Best Ball (Four-Ball)
Two partners, two balls, the better score counts
Best ball is the most popular team format for golf trips and Ryder Cup-style events. Each player plays their own ball the whole way, and the team takes the lower score on every hole. Nobody has to wait on a partner, nobody gets hurt by a partner’s bad hole, and the higher handicaps still matter because their strokes often decide the hole.
- Players
- 2 vs 2
- Handicap allowance
- 90% of course handicap
- Pace
- Normal, everyone plays every shot
- Best for
- Mixed skill groups
How best ball works
- 1
Pair up
Split into two-player teams. In match play, one pair from each side plays the other.
- 2
Everyone plays their own ball
All four players tee off and play their own ball into the hole, just like a normal round.
- 3
Apply handicap strokes
Each player gets strokes on the hardest holes (lowest stroke index) based on their allowance, playing off the lowest handicap in the match.
- 4
Take the better net score
On each hole, the lower net score from each pair is the team score. The other score is thrown out.
- 5
Win the hole
In match play, the pair with the lower team score wins the hole. Equal scores halve it. Most holes won takes the match.
Scoring example: one hole of a best ball match
Par 4, stroke index 5. Course handicaps at 90%: Mike 7, Dan 18, Chris 11, Joe 14. Playing off Mike (the low player), Dan gets 11 strokes, Chris 4 and Joe 7, so Dan and Joe get a stroke here and Chris doesn’t.
| Player | Team | Gross | Stroke? | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike | A | 5 | — | 5 |
| Dan | A | 6 | 1 | 5 |
| Chris | B | 5 | — | 5 |
| Joe | B | 5 | 1 | 4 |
Team A’s best net is 5, Team B’s is 4 (Joe’s net). Team B wins the hole and goes 1 up.
Handicaps in best ball
The USGA’s recommended allowance for four-ball match play is 90% of each player’s course handicap. Strokes are then counted off the lowest handicap in the match: the low player plays at zero and everyone else gets the difference.
For four-ball stroke play (adding up the team’s best scores over 18 holes instead of playing hole by hole), the recommendation is 85%.
Without that reduction, the pair with a high handicap gets too many chances to use a stroke, since only one of the two scores needs to be good.
Pros
- Everyone plays their own ball, so it feels like a normal round
- A bad hole from one partner doesn’t sink the team
- High handicaps contribute on the holes where they get strokes
- Keeps all four players involved until the last putt
Cons
- Slower than alternate shot or scramble, since all four play every shot
- A strong player can carry a weak partner, so pairings matter
When to play best ball
Use best ball for the opening session of a Ryder Cup-style weekend, or any time your group has a wide spread of handicaps. It’s the safest choice when you don’t know how everyone plays yet.
Best Ball in CupTracker
Best ball is a built-in 2 vs 2 match play format. CupTracker applies the 90% allowance by default and counts strokes off the low player, and you can change the percentage for a whole round or for one group.
Each player enters their own score; CupTracker works out net scores, the team score, the match status (“2 up thru 7”) and the points on the team leaderboard.
Mix it with other formats across your rounds, or even within one round. Building your event is free; you pay when you publish it to your group.
Best Ball FAQs
- Is best ball the same as four-ball?
- Yes. Four-ball is the official Rules of Golf name; best ball is what most groups call it. Two partners each play their own ball and the better score counts for the team.
- What handicap allowance should you use for best ball?
- The USGA recommends 90% of each player’s course handicap for four-ball match play and 85% for four-ball stroke play. In match play, strokes are then given off the lowest handicap in the match.
- What is the difference between best ball and scramble?
- In best ball, each player plays their own ball the whole hole and the team takes the better score. In a scramble, everyone hits, the team picks the best shot, and everyone plays the next shot from there, so the team only ends up with one score per hole.
- Can a best ball team use both scores?
- Not in standard best ball, where only the lower score counts. A format where both scores count is usually called team total or two-ball aggregate.
