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Three-a-side team match play. It uses all six golfers while keeping the team structure easy to explain: two teams of three, with three head-to-head singles matches contributing to one team result. It also leaves the Committee free to use gross or net match play and to define points and tie-breaks in the Terms of the Competition.
What to agree before play
Six golfers cannot all play one head-to-head four-ball match at once: four-ball is a side of two partners, so the remaining two need a separate match or rotation. A three-player scramble allowance exists in WHS Appendix C, but selection order, minimum drives and tie-breaks are competition terms, not universal Rules of Golf requirements. Three-player teams can produce uneven playing time if a round robin is squeezed into one tee time; use separate matches or a written rotation rather than implying one six-ball group.
Table
| Game or arrangement | Why it fits |
|---|---|
| Three-a-side team match play | Split the six into two teams of three and award one point for each singles match, with the Committee setting the team result. |
| Three-a-side foursomes match play | Run three two-player alternate-shot sides, either as a scheduled team match or as a round-robin over separate matches; Rule 22 governs each side. |
| Three-a-side four-ball match play | Use three two-player sides in a team event, with each partner playing their own ball and the lower score counting for the side. |
| Three-player scramble versus three-player scramble | Two teams play one selected ball per side, with the competition writing its own selection and handicap terms; the WHS table gives a recommended three-player scramble allowance. |
| Three-team foursomes round robin | Pair the six into three sides and schedule each side against the others in separate matches, so every pair gets two opponents across the event. |
| Three-team four-ball round robin | Pair the six into three sides and rotate the opponents between separate four-ball matches; publish the order and any points system before tee-off. |
Worked example
Illustrative team match: Alex, Ben and Chris play for Team A against Dana, Player 5 and Player 6; if Team A wins 2 singles, loses 1 and earns no extra bonus, Team A wins the team match 2–1. In a separate foursomes example, a side with Course Handicaps 8 and 12 has a combined 20, while its opponents total 24; 50% of the 4-stroke difference gives the higher-handicap side 2 strokes, subject to the Committee's Terms and applicable national association guidance.
Rule reference: Rules of Golf 3.1, 3.2, 22, 23 and 24; WHS Rules of Handicapping Appendix C
Sources: www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.usga.org , www.randa.org
Common questions
What is the simplest team format for six golfers?
Use two teams of three and play three singles matches, with one team point for each win. This is an editorial arrangement under the team-competition framework; publish the match order, handicap method, points and tie-break before play.
Can six golfers play four-ball as one match?
No. Under Rule 23, four-ball is played by two partners on each side, and each partner plays a separate ball. Six golfers can instead form three two-player sides and schedule separate matches or a rotation, with the event terms explaining how the team result is calculated.
How should handicaps be handled for six-player team formats?
Do not copy one allowance across every format. WHS Appendix C recommends 100% for individual match play, 90% for four-ball match play, 50% of combined team handicap for foursomes, and 30%/20%/10% for a three-player scramble; the Committee should state the allowance and apply it to the appropriate Course Handicap calculation.
Is a three-player scramble an official Rules of Golf format?
Scramble is a competition arrangement rather than a standalone form in Rules 21–23, but WHS Appendix C provides a recommended allowance for a three-player scramble. The Committee must still define selection, tee-shot and scoring terms for its event.
Can six golfers run a round-robin team event?
Yes, as an organised event with separate matches. Pair the golfers into two-person sides, list the match order and points system, and make clear whether the sides are playing four-ball or foursomes; do not present a house rotation as a single official format.
Are these six-player recommendations official Rules of Golf formats?
Foursomes and four-ball are defined forms under Rules 22 and 23, while Rule 24 lets a Committee set the form and scoring of a team competition. The six-player combinations and recommendations here are editorial arrangements; local Terms of Competition control the details.