What happens if we play out of turn in foursomes?
Yes, there's a penalty. In foursomes (alternate shot) the partners must strictly alternate strokes; if the wrong partner hits, the side gets the general penalty and in stroke play must replay from where the first wrong stroke was made before starting the next hole.
Key distinction: This rule applies only to foursomes (alternate shot). In four-ball, each player plays their own ball, so "out of turn" means something different — see what happens if your ball hits your partner for partner-related situations in four-ball.
How the alternating order works
On each hole the partners decide who tees off first, then they alternate that order on the next tee. After the first tee shot they simply keep alternating — A, B, A, B — for the rest of the hole. Penalty strokes never change whose turn it is; if Player A incurs a penalty, Player B still plays the next stroke. If a stroke is cancelled or replayed under any Rule (except a wrong-order breach), the same partner who made that stroke plays again.
Provisional balls and the tee
When the side decides to play a provisional ball, it must be hit by the partner whose turn it is to play the next stroke. If the wrong partner hits the provisional, there's no penalty provided the original ball is found and the provisional is abandoned. In mixed foursomes where men and women use different tees, a player who hits out of bounds must replay from the same tee they originally used — the partner plays the next stroke from that tee, not from their own forward tee.
Fixing a wrong-order mistake in stroke play
The side must correct the error before making a stroke on the next tee (or before returning the scorecard on the final hole). The correct partner drops or places a ball at the spot where the first wrong-order stroke was made (Rule 14.6) and plays from there. The wrong-order stroke and any subsequent strokes with that ball — including penalty strokes incurred solely while playing that ball — do not count. Failure to correct in time means disqualification.
Exceptions that change the answer
- Both partners tee off from the same teeing area by mistake → Determine whose turn it was. If the first player was correct, the second player's ball is in play under stroke and distance (3 strokes total, correct player plays next). If the second player was correct, the side loses the hole in match play or incurs the general penalty and must correct in stroke play.
- A player intentionally misses the ball to let their partner hit → No stroke has been made because there was no intent to strike the ball. It remains that player's turn; if the partner then plays, the side has played out of turn.
- Wrong partner hits a provisional ball → No penalty if the original ball is found and the provisional is abandoned. If the original is lost or OB, the provisional becomes the ball in play and the general penalty applies for wrong order.
Frequently asked questions
What is the penalty for playing out of turn in foursomes?
General penalty — two strokes in stroke play, loss of hole in match play.
Do penalty strokes change whose turn it is?
No. Penalty strokes never affect the alternating order; the partner who would have played next still plays next.
What happens if we don't fix a wrong-order mistake before the next tee?
In stroke play the side is disqualified. In match play the loss-of-hole penalty stands and the hole is over.
Can I hit a provisional ball if it's not my turn?
No. The provisional must be played by the partner whose turn it is. If the wrong partner hits it, there's no penalty only if the original ball is found and the provisional is abandoned.
What if a stroke is cancelled — does the order change?
No. The same partner who made the cancelled stroke must make the next stroke for the side.