Rule 23 - Four-Ball

(1) Side’s Responsibility. The side’sSide: Two or more partners competing as a single unit in a round in match play or stroke play.(...Continued) gross scores for each hole must be entered on a single scorecardScorecard: The document where a player’s score for each hole is entered in stroke play.(...Continued).

For each hole:

• The gross score of at least one partnerPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play. must be entered on the scorecardScorecard: The document where a player’s score for each hole is entered in stroke play.(...Continued).

• There is no penalty for entering more than one partner’sPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play. score on the scorecardScorecard: The document where a player’s score for each hole is entered in stroke play.(...Continued).

• Each score on the scorecardScorecard: The document where a player’s score for each hole is entered in stroke play.(...Continued) must be clearly identified as the score of the individual partnerPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play. who made it; if this is not done, the sideSide: Two or more partners competing as a single unit in a round in match play or stroke play.(...Continued) is disqualified.

• It is not enough to identify a score as the score of the sideSide: Two or more partners competing as a single unit in a round in match play or stroke play.(...Continued) in general.

Only one partnerPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play. needs to certify the hole scores on the side’sSide: Two or more partners competing as a single unit in a round in match play or stroke play.(...Continued) scorecardScorecard: The document where a player’s score for each hole is entered in stroke play.(...Continued) under Rule 3.3b(2).

(2) Committee’s Responsibility. The CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. is responsible for deciding which score counts for the sideSide: Two or more partners competing as a single unit in a round in match play or stroke play.(...Continued) on each hole, including applying any handicaps in a handicap competition:

• If only one score is entered for a hole, that score counts for the sideSide: Two or more partners competing as a single unit in a round in match play or stroke play.(...Continued).

• If the scores of both partnersPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play. are entered for a hole:

  • If those scores are different, the lowest (gross or net) score for that hole counts for the sideSide: Two or more partners competing as a single unit in a round in match play or stroke play.(...Continued).

  • If both scores are the same, the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. may count either score. If the score used is found to be wrong for any reason, the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. will count the other score.

If the score that counts for the sideSide: Two or more partners competing as a single unit in a round in match play or stroke play.(...Continued) is not clearly identified as the score of the individual partnerPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play. who made it or if that partnerPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play. is disqualified relating to the play of the hole, the sideSide: Two or more partners competing as a single unit in a round in match play or stroke play.(...Continued) is disqualified.

(1) Match Play. A sideSide: Two or more partners competing as a single unit in a round in match play or stroke play.(...Continued) has completed a hole when:

• Both partnersPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play. have holed outHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole being played:(...Continued) or had their next strokesStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) conceded, 

• One partner has holed outHoled: When a ball is at rest in the hole after a stroke and the entire ball is below the surface of the putting green.(...Continued) or had their next strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) conceded and the other partnerPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play. either chooses not to hole outHoled: When a ball is at rest in the hole after a stroke and the entire ball is below the surface of the putting green.(...Continued) or has a score that cannot count for the sideSide: Two or more partners competing as a single unit in a round in match play or stroke play.(...Continued), or

• The result of the hole is decided (such as when the other side’sSide: Two or more partners competing as a single unit in a round in match play or stroke play.(...Continued) score for the hole is lower than the sideSide: Two or more partners competing as a single unit in a round in match play or stroke play.(...Continued) could possibly make).

(2) Stroke Play. A sideSide: Two or more partners competing as a single unit in a round in match play or stroke play.(...Continued) has completed a hole when one of the partnersPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play. has holed outHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole being played:(...Continued) and the other partnerPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play. has holed outHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole being played:(...Continued), chooses not to do so, or is disqualified for the hole.

(1) Penalty Normally Applies Only to Player, Not Partner

 When a player gets a penalty other than disqualification, that penalty normally applies only to the player and not also to his or her partnerPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play., except in the situations covered by (2).

• Any penalty strokes are added only to the player’s score, not to the partner’sPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play. score.

• In match playMatch Play: A form of play where a player or side plays directly against an opponent or opposing side in a head-to-head match of one or more rounds:(...Continued), a player who gets the general penaltyGeneral Penalty: Loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play. (loss of hole) has no score that can count for the sideSide: Two or more partners competing as a single unit in a round in match play or stroke play.(...Continued) on that hole; but this penalty has no effect on the partnerPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play., who may continue to play for the sideSide: Two or more partners competing as a single unit in a round in match play or stroke play.(...Continued) on that hole.

(2) Three Situations Where Player’s Penalty Also Applies to Partner.

• When Player Breaches Rule 4.1b (Limit of 14 Clubs; Shared, Added or Replaced Clubs). In match playMatch Play: A form of play where a player or side plays directly against an opponent or opposing side in a head-to-head match of one or more rounds:(...Continued), the sideSide: Two or more partners competing as a single unit in a round in match play or stroke play.(...Continued) gets the penalty (adjustment of the match score); in stroke playStroke Play: A form of play where a player or side competes against all other players or sides in the competition.(...Continued), the partnerPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play. also gets the same penalty as the player.

• When Player’s Breach Helps Partner’s Play. In either match playMatch Play: A form of play where a player or side plays directly against an opponent or opposing side in a head-to-head match of one or more rounds:(...Continued) or stroke playStroke Play: A form of play where a player or side competes against all other players or sides in the competition.(...Continued), the partnerPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play. also gets the same penalty as the player.

• In Match Play, When Player’s Breach Hurts Opponent’s Play. The partnerPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play. also gets the same penalty as the player.

Exception – Player Who Makes Stroke at Wrong Ball Is Not Treated as Having Helped Partner ‘s Play or Hurt Opponent’s Play:

• Only the player (not the partnerPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play.) gets the general penaltyGeneral Penalty: Loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play. for breach of Rule 6.3c.

• This is true whether the ball played as a wrong ballWrong Ball: Any ball other than the player’s:(...Continued) belongs to the partnerPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play., an opponentOpponent: The person a player competes against in a match. The term opponent applies only in match play. or anyone else.

(1) When Breach by One Partner Means Side Is Disqualified. A sideSide: Two or more partners competing as a single unit in a round in match play or stroke play.(...Continued) is disqualified if either partnerPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play. gets a penalty of disqualification under any of these Rules:

• Rule 1.2 Standards of Player Conduct

• Rule 1.3 Playing by the Rules

• Rule 4.1a Club Allowed in Making a Stroke

• Rule 4.1c Procedure for Taking Clubs Out of Play

• Rule 4.2a Balls Allowed In Play of Round

• Rule 4.3 Use of Equipment

• Rule 5.6a Unreasonable Delay 

• Rule 5.7b  What Players Must Do When Committee Suspends Play

• Rule 6.2b Teeing Area Rules

Match Play Only:

• Rule 3.2c Applying Handicaps in Handicap Match

Stroke Play Only:

• Rule 3.3b(2) Player’s Responsibility: Certifying Hole Scores and Returning Scorecard

• Rule 3.3b(3) Wrong Score for a Hole

• Rule 3.3b(4) Scoring in Handicap Competition

• Rule 5.2b  Practising on Course Before or Between Rounds

• Rule 23.2b Side’s Scorecard in Stroke Play

(2) When Breach by Both Partners Means Side Is Disqualified. A sideSide: Two or more partners competing as a single unit in a round in match play or stroke play.(...Continued) is disqualified if both partnersPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play. get a penalty of disqualification under any of these Rules:

• Rule 5.3 Starting and Ending Round

• Rule 5.4 Playing in Groups

• Rule 5.7a When Players May or Must Stop Play

• Rule 5.7c What Players Must Do When Play Resumes

Stroke Play Only:

A sideSide: Two or more partners competing as a single unit in a round in match play or stroke play.(...Continued) is disqualified if, at the same hole, both partnersPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play. get penalties of disqualification under any combination of these Rules:

• Rule 3.3c Failure to Hole Out

• Rule 6.1b  Playing from Outside Teeing Area in Starting Hole

• Rule 6.3c Wrong Ball

• Rule 14.7 Playing from Wrong Place

• Rule 20.1c(3) Failure to Report Playing of Two Balls

(3) When Breach by One Player Means Only That the Player Has No Valid Score for Hole. In all other situations where a player breaches a Rule with a penalty of disqualification, the player is not disqualified but his or her score on the hole where the breach happened cannot count for the sideSide: Two or more partners competing as a single unit in a round in match play or stroke play.(...Continued).

In match playMatch Play: A form of play where a player or side plays directly against an opponent or opposing side in a head-to-head match of one or more rounds:(...Continued), if both partnersPartner: A player who competes together with another player as a side, in either match play or stroke play. breach such a Rule on the same hole, the sideSide: Two or more partners competing as a single unit in a round in match play or stroke play.(...Continued) loses the hole.