Match Play / Four Ball - Handicapping Teams?

I would like everyone's thoughts on whether this seems fair using the following format for Four Ball Match Play?

All players receive 80% of Ghin Handicap.

Teams play off lowest Handicap player.

Now this is the real killer !!!

When players play from different tees, handicaps are adjusted again !!!

I feel this format really screws the higher handicap players.

The higher handicap player loses stroke holes on 2-4 holes @ 80% , then will lose an additional 2 more stroke holes ???

A low handicapper let's say Ghin Index 1.0

80% still makes them a course handicap of 1

His partner is a Ghin Index 8.2

80% makes him around a course handicap of 6

He now loses 2 strokes and plays as a 4

The playing opponents who are Ghin 8.2 and 12.8

@ 8 .2 - 80% makes him around a course handicap of 6

He now loses 2 strokes and plays as a 4

@ 12.8 - 80% mak es him around a course handicap of 11

He now loses 2 strokes and plays as a 9

I understand the USGA adjustment for trying to equal the difference when using stroke difference,

but feel it's too demanding when giving away hole advantages to the low handicapper.

In the scenario above, the team with the lowest handicap only loses one players stroke holes.

While the opposing team will lose stroke holes by both team players. (Double Whammy)

This is where I feel the advantage is given to the low handicapper who most likely score the same from

playing back one tee box. He is given 4 - 6 holes right from the start of a match.

Most of the lowest handicap holes are long par 4's or a par 5.

Most high handicappers are not going to make pars on these difficult holes !!!

I feel the event should be played from the same teeing ground.

80% is the norm for match events.

Club Rat

In my opinion yes, they should play the same tees unless they are mixed gender teams.  My men's club always played all matches from the middle tees, even though the players who usually played in first flight in stroke tournaments normally played from the back tees.

80% HDCP + all from the same tees is reasonable - and understandable.

A second adjustment + different tees = arcane accounting assignment, not a golf match.

Not according to the USGA handicap manual...

(iii) Four-Ball Match Play
In four-ball match play, two play their better ball against the better ball of two other players ("The Rules of Golf," Rule 30 and Definitions). After handicap allowances are determined, Section 9-3c must be applied in competitions from different tees, or in competitions between men and women from the same tees.

Allowance: The Course Handicap of all four players is reduced by the Course Handicap of the player with the lowest handicap, who then plays from scratch. Each of the three other players is allowed 100 percent of the difference. (See Decisions 9-4a/2 ).

Example: Players A, B, C, and D have a Course Handicap of 5, 10, 15 and 20, respectively. Player A plays at scratch, B receives 5 strokes, C receives 10 strokes, and D receives 15 strokes.

But see

http://www.usga.org/HandicapFAQ/handicap_answer.asp?FAQidx=6

and

http://www.usga.org/ourexpertsexplain.aspx?id=21474870749