Page type: Glossary / definition
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Meaning
Best-to-Next is a four-player, two-versus-two team betting game based on Four-Ball. Each team counts its lower score and uses the higher score to break a tie between teams on a hole, so both partners can contribute to the result.
How it matters in match play
Best-to-Next is normally played as a hole-by-hole match between two sides of two. Start with each player's agreed gross or net score, then compare the lower score from each side; if those scores tie, compare the higher score from each side. The side with the better tie-break score wins the hole. Agree handicap treatment, stakes and what happens if both scores still tie before starting, because this casual variation has no single universal convention.
Table
| Quick reference | Detail |
|---|---|
| Term | Best-to-Next |
| Category | betting |
| Applicable rule | Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 23 (Four-Ball), for the underlying format only; Best-to-Next itself is a casual variation. |
| Related concepts | Best Ball, Better Ball, Four-Ball, Match Play, Side Bet |
Worked example
With a $5-per-hole stake, Alex and Ben make 5 and 5 while Chris and Dana make 5 and 6. The low scores tie, so Alex and Ben win the hole because their higher score is 5 rather than 6; if the agreed net scores make the result 5-for-5, the hole is halved.
Rule reference: Rules of Golf (2023), Rule 23 (Four-Ball), for the underlying format only; Best-to-Next itself is a casual variation.
Sources: www.golfdigest.com , www.randa.org
Common questions
How many players do you need for Best-to-Next?
The described version needs four players: two sides of two. A group should not quietly change the scoring for three or five players; agree a different arrangement and write it down before teeing off.
What happens when both teams have the same low and high scores?
The hole remains tied unless the group has agreed another tie-break, such as a third comparison score, a carryover or a halved hole. Do not assume a universal rule for this informal game.
Can Best-to-Next use handicap strokes?
It can be agreed as a net game, but Best-to-Next does not supply a universal handicap allowance. Decide whether the two comparisons use gross or net scores and how strokes are allocated before play; do not copy an allowance from another format without checking the competition conditions.
Is Best-to-Next an official Rules of Golf format?
No specific Best-to-Next variation is set out in the Rules of Golf. Rule 23 describes Four-Ball, where each partner plays their own ball and the lower partner score normally counts; Best-to-Next adds its own higher-score tie-break by agreement.
How is the money settled in Best-to-Next?
There is no fixed stake. The players can agree a per-hole amount, a match amount or a carryover, then record the hole results and settle only under that agreement. Keep the wager friendly and make the settlement method clear first.
Is Best-to-Next the same as Best Ball?
Not exactly. The terms can overlap in casual golf, but Best-to-Next adds a higher-score comparison after the lower scores tie. For clarity, name the exact scoring procedure rather than relying on a label alone.