Golf league format
Best ball
In best ball, every golfer plays their own ball and the team counts the lowest score on each hole. In a two-person best ball, also called two-man best ball or better ball, the team gets one score per hole, and the common handicap allowance is 85% of each course handicap in stroke play.
- Who plays
- Teams of two or four
- Scoring
- Lowest score on each hole, gross or net
- Handicap allowance
- 85% in stroke play, 90% in match play
- Best for
- Team leagues where everyone’s round matters
The rules
- Each golfer plays their own ball for the whole hole, and each keeps their own score.
- The team’s score on a hole is the lowest score among its members. In net best ball, the lowest net score counts.
- Add up the team score on every hole. The lowest team total wins in stroke play. In match play the lower team score wins the hole.
- If a golfer does not finish a hole, their partner’s score counts. If neither finishes, the team has no score on the hole.
- Four-person best ball can count more than one ball per hole, for example the best two. Decide this before the season.
Recommended handicap allowance
Gimme’s defaults are 85% of each golfer’s course handicap in four-ball stroke play and 90% in four-ball match play. The cut reflects that a team with two chances at every hole beats a single golfer’s handicap by a margin. The percentages are applied to each golfer’s course handicap, and rounded once, a half rounding up.
In the example, the stroke play allowance gives Pat, Lee, Sam and Alex 4, 8, 0 and 12 strokes. At 90% the strokes become 0, 13, 4 and 9. That small change moves the result, as the totals below show.
Worked example: two teams, nine holes
Pat and Lee play Sam and Alex in a two-person net best ball. At 85% the playing handicaps are Pat 4, Lee 8, Sam 0 and Alex 12. On each hole, the team scores the better net ball.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pat and Lee | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 36 |
| Sam and Alex | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 36 |
Pat and Lee total 36 and Sam and Alex total 36, so the two teams tie. At the 90% match play allowance the same cards give Pat and Lee 35 and Sam and Alex 36, and Sam and Alex would win by a stroke. The allowance is a rule you set once, and it can decide the result.
When to use best ball
- Team leagues where you want every golfer’s round to matter.
- Couples and mixed leagues, where partners of different ability play together.
- Rounds where pace of play matters: a golfer can pick up when their partner has the hole.
- Events with a team prize alongside an individual one.
Common disputes and how to settle them
Write these answers into your league rules before the season. Most arguments on league night come from a rule nobody wrote down.
- Which allowance should we use?
- Use 85% for stroke play and 90% for match play as a starting point, and write it in the rules. Change it before a season, not during one.
- Do the strokes come off before or after we pick the best ball?
- Strokes come off each golfer’s score first, by stroke index, and then the better net score on the hole counts. A golfer who receives a stroke on a hole turns a 5 into a 4 before the comparison.
- One partner is out. Can the team play?
- Decide in advance. Common rules are a sub, or a single golfer plays with a penalty such as adding a fixed score to every hole. Write down the rule so no one argues about it on the night.
- Our team tied. Who wins?
- Use countback on the last holes, or share the points. In a points league, a halved match gives half the points to each side.
Questions
What is the difference between best ball and four-ball?
They are the same idea. Four-ball is the traditional name for a game of two teams of two, where each golfer plays their own ball and the better score of each team counts.
What is the difference between best ball and a scramble?
In best ball everyone plays their own ball on every shot. In a scramble the team chooses the best shot and everyone plays from there. Best ball scores are lower per golfer than scramble scores are per team.
What is the handicap allowance for two-man best ball?
A common choice is 85% of each course handicap in stroke play and 90% in match play. Gimme uses those as defaults and leaves them configurable.
Can best ball count two scores per hole?
Yes. A four-person team can count the best two balls. The score on a hole is the sum of the two lowest.
Does best ball work for nine-hole leagues?
Yes. Use the nine-hole course handicap, apply the allowance, and total the best ball over the nine.
Run this format in your league
Gimme scores best ball for two- and four-person teams, applies the allowance and keeps team standings. Your first 3 league rounds are free, no card.