What happens if I don't identify which partner's score on the scorecard

Yes, the side is disqualified. Rule 23.2b(1) requires each score on the scorecard to be clearly identified as the individual partner's score — if it isn't, the side is disqualified. Writing just the side's score or leaving a score unattributed isn't enough.

What the rule actually says

In Four-Ball stroke play, the side turns in one scorecard with both partners' gross scores. For each hole, at least one partner's score must be on the card, and every score entered has to be clearly marked as belonging to the player who shot it. You can't just write "4" and call it the side's score — it has to say "Player A: 4" or "Player B: 4". If any score lacks that identification, the side is disqualified.

Why the Committee needs to know who shot what

The Committee uses the identified scores to decide which one counts for the side on each hole. If both partners' scores are entered and they differ, the lower one counts. If they're the same, the Committee can pick either — but if the one they pick turns out to be wrong (say, that player was disqualified on the hole), they'll use the other. That only works if every score is tied to the right player. Without identification, the Committee can't apply the procedure, so the penalty is disqualification.

Common ways this goes wrong

A marker writes both scores but forgets to put initials or names next to them. One partner's score is left blank and the other's has no label. The card just shows a single number per hole with no player attached. All of these trigger disqualification. The fix is simple: before you sign, check that every number on the card has a name or initials beside it. For the complete step-by-step procedure, see how to fill out a Four-Ball scorecard in stroke play.

Exceptions that change the answer

• Only one score is entered for a hole and it's clearly identified to one partner → That score counts for the side — no problem, as long as the identification is clear.
• Both partners' scores are entered and identified, but the Committee picks the wrong one → If the chosen score is later found to be wrong (e.g., that player was DQ'd on the hole), the Committee will count the other partner's score instead — the side isn't disqualified.

Frequently asked questions

Can I just write the side's total score for each hole?

No. Rule 23.2b(1) says it's not enough to identify a score as the side's score in general. Each score must be clearly identified as the individual partner's score, or the side is disqualified.

What if my partner and I both shot 4 and the card just says "4" with no name?

That's disqualification. Even if the scores are identical, the Committee can't tell which player made the score, so they can't apply the tie-breaker procedure if one score turns out to be invalid.

Does it matter which partner certifies the scorecard?

Only one partner needs to certify the hole scores under Rule 3.3b(2), but that doesn't change the identification requirement — every score still has to be labeled with the player who made it.

Can we fix it after we hand in the card?

No. Once the scorecard is returned, the identification has to be there. If it's missing, the side is disqualified — there's no correction window for this specific error.

What if the marker wrote the wrong name next to a score?

That's an incorrect scorecard. If discovered before the competition closes, Rule 3.3b(3) may apply, but if the score can't be matched to the right player, the side is disqualified under Rule 23.2b(1).