
23.1 Overview of Four-Ball
- Four-Ball. : A form of play where sides of two partners compete, with each player playing his or her own ball. ...
- Match Play
- Stroke Play. : A form of play where a player or side competes against all other players or sides in the competition.
- Partner. ...
- Match Play. ...
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Full Answer
What is the best ball format in golf?
Scramble vs Best Ball: The Benefits of Each Format
- Best Ball and Scramble formats both allow less skilled golfers to contribute to a team score. ...
- Best Ball is less complicated and a lot faster than a Scramble. ...
- While both formats allow you to take more risks, Scrambles, in particular, let golfers try shots they’d usually deem too risky. ...
- Scrambles are a unique format compared to standard stroke play. ...
What does "best ball" in golf mean?
Best ball is enjoyed by golfers of all skill levels in a tournament style of play. There are a variety of formats used for golf tournaments and outings. A popular one is best ball. This shouldn't be confused with the scramble format, which is sometimes mistakenly referred to as best ball.
What is a 'best ball' tournament in golf?
Best Ball/Four Ball is a competition where two golfers play as partners, each playing his own ball. The lower score of the partners is the score for the hole (so pick a good partner!). If one partner fails to complete the play of the hole, there is no penalty as a team only needs one golfer to finish the hole and post a score.
How to play a four ball golf match?
Scoring system
- Four players will create two different teams.
- On each team, there will have two members.
- Each of the players will play with his own ball.
- The lowest number of strokes that any player would take to complete the hole will count as the side’s score.

What is the 4 ball format in golf?
In a match play competition, a four-ball consists of two teams of two players competing directly against each other. All four golfers play their own balls throughout the round (rather than alternating shots); each hole is won by the team whose member has the lowest score.
Why do they call it a Four-Ball?
Where did Four-Ball get its name? The name first appeared in the 1908 R&A's Rule Book, and came from the fact that there were four balls in play at one time in a match, thus the name Four-Ball.
How do you score in 4 ball?
Scoring in a four-ball match is very simple. Four players create two teams of two, and each player plays his own ball. After each hole, each team's players compare their scores, and the lowest score is counted as the team score.
What does Four-Ball better ball mean in golf?
Four Ball Better-Ball (4BBB) - Four Ball is a match between two teams of two players (a total of four balls being played, hence the name) against each other using better-ball scoring.
What's the difference between a foursome and a Four-Ball?
Fourball is played during the morning sessions, while foursomes are played in the afternoon. Sunday's matches are straight-up match play. In fourballs, each captain picks four teams of two. Both players on each team play their own ball, so four balls are in play every hole.
What is the best shot in golf called?
An ace, commonly known as a hole-in-one, is the best score out there.
What is 2 ball better ball in golf?
In better ball format, both players on each team play their own ball, using the better of their two scores as the team score for a hole. If teammates record the same score, that score is their team's score for the hole.
What is a 3 ball in golf?
In a "three ball" golf match, the members of a group of three golfers compete in match play against one another, with each member of the group playing simultaneous matches against each of the other two members.
What's the difference between best ball and Four-Ball?
“Best Ball” and “Four-Ball” are the same game. The most basic fact, and hence the name, is there are four balls in play. If you have ever watched the intense competitions in any Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup or Solheim Cup competition, then you have seen a four-ball match (or best ball match).
Whats the difference between best ball and scramble?
A scramble is when a team picks the best shot, and then each person plays from there. Best ball is when each team member plays their own ball for the entire hole, and the best score is used.
What is the format 4 ball at the Ryder Cup?
In four-ball, each member of a two-man team plays his own ball, so four balls are in play on every hole. Each team counts the lowest of its two scores on each hole, and the team whose player has the lowest score wins the hole. If the low scores are tied, the hole is halved.
What is 4 ball better ball Stableford?
Better Ball is one of the most popular team games in golf. It is a 2-person Best Ball (also known as Four Ball), where each player plays his or her own ball throughout the round and on each hole the higher points count as the team score.
How do you play 4 Ball better ball Stableford?
In a 4BBB tournament, golfers tee off in groups of four, and each golfer plays his own ball throughout. So there are four golf balls in play on each hole, but only one ball (the better ball, or low ball) counts per team per hole.
How do you play 4BBB Aggregate Stableford?
In 4 Ball Aggregate Stableford, the two partners add their Stableford score each hole (e.g. 3 points + 2 points = 5 points). Both player's strokes and scores (unless 0 is the score) must be recorded on the card. The scores are then added with the highest number of points winning.
What is four ball stroke play?
USGA Definition. According the USGA’s Rules of Golf, four-ball stroke play is “a competition in which two competitors play as partners, each playing his own ball. The lower score of the partners is the score for the hole. If one partner fails to complete the play of the hole, there is no penalty.”. Four-ball match play is defined as “a match in ...
What is a four ball match?
Four-ball match play is defined as “a match in which two players play their better ball against the better ball of two other players.”. In fact, you will sometimes hear the format referred to as “better ball.”.
How do you score in a four ball game?
Scoring in a four-ball match is very simple. Four players create two teams of two, and each player plays his own ball. After each hole, each team’s players compare their scores, and the lowest score is counted as the team score. For example, one team’s players are playing a par-4 hole; Player A takes four shots and Player B takes five shots.
How many shots does a player take in a par 4 hole?
For example, one team’s players are playing a par-4 hole; Player A takes four shots and Player B takes five shots. Because Player A’s score is the better of the two, the team’s score will be 4 if they are playing stroke play. In match play, the team’s score of 4 will be compared against the other team’s best score to determine which team won ...
What is a typical strategy in golf?
A typical strategy is for one player to “play safe” and attempt to guarantee par, while the other player “goes for it” and tries to make the lowest score possible. Players with a successful strategy are often described as “ham-and-egging it,” and stroke scores in the 50s are not unusual.
What is the most popular format for team competitions?
Along with alternate-shot and singles matches, four-ball is one of the most popular formats for team competitions. While the concept is simple, success at four-ball is a classic example of using strategy to make the team score better than either player could do on his own.
What happens when a team scores 4 in a golf match?
In both cases, when the match is finished, the two-man team with the lower score wins.
How many players are in a four ball game?
In match play, a four-ball consists of two teams of two players per team competing directly against each other.
When is fourball played in Ryder Cup?
In the Ryder Cup for the first two days, Fourball is played during the morning sessions and Foursomes is played in the afternoon.
How many players do you need to hole out in stroke play?
In Stroke Play, a hole is completed when at least one partner of each team has holed out. All four players don’t need to hole out.
How many points does each team get in a hole?
Each team takes the lowest of the two scores on each hole and the team with the lowest score hole wins that hole and receives “one point”. If scores are tied, the hole is halved and each team receives “half a point”.
What does it mean to let a player who does not hit the ball far off the tee do the?
Letting the player who does not hit the ball far off the tee, or has a high handicap play first can allow the better partner to decide what shot he needs to play .
What is the best ball in golf?
In Four-ball, also known as Best ball, or Better ball, two partners or (pairs) play together and hit their own ball on every stroke for each hole. Is sometimes abbreviated as 4BBB.
What happens if two teams record the same score on a particular hole?
If both teams record the same score on a particular hole, the hole is halved.
What is a four ball golf?
Four-ball golf. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Jump to navigation Jump to search. Four-ball is a pairs playing format in the game of golf. It is also known as better ball and best ball, although the latter more properly describes a variation involving teams of 3 or 4 players. It is also sometimes abbreviated as 4BBB .
How many players are in a four ball golf game?
In a match play competition, a four-ball consists of two teams of two players competing directly against each other. All four golfers play their own balls throughout the round (rather than alternating shots); each hole is won by the team whose member has the lowest score.
What is 4BBB in golf?
It is also sometimes abbreviated as 4BBB . In a stroke play competition, competitors are paired and play as a team. Each golfer plays his own ball; the team's score on each hole is the lower of the two players' scores. Only one of a pair is required to complete each hole.
