Page type: Regional rules guide
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Regional conventions and their limits
In greensomes, two partners form a side and both players tee off on each hole. The side selects one tee shot, then the partners play alternate shots from that point until the hole is completed. This differs from the standard foursomes procedure in Rule 22, where partners alternate who tees off and then alternate strokes; greensomes is therefore best treated as a competition variation whose Terms of Competition set the details. England Golf says scoring normally follows stroke play, but a club or event may add conditions such as a minimum number of tee shots per player. For handicap competitions, England Golf's WHS guidance gives the greensomes allowance as 60% of the lower player's Course Handicap plus 40% of the higher player's Course Handicap. The allowance is applied to Course Handicap to produce Playing Handicap; the Committee should state the allowance and any rounding in the Terms of Competition. In match play, use the resulting side handicaps to determine the shots given, rather than assigning each partner an individual match-play allowance. This is a common England/Great Britain convention, not a claim that every club uses identical house rules.
Table
| Item | Regional reference |
|---|---|
| Format | greensomes |
| Region | UK |
| Local name | Greensomes is the usual format name in England; England Golf also lists Scotch Foursomes, Canadian Foursomes, Foursomes with Select Drive, Alternate Shot with Select Drive and Modified Pinehurst as names used for the same or closely related format. These alternatives are not asserted as universal UK naming: club and competition terms should be checked before play. |
| Rules context | Rule 22 (foursomes/alternate shot framework); WHS Rules of Handicapping, Appendix C; England Golf Terms of Competition govern local conditions |
Worked example
Illustrative only: Alex has a Course Handicap of 10 and Ben 20, so their greensomes side calculation is (10 x 0.60) + (20 x 0.40) = 14. Chris and Dana have Course Handicaps of 8 and 16, giving (8 x 0.60) + (16 x 0.40) = 11.2; if the competition rounds to whole Playing Handicaps, that is 11, so the side difference is 3 shots. The example is not historical player data.
Rule reference: Rule 22 (foursomes/alternate shot framework); WHS Rules of Handicapping, Appendix C; England Golf Terms of Competition govern local conditions
Sources: englandigolf.co.uk , www.englandgolf.org , www.randa.org , www.randa.org
Common questions
Is greensomes the same as foursomes in the UK?
They share alternate-shot play with one ball, but greensomes lets both partners tee off and then select the preferred drive. Standard foursomes alternates the teeing partner by hole under Rule 22.
What handicap allowance is used for UK greensomes?
England Golf's WHS guidance states 60% of the lower Course Handicap plus 40% of the higher Course Handicap. The competition Committee should confirm the allowance, calculation basis and rounding in its Terms of Competition.
Can a UK club require a minimum number of drives in greensomes?
Yes, a club or event can include that condition in its competition rules. England Golf's explainer gives minimum tee-shot requirements as an example of a local variation, so do not assume one national drive quota.
How is greensomes settled in match play?
Calculate each side's greensomes Playing Handicap, then apply the stated match-play difference between sides. The exact rounding and stroke allocation should come from the Terms of Competition.