Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose foursomes when four players want a head-to-head match built around one shared ball, alternating shots and shared responsibility on every hole. Choose Texas scramble when a four-person team event should offer repeated chances to contribute and finish with one team score under published event conditions.
foursomes in brief
Partners share one ball and alternate shots, including alternating who tees off on each hole.
Texas scramble in brief
A four-person scramble where each player contributes a set number of tee shots.
Table
| Comparison | foursomes | Texas scramble |
|---|---|---|
| One line | Partners share one ball and alternate shots, including alternating who tees off on each hole. | A four-person scramble where each player contributes a set number of tee shots. |
| 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: 4 for the standard Texas scramble; ideal: a four-player team, with multiple teams in the field. It is a team stroke-play arrangement rather than an individual or inherently head-to-head format. |
| Scoring unit | Holes in match play; total strokes in stroke play. | Team strokes per hole and total strokes for the round, normally ranked as gross or net scores under the competition terms. |
| 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 a four-player scramble, WHS Appendix C recommends 25% of the lowest Course Handicap, 20% of the second, 15% of the third and 10% of the highest, applied to unrounded Course Handicaps as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap. Texas-specific terms may set a different allowance, and the committee should publish it; do not substitute Handicap Indexes directly. |
| 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. | There is no built-in stake. If players agree to money, settle it at the end of the round from the final team result or from a separately stated side game; record the amount and tie-break terms before play. |
| 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. | Usually slower than ordinary individual stroke play for the same number of golfers because every team member hits each shot and the team must select and mark the chosen ball, although the shared continuation ball can reduce walking and searching. |
| 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. | Club charity days, social team competitions and groups wanting repeated chances to contribute a drive, approach or putt while still producing one team score. |
| 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 does not fix the operational rules: drive minimums, tee and ball-placement limits, handicap allowance, and tie-break method vary by Terms of the Competition, so an unclear brief can create disputes. |
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. In this explicitly selected Texas scramble event, Alex's side selects a shot at each stage and records 4; Ben's side records 5. The team sizes, selected-shot procedures and gross or net contest are event terms.
Rule reference: Rule 22 (Foursomes); R&A Official Guide, Committee Procedures Section 9C; WHS Appendix C
Sources: www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.usga.org
Common questions
How do foursomes and Texas scramble score differently?
For foursomes: Holes in match play; total strokes in stroke play. For Texas scramble: Team strokes per hole and total strokes for the round, normally ranked as gross or net scores under the competition terms.
How do handicaps apply in foursomes vs Texas scramble?
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. Texas scramble: For a four-player scramble, WHS Appendix C recommends 25% of the lowest Course Handicap, 20% of the second, 15% of the third and 10% of the highest, applied to unrounded Course Handicaps as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap. Texas-specific terms may set a different allowance, and the committee should publish it; do not substitute Handicap Indexes directly.
When should I choose foursomes instead of Texas scramble?
Choose foursomes when four players want a head-to-head match built around one shared ball, alternating shots and shared responsibility on every hole. Choose Texas scramble when a four-person team event should offer repeated chances to contribute and finish with one team score under published event conditions.