Fourball Alliance

Type Stroke
Alias Four-ball Alliance, 4-ball Alliance
Format Tournament
Number of players 4
Team or Individual play Team
  • This tournament uses the Stableford scoring system, and the two best scores of a team are used to calculate the final team score for a particular hole.
  • Each player tees off from their tee, and the best drive is selected. The other team members then place their balls within one club-length of the selected location. The players then play their own ball for the rest of the hole and record their own scores for each hole.
  • The two best scores are then combined to calculate a single team score.
  • For example, suppose Players A, B, C, and D of a team score 2, 0, 0, 1 on a hole, respectively, then the two best scores (according to Stableford scoring) would be 1 and 2.

1 + 2 = 3

So, 3 is the team score for that hole.

Variations

Stroke Play:

  • Fourball Alliance can be played as standard stroke play as well. For example, suppose Players A, B, C, and D of a team score 4, 6, 5, and 7 on a hole, respectively. Then the team score would be

4 + 5 = 9

  • If that team scored -1, 0, -2, and 0 on the next hole, their team score according to par would be -3 (one-under + two-under par).

Scoring:

  • Although the most common scoring method in Fourball Alliance is to combine the two best scores on each hole, the method can vary depending on the tournament organizers.
  • Another popular method is to use the lowest score on the first hole, the two lowest scores on the second hole, and the three best scores on the third hole. The process then repeats again from the fourth hole.

Pick-Up Rule:

  • This rule states that a player who is out of the hole must pick up their ball to speed up play. For example, if a player is several strokes above par while their other team members are on the green, then they should pick up their ball.

Handicaps:

Fourball Alliance Tournaments in which handicaps are in place allot an 18 handicap to players without official handicaps.