Skip to content

Better ball · Match play

What it is

Better ball match play is two pairs going head-to-head — the fourball match you'll see in the Ryder Cup. Every player plays their own ball, each side keeps its better score on the hole, and the two sides' better balls are matched against each other hole by hole. Whoever wins more holes wins the match. With each side covered by two players, the golf is bold and the swings in the match can be dramatic.

How scoring works

  1. All four players play their own ball and record a gross score on each hole.
  2. Each player's net comes from their gross and the handicap strokes they receive on the hardest holes by stroke index. Better ball match play is played off 90% of each player's handicap by default.
  3. Each side takes its lower net as its better ball for the hole.
  4. Compare the two sides' better balls: the lower wins the hole; equal halves it.
  5. The match is tracked as holes up. When a side's lead is greater than the holes remaining, the match is won early (for example "3&2"). Level at the end is "all square".

Worked example

Side 1 (Players A & B) versus Side 2 (Players C & D); each side's better net on the hole is shown:

Hole Par Side 1 better Side 2 better Hole Match
1 4 4 5 Side 1 Side 1 1 up
2 3 3 3 Halved Side 1 1 up
3 5 5 4 Side 2 All square

After three holes the match is all square: Side 1's win on the 1st was pegged back by Side 2 on the 3rd, and the halved 2nd left things unchanged. Over a full eighteen, the side more holes up at the finish wins.

When to use it

The classic pairs head-to-head. A group holds four players — two pairs — which is exactly one match. It rewards aggressive play, since a partner can attack a flag knowing the other is keeping a steady score in hand. Perfect for team events and friendly rivalries.

Variations

None for the fourball match itself. For pairs scored as a running total instead of hole-by-hole, see Better ball · Stroke or Better ball · Stableford.

Last updated: 2026-05-07