Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose four-ball when four players want a head-to-head team match in which partners can support one another and each hole is decided by the side’s better score. Choose Stableford when an individual points competition suits the group and a poor hole should not end the round.
four-ball in brief
Partners each play their own ball; the side’s lower score counts on every hole.
Stableford in brief
Individual stroke play scored by points awarded against a fixed target on each hole.
Table
| Comparison | four-ball | Stableford |
|---|---|---|
| One line | Partners each play their own ball; the side’s lower score counts on every hole. | Individual stroke play scored by points awarded against a fixed target 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 1; ideal for an individual field of 3 or more competitors. A committee can also run Stableford for a side, but this record describes individual Stableford. |
| Scoring unit | holes; each side's lower score on a hole is compared with the opponents' lower score | Points per hole, totalled for the round. Under Rule 21.1, the target is normally par unless the Committee sets another fixed target. |
| 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. | For individual Stableford, the recommended WHS allowance is 95%. Apply it to the unrounded Course Handicap as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap; then use the full Playing Handicap and allocate strokes by the hole stroke index. The Committee or national association may set a different allowance in the Terms of Competition. |
| 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. | There is no inherent money settlement. If players agree a side stake, settle at the end of the round by the agreed total-points result or an agreed value per point; write the amount and ties rule before play. |
| 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 ordinary stroke play, because Rule 21.1 allows a player to stop a hole when the score will produce zero points; this is a qualified tendency, not a measured time claim. |
| 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. | Groups wanting a forgiving points competition where one poor hole need not determine the result, and fields that prefer comparing totals rather than settling hole-by-hole. |
| 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. | The points total can hide the underlying stroke difference, and the result depends on the Committee clearly setting the fixed target, handicap allowance and any tie or stake terms. |
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. With par 4 as the target on three holes, scores 4, 5 and 3 give Alex 6 ordinary Stableford points; scores 5, 4 and 4 give Ben 5.
Rule reference: Rules of Golf Rule 23 (four-ball); Rules of Golf Rule 21.1 (Stableford); WHS Appendix C
Sources: www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.usga.org , www.usga.org
Common questions
How do four-ball and Stableford score differently?
For four-ball: holes; each side's lower score on a hole is compared with the opponents' lower score For Stableford: Points per hole, totalled for the round. Under Rule 21.1, the target is normally par unless the Committee sets another fixed target.
How do handicaps apply in four-ball vs Stableford?
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. Stableford: For individual Stableford, the recommended WHS allowance is 95%. Apply it to the unrounded Course Handicap as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap; then use the full Playing Handicap and allocate strokes by the hole stroke index. The Committee or national association may set a different allowance in the Terms of Competition.
When should I choose four-ball instead of Stableford?
Choose four-ball when four players want a head-to-head team match in which partners can support one another and each hole is decided by the side’s better score. Choose Stableford when an individual points competition suits the group and a poor hole should not end the round.