Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose foursomes when four players want a head-to-head team match in which partners share one ball and alternate shots, making communication and joint responsibility central. Choose Stableford par when an individual or group wants points-based scoring, but first write down whether ordinary Stableford against par or Par/Bogey is intended, because the label is ambiguous.
foursomes in brief
Partners share one ball and alternate shots, including alternating who tees off on each hole.
Stableford par in brief
An ambiguous label usually intended to mean Stableford scored against par, not a separate official format.
Table
| Comparison | foursomes | Stableford par |
|---|---|---|
| One line | Partners share one ball and alternate shots, including alternating who tees off on each hole. | An ambiguous label usually intended to mean Stableford scored against par, not a separate official format. |
| Players | 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. | Minimum 1; ideal as an individual field of 2 or more. It can also be played by a side, but ‘Stableford par’ needs the Committee or group to define the format before play. |
| Scoring unit | Holes in match play; total strokes in stroke play. | Stableford points per hole, normally awarded by comparing the player’s net or gross score with a fixed target, usually par. If the intended game is Par/Bogey, the unit is holes won, lost or halved instead. |
| Handicap method | 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. | For an individual Stableford competition, the WHS Appendix C recommended allowance is 95% applied to the unrounded Course Handicap as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap. For individual Par/Bogey it is also 95%. There is no separate evidenced WHS allowance called ‘Stableford par’; a hybrid or house game requires the Committee’s stated terms. |
| Money settles how | 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. | No inherent money settlement. If players agree a stake, settle it using the pre-agreed basis, such as total points or a per-point amount; write that house rule down before starting. |
| Pace | 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. | Often faster than ordinary stroke play when played as Stableford, because a player may stop a hole once the result will be zero points; this is a rules-based pace feature, not a measured time claim. |
| Best for | 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. | Groups wanting a forgiving points-based individual competition and a clear handicap framework, provided they state whether ‘par’ means Stableford’s usual target of par or the separate Par/Bogey form. |
| Weakness | 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. | The name is not sufficiently precise: Stableford and Par/Bogey use different scoring systems, so players can disagree about points, hole results, handicaps or settlement unless the terms are written first. |
Worked example
Illustrative inputs and selected terms, not historical results. 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. On a par-4 hole, a score of 4 earns 2 points in ordinary Stableford or a tied-hole result in Par/Bogey. Confirm which meaning the label intends.
Rule reference: Rule 21.1 (Stableford); Rule 21.3 (Par/Bogey); Rule 22 (Foursomes); WHS Appendix C
Sources: www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.usga.org
Common questions
How do foursomes and Stableford par score differently?
For foursomes: Holes in match play; total strokes in stroke play. For Stableford par: Stableford points per hole, normally awarded by comparing the player’s net or gross score with a fixed target, usually par. If the intended game is Par/Bogey, the unit is holes won, lost or halved instead.
How do handicaps apply in foursomes vs Stableford par?
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. Stableford par: For an individual Stableford competition, the WHS Appendix C recommended allowance is 95% applied to the unrounded Course Handicap as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap. For individual Par/Bogey it is also 95%. There is no separate evidenced WHS allowance called ‘Stableford par’; a hybrid or house game requires the Committee’s stated terms.
When should I choose foursomes instead of Stableford par?
Choose foursomes when four players want a head-to-head team match in which partners share one ball and alternate shots, making communication and joint responsibility central. Choose Stableford par when an individual or group wants points-based scoring, but first write down whether ordinary Stableford against par or Par/Bogey is intended, because the label is ambiguous.