Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose Chapman when four-player teams want both partners involved in tee and second shots, followed by shared-ball selection and alternate-shot completion. Choose Hammer when two players or two sides want match play with a negotiated, capped stake that can double through agreed calls.
Chapman in brief
Two partners swap second shots, choose one ball, then finish with alternate shots.
Hammer in brief
A match-play side game where players can call a hammer to double the current hole’s agreed stake.
Table
| Comparison | Chapman | Hammer |
|---|---|---|
| One line | Two partners swap second shots, choose one ball, then finish with alternate shots. | A match-play side game where players can call a hammer to double the current hole’s agreed stake. |
| Players | Two players per side. A single pair can enter a stroke-play field; four players, in two pairs, make a head-to-head contest. Ideal: four in a playing group, or a larger event made up of two-player sides. | Minimum 2; ideal 2 head-to-head or 4 as two sides. A three-player version is a house arrangement, not covered here. |
| Scoring unit | Strokes per hole and total team strokes; the lowest net total wins in stroke play. A club may instead specify a match-play or side-bet settlement, but that is a competition choice. | The hole, with a dollar stake attached; the hole winner receives the agreed current stake. A halved hole and carryover treatment must be agreed before play. |
| Handicap method | For standard Chapman/Pinehurst stroke play, use the WHS recommended team allowance of 60% of the lower Course Handicap plus 40% of the higher Course Handicap. Apply the percentages to each player's unrounded Course Handicap before rounding the resulting team Playing Handicap. The Committee or competition Terms should state the allowance; do not automatically reuse this stroke-play recommendation for an unstandardised match-play version. | Hammer has no separate WHS allowance. If the underlying game is individual match play, WHS Appendix C recommends 100% of each player’s unrounded Course Handicap when calculating Playing Handicap; the lowest Playing Handicap normally plays off zero and others receive the difference. For four-ball match play, Appendix C recommends 90%. Confirm the Committee or group’s Terms because Hammer is an informal overlay. |
| Money settles how | No inherent money settlement. If Alex and Ben play Chris and Dana for an agreed dollar stake, the Terms should state whether the stake is settled on the winning net total, each hole, or another agreed side game; Chapman itself does not prescribe betting. | Set a base stake before teeing off, such as $1 per hole. A valid hammer doubles the current stake; agree whether it is automatic or may be declined, whether halved-hole stakes carry forward, and whether the stake resets after a won hole. Settle net amounts at the end, not by treating a casual side game as an official Rules competition. |
| Pace | Usually slower than ordinary four-ball and potentially similar to foursomes, because all four players hit a tee shot, then each plays the partner's ball before the team selects one ball and continues with alternate shots. This is an editorial tendency, not a measured rule or timing claim. | Usually the same as match play or slower than ordinary stroke play, as each hole still uses match-play scoring but calling, accepting and recording doubles adds decisions. This is an editorial tendency, not a measured timing claim. |
| Best for | A four-player team competition where partners want both players involved on every tee shot and an alternate-shot finish that rewards joint decisions. It suits a club day or friendly event with written Terms covering handicaps, ties and any stakes. | Two golfers who want head-to-head match play with a negotiated money side game, or four golfers already comfortable with two-sided match play and clear pre-round limits. It suits players who enjoy risk decisions and can keep the stake modest. |
| Weakness | The format can feel slow and awkward at the second-shot selection: both partners must play the partner's ball, and the team then loses one of the two balls before alternating to the hole. Uneven team handicaps or unwritten house rules can also cause disputes. | The stake can escalate quickly, and unclear choices about acceptance, carryovers, timing, concessions or four-ball sides can create arguments. The group must agree a cap or stop rule if players do not want an unexpected liability. |
Worked example
Illustrative inputs and selected terms, not historical results. Alex and Ben both tee off, swap balls for their second shots, select one and alternate to finish in 4; Chris and Dana finish in 5. The event must specify the scoring and handicap terms. For an accepted single hammer on an agreed $2 hole stake, the stake becomes $4. If Alex wins the hole, Ben pays Alex $4 under that expressly chosen house rule.
Rule reference: WHS Rule 6.2a; WHS Appendix C; Rules of Golf Rule 3.2 (underlying Hammer match play)
Sources: www.usga.org , www.usga.org , www.randa.org , www.golfdigest.com , www.randa.org
Common questions
How do Chapman and Hammer score differently?
For Chapman: Strokes per hole and total team strokes; the lowest net total wins in stroke play. A club may instead specify a match-play or side-bet settlement, but that is a competition choice. For Hammer: The hole, with a dollar stake attached; the hole winner receives the agreed current stake. A halved hole and carryover treatment must be agreed before play.
How do handicaps apply in Chapman vs Hammer?
Chapman: For standard Chapman/Pinehurst stroke play, use the WHS recommended team allowance of 60% of the lower Course Handicap plus 40% of the higher Course Handicap. Apply the percentages to each player's unrounded Course Handicap before rounding the resulting team Playing Handicap. The Committee or competition Terms should state the allowance; do not automatically reuse this stroke-play recommendation for an unstandardised match-play version. Hammer: Hammer has no separate WHS allowance. If the underlying game is individual match play, WHS Appendix C recommends 100% of each player’s unrounded Course Handicap when calculating Playing Handicap; the lowest Playing Handicap normally plays off zero and others receive the difference. For four-ball match play, Appendix C recommends 90%. Confirm the Committee or group’s Terms because Hammer is an informal overlay.
When should I choose Chapman instead of Hammer?
Choose Chapman when four-player teams want both partners involved in tee and second shots, followed by shared-ball selection and alternate-shot completion. Choose Hammer when two players or two sides want match play with a negotiated, capped stake that can double through agreed calls.