Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
Free tool: Open the calculator →
When each fits
Choose better ball when you want a recognised Four-Ball-style head-to-head or field format in which partners play separate balls and the lower score counts. Choose Vegas when four players want a casual, volatile betting game based on paired two-digit scores, point differences and agreed house rules.
better ball in brief
Partners play their own balls; the side counts the lower score on each hole.
Vegas in brief
A two-team game pairing each side's hole scores into a two-digit number.
Table
| Comparison | better ball | Vegas |
|---|---|---|
| One line | Partners play their own balls; the side counts the lower score on each hole. | A two-team game pairing each side's hole scores into a two-digit number. |
| 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 4: two teams of two; ideal 4 in one foursome. It is a head-to-head team game, not an individual field format. |
| 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. | Points per hole, calculated as the difference between the two teams' paired two-digit scores; the agreed dollar value per point converts the running total to money. |
| 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. | Vegas has no demonstrated Vegas-specific WHS allowance. If the group uses net hole scores, state that house rule before play. A defensible option for a structured two-team match is the WHS four-ball match-play recommendation: apply 90% to the difference between each player's unrounded Course Handicap and the lowest player's unrounded Course Handicap, then round to Playing Handicaps. This is an adopted four-ball benchmark, not an official rule for the casual Vegas game. |
| 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. | Agree a value per point before teeing off. Add each hole's point difference to a running team total and settle the final difference at the end; presses, birdie or eagle multipliers and payment splits are optional house rules and must be agreed first. |
| 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. | Slower than ordinary stroke play in practice because each hole requires two-digit pairing, possible score flips and point arithmetic; this is an editorial tendency, not a measured statistic. |
| 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. | A balanced foursome that enjoys a volatile team betting game, accepts large swings and is willing to write down house rules before starting. |
| 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 single birdie flip or high score can create a very large swing, and different groups use different rules for handicaps, 10-plus scores, eagles and presses. |
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. Under a selected no-flip Vegas rule, Alex 4 and Ben 5 form 45; Chris 5 and Dana 6 form 56. At $1 per point per side, the 11-point difference pays $11 from the second side to the first. Agree caps and multi-digit-score handling.
Rule reference: R&A Rules of Golf Rule 23 (Four-Ball/better-ball context); Rule 3.2 (match-play scoring); WHS Appendix C (Four-Ball allowances only, not a Vegas rule)
Sources: www.usga.org , www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.usga.org , www.golfmonthly.com , golf.com , www.thefriedegg.com
Common questions
How do better ball and Vegas 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 Vegas: Points per hole, calculated as the difference between the two teams' paired two-digit scores; the agreed dollar value per point converts the running total to money.
How do handicaps apply in better ball vs Vegas?
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. Vegas: Vegas has no demonstrated Vegas-specific WHS allowance. If the group uses net hole scores, state that house rule before play. A defensible option for a structured two-team match is the WHS four-ball match-play recommendation: apply 90% to the difference between each player's unrounded Course Handicap and the lowest player's unrounded Course Handicap, then round to Playing Handicaps. This is an adopted four-ball benchmark, not an official rule for the casual Vegas game.
When should I choose better ball instead of Vegas?
Choose better ball when you want a recognised Four-Ball-style head-to-head or field format in which partners play separate balls and the lower score counts. Choose Vegas when four players want a casual, volatile betting game based on paired two-digit scores, point differences and agreed house rules.