Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose foursomes when four players want a formal head-to-head team match built around one shared ball, alternating shots and communication rather than betting swings. Choose Vegas when two teams want a casual, high-variance paired-score points game and are prepared to agree its money, handicap and flip rules first.
foursomes in brief
Partners share one ball and alternate shots, including alternating who tees off on each hole.
Vegas in brief
A two-team game pairing each side's hole scores into a two-digit number.
Table
| Comparison | foursomes | Vegas |
|---|---|---|
| One line | Partners share one ball and alternate shots, including alternating who tees off on each hole. | A two-team game pairing each side's hole scores into a two-digit number. |
| 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: two teams of two; ideal 4 in one foursome. It is a head-to-head team game, not an individual field format. |
| Scoring unit | Holes in match play; total strokes in stroke play. | Points per hole, calculated as the difference between the two teams' paired two-digit scores; the agreed dollar value per point converts the running total to money. |
| 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. | Vegas has no demonstrated Vegas-specific WHS allowance. If the group uses net hole scores, state that house rule before play. A defensible option for a structured two-team match is the WHS four-ball match-play recommendation: apply 90% to the difference between each player's unrounded Course Handicap and the lowest player's unrounded Course Handicap, then round to Playing Handicaps. This is an adopted four-ball benchmark, not an official rule for the casual Vegas game. |
| 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. | Agree a value per point before teeing off. Add each hole's point difference to a running team total and settle the final difference at the end; presses, birdie or eagle multipliers and payment splits are optional house rules and must be agreed first. |
| 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. | Slower than ordinary stroke play in practice because each hole requires two-digit pairing, possible score flips and point arithmetic; this is an editorial tendency, not a measured statistic. |
| 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. | A balanced foursome that enjoys a volatile team betting game, accepts large swings and is willing to write down house rules before starting. |
| 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. | A single birdie flip or high score can create a very large swing, and different groups use different rules for handicaps, 10-plus scores, eagles and presses. |
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. Under a selected no-flip Vegas rule, Alex 4 and Ben 5 form 45; Chris 5 and Dana 6 form 56. At $1 per point per side, the 11-point difference pays $11 from the second side to the first. Agree caps and multi-digit-score handling.
Rule reference: Rule 22 (foursomes); Rule 23 (four-ball context only); WHS Appendix C (foursomes and four-ball allowances only)
Sources: www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.usga.org
Common questions
How do foursomes and Vegas score differently?
For foursomes: Holes in match play; total strokes in stroke play. For Vegas: Points per hole, calculated as the difference between the two teams' paired two-digit scores; the agreed dollar value per point converts the running total to money.
How do handicaps apply in foursomes vs Vegas?
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. Vegas: Vegas has no demonstrated Vegas-specific WHS allowance. If the group uses net hole scores, state that house rule before play. A defensible option for a structured two-team match is the WHS four-ball match-play recommendation: apply 90% to the difference between each player's unrounded Course Handicap and the lowest player's unrounded Course Handicap, then round to Playing Handicaps. This is an adopted four-ball benchmark, not an official rule for the casual Vegas game.
When should I choose foursomes instead of Vegas?
Choose foursomes when four players want a formal head-to-head team match built around one shared ball, alternating shots and communication rather than betting swings. Choose Vegas when two teams want a casual, high-variance paired-score points game and are prepared to agree its money, handicap and flip rules first.