What is the difference between four-ball and foursomes?
Four-ball and foursomes are both two-against-two formats, and they are constantly confused. One uses four balls, the other uses one.
Four-ball: everyone plays their own ball
In four-ball, all four players play their own ball for the whole hole. Each side counts only its better score on each hole — which is why it is also called better ball.
If you make 5 and your partner makes 4, your side scores 4. It is the more forgiving of the two formats, because either partner can carry a hole.
Foursomes: one ball, alternate shots
In foursomes, each side plays a single ball and partners alternate shots. One partner tees off on odd-numbered holes, the other on evens, and they alternate until the ball is holed.
Penalty strokes do not change the alternating order. Foursomes is fast — a round can finish in well under three hours — and it is far more demanding, because you are constantly playing from wherever your partner left you.
| Four-ball | Foursomes | |
|---|---|---|
| Balls in play per side | Two | One |
| Who plays each shot | Both, independently | Partners alternate |
| Score counted | Better of the two | The single ball |
| Also called | Better ball | Alternate shot |
| Difficulty | More forgiving | Less forgiving |
Why the names confuse people
The names are genuinely unhelpful: "foursomes" sounds like it should mean four balls, but it is the one-ball format. A useful memory hook is that four-ball is the one with four balls in play.
Both appear at the Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup and Solheim Cup, which is where most golfers encounter them.
Doing this on BirdieConnect
BirdieConnect handles team golf through its scramble and team formats, with team sizes and assignment handled when you set up the round — Smart Match, auto-balanced teams, organizer-assigned, or players forming their own.
Common questions
- Is four-ball the same as better ball?
- Yes. Four-ball and better ball describe the same format — each player plays their own ball and the side counts its better score on each hole.
- Is foursomes the same as alternate shot?
- Yes. Foursomes is the formal name in the Rules of Golf; alternate shot is the common description of what actually happens.
- Which format is faster?
- Foursomes, by a wide margin. One ball per side means half the shots and far less time spent looking for balls.