Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose four-ball when each player should play an own ball and partners need the lower score to cover an errant hole. Choose foursomes when the team should share one ball, alternate shots, and make every stroke and teeing order a joint responsibility.
four-ball in brief
Partners each play their own ball; the side’s lower score counts on every hole.
foursomes in brief
Partners share one ball and alternate shots, including alternating who tees off on each hole.
Table
| Comparison | four-ball | foursomes |
|---|---|---|
| One line | Partners each play their own ball; the side’s lower score counts on every hole. | Partners share one ball and alternate shots, including alternating who tees off on each hole. |
| Players | Minimum: 4 players in two sides; ideal: 4 for head-to-head match play. It can also be used as a wider four-ball field, but this record covers the match-play version. | Minimum: 4 for a head-to-head match (two sides of two); ideal: 4. A two-player side can also play foursomes in a stroke-play field, but two people alone cannot create a head-to-head match. |
| Scoring unit | holes; each side's lower score on a hole is compared with the opponents' lower score | Holes in match play; total strokes in stroke play. |
| Handicap method | For four-ball match play, WHS Appendix C recommends 90% of each player's unrounded Course Handicap to produce a Playing Handicap. After the allowance and required rounding, the lowest Playing Handicap plays from zero; each other player receives the difference from that lowest value. The Committee or national association sets the allowance in the Terms of the Competition, so confirm the event conditions. | WHS Appendix C recommends 50% of the combined team Course Handicaps for foursomes. The allowance is applied to the unrounded Course Handicap as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap; the Committee or relevant national association sets the competition terms. Illustrative calculation: Alex 10 plus Ben 18 gives a combined 28, and 50% gives a team Playing Handicap of 14 before any competition-specific rounding or conditions. |
| Money settles how | If stakes are agreed, settle by the match result or by an agreed per-hole amount; the Rules of Golf do not set betting terms. Write down whether a halved hole carries, and how ties or extra holes settle, before starting. | No money settlement is part of the Rules of Golf. If stakes are agreed, partners can settle a match bet at the end of the match, or use an agreed per-hole side bet; write the house terms down before starting. |
| Pace | Usually faster than individual stroke play for a four-player group, because a side can stop once its partner's score cannot improve the side's hole score; actual pace depends on walking, searching and local procedures. | Often faster than individual stroke play because a side plays one ball, but not guaranteed: alternating turns and partner decisions can create delays. Treat this as an editorial tendency, not a measured rule or promise. |
| Best for | Four players who want a strategic team match with partner support and the chance for one strong score to cover an errant hole. It suits a head-to-head day when players agree the handicap allowance and any stakes in advance. | Four players who want a genuine team match with shared responsibility for every shot. It suits a head-to-head contest where communication and a fixed teeing order matter as much as individual ball-striking. |
| Weakness | A partner's poor hole may never matter, which can leave a player feeling less involved; handicap rounding, stroke allocation and unclear side-bet rules can also cause disputes. | One poor shot belongs to the side and can leave the partner an awkward next shot, so the format can feel unforgiving and less suitable when players want independent scores. |
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 alternate strokes at one ball and complete the hole in 4; Chris and Dana complete it in 5. The first side wins a scratch foursomes hole.
Rule reference: Rules of Golf Rule 23 (Four-Ball); Rules of Golf Rule 22 (Foursomes); WHS Appendix C
Sources: www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.usga.org
Common questions
How do four-ball and foursomes score differently?
For four-ball: holes; each side's lower score on a hole is compared with the opponents' lower score For foursomes: Holes in match play; total strokes in stroke play.
How do handicaps apply in four-ball vs foursomes?
four-ball: For four-ball match play, WHS Appendix C recommends 90% of each player's unrounded Course Handicap to produce a Playing Handicap. After the allowance and required rounding, the lowest Playing Handicap plays from zero; each other player receives the difference from that lowest value. The Committee or national association sets the allowance in the Terms of the Competition, so confirm the event conditions. foursomes: WHS Appendix C recommends 50% of the combined team Course Handicaps for foursomes. The allowance is applied to the unrounded Course Handicap as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap; the Committee or relevant national association sets the competition terms. Illustrative calculation: Alex 10 plus Ben 18 gives a combined 28, and 50% gives a team Playing Handicap of 14 before any competition-specific rounding or conditions.
When should I choose four-ball instead of foursomes?
Choose four-ball when each player should play an own ball and partners need the lower score to cover an errant hole. Choose foursomes when the team should share one ball, alternate shots, and make every stroke and teeing order a joint responsibility.