Four-Ball (Best Ball)
Also called Four-Ball (Two-Man Best Ball), Better Ball, Fourball
Partners play their own balls; the lower score on each hole counts.
4+ players · best with 4Team & Partner FormatsPartners (2 v 2)Easy to score
How to play →Team & Partner Formats · Outing & Tournament Formats
Ambrose
Also called Ambrose Scramble, Ambrose Competition, Shotgun
Australian scramble played with a formula team handicap.
- Players
- 2+ players
- Play as
- Teams
- Scorekeeping
- Easy
- Handicaps
- Handicaps required
- Money
- No money involved
- Type
- Team & Partner Formats
How to play
Identical to a scramble: all tee off, choose the best ball, all play from there until holed. The difference is a mandatory team handicap deducted from the gross team total. Originated at Victor Harbor GC, South Australia, in the early 1960s, named for Michigan expats Richard and Mary Ambrose.
Scoring
Team handicap = sum of course handicaps divided by 8 for a 4-person team, by 6 for 3 players, by 4 for 2 players. Some organizers instead divide by the number of players (a simple average), typically 4 for 4-player teams. Net team score = gross total minus team handicap.
Variations
- 2-person and 3-person Ambrose
- Ambrose with minimum drives
- Irish Ambrose (progressive balls counting)
Tips
- Confirm the divisor on the entry sheet before teeing off
- Pair a low handicapper with high handicappers for a better divisor
A quick, fair scramble that Australian clubs use for nearly every social day.
Works with
Each link opens every game that works for that number of players.
Related games
Scramble
Also called Captain's Choice, Fort Lauderdale, Four-Person Scramble
Everyone hits, team picks the best shot, everyone plays from there until holed.
2+ players · best with 4Team & Partner FormatsTeamsEasy to score
How to play →Sixes (Round Robin)
Also called 6-6-6, Hollywood, Triple Six
Change partners every six holes so everybody plays with everybody once.
4 players only · best with 4Team & Partner FormatsRotating partnersEasy to scoreMoney game
How to play →Chapman (Pinehurst)
Also called Chapman System, Pinehurst System, Pinehurst Foursomes
Both drive, swap balls for the second shot, pick one ball, then alternate.
4+ players · best with 4Team & Partner FormatsPartners (2 v 2)Medium to score
How to play →Sources
Rules reflect the version most groups play, cross-checked across these sources. House rules vary; agree yours on the first tee.
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