Page type: Regional rules guide
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Regional conventions and their limits
In the UK, Chapman is commonly presented as Pinehurst/Chapman: both partners tee off, each plays the other partner’s tee shot, the side chooses one ball, and the partners then alternate strokes to hole out. A UK club’s published Chapman explanation describes that sequence, and another club’s competition terms use the same order. This is a format convention, so the committee should publish its own terms, including tee colours, eligibility, scoring method and any local conditions. For handicap competitions, England Golf’s WHS material lists Pinehurst/Chapman among competition formats, while R&A Appendix C recommends 60% of the lower Course Handicap plus 40% of the higher. The allowance is applied to the unrounded Course Handicap as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap; the competition committee should state the allowance in its Terms of Competition. Rule 22 supplies the alternate-shot framework for the finishing sequence, but Chapman’s two tee shots and exchanged second shots are a variation rather than a separate named Rules of Golf format.
Table
| Item | Regional reference |
|---|---|
| Format | Chapman |
| Region | UK |
| Local name | Chapman is also called Pinehurst in UK golf usage. England Golf lists the competition category as Pinehurst/Chapman, while a UK club describes Chapman as a variation of four-ball. The naming is not evidence of a single mandatory UK-wide club-day rule. |
| Rules context | Rules of Golf Rule 22.1 and Rule 22.3; WHS Rules of Handicapping Appendix C |
Worked example
Illustrative only: Alex and Ben have Course Handicaps of 10 and 20. The recommended Chapman allowance is 60% of 10 plus 40% of 20 = 6 + 8 = 14 strokes before any committee-specified rounding or other competition calculation. On a hole, both tee off, Alex plays Ben’s drive and Ben plays Alex’s drive, they select one ball, and then alternate strokes to finish.
Rule reference: Rules of Golf Rule 22.1 and Rule 22.3; WHS Rules of Handicapping Appendix C
Sources: www.englandgolf.org , www.randa.org , princesrisboroughgolfclub.co.uk , www.otleygolfclub.co.uk , www.randa.org
Common questions
Is Chapman the same as Pinehurst in the UK?
They are commonly used as names for the same two-player team sequence: two tee shots, exchanged second shots, one ball selected, then alternate shots. Confirm the event terms because clubs can define variations.
What handicap allowance is recommended for Chapman?
WHS Appendix C recommends 60% of the lower Course Handicap plus 40% of the higher Course Handicap for Pinehurst/Chapman. The committee must state the allowance in the Terms of Competition, and the calculation uses the unrounded Course Handicap as its final step.
Is Chapman governed by Rule 22?
Rule 22 governs foursomes, where partners alternate shots with one ball. Chapman uses that alternate-shot finish but adds its own exchanged-second-shot convention, so the committee should publish the complete format terms.