auto-voids what the scorecard disproves. Polies stay honor-system, as tradition demands.