In Arnies, a golfer who makes par on a hole without his ever being in the fairway wins an Arnie from the other golfers in his group who are in on the bet. Palmer was a slashing, aggressive, daring golfer in the prime of his career. He swung hard with his driver, and those drives didn't always find the fairway. Part of what made Palmer so great as a golfer was his ability to get himself out of trouble. That's why the Arnie is named after him (and also why some people call this bet the Seve, after Seve Ballesteros).
When playing Arnies, set the amount of the bet before the round begins. Tally up the Arnies won at the end of the round and pay out (or get paid off). Arnies are only in effect on par-4 and par-5 holes, and not on par-3s.
Of course, Arnies are not something a golfer sets out to win - the round is played with the intent of playing as well as possible (no sandbagging, in other words). However, if along the way a golfer makes par on a hole without hitting the fairway, the Arnie is his reward.
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"If I sink this putt it's a par and I win an Arnie."
