Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose greensomes when a pair wants both partners teeing off, one shared tee-shot choice and alternate-shot pressure in a small event. Choose stroke play when a field should be ranked by total gross or net strokes over the round, without team decisions or alternating shots.
greensomes in brief
A pair chooses one of two tee shots, then plays that ball in alternate shots.
stroke play in brief
Players compete against the field on total gross or net strokes.
Table
| Comparison | greensomes | stroke play |
|---|---|---|
| One line | A pair chooses one of two tee shots, then plays that ball in alternate shots. | Players compete against the field on total gross or net strokes. |
| Players | Minimum 2 players as one pair; ideal 4 players as two pairs in head-to-head match play or a two-pair stroke-play field. Larger fields can run multiple pairs under the Committee's terms. | Minimum 2 competitors; ideal for an individual field of 4 or more; two players can compare totals, but it is not head-to-head match play. |
| Scoring unit | Strokes per hole, normally totalled as gross or net stroke play; the same pair-versus-pair structure can be used for match play if the competition terms say so. | Strokes: add each player's hole scores, including penalty strokes, for the round or rounds; use gross scores without handicap strokes or net scores after handicap strokes. |
| Handicap method | For a team handicap, apply the recommended WHS allowance of 60% of the lower player's unrounded Course Handicap plus 40% of the higher player's unrounded Course Handicap, then follow the applicable Playing Handicap and competition terms. In match play, the lowest team Playing Handicap generally plays off zero and the other team receives the difference, but the Committee sets the allowance and terms. | For an individual stroke-play net competition, the WHS recommended allowance is 95%. Apply the allowance to the unrounded Course Handicap as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap, then use that Playing Handicap for the competition. The Committee should state the allowance in the Terms of the Competition, and field size or composition can justify an adjustment. |
| Money settles how | Only by prior agreement: settle a match stake at the end of the match, or settle a stroke-play pool after the final net scores. Greensomes itself does not prescribe money, stakes, or a payout method. | Stroke play has no built-in money settlement. If a group agrees stakes, settle at the end of the round or event from the final agreed gross or net ranking; write the pot, ties and payment rules before play. |
| Pace | Usually slower than ordinary four-ball stroke play because each hole starts with two tee shots and the chosen ball is then played alternately; this is an editorial tendency, not a measured timing claim. | Same as the stroke-play baseline: every player completes the round and records a total, so there is no inherent hole-by-hole concession to shorten play. Actual pace depends on field size, grouping and course conditions, not the format label alone. |
| Best for | Pairs who want shared decisions and alternate-shot pressure while keeping both players involved from every tee. It suits a four-player head-to-head match or a small pairs competition with clear Committee terms. | An individual competition that should reward the lowest total over the whole round, with gross or handicap-adjusted net results that can rank the whole field. |
| Weakness | A poor tee-shot choice can leave the partner an awkward second shot, and alternate play means one mistake can affect the whole pair. Minimum tee-shot quotas, tie procedures, and whether the event is stroke play or match play must be settled in advance. | One poor hole remains in the total unless the Terms of the Competition use a different authorised form such as maximum score; a large field can also make the round feel less direct than match play. |
Worked example
Illustrative inputs and selected terms, not historical results. Alex and Ben both tee off, select Alex's drive, and Ben plays the second shot before alternate play finishes in 4. Chris and Dana finish in 5, so the first side wins this defined scratch hole. Across three illustrative holes, Alex records 4, 5 and 3 for 12; Ben records 5, 4 and 4 for 13. Alex has the lower aggregate by 1 stroke.
Rule reference: WHS Rules of Handicapping, Appendix C (greensomes 60% low plus 40% high; individual stroke play 95% recommended); Rules of Golf Rule 3.1a(1) and Rule 3.3a
Sources: www.usga.org , www.usga.org , www.randa.org , englandigolf.co.uk , www.randa.org
Common questions
How do greensomes and stroke play score differently?
For greensomes: Strokes per hole, normally totalled as gross or net stroke play; the same pair-versus-pair structure can be used for match play if the competition terms say so. For stroke play: Strokes: add each player's hole scores, including penalty strokes, for the round or rounds; use gross scores without handicap strokes or net scores after handicap strokes.
How do handicaps apply in greensomes vs stroke play?
greensomes: For a team handicap, apply the recommended WHS allowance of 60% of the lower player's unrounded Course Handicap plus 40% of the higher player's unrounded Course Handicap, then follow the applicable Playing Handicap and competition terms. In match play, the lowest team Playing Handicap generally plays off zero and the other team receives the difference, but the Committee sets the allowance and terms. stroke play: For an individual stroke-play net competition, the WHS recommended allowance is 95%. Apply the allowance to the unrounded Course Handicap as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap, then use that Playing Handicap for the competition. The Committee should state the allowance in the Terms of the Competition, and field size or composition can justify an adjustment.
When should I choose greensomes instead of stroke play?
Choose greensomes when a pair wants both partners teeing off, one shared tee-shot choice and alternate-shot pressure in a small event. Choose stroke play when a field should be ranked by total gross or net strokes over the round, without team decisions or alternating shots.