Page type: Regional rules guide
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Regional conventions and their limits
Foursomes has two partners per side, playing one ball and alternating strokes. Rule 22 governs both match play and stroke play. Partners alternate who tees off on successive holes, then alternate strokes after the tee shot. The side can choose its starting partner unless the competition terms say otherwise. Making a stroke in the wrong order brings the general penalty under Rule 22.3: loss of hole in match play, or two penalty strokes in stroke play. In stroke play, the side must also correct the mistake before starting the next hole or returning its final scorecard; failure to correct in time means disqualification. WHS Appendix C recommends 50% of the combined team handicap, calculated using the prescribed Course Handicap basis. The authorised handicap body and Committee determine the applicable allowance and competition conditions. In match play, the lower Playing Handicap normally plays from zero. Check the event's terms for tees, rounding and stroke allocation rather than assuming every Australian club uses identical conditions.
Table
| Item | Regional reference |
|---|---|
| Format | foursomes |
| Region | Australia |
| Local name | Foursomes (also known as Alternate Shot); Golf Australia uses the name Foursomes, while the R&A gives Alternate Shot as the equivalent name. |
| Rules context | Rules of Golf Rule 22; WHS Appendix C |
Worked example
Illustrative only: Alex and Ben have Course Handicaps of 10.4 and 16.2. Their combined handicap is 26.6, so the recommended Foursomes allowance is 50% × 26.6 = 13.3. The Committee's Terms of the Competition must determine the final application of that figure; this is not historical player data.
Rule reference: Rules of Golf Rule 22; WHS Appendix C
Sources: archive.golf.org.au , www.randa.org , www.usga.org
Common questions
Is Foursomes the same as Alternate Shot in Australia?
Yes as a format description. The R&A calls Foursomes ‘also known as Alternate Shot’; Golf Australia also uses the name Foursomes. Always check the event conditions for local variations.
What handicap allowance is recommended for Australian Foursomes?
WHS Appendix C recommends 50% of the combined team handicap. The Committee or national association controls the allowance stated for a particular competition, so do not assume the percentage without reading the Terms of the Competition.
Who hits the first tee shot in Foursomes?
The side may choose which partner starts, unless the Terms of the Competition specify who must tee off first. The partners then alternate teeing order by hole and alternate strokes through each hole under Rule 22.
Can Foursomes be match play or stroke play?
Yes. Rule 22 expressly covers both match play and stroke play, with two partners competing as one side using one ball in alternating order.
Is 50% compulsory at every Australian golf club?
No. It is the WHS recommended allowance for Foursomes. The national association may establish or delegate allowances, and the Committee should specify the allowance in the competition conditions.
Is Foursomes the same as Greensomes?
Not on the evidence used here. Rule 22 defines Foursomes as one ball played in alternating order. Greensomes is listed separately in WHS Appendix C with a different recommended allowance, so an event should state its format rather than treating the names as interchangeable.