Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose better ball when pairs want individual-ball play and a lower partner score can cover a poor hole. Choose greensomes when pairs prefer two tee shots, one selected ball and alternate shots, with shared decisions shaping each hole.
better ball in brief
Partners play their own balls; the side counts the lower score on each hole.
greensomes in brief
A pair chooses one of two tee shots, then plays that ball in alternate shots.
Table
| Comparison | better ball | greensomes |
|---|---|---|
| One line | Partners play their own balls; the side counts the lower score on each hole. | A pair chooses one of two tee shots, then plays that ball in alternate shots. |
| Players | Minimum 4 for head-to-head play: two sides of two; ideal 4 for a direct match or 4+ for a field event. It is a partner format, not an individual contest. | Minimum 2 players as one pair; ideal 4 players as two pairs in head-to-head match play or a two-pair stroke-play field. Larger fields can run multiple pairs under the Committee's terms. |
| Scoring unit | Match play: holes won, lost or tied using the side's lower score. Stroke play: the lower gross or net partner score on each hole contributes to the side's total. | Strokes per hole, normally totalled as gross or net stroke play; the same pair-versus-pair structure can be used for match play if the competition terms say so. |
| Handicap method | For a WHS handicap competition, use the Terms of Competition and the applicable format allowance. The recommended allowance is 90% for four-ball match play, with the lowest Playing Handicap set to zero relative to the others; it is 85% for four-ball stroke play. Apply the allowance to the unrounded Course Handicap when calculating Playing Handicap, rather than directly to Handicap Index. | For a team handicap, apply the recommended WHS allowance of 60% of the lower player's unrounded Course Handicap plus 40% of the higher player's unrounded Course Handicap, then follow the applicable Playing Handicap and competition terms. In match play, the lowest team Playing Handicap generally plays off zero and the other team receives the difference, but the Committee sets the allowance and terms. |
| Money settles how | No money settlement is inherent in better ball. If players agree a side game, settle by the agreed unit, such as a fixed amount per hole won in match play or a round total in stroke play; write the stake and tie rule before starting. | Only by prior agreement: settle a match stake at the end of the match, or settle a stroke-play pool after the final net scores. Greensomes itself does not prescribe money, stakes, or a payout method. |
| Pace | Same to slightly slower than individual stroke play as a qualified tendency: four players still play separate balls, although a side can usually stop once its partner's lower score is secure and may choose an efficient order of play. | Usually slower than ordinary four-ball stroke play because each hole starts with two tee shots and the chosen ball is then played alternately; this is an editorial tendency, not a measured timing claim. |
| Best for | Pairs who want teamwork without alternate shot, especially a two-versus-two match where each player retains their own ball and a poor hole can be covered by a partner. | Pairs who want shared decisions and alternate-shot pressure while keeping both players involved from every tee. It suits a four-player head-to-head match or a small pairs competition with clear Committee terms. |
| Weakness | A weaker partner may contribute little when the other partner repeatedly supplies the counting score, and an informal money game can become unclear unless the scoring unit, handicap allowance and ties are agreed. | A poor tee-shot choice can leave the partner an awkward second shot, and alternate play means one mistake can affect the whole pair. Minimum tee-shot quotas, tie procedures, and whether the event is stroke play or match play must be settled in advance. |
Worked example
Illustrative inputs and selected terms, not historical results. For a defined two-versus-two lower-ball hole, Alex 4 and Ben 5 give their side 4; Chris 5 and Dana 6 give the other side 5. The first side wins a scratch hole. Confirm casual naming and format terms. Alex and Ben both tee off, select Alex's drive, and Ben plays the second shot before alternate play finishes in 4. Chris and Dana finish in 5, so the first side wins this defined scratch hole.
Rule reference: Rules of Golf Rule 23 (Four-Ball); WHS Rules of Handicapping Appendix C (four-ball and greensomes allowances and Playing Handicap); applicable Terms of Competition
Sources: www.usga.org , www.randa.org , www.usga.org , www.usga.org , www.randa.org , englandigolf.co.uk
Common questions
How do better ball and greensomes score differently?
For better ball: Match play: holes won, lost or tied using the side's lower score. Stroke play: the lower gross or net partner score on each hole contributes to the side's total. For greensomes: Strokes per hole, normally totalled as gross or net stroke play; the same pair-versus-pair structure can be used for match play if the competition terms say so.
How do handicaps apply in better ball vs greensomes?
better ball: For a WHS handicap competition, use the Terms of Competition and the applicable format allowance. The recommended allowance is 90% for four-ball match play, with the lowest Playing Handicap set to zero relative to the others; it is 85% for four-ball stroke play. Apply the allowance to the unrounded Course Handicap when calculating Playing Handicap, rather than directly to Handicap Index. greensomes: For a team handicap, apply the recommended WHS allowance of 60% of the lower player's unrounded Course Handicap plus 40% of the higher player's unrounded Course Handicap, then follow the applicable Playing Handicap and competition terms. In match play, the lowest team Playing Handicap generally plays off zero and the other team receives the difference, but the Committee sets the allowance and terms.
When should I choose better ball instead of greensomes?
Choose better ball when pairs want individual-ball play and a lower partner score can cover a poor hole. Choose greensomes when pairs prefer two tee shots, one selected ball and alternate shots, with shared decisions shaping each hole.