Golf Match Play Formats

There are three main types of golf match play, namely singles, foursomes and four-ball

What Is Singles Golf Match Play?

Singles golf match play involves one player playing head to head against another single player

What Is Foursomes Golf Match Play?

Foursomes match play involves two players on each side. Each foursome pair play one ball between them in alternate shots on each hole until the hole is completed and the lowest score on that hole wins.

The person in each pair who tees off first on each hole is also alternated so that one player tees off first on the odd number holes and one on the even numbered holes.

What Is Four-ball Better-Ball Match play?

Four-ball better ball match play is played between two pairs of two golfers. This time each player plays the hole with their own golf ball and then the lowest score from each side is used to determine who wins each hole.

There are other types of match play formats for four players which are based on the above with some variations:

Foursomes Match Play Formats

Greensomes
Greensomes golf format is when two golfers are paired in a team and at each hole bojth players tee off. The pair then select the best drive and play foursomes golf for the remainder of that hole using that ball. Whichever ball is chosen, the player who did not hit that tee shot plays the second shot with that ball and so on.

Gruesomes
Gruesome golf format is similar to Greensomes where two golfers are paired in a team and at each hole both players tee off. The difference is that it is their opponents who select which tee shot they are going to play. From that point the pair play the selected ball in foursomes golf for the remainder of that hole. Whichever ball is chosen, the player who did not hit that tee shot plays the second shot with that ball and so on.

Pinehurst or Canadian Foursomes
Pinehurest foursomes is the same principle as Greensomes but each player hits two shots with each ball before the pair chooses which ball to play. They then play foursomes from that point until the hole is completed. Also known as Canadian Foursomes.

American Foursomes
This is a combination of foursomes and greensomes. Both players tee off and then play a second shot with their partners ball. They then pick the best ball and play alternative shot foursomes from there.

Scotch Foursomes
This is similar to normal foursome play but the tee shots do not alternate. Instead the playing order continues from the end of the previous hole. Therefore whichever player holes on the green, their partner tees off at the next hole.

St Andrews Foursomes
All players drive off on every hole and then for each pair they select the best tee shot and play the best shot from there. On the odd numbered holes, player A always plays the second shot and on the even numbered holes Player B always plays the second shot.

Three Player Match Play Formats

If you have three players in a group you can still play match play if you are creative.

Ghost
To create a fourth player in a three-ball, the ghost is an imaginary scratch golfer who joins the group to make up a pair with one golfer against the other two. The ghost makes par on every hole and gives shots to every other player in the group. Then you play fourball better ball match play as normal.

Chairman
Also known as the Perch, you have to win a hole to be the Chairman. Once you are the Chairman, for every hole you win you gain a point. If you half the next hole then you continue as Chairman. If another player wins the holes they take over as Chairman. The both the other players halve the hole and the Chairman does not then no-one is the Chairman. This ends up being a three-way match play game with sides changing all the time and the winner is the player with the most points.

Four-Ball Match Play Formats

Better-Aggregate
On each hole there are 2 points up for grabs. One point is awarded to the better ball from each pair. Another point is awarded for the lowest combined score, or aggregate, of the pair. If either the better ball or aggregate is halved then no point is awarded. The pair with the most points at the end of the round wins.

High-Low
This involves both pairs competition in 2 better ball games. On each hole, 1 point is awarded to the better ball of the lowest from each pair as in a normal better ball. A second point is also awarded to the better ball of the highest score from each pair. The pair with the most points at the end of the round wins.

Daytona
To decide the score for each pair on each hole you add the two individual scores together. So if they had a 4 and a 5 on a par 4 then the score is 45. However if the lowest score of the two is above par then the highest digit goes first. So in this case the Daytona score for the pair on a par-3 would be 54. The lowest score on each hole wins it and you keep track of the number of holes won as in match play.

Golf Match Play Formats

Foursomes Match Play Formats

Three Player Match Play Formats

Four-Ball Match Play Formats

Match Play

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