Page type: Regional rules guide
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Regional conventions and their limits
Chapman is a two-player partnership format. Both partners play a tee shot, then each plays a second shot with the other partner's ball. The team chooses one of those balls and completes the hole with alternate shots; the partner who did not make the selected ball's second shot plays the third shot. This is the Chapman sequence described by the USGA under Pinehurst/Chapman and by Berwick Montuna Golf Club under Chapman Foursomes. Australian club Terms of Competition can use a different local allowance: Berwick Montuna lists 3/8 of the combined handicaps for Chapman, while the current WHS Appendix C recommendation for Pinehurst/Chapman is 60% of the lower Course Handicap plus 40% of the higher Course Handicap. The WHS source says a national association may establish or delegate allowances, so the committee's published Terms control the event. Do not assume a club's 3/8 convention is a national Australian rule. Confirm whether the event is stroke play or match play, the handicap allowance, rounding, and any provisions for extra holes before starting.
Table
| Item | Regional reference |
|---|---|
| Format | Chapman |
| Region | Australia |
| Local name | Chapman Foursomes in Australia; also called Pinehurst or American Foursomes in some sources, but those labels are not used identically everywhere. |
| Rules context | WHS Rules of Handicapping, Appendix C (Pinehurst/Chapman); WHS Rules 6.1 and 6.2 for Course Handicap and Playing Handicap calculation |
Worked example
For an illustrative WHS calculation, Alex has Course Handicap 8 and Ben has Course Handicap 14. Using the recommended Pinehurst/Chapman formula, the team allowance is 60% x 8 + 40% x 14 = 10.4, rounded according to the competition's handicap procedure (commonly 10). If the host club instead states 3/8 of the combined handicaps, the calculation is 3/8 x (8 + 14) = 8.25, subject to that event's rounding rule; the published Terms must be followed.
Rule reference: WHS Rules of Handicapping, Appendix C (Pinehurst/Chapman); WHS Rules 6.1 and 6.2 for Course Handicap and Playing Handicap calculation
Sources: www.usga.org , www.usga.org , www.berwickmontuna.com.au
Common questions
Is Chapman the same as Pinehurst in Australia?
They commonly describe the same sequence: both players tee off, play the partner's second shot, select one ball, then play alternate shots. Naming is not completely consistent, so read the event's Terms rather than relying on the label alone.
What handicap allowance should an Australian Chapman event use?
Use the allowance stated by the competition committee. WHS Appendix C recommends 60% of the lower Course Handicap plus 40% of the higher for Pinehurst/Chapman, but an Australian club may publish a different local convention, such as the 3/8 combined-handicap example at Berwick Montuna.
Who plays the third shot in Chapman?
After both partners have played their second shots and the team selects a ball, the partner who owns the selected ball does not play the next shot; the other partner plays the third stroke. The partners then alternate strokes to finish the hole.
Can Chapman be played as match play?
Yes, if the committee offers it under match-play Terms. The format's shot sequence does not by itself set the match-play handicap method or how strokes are given; those details must be stated by the competition.
Does the WHS allowance apply to the Handicap Index directly?
No. Appendix C says allowances are applied to the unrounded Course Handicap as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap. The competition Terms should specify the calculation and rounding used.
Is the 3/8 Chapman allowance an Australian-wide rule?
Not on the evidence used here. It is a published Berwick Montuna club convention. Treat it as a club or event rule, not a universal national allowance, unless Golf Australia or the relevant competition Terms confirm it.