Foursomes, also known as alternate shot, is a pairs playing format in the sport of
golf
Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various Golf club, clubs to hit a Golf ball, ball into a series of holes on a golf course, course in as few strokes as possible.
Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standa ...
.
Golfers compete in teams of two, using only one
ball
A ball is a round object (usually spherical, but sometimes ovoid) with several uses. It is used in ball games, where the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players. Balls can also be used for s ...
per team, and taking alternate shots until the hole is completed.
Team members take turns in
teeing off on each hole, i.e. one player will take the tee shot on odd-numbered holes, and the other on even-numbered holes.
Foursomes is most commonly played as
match play
Match play is a scoring system for golf in which a player, or team, earns a point for each hole in which they have bested their opponents; as opposed to stroke play, in which the total number of strokes is counted over one or more rounds of 18 h ...
, with each hole being won by the team that completes it in the fewest shots. This form of golf is often played in team golf competitions such as the
Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup is a biennial men's golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States, with hosting duties alternating between venues in Europe and the United States for each edition. The cup is named after the English businessman S ...
,
[ Solheim Cup and the ]Presidents Cup
The Presidents Cup is a series of men's golf matches between a team representing the United States and an International Team representing the rest of the world except Europe as that continent competes against the United States in a similar but ...
.
Foursomes can also be played in stroke play
Stroke play is a scoring system in the sport of golf. In the regular form of stroke play, also known as medal play, the total number of strokes is counted over one or more rounds of 18 holes. In a regular stroke play competition, the winner is the ...
competitions, with the winners being the team who have taken the fewest strokes to complete a set number of holes. Since 2000 this format has been used with alternating rounds of four-ball by the World Cup of Golf
The World Cup of Golf is a men's golf tournament contested by teams of two representing their country. Only one team is allowed from each country. The players are selected on the basis of the Official World Golf Ranking, although not all of the fir ...
, and since 2017, again combined with four-ball rounds, by the Zurich Classic
The Zurich Classic of New Orleans is a professional golf tournament in Louisiana on the PGA Tour, currently held at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, Louisiana, Avondale, a suburb southwest of New Orleans. Beginning in 1938 and held annually since 1958, ...
on the PGA Tour
The PGA Tour (stylized as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also known as the PGA Tour, the PGA Tour Champion ...
.
Variations
Greensomes, also known as "Scotch foursomes", follows the same format as foursomes except that both players tee off on every hole. The better ball is chosen and alternate strokes are then played to complete the hole. This format is used at the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf, where two rounds are played on a par three course; in each round, nine holes are played as greensomes and nine as better ball.
''Bloodsomes'', or ''gruesomes'', follows the same format as greensomes except the opposition pairing choose which ball is played.
''Chapman'', also known as Pinehurst or American foursomes, is a combination of alternate shot and fourball. The pair each play a ball from the tee, play their partner's ball for the second shot, before selecting which ball to complete the hole with. The players then take alternate strokes, with the next (third) being played by the player who hit the chosen ball from the tee. It is named after American amateur golfer Dick Chapman, who collaborated with the USGA in devising the system.
See also
*Four-ball (golf)
Four-ball is a pairs playing format in the game of golf. It is also known as better ball or best ball. It is also sometimes abbreviated as 4BBB.
In a stroke play competition, competitors are paired and play as a team. Each golfer plays their ow ...
References
{{Golf
Golf terminology
Rules of golf