Foursomes Golf Rules: How Alternate Shot Works

Foursomes, also called alternate shot, is a team format where two partners play one ball and take turns hitting it until the hole is finished. One player tees off on the first hole, the other plays the next stroke, and the partners continue alternating shots. It can be played as match play or stroke play, but the alternate-shot order is the same in either format.

What Foursomes Golf Is

In foursomes, each side has two players but uses only one ball per hole. The partners are treated as one side under the Rules of Golf: a stroke, penalty, or rules breach by either player, or either player’s caddie, applies to the team.

The format is commonly called alternate shot because the partners alternate every stroke. It is not simply a matter of switching drivers on the tee: the player who hits the tee shot does not hit again until their partner has played the next stroke.

For example:

Player A tees off on the first hole.
Player B plays the second shot.
Player A plays the third shot.
Player B plays the fourth shot.
The order continues until the ball is holed.

On the second hole, Player B tees off, followed by Player A. That pattern means one partner tees off on odd-numbered holes and the other tees off on even-numbered holes.

The tee-shot assignment is a plan for the next shot, not a measure of who drove best on the previous hole.

How To Play Foursomes Correctly

Use these decisions to set up the partnership before anyone hits a ball.

Decision	What To Decide
Opening player	Choose which partner will tee off on the first hole, unless the competition requires a specific player to start.
Tee rotation	The first player tees off on odd-numbered holes; the other player tees off on even-numbered holes.
Competition format	Confirm whether the round is match play, stroke play, or a net competition using handicaps.
Local conditions	Read the event’s terms for required starting times, handicap allowances, and any local rules.

Step 1: Set the Tee Order

Choose the player who will hit the first tee shot. That player tees off on the first, third, fifth, and other odd-numbered holes; the partner tees off on the even-numbered holes.

Choose the order with the whole hole in mind, not just driving distance. A player who is comfortable hitting approach shots from longer distances may be a useful fit after the stronger driver tees off. Likewise, think about who is likely to face tee shots on the course’s more demanding driving holes.

The competition’s terms can override your choice. If the event says a particular player must start, follow that instruction.

Step 2: Be Ready at the Starting Time

The player assigned to hit first must be ready at the starting point at the starting time. The second player must also be present at the starting time, either at the starting point or near the area where the opening tee shot is expected to finish.

That can matter when a starter, official, or event schedule is involved. Decide the opening player before arriving at the first tee rather than sorting it out after the group is called.

Step 3: Alternate Every Stroke

After the opening tee shot, the other partner plays next. Continue switching after every stroke until the ball is holed.

A missed swing that counts as a stroke still changes the order. If Player A makes a stroke and misses the ball, Player B is next to play. The same principle applies after a poor shot or a recovery shot, but a penalty stroke does not change the alternating order.

If Player A’s tee shot must be replayed from the tee under stroke-and-distance relief, Player B plays the next stroke from the tee. That is why the partner often hits “three off the tee” after the original tee ball is lost or out of bounds.

Step 4: Finish the Hole and Record the Side’s Score

In stroke play, count every stroke and applicable penalty for the side, then record one score for the hole. The ball must be holed unless a rule or the competition’s format provides otherwise.

In match play, the side with the lower score wins the hole. An opponent may concede a stroke, a hole, or the match, so a conceded putt does not need to be played. A team cannot simply give itself a “gimme.”

The full foursomes requirements are set out in The R&A’s Rule 22, which treats the two partners as one side while requiring the correct playing order.

Foursomes Rules That Change Regular Play

Partners may handle ball procedures and share clubs, but the side must play in order and avoid alignment violations.

Either Partner May Handle Ball Procedures

Either partner may take an action the rules allow for the side before a stroke is made. That includes marking the ball’s spot, lifting it, replacing it, dropping it, or placing it when the rules permit.

This is useful when the player whose turn it is to hit is walking ahead, looking for a line, or dealing with equipment. The available partner can mark and lift the ball when needed; the player whose turn it is still makes the next stroke.

The same team responsibility applies to caddies. An action or breach by either partner or either caddie applies to the side, so communicate clearly before taking relief, replacing a ball, or making a claim.

Do Not Play Out of Order

Playing in the wrong order is one of the most costly foursomes mistakes.

If the wrong partner makes a stroke, the side gets the general penalty: loss of hole in match play or a two-stroke penalty in stroke play. In stroke play, the incorrect stroke does not count, and the team must correct the mistake by having the proper player make a stroke from the spot where the wrong-order stroke was made.

In stroke play, the correction must happen before the team starts the next hole or, on the final hole, before returning its scorecard. If the side starts the next hole without correcting the order, it is disqualified in stroke play.

I use a pocket golf rules book for formats like this because checking the order before the next tee prevents a simple mix-up from becoming a scoring issue.

Partners may share clubs in foursomes, but their combined total must not be more than 14 clubs. That means a team cannot carry a full 14-club set for each player and treat them as a shared pool.

Sharing clubs can simplify the bag, but agree on the setup before play. A player may be used to a certain wedge, putter, or fairway wood that is not part of the shared selection.

Avoid Alignment Violations

Partners may discuss strategy, club choice, and the line of play. But when a player makes a stroke, the partner must not stand on or close to an extension of the line of play behind the ball to gain information for the side’s next stroke.

A quick discussion before the player addresses the ball is fine. Once it is time to hit, the non-playing partner should move away from that behind-the-ball position.

Scoring and Handicaps in Foursomes

Foursomes works in both main competitive scoring formats.

Match Play

In match play, each team tries to win individual holes. A side wins a hole by taking fewer strokes than its opponents, and the match ends when one side leads by more holes than remain.

For handicap match play, a common calculation is to add the two partners’ Course Handicaps and apply a 50% allowance. The difference between the teams’ resulting handicaps determines the strokes given.

For example, if one side has Course Handicaps of 10 and 20, the combined total is 30. Applying the 50% allowance gives that side a team handicap of 15. If the opposing side’s team handicap is 5, the first side receives 10 strokes in the match.

Stroke Play

In stroke play, each side records a score for every hole and adds them for the round. The side with the lowest total score wins.

If the competition uses net scoring, calculate the team handicap according to the event’s stated allowance, then subtract it from the side’s gross score. Confirm the event’s terms before play, since clubs and tournament committees can set the handicap format and stroke allocation for their own competition.

Foursomes vs Four-Ball

Foursomes and four-ball both use two-person teams, but they are very different formats.

In foursomes, a team plays one shared ball. One bad shot directly affects both players because there is no second ball in play for the side.

In four-ball, each golfer plays their own ball for the entire hole. The team counts the lower score of the two partners on each hole. If one player makes par and the other makes bogey, the team records the par.

That difference changes strategy:

In foursomes, play conservatively when needed because every shot affects the shared ball.
In four-ball, one player can play aggressively while the other aims to put a safe score on the board.
In foursomes, partners must plan tee order and shot sequence.
In four-ball, each player manages their own ball, though partners can coordinate strategy.

At Ryder Cup-style team events, foursomes and four-ball are separate sessions. Foursomes is the one-ball alternate-shot format; four-ball is the format where each player has a ball and the better score counts.

Checking Your Team Before the First Tee

A short check before the round prevents most avoidable foursomes penalties:

Make sure the opening player is ready at the correct starting time and place.
Count the shared clubs; the team may carry no more than 14 clubs in total.
Confirm the format, handicap allowance, and scorecard procedure.
Decide how you will communicate after every stroke: identify whose turn is next before walking to the ball.
Keep the ball’s identity clear, especially when other groups are using similar balls.

After every stroke, identify whose turn is next.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are foursomes and alternate shot the same?

Yes. Foursomes is the formal Rules of Golf name for the format commonly called alternate shot. Two partners play one ball and alternate strokes from the tee through the completion of each hole.

Who hits three off the tee in foursomes?

The partner of the player who hit the original tee shot hits three off the tee when the side must replay the ball under stroke-and-distance relief. For example, if Player A’s first tee shot is lost or out of bounds, Player B plays the next stroke from the teeing area.

Can you choose who tees off in foursomes?

Yes, the side may choose who tees off first unless the competition’s terms require a particular player to start. The chosen opening player tees off on odd-numbered holes, while the other partner tees off on even-numbered holes.

Why Is Alternate Shot Called Foursomes?

The name reflects the four golfers in the format: two players on each side. Each side uses only one ball, so the four golfers are organized into two alternate-shot teams rather than four individual balls.