I often get questions regarding the various playing formats and will share my answers in a new series of articles.
The most common of these formats is the Four-Ball Stroke Play. This is the official name of a team competition. Many also call it Two-Ball, Best Ball. In that kind of matches, the two partners play their own balls and use their best score on each hole.
Most of all, it is important to understand some of the rules that are specific to this playing format.
1. My partner moved my ball by accident…
I am the one who gets a 1-stroke penalty, not my partner, even if he made the mistake. The ball must be replaced.
2. Someone on the other team moved my ball by accident…
In a stroke play competition, there is no penalty for anyone. The ball must be replaced.
However, in a match play competition, the opponent will get a 1-stroke penalty unless he moved the ball while looking for his own. The ball must be replaced.
3. My ball hit my partner while moving…
In this case, I get a 1-stroke penalty and I must play my next stroke where the ball lies.
4. My ball hit a player of the other team while moving…
In a stroke play competition, there is no penalty and the next stroke must be played where the ball lies.
In a match play competition, there is no penalty either. I can choose to replay this specific stroke or simply play the ball where it lies.
5. Can I indicate a line of play to my partner?
During his stroke, I cannot stay behind my partner.
6. Who is penalized if I play with 15 clubs?
If a player has too many clubs in his bag, the whole team is penalized by 2 strokes with a maximum of 4 strokes. In a match play, an adjustment will be made on the match of 1 or 2 holes.
7. When a ball is close to the hole and could help me or a member of the other team…
If a player from the other team requests that the ball is marked, we must comply with this request. If I believe that my ball could help the other team, I can also request to mark it before the other team plays their stroke.
8. Scorecard…
It is important to write down the score in line with the name of the player who made the best score used on each hole. When the two partners have played the same number of strokes, the score can be written once for either one of them.
9. Team competition within an individual event…
Sometimes, a penalty applies to our team competition, but not to our individual score. For instance, if I move my partner’s ball, he will incur a 1-stroke penalty in his team competition, but not individually.
Altogether, the Rules of golf do not allow playing a stroke play competition within a match play event.
