The player who tees off first is the wolf, and each hole the order rotates (i.e. if the order on #1 is 1,2,3,4 then the order on #2 is 4,1,2,3). The primary responsibility of the wolf is to select the teams for that hole. Consequently, the first option the wolf has is to play alone. If made prior to hitting his tee shot, then that player is going Blind Lone Wolf, and if after, merely Lone Wolf (see scoring implications below).

If the wolf is not Lone, then he has the option of selecting a partner. The key aspect of Wolf is that you must select your partner after he or she hits his tee shot but before the next player shoots. If the wolf has not selected a partner when the last player tees off, the last player is automatically on the wolf’s team.

After each hole, the players on the winning team earn a point. In the case that a player elected to go Lone Wolf, he or she earns two points, and in the case a player goes Blind Lone Wolf, he or she earns three points. Points are paid to and from all players, so in a game of $1 Wolf with four players, players win or lose $2 if there is no Lone Wolf. A Lone Wolf would win $2 from each of three players or lose a total of $3 on a hole, and a Blind Lone Wolf would win $3 from each of three players or lose a total of $3 per hole.

It is most common for points to carry to the next hole in the event of a tie, but some players play without carries. Additionally, presses are common in Wolf and double the points wagered on that hole if accepted. Lastly, an underutilized aspect of Wolf is that a player can reject a the selection of the Wolf and become the Lone Wolf for that hole.