Best ball is one of the most played team formats on Swedish golf courses, from the casual round on a weeknight to big club competitions. Two players form a team, but each plays their own ball throughout the entire round. On each hole, only the best of the team's two balls counts. That makes the format both relaxed and exciting, since a friend's bad hole can be picked up by the other. Here you will learn what best ball in golf is and how the format works in practice, how handicap is calculated and how to set up the tactics to get the most out of each other.
How best ball works on each hole
In best ball each player plays their own ball from the first shot until the ball is in the hole. So you never touch each other's balls and never share shots, unlike for example scramble where the team plays a single joint ball. When both have holed out, you compare the results and record the lowest score as the team's result on the hole.
An example makes it clear. On a par four one player makes a five and the other a four. The team records four, since that is the best ball. If you are playing points bogey instead, you count the player who got the most points on the hole. The idea itself is the same regardless of scoring format. Two balls give two chances, and only the best one needs to be good.
The format is called four-ball in English, since out on the course there are four balls when two teams meet. In Sweden the word best ball has become the common name, precisely because it describes exactly what decides the result. The best ball counts.
The difference between best ball and foursome
Best ball is often confused with other partner formats, but the big difference lies in how many balls the team plays. In best ball each player has their own ball all the way. In foursome golf the two teammates instead share a single ball and hit every other shot, which places entirely different demands on cooperation and nerves.
If you want a format where the team plays two balls from the tee but then chooses the best one to continue with, then greensome golf is what you are looking for. You will find a broader review of how the different team formats compare to each other in the guide on golf formats. The point of best ball is the freedom. You play your own game and never have to feel the pressure of rescuing a partner who has just hit into the woods.
How is handicap calculated in best ball
In most casual rounds and club competitions, each player gets strokes according to their own playing handicap on the holes where the handicap applies, according to the course's index. You mark your strokes on your own scorecard just like on an ordinary round, and the team's result is then based on the best net result on each hole.
In competition settings the playing handicap is often reduced somewhat in partner formats, since two balls give the team an advantage. How large the reduction is is decided by the competition committee and stated in the invitation to the competition. If you are unsure how your playing handicap is calculated for a particular course, you can read more in the guide on slope table golf. The basic rule is simple. Always check the conditions before the start, so that you avoid surprises when the results are totalled.
Best ball in stroke play and match play
Best ball works in both of the big competition disciplines, but the experience is different. In stroke play you add up the team's best ball on each hole into a total score for the whole round, and the combined sum decides. The format suits larger fields well, where many teams compete against each other at the same time.
In match play your team faces another team hole by hole. On each hole the team with the best ball wins, and the team leading by more holes won than there are left to play takes the match. Match play gives a more dramatic feeling, where a single good hole can turn the situation around. If you want to understand the basics of how points and results are handled regardless of format, the article how to count points in golf gives a good background.
Tactics that make you stronger as a team
The nice thing about playing best ball is that one player can take risks while the other plays safe. If your partner is already safely on the green with a good putt for par, you can go for the flag or try the bold line without worry. If it goes well the team gets a lower score, and if it goes wrong it does not matter, since the partner's ball is already in the bag.
A smart order is for the player who is furthest from the hole or in the worst position to hit first, so that the other knows how much is required. On the green the principle is the same. The one whose ball is most uncertain putts first, so that the partner can read the line and adapt their own play. This role-based approach is what separates a team that really cooperates from two people who happen to play together.
Equipment that lasts the whole round
A best ball round tends to drag on, since both players hole out on every hole. Then it makes a big difference to be dressed to be able to play relaxed from the first to the last hole. A tech polo in a technical material sits comfortably throughout the swing and handles a long day on the course without feeling heavy.
If the weather changes during the round, a light tech anorak is easy to pull on without locking up the swing. For those who want to keep the hand dry and the grip secure between shots, a gym towel is handy to have attached to the bag. If you want to see more garments that suit both the format and the weather, you can see the entire range at Local Rule and put together a set that works just as well on a casual round as in a club competition.
