How Does Golf's Four-Ball Better-Ball Format Work?

Four-ball better-ball is a team golf format, traditionally used in both the Solheim Cup and the Ryder Cup.

Players play in pre-determined pairs and each play their own golf ball. This is in direct contrast to another popular team golf format, foursomes, whereby a pair of players play with just one golf ball.

The individual with the lowest score in each pair, on each hole, provides the team's score for that particular hole, hence the name 'better-ball'.

How Is Four-Ball Better-Ball Scored?

The four-ball format can be scored using stroke play or match play, but it's the latter that is most famously used in the Solheim Cup and Ryder Cup.

Another difference between foursomes and four-ball is that players take alternate shots with the same ball in foursomes, while four-ball is much more like a standard golf tournament you may be used to watching - with individuals playing their own golf ball.

How Does Four-Ball Better-Ball Work In Amateur Golf?

In the amateur game, each pair records their gross score on a hole, on a single scorecard, but must identify which player scored this. This is often the two individual players that make up the pair may have different handicaps, so the score will be valued differently dependent on this.

On each hole, the team can elect to record both players’ score or only one. If one player cannot better the score of their partner, then he or she doesn't need to hole out and should pick up.

How Do Handicaps Work In Four-Ball Better-Ball?

Under the World Handicap System, each player will get 85% of handicap allowance in four-ball strokeplay or Stableford competitions. In four-ball match play, it is 90%.

Although each player has to play their own ball, in several respects the players are treated as the same player. Thus a player may, for example, mark his partner’s ball, or lift and clean it, or drop it under penalty. (If these are done incorrectly, the player whose ball it is is the one who is penalised.)

Similarly, a player and the player’s caddie may also give help to the partner in the same way that the partner's own caddie would be allowed to do. One partner can also act for the team in actions such as conceding a shot or a hole.

Or indeed in playing a hole. If one partner fails to turn up on time, his or her partner can play alone for that team until the latecomer does turn up. Partners may also play in the order the side considers best when it is one of their turn to play.

So if Alex and Sam are a four-ball team, and Sam would have the next putt as his ball is the furthest away from the hole, the team can elect that Alex plays first, and then Sam, if they so desire.