Format Deep-dive

Four-ball Golf
Better Ball Explained.

All four players, own balls, best net score counts. Four-ball is one of the most social and competitive matchplay formats in golf — here's everything you need to know.

Definition

In four-ball matchplay (also called better ball), two teams of two each play their own ball throughout the round. The team's score on each hole is the lower of the two partners' net scores — meaning one partner can bail out the other on any given hole.

How four-ball scoring works

On each hole, both players on a team play their own ball to the hole. The team then counts only the lower of the two net scores — the other score is discarded. The team with the lower net score on the hole wins it; equal net scores halve it.

This "best ball counts" rule is what defines four-ball. Your partner doesn't need to finish the hole — once you've made your net par, your partner can pick up and you've already won or halved. There's no point taking extra shots once the hole is secured.

Because each team always counts their best ball, four-ball is more forgiving than singles matchplay or foursomes. A bad hole from one partner is rescued by a par or birdie from the other — this is what makes it the default format for society days and mixed-ability groups.

Four-ball handicap allowance — the WHS rules

Because you have a partner to back you up, the WHS applies a reduced handicap allowance in four-ball matchplay — 90% of each player's Course Handicap. The logic is simple: two players scoring together produce better results than either would alone, so some of that advantage is offset by a reduction in handicap shots.

The WHS four-ball matchplay allowance method

1. Calculate the Course Handicap for all four players.

2. Apply 90% to each player's Course Handicap individually. Round to nearest whole number — this is each player's Playing Handicap.

3. The player with the lowest Playing Handicap is the baseline — they receive zero shots. Each other player receives shots equal to their Playing Handicap minus the lowest.

Worked example

Team A

Player 1 CH5

Player 2 CH14

Team B

Player 3 CH10

Player 4 CH20

Apply 90%: P1 = 5×0.9 = 4.5 → 5. P2 = 14×0.9 = 12.6 → 13. P3 = 10×0.9 = 9. P4 = 20×0.9 = 18. Baseline = Player 1 (PH 5). Shot differences: P1 = 0, P2 = 8, P3 = 4, P4 = 13. These shots are each player's individual allocation from Player 1.

Strategy in four-ball

Having a partner changes how you should play each hole. When your partner has a safe ball in play or a birdie putt, you have licence to be aggressive. When your partner is out of the hole, you need to be the steady hand.

Communicate: Know each other's situation. "I've got a 5 on the card" tells your partner they can be aggressive with their approach.
Pair strategically: A long hitter with an accurate iron player, or a risk-taker with a grinder, creates natural balance.
Know when to pick up: Once your score can't help the team, pick up and give moral support to your partner rather than playing out pointlessly.
Stroke holes matter: The holes where the higher-handicapper in your team receives shots are the ones to target — a good net birdie on those holes is a match-winner.

Common questions

Can you concede your opponent's ball in four-ball?

Yes. In four-ball, any player on either team can concede a putt to any specific opponent. However, you can only concede a putt to the opponent whose putt you're conceding — you can't concede a hole or the match to the whole opposing team unless both opposing players' results on that hole are resolved. Under Rule 23.5, a concession applies to the individual player's ball, not the team's result on the hole.

What's the difference between four-ball and better ball?

They're the same thing. "Four-ball" is the term used in the Rules of Golf (Rule 23). "Better ball" is the colloquial term widely used in recreational golf. Both describe the same format: two-player teams, own balls, lower net score counts per hole.

Can you play four-ball with two players (just you and one opponent)?

No — four-ball requires two teams of two (four players in total). With two players you'd play singles matchplay. The four-ball format specifically refers to all four players playing their own ball with team scoring. With three players, a variant called a "greensome" or a three-ball single match is more appropriate.