When is a bet considered golf gambling?

IS BETTING during a golf round a form of gambling? If yes, what about friendly betting?

Is betting twenty thousand bucks in a golf round considered gambling already? Or is that friendly betting? Is betting twenty thousand pesos too big an amount to consider it gambling? To the rich, maybe no. But to the poor, definitely yes. But are there really poor golfers? To the moneyed, twenty thousand bucks is bird feed and, therefore, not considered a gambling bet.

We, the poor, when see the rich betting twenty thousand bucks in a golf game, we immediately feel chills down our spine.

Knees shaking, we call that downright gambling by our standards.

Why, because we equate that amount to sacks of rice, kilos of chicken and pork and vegetables bought for a family of four—the groceries lasting them a month?

Yes, but to the rich, twenty thousand pesos could just be for one dinner for four at a five-star hotel, inclusive of a bottle of vintage Pinotage wine from South Africa. OK, include the waiter’s tip, too.

But to go back to whether betting in golf is gambling.

It might be gambling but then, what the heck? Mostly, it’s friendly betting, you know. In golf, nearly everybody bets anyway. Show me a golf tournament that does not have players betting against each other.

There’s even this standard jerk that doesn’t run away from every bet placed on his lap. Him against the world. Unbelievable.

Name me a social club, or a gang of free spirits, that does not have a “palusutan” in their tournament. Unthinkable. Even a mere gathering of three, four, flights would draw bets.

Truth to tell, any tournament that doesn’t have players not engaged in betting isn’t a tournament at all.

Most, if not all golfers, will say, they bet for fun.

Many bettors will tell you betting will always make them better players.

A friend of mine once said, before teeing off: “Who is the fool who wouldn’t join our ‘palusutan’ today? We struggled to rise from bed at 5 a.m., only to forego betting? Only a jerk would do that.” Who gambles at the golf course? There’s only betting but not gambling. You bet.