Foursomes (Alternate Shot): The Most Demanding Partner Format

Foursomes (alternate shot) is a partner format where two players share one ball and alternate every shot from tee to green, governed by Rule 22. Before the round, partners fix who tees off on odd and even holes — that order cannot change — and the team handicap is 50% of the combined Course Handicaps.

What are Foursomes (alternate shot)?

Foursomes — also called alternate shot — is the most demanding partner format in golf. Unlike Four Ball (where each player uses their own ball), in Foursomes both members of the team share one ball, alternating shots throughout the entire round: tee shot, fairway approach, chip, and putt alike — there is no shot in the hole that belongs to only one player.

The mechanic is straightforward: one player hits, the other hits the next shot, the first hits the one after, and so on until the ball is holed. This applies to the tee shot, fairway shots, chips and putts.

It is governed by Rule 22 of the Rules of Golf (2019 edition).

Who tees off on which holes?

Before the round begins, the partners decide which player tees off on odd-numbered holes and which on even-numbered holes. This assignment is fixed for the entire round and cannot change.

This is strategically critical: if hole 18 is the hardest hole on the course and the weaker driver has to tee off there, that must be planned for from the first tee.

If the team incurs a stroke-and-distance penalty (lost ball or out of bounds and must replay), the replay is made by the player whose turn it is in the alternating order — not necessarily the player who hit the errant shot.

How handicap works in Foursomes

Foursomes handicap is calculated by adding both players' Course Handicaps and applying 50% (official WHS allowances table, USGA/R&A 2024):

Team Playing Handicap = round((CH_A + CH_B) × 0.50)

Strokes are allocated by comparing the two teams' Playing Handicaps. The lower-handicap team receives 0 strokes; the other receives the difference, distributed by Stroke Index.

Example:

Team A receives 0 strokes (reference). Team B receives 10 strokes (20 − 10), on holes with S.I. 1 through 10.

Why Foursomes is so demanding

In Four Ball, if one player ruins their ball the partner can save the hole with theirs. In Foursomes, there is no safety net: if Player A leaves the ball in a bunker, Player B has to play it out from there. Mistakes cascade directly to the partner.

This has two major consequences:

1. Communication is essential: both players must agree on the strategy for every shot, because both carry the consequences.
2. Strengths and weaknesses are amplified: a long but erratic driver paired with a short but accurate one will find that Foursomes magnifies both the advantages and the drawbacks of each player.

Clubs that want the alternating-shot structure of Foursomes with a more forgiving entry point often run greensomes instead — both players tee off on every hole, the team picks the better drive, and then alternate shots from there.

Strategy in Foursomes

Design your tee assignment around the hardest holes: analyse the course before deciding who tees on odd vs. even holes. Dog-leg holes where the tee shot is critical, par 3s requiring precision, or the 18th if it's the course's signature hole — these should inform your assignment.

The better putter on the day should putt the important ones: in Foursomes, if one partner is putting better that day, the other can plan their shots to leave the ball in a line or distance that favours the better putter.

Play for the next position: unlike individual golf, in Foursomes you're always thinking about setting up your partner. A chip to 2 metres on an awkward side may be worse than leaving it 4 metres away on a comfortable line your partner prefers.

Foursomes at the Ryder Cup

Foursomes is one of the two formats played across the first two days of the Ryder Cup (the other being Four Ball). Many consider it the hardest and most intimate format in professional golf: mistakes are shared, victories are shared, and the pressure of not letting your partner down is at its peak.

The perfect Foursomes partnership isn't necessarily the one with the best combined indices — it's the one that best complements each other in temperament, strategy, and playing style.

What happens if you play out of turn in Foursomes?

Playing out of turn is one of the most common mistakes in Foursomes. In match play, if a player hits when it was their partner's turn, the opponents can cancel the stroke and make you replay it — no penalty, but you lose the advantage of that shot. In stroke play, it's a two-stroke penalty (Rule 22.3) and the correct player must then play from where the wrong shot ended up. If you don't correct it before teeing off on the next hole, the side is disqualified. The key is simple: always confirm whose turn it is before addressing the ball, especially after penalties or when the ball is in a tricky spot.

Keep reading: strokeplay · match play · four-ball better ball

Frequently asked questions

Who tees off on which holes in Foursomes?

Partners decide before the round which player tees off on odd-numbered holes and which on even-numbered holes; this assignment is fixed for the entire round and cannot be changed once play begins.

How is the team handicap calculated in Foursomes?

Add both players' Course Handicaps together and multiply by 50% (0.50), then round to the nearest whole number — that is the team's Playing Handicap used for stroke allocation by Stroke Index.

What happens if we lose a ball or hit it out of bounds in Foursomes — who plays the next shot?

The player whose turn it is in the alternating sequence plays the stroke-and-distance replay, not necessarily the player who hit the lost or out-of-bounds shot.

Can we switch the tee-off order during the round if we're struggling?

No — the odd/even tee assignment is locked in before the first tee shot and cannot be altered for any reason during the round.

What's the difference between Foursomes and Four Ball?

In Foursomes the partners share one ball and alternate every shot; in Four Ball each player plays their own ball and the better score on each hole counts for the team.

What's the penalty for playing out of turn in Foursomes?

In match play, the opponents may cancel the stroke and make the correct player replay it with no penalty. In stroke play, it's a two-stroke penalty under Rule 22.3 and the correct player must play from where the wrong shot finished; failure to correct before the next tee means disqualification.

Can we change the playing order after a penalty stroke in Foursomes?

No — the alternating order never changes. If Player A hits into a penalty area and takes relief, Player B plays the next shot because it's B's turn in the sequence, regardless of who hit the previous shot.

Does Foursomes use the same handicap allowance in match play and stroke play?

Yes — the 50% combined Course Handicap allowance applies to both match play and stroke play Foursomes under the current WHS. The difference is only in how strokes are applied: by hole in match play, by total in stroke play.

What happens if we accidentally play the wrong ball in Foursomes?

In match play, loss of hole. In stroke play, two-stroke penalty and the side must correct the mistake by playing the correct ball or proceeding under the Rules; strokes made with the wrong ball don't count. If not corrected before the next tee, the side is disqualified.