Foursome
In golf, a foursome refers to two things: a group of four golfers playing together, or a competitive format in which two pairs face off, with each pair sharing one ball and alternating shots. The second meaning, also called alternate shot, is the version used at the Ryder Cup, Solheim Cup, and Presidents Cup.
What is a foursome in golf?
The word carries two meanings, and which one a golfer means depends entirely on the context.
In casual use, a foursome is simply four players sharing a tee time. This is the standard group size at most courses. Larger groups slow play for everyone behind them, which is why many clubs cap their tee times at four. A typical Saturday morning at a public course is a parade of foursomes, threesomes, and the occasional twosome.
In competitive use, a foursome is something more specific: a team format covered under Rule 22 of the Rules of Golf, where two partners share one ball and play alternating shots from the tee until the ball is holed. Under Rule 22, the R&A describes foursomes as a partnership format played with a single ball, with the two teammates alternating strokes throughout every hole. This is why golf fans hear the word so often during team events. They are not just watching four players. They are watching two foursome matches happening at once, with two balls in play across the entire group.
How the foursome format works
Two players form a side. One partner tees off on every odd-numbered hole, the other on every even-numbered hole. After the tee shot, the partners alternate every stroke until the ball is in the cup. They use the same ball the whole way through.
Penalty strokes do not break the rotation. If a tee shot ends up in a water hazard, the partner who would have played the next shot still plays the next shot, the penalty notwithstanding. The team simply takes the stroke and carries on.
Either player can mark the ball, lift it, drop it, or replace it, regardless of whose stroke is next. Caddies can advise either player. If the partners share a single set of clubs, the standard 14-club limit still applies to the team total, not to each golfer individually.
Foursome vs four-ball
Most confusion about the foursome format comes from the four-ball format, which sounds nearly identical and is often played alongside foursomes at the same events. They are not the same thing.
| Feature | Foursome (alternate shot) | Four-ball (better ball) |
|---|---|---|
| Balls per team per hole | 1 | 2 (each player plays own) |
| Total balls in play | 2 | 4 |
| How shots are played | Partners alternate every stroke | Each player plays own ball throughout |
| Hole score | Total strokes on the team’s one ball | Lower of the two partners’ scores |
| Rule | Rule 22 | Rule 23 |
| Pace of play | Faster, with only two balls in play | Slower, with four balls in play |
In short, a foursome shares one ball; a four-ball shares only the team result. Four-ball is also commonly called best ball or better ball in the United States.
Foursome variations
Several team formats are loosely related to the standard foursome. Each tweaks the rules slightly, though the core idea (two partners sharing a ball) stays the same.
| Variation | How it differs |
|---|---|
| Greensomes (Scotch foursomes) | Both partners tee off, the team picks one drive, then alternates shots from there |
| Chapman (Pinehurst, American foursomes) | Both partners tee off, each plays the other’s ball as the second shot, then one ball is chosen and they alternate from there |
| Bloodsomes (gruesomes) | Like Greensomes, except the opposing team chooses which drive the players have to use |
| Threesomes | One player competes against a side of two partners who play alternating shots |
Threesomes are the rarer cousin. The R&A still recognises it under Rule 22, but it is hardly seen in modern competition.
Where foursomes are played
The format shows up most at the major team events. The Ryder Cup has used foursomes since 1927. The Solheim Cup added it in 1990, when the women’s match between Europe and the United States started up. The Presidents Cup, contested between the United States and an International team, followed in 1994.
On the men’s professional tour, the PGA Tour’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans switched to a team event in 2017 and now alternates foursomes with four-ball over its four rounds. The World Cup of Golf has also paired the format with four-ball since 2000, according to Wikipedia’s article on foursomes.
European players have historically looked more at home with foursomes than their American counterparts. Speaking before the 2021 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits, then European captain Padraig Harrington said his players were “brought up playing foursomes” and that golfers unfamiliar with it tend to overcomplicate the format, according to GolfPass. Sergio Garcia holds the all-time record for foursome match wins in Ryder Cup history with 12, per Golf Compendium’s tally of Ryder Cup records.
Related Golf Terms
- Alternate shot — A format where two-player teams alternate hitting the same ball.
- Four-ball — A match play format where each player plays their own ball and the better score counts.
- Follow through — The continuation of the swing after the ball has been struck.
- Best ball — A team format where the best score among team members counts on each hole.
- Fore — A warning shout to alert others of an incoming golf ball.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called a foursome?
The name comes from the four players involved in the original Scottish team match: two pairs sharing two balls, one per side. The casual use of the word for any four-player group came later.
How many players are in a golf foursome?
Four. In the casual sense, it is a group of four golfers. In the competitive sense, it is two teams of two who together make four players on the course.
Is a foursome the same as alternate shot?
Yes. “Alternate shot” is the term most commonly used in the United States. “Foursomes” is the more traditional British term and the official name in the Rules of Golf.
How are handicaps calculated for foursomes?
For amateur play, a team’s foursome handicap is typically 50 percent of the combined course handicaps of the two partners. So if one player has a course handicap of 12 and the other 8, the team plays off 10.
Can partners share clubs in a foursome?
Yes. Two partners may share clubs during a foursome, but the combined number of clubs the team uses cannot exceed 14. This is the same limit that applies to a single golfer.
Sources
- The R&A. “Rule 22: Foursomes (Also Known as Alternate Shot).” Accessed May 2026.
- Wikipedia. “Foursomes.” Accessed May 2026.
- Wikipedia. “Ryder Cup.” Accessed May 2026.
- Melton, Zephyr. “Foursomes vs. four-ball: Match-play format differences, explained.” Golf.com. Accessed May 2026.
- “What is Foursomes: Alternate Shot Explained.” GolfPass. Accessed May 2026.
- “Most Foursomes Matches Won in Ryder Cup.” Golf Compendium. Accessed May 2026.
- Easdale, Roderick. “What Is Foursomes In Golf? Ryder Cup Format Explained.” Golf Monthly. Accessed May 2026.
