Page type: Glossary / definition
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Meaning
Four-Ball Stroke Play is a team format in which two partners play their own balls throughout the round. On each hole, the side records the lower of the partners’ scores, and the side’s total is compared with other sides’ totals after the round.
How it matters in match play
This term names stroke play, not match play: sides compete against the field by total score rather than winning individual holes. The same Four-Ball structure can also be played as Four-Ball Match Play, where the lower score on each hole determines the hole result; that is a different competition form.
Table
| Quick reference | Detail |
|---|---|
| Term | Four-Ball Stroke Play |
| Category | general |
| Applicable rule | Rules of Golf Rule 23.1 and Rule 23.2; WHS Rules of Handicapping Appendix C |
| Related concepts | Four-Ball, Stroke Play, Gross Score, Net Score, Handicap Allowance |
Worked example
On a hole, Alex scores 5 strokes and Ben scores 4, so their Four-Ball Stroke Play side records 4; if Alex’s net score is 4 and Ben’s is 5 under the competition’s handicap method, the side records the lower net score of 4.
Rule reference: Rules of Golf Rule 23.1 and Rule 23.2; WHS Rules of Handicapping Appendix C
Sources: www.randa.org , www.usga.org , www.usga.org
Common questions
How many players are in Four-Ball Stroke Play?
Each side has two partners, and each partner plays a separate ball. A competition can contain many two-player sides competing in the same stroke-play field.
Which score counts in Four-Ball Stroke Play?
The side records the lower score of the two partners for each hole. In a handicap event, the competition’s stated method determines whether gross or net scores are compared.
What handicap allowance is recommended for Four-Ball Stroke Play?
WHS Appendix C lists 85% as the recommended allowance for Four-Ball stroke play. It is applied to each player’s unrounded Course Handicap as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap, with the Committee’s Terms of the Competition controlling the event.
Is Four-Ball Stroke Play the same as Four-Ball Match Play?
No. Both use two partners playing separate balls and the lower score for the side, but stroke play ranks sides by total score while match play settles the result hole by hole.
Do both partners need to finish every hole?
If one partner completes the hole under the Rules, that partner’s score can be the side’s score. If neither partner completes it, the side has no score for that hole and is disqualified in stroke play unless the mistake is corrected in time under the Rules.
Must both partners’ scores be written on the scorecard?
At least one partner’s gross score must be entered for each hole, and any entered score must identify the individual who made it. Entering both is permitted, but failing to identify scores correctly can disqualify the side.