Golf Games
For Foursomes

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Golf Games for Foursomes

~ Best Ball or Low Ball 

One Ball Individual or Team Match Play

This is a team game played in the Match Play format whereby you’re playing for the win on individual holes, but only one player’s score will matter.

You compare only the best (lowest) score for each team on each hole and the lower score wins the hole – ties are pushed.

You can also use each teams 2nd ball score as a tie-break to reduce the number of "pushed" holes.

Played with or without handicaps. This game is played in the Nassau format usually with three bets - one bet for each nine and one bet for the overall 18.

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~ Low Ball – High Ball 

This is another team game played in the Match Play format  whereby you’re playing for the win on individual holes, but now both player’s scores will be considered – played with or without handicaps.

You’re actually playing for two points per hole – one for the low balls and one for the high balls on each hole.

With two players per team, you’re playing the two low balls against each other and the two high balls against each other.

For example – You and your partner score a 4 and a 5 and your opponents score a 5 and a 6, then your team wins 2 points for your 4 beating their 5 and your 5 beating their 6.

Also usually played in the Nassau format with three bets - the front / back/ and overall 18.

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~ Low Ball - Aggregate

This game is a variation on Low Ball – High Ball and again keeps both players involved in the hole as both scores will matter.

The format is that you first compare the low balls on each team to determine the winning team for the 1st point of the hole. The 2nd point on each hole is determined by adding together the scores of both players on each team and the low aggregate takes that 2nd point.

For example – you and your partner score a 4 and a 7, and your opponents both score two 5’s, then your team gets the 1st point for your 4 beating their 5, but their team gets the 2nd point for their total score of 10 (5+5) beating your team total of 11(4+7).

Also usually played in the Nassau format with three bets - the front / back/ and overall 18. 

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~ Las Vegas golf games for foursomes 

This is a great game where points can add up real fast.

Usually played among foursomes in two-man teams, both team scores are used and points awarded for the difference of their total – but with some staggering possible adjustments.

The first scoring example is pretty straight forward – You and your partner score a 4 and a 5, and your opponents score a 5 and a 6 – your team wins 11 points for the difference between your team’s 45 and your opponent’s 56.

The 1st variation to consider is the rule of 10 or more – if anyone takes a 10 or higher then their team score is reversed. If your opponents in the above example took a 5 and a 10 instead of a 5 and a 6 then their team score would “reverse” from a 56 to a 105 – you can see how that could add up quick!!

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~ Las Vegas Amigo golf games for foursomes 

This game is a variation where partners change on every hole according to the player’s tee shots (you can set the order by any means agreed to by all players), then players are paired by the two tee shots on the left side of the fairway and the two tee shots on the right side. That pairing is for that hole only and future pairings will be determined by the same means on future hole.

The “Rule of 10” also applies!

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~ Las Vegas Amigo for High Rollers

This version takes the stakes to another level with the Las Vegas “Rule of 10” still in effect as well.

Two natural pars on any hole reverses your opponent’s score – 5-6 becomes 6-5

A Natural Birdie will also reverse the opponent’s score

A natural Eagle reverses the opponent’s score and doubles the difference between the two team scores. For example – On a par 4 you and your partner score and eagle 2 and par 4 for a team score of 24, and your opponents score a 5 and a 6. The eagle reverses their score and doubles the difference, so their 56 becomes a 65 and the difference between that and your 24 (65-24=41) doubles to 82 points for your team!!

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~ Wolf golf games for foursomes 

Usually played with four or five players (if your club allows five-somes)

The order of play is set first and can be determined by a predetermined selection, by tossing a tee, or by any means your group deems acceptable.

Once the order is chosen, then players tee off in that order with the player to hit first on the 1st hole rotating to last on the 2nd hole and everyone else moves up one in the order and that rotation continues through all subsequent holes.

The player to tee off 1st on any hole is the “Wolf” and get’s to choose his partner based on the player’s tee shots that follow his. The “Wolf” must make his choice as the players hit, meaning you could choose player 2 because he hit a good drive, only to then watch player 4 hit the green on a par 4 (too bad though, cuz player 2 is already your partner). Or the “Wolf” could pass up a couple of promising drives only to watch the last player shank theirs.

The “Wolf” becomes partners with whichever player who’s tee shot he chooses, or he can call “Wolf” after his tee shot and play the hole alone against the remaining players, or the “Wolf” can also choose to go-it-alone if none of the other’s player’s tee shots are worth choosing as a partner.

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~ Sixes for Foursomes 

(also known as Duffer Skins)

(This game provided for us by Tom from Mesa, AZ on 3/8/20016)

Players alternate partners every six holes.

Play low total on each hole where one point (skin) is awarded to each member of the winning team per hole.

As a scoring example shows after 18 holes (36 total skins): Player 1 has 11 skins, players 2 and 3 each have 9 skins and player four has totaled 7 skins.

• Player 1 would win 8 skins. (2 each from players 2 & 3 and 4 from player 4)
• Players 2 & 3 would break even. (each lose 2 to player 1 and win 2 each from player 4)
• Player four would lose 8 skins. (loses 4 to player 1 and 2 each to players 2 & 3)

This game is often used if players have varied handicaps and especially if there is one player in a foursome who’s handicap is substantially different from the other three players. This way everyone gets to be “paired” with the “obscure” handicap player, (regardless of whether he is much better or much worse than the other three).

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~ Scramble golf games for foursomes 

Also a very popular format used for 4-man teams in charity fundraisers, this format has both (or all) players hit a tee shot, then choose the best (or their preferred) ball to both hit again from that spot. They then choose again and both play from that spot and continues this format until the ball is holed out.

This format often has restrictions that a pre-determined number of tee shots must be used from each (or all) players.

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~ Alternate Shot golf games for foursomes 

Ryder Cup Style

Two players alternate hitting the ball until it is holed. In this format, players decide who will tee off on the odd number holes and who will tee off on the even numbered holes. The player who does not hit the tee shot will hit the 2nd shot and they alternate until the ball is in the hole. With this style of play, the player who makes the last put on any hole might also then hit the tee shot on the next hole, unlike the Scotch Foursome style – see below!!

A pre-game strategy can help here as you plan for each player’s style and natural shot shapes for the holes on which they will each hit their tee shots. For example: have players with a natural right-handed draw tee off on the holes that turn left or otherwise would benefit from a shot shaping right to left. A left-handed draw player, or a "righty" who naturally fades the ball would hit the tee shots requiring a shape of left to right. 

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~ Alternate Shot golf games for foursomes

Scotch Foursome Style

 Under this format, 2 players alternate hitting the ball until it is holed, but with a TRUE alternate shot twist. Determine the player to hit the 1st tee shot under any means you wish, but then every shot from there is alternated between players. Under this format, the player to make the putt on any hole then watches his partner hit the tee shot on the next hole.

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~ Modified Alternate Shot golf games for foursomes 

Both players get to tee off and then choose the best or preferred drive, with the player who did not hit that drive hitting next and they continue alternating from there until the ball is holed. 

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~ Chapman Format golf games for foursomes

This game is often used in Coed Tournaments 

Both players get to tee off then they “switch” balls and each hit their partner’s 2nd shot. The best or preferred ball is then determined and they alternate in until the ball is holed out with the player who’s 2nd shot was not the chosen one being the player to hit the 3rd shot.

This game is often referred to as “Hit, Switch, & Bitch” as you each “hit” your own ball, then “switch” to play your partner’s ball, and “bitch” about where they put you!

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~ Pinehurst Format golf games for foursomes 

Pinehurst is a slight variation on the Chapman format where each player hits a drive, and the best drive is then chosen and players alternate in from there. Whereas, in the Chapman Format, players get to “switch” and both hit second shots from their partner’s drives. 

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~ Stableford Format golf games for foursomes

Points are awarded for each score on every hole. You can use any modification for points awarded (or subtracted) on every hole, but the R&A and the USGA award points as follows:

• Double Bogey or worse – 0 Points
  
• Bogey – 1 Point
  
• Par – 2 Points
  
• Birdie – 3 Points
  
• Eagle – 4 Points
  
• 3 Under Par – 5 Points
  
• 4 Under Par – 6 Points

Many “friendly” games and amateur tournaments use a format more similar to this

• -3 for a Double Bogey or worse
  
• -1 for a Bogey
  
• 0 for a Par
  
• +2 for a Birdie
  
• +5 for an Eagle
  
• +10 for a Double Eagle
  

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