Page type: Glossary / definition
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Meaning
Best Ball is a partner format in which one player competes against a side of two or three partners, with the side’s result based on the best score among its partners for each hole. In everyday golf, the name can also overlap with Four-Ball or Better Ball.
How it matters in match play
In the Rules' Best Ball variation, one player competes against a side of two or three partners, using the side's lowest score on each hole. One partner can therefore win or tie a hole regardless of another's score. Rule 23's Four-Ball framework covers the variation, but the competition must specify handicaps and terms. Casual use of 'best ball' for ordinary four-ball should be distinguished.
Table
| Quick reference | Detail |
|---|---|
| Term | Best Ball |
| Category | general |
| Applicable rule | Rules of Golf Rule 23 (Four-Ball); Rule 3.2 (Match Play); WHS Appendix C |
| Related concepts | Four-Ball, Better Ball, Match Play, Team Competition, Handicap Allowance |
Worked example
On the 6th, Alex scores 4 while Ben scores 5 and Chris scores 6 for the side, so Ben and Chris’s Best Ball side records 5; Alex wins the hole by one stroke.
Rule reference: Rules of Golf Rule 23 (Four-Ball); Rule 3.2 (Match Play); WHS Appendix C
Sources: www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.usga.org
Common questions
Is Best Ball the same as Four-Ball?
They can overlap in everyday usage, but they are not identical labels. The Rules specifically define Four-Ball as two partners each playing their own ball, with the lower score counting for the side. Best Ball is also used for a match where one player plays against a side of two or three.
How is a Best Ball match scored?
Compare the individual player’s score with the side’s best partner score on each hole. The lower score wins the hole, equal scores halve it, and the match result is the number of holes won, lost or tied rather than the total strokes for the round.
What handicap allowance applies to Best Ball?
There is no single allowance that should be assumed from the name alone. The Committee must state the terms. WHS Appendix C recommends 90% for Four-Ball match play, but that percentage should not automatically be transferred to a differently organised Best Ball game.
Can Best Ball be played as stroke play?
Yes, a competition can use a best-score-per-hole arrangement in stroke play, but its scoring and handicap terms must be stated. Do not assume that a casual Best Ball game follows the exact allowance or scorecard procedure of Four-Ball without checking the Terms of the Competition.
Does Best Ball mean only two partners?
Not necessarily. The R&A describes the Best-Ball variation as one player against a side of two or three partners. A club may choose a different house arrangement, so the number of players and how many scores count should be agreed before play.
Is Best Ball a betting game?
No. Best Ball describes how scores are selected for the side. Players may add an agreed side bet or stake, but that money arrangement is separate from the golf format and is not imposed by the Rules of Golf.