Alternate shot (foursomes): one ball, two players
The oldest team format in golf and still the most nerve-shredding. Partners share a single ball and take turns hitting it, which means every shot you hit is a shot your partner has to deal with.
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Foursomes — the traditional British name; Americans usually say alternate shot — puts two players on one ball. One partner tees off, the other plays the second shot, and they alternate until the ball is holed. Two teams do this against each other, and it plays fast: a foursomes round can finish in under three hours because there are only two balls on the course.
Tee shot order
Before the round the team decides who tees off on odd-numbered holes and who tees off on even-numbered holes. That assignment is fixed for the whole round and does not change based on who holed out. So if your partner holes the putt on the third green, you still tee off on the fourth if you have the even holes.
Choosing the split is a real decision. Look at the card and count which set of holes has the harder or longer tee shots, then give those to the more reliable driver. Many teams also weight the par 3s deliberately toward the better iron player, since those tee shots are effectively approach shots.
Penalties and the alternating order
This is where groups get confused, so the key principle: a penalty stroke does not change whose turn it is. If you hit into a hazard and take a penalty drop, your partner plays the next stroke from the drop. If a ball is lost and you must return to play again under stroke and distance, the player who hit the original shot replays it — the order rewinds with the ball.
- Wrong player plays a shot — in match play the hole is lost; in stroke play it is a two-shot penalty and the correct player must replay.
- Only the player whose turn it is may hit; the partner may advise, read putts and remove loose impediments.
- Either partner may mark and lift the ball on the green.
Handicap allowance
For handicapped foursomes, the recommended allowance is 50% of the combined course handicapsof the two partners. A 6 and a 16 play off (6 + 16) ÷ 2 = 11 team strokes, allocated by stroke index in the normal way. Match play between two teams then uses the difference between the two team allowances — if the other team works out to 8, your team receives 3 shots on the three hardest holes.
| Team | Player handicaps | Combined | Team allowance (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue | 6 + 16 | 22 | 11 |
| White | 9 + 7 | 16 | 8 |
Blue receives 11 − 8 = 3 net strokes against White, applied to the three lowest stroke-index holes.
Worked example
Par 4, both teams playing off scratch, Team Blue has the odd holes assigned to player A.
- A tees off into the right rough.
- B plays the second shot, laying up short of the green.
- A pitches on to twelve feet.
- B misses the putt; it finishes two feet away.
- A holes out for a 5.
Blue's score is 5. Note that A hit three of the five shots — alternate shot does not distribute work evenly, and a partner who keeps leaving awkward half-wedges will hand the other player every difficult shot on the card.
Strategy and etiquette
Play to your partner's strengths, not your own ego. If your partner is a poor bunker player, take the conservative line and leave them a putt from the front of the green. Lay up to a full number rather than a 40-yard pitch if they hate short pitches. And say all of this out loud before the shot — foursomes rewards conversation more than any other format.
The etiquette part matters. Alternate shot is the one format where your bad shot becomes someone else's problem, and it can turn friendly rounds sour. Establish early that nobody apologises and nobody comments. Just play the next one.
Common disputes and how to settle them
The most frequent argument in foursomes is over who was actually "away" after a penalty or a provisional ball, especially when both teams' balls are near each other. Slow down, state out loud whose turn it is before every shot, and if there is any doubt, have the team check with their partner before swinging — an accidental wrong-player shot in match play costs the hole outright, which is a steep price for a moment's confusion.
A second common dispute is a provisional ball played by the wrong partner. If there is any chance the first ball is lost or out of bounds, the same player who hit the original shot must play the provisional — not their partner — because a provisional is legally a continuation of the original player's turn. Confirm this out loud before anyone hits a provisional.
Variations
- Greensomes — both partners tee off, the team picks the better drive, then alternates from there. Far more forgiving, and the usual choice for club mixed events.
- Chapman / Pinehurst — both tee off, then each plays the other's ball for the second shot, then they pick one and alternate to the hole. Excellent format, slightly fiddly to explain on the first tee.
- Gruesomes — both tee off and the opposition chooses which drive your team must play. Fun and cruel.
Betting on alternate shot
Because there is only one score per team per hole, alternate shot is easy to bet on: a straightforward per-hole or match-play stake between the two teams, with the usual press rules available if a team falls behind. Individual junk bets like closest-to-the-pin work fine on par 3s since only one player from each team actually hits that tee shot — settle it against whichever player was assigned that hole before the round.
Frequently asked questions
Is foursomes the same as alternate shot?
Yes. Foursomes is the traditional British and Ryder Cup name; alternate shot is the common American description of the same format, where two partners share one ball and take turns hitting it.
Who tees off first in alternate shot?
The team decides before the round which partner tees off on odd holes and which tees off on even holes, and that assignment does not change no matter who holed the previous putt. Some groups let the winner of the previous hole choose who tees off next, but the fixed odd/even split is the standard rule used in the Ryder Cup and most club events.
What is the handicap allowance for foursomes?
The widely used allowance is 50% of the two partners' combined course handicaps, allocated to holes by stroke index in the normal way. A 6 and a 16 handicap pairing plays off 11 team strokes.
What is the difference between foursomes and greensomes?
In foursomes, partners alternate hitting one ball for the entire hole, including the tee shot. In greensomes, both partners tee off, the team picks the better drive, and then they alternate shots from there — which removes the pressure of a single bad tee shot ruining the hole.
Does a penalty stroke change whose turn it is in alternate shot?
No. A penalty stroke, such as a drop from a hazard, does not skip the order — the partner whose turn it naturally is plays the next stroke. The only time the order rewinds is after a lost ball or out-of-bounds shot played under stroke and distance, in which case the original player replays their own shot.