Best ball rules.

[leftcoastsrt04]

This coming Saturday is going to be my first ever Tournament. Its going to be best ball, and I have absolutely no idea what the rules are for best ball and don't want to learn as I go. Can anyone help me out here so I am not the only tool on my team asking questions?

[meenman]

Best ball is played by regular golf rules - the best score(s) on each hole for your team is used.

The only difference is the slackers dont have to finish the hole once they cant score lower than the ones already holed out.

[Ignorant]

  meenman said:

Best ball is played by regular golf rules - the best score(s) on each hole for your team is used.

In RoG Best-Ball is a form of match play:

'Best-Ball: A match in which one player plays against the better ball of two other players or the best ball of three other players.' It seems common to refer with best ball to all kinds of different forms of match or stroke play where a team of 2-4 players records their best or two best scores from a hole (as e.g. in Ryder Cup). This is fairly unfortunate as a competitor should be certain of the form of play in a tournament he is going to attend. Fairly often one can read the description of a competition as follows: ' Form of play is best ball. Teams consist of four players and two best scores of the team are registered from each hole.' This form of play is called 2-best balls-of-4 and not just best ball. Thus it is important to describe the form of play properly in the invitation. Apart from the scoring all other Rules of Golf apply except 3-2, i.e. in stroke play all players of the team are not obliged to hole out.

[fredloves2golf]

The tournament may also be a "scramble" tournament. I've seen a lot of these advertised incorrectly as best ball. The thinking being that all 4 teammates hit the tee shot, move to the "best" one and then hit again until the ball is holed.

[Randy4h]

There are so many variations of what people call "best ball". Hopefully, whoever is running the tournament will have a printed set of rules to give to each team so that there is no confusion.

[Fourputt]

  fredloves2golf said:

The tournament may also be a "scramble" tournament. I've seen a lot of these advertised incorrectly as best ball. The thinking being that all 4 teammates hit the tee shot, move to the "best" one and then hit again until the ball is holed.

No... best ball is NOT a scramble. They are two completely different forms of play. A scramble is not even recognized as a legitimate form of play under the rules because you never play the ball as it lies.

In response to the OP: We need more information as to what the actual format is to give you a definitive answer. Are the teams 2 player or 4 player? If it's 4 player teams, then each player plays his own ball, and the team score is either the best score of the four, or I've seen it played where the 2 best ball scores are added for a team total. If it's 2 player teams, then it's usually just the best score of the 2. Two player better ball is listed in the Rules of Golf as a "fourball stroke play (Rule 31)" or a "fourball match (Rule 30-3)". The key to all of these better or best ball formats is that each player plays his own ball by the rules from tee to green, so the formats are legitimate under the Rules of Golf.

[zeg]

  Fourputt said:

No... best ball is NOT a scramble. They are two completely different forms of play. A scramble is not even recognized as a legitimate form of play under the rules because you never play the ball as it lies.

Nonetheless, as the OP stated, scrambles are sometimes

incorrectly described as "best ball."

[mrt10x]

fourputt, do you even read these posts before you start to disagree with them? Randy did not say that best ball was a scramble, or the other way around. Simply stated that often scrambles are mis-labled as best ball. I can recall dozens of times this has been the case. First thing I thought when I read the OP was "wonder if he is really playing in a scramble," because rarely do you actually see a best ball tournament. In fact I have never seen one, except at the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup, and I have never played in one.

[Fourputt]

  zeg said:

Nonetheless, as the OP stated, scrambles are sometimes

If he isn't even certain what the format is then how can he expect anyone to give him any useful advice???

  mrt10x said:

fourputt, do you even read these posts before you start to disagree with them? Randy did not say that best ball was a scramble, or the other way around. Simply stated that often scrambles are mis-labled as best ball. I can recall dozens of times this has been the case. First thing I thought when I read the OP was "wonder if he is really playing in a scramble," because rarely do you actually see a best ball tournament. In fact I have never seen one, except at the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup, and I have never played in one.

I've played in lots of fourball and four-man best ball tourneys. I've also played in foursomes tournaments. I've never played in a scramble which was advertised as a best ball. So forgive me if I just want to relieve the confusion.

[Ignorant]

  mrt10x said:

fourputt, do you even read these posts before you start to disagree with them? Randy did not say that best ball was a scramble, or the other way around. Simply stated that often scrambles are mis-labled as best ball. I can recall dozens of times this has been the case. First thing I thought when I read the OP was "wonder if he is really playing in a scramble," because rarely do you actually see a best ball tournament. In fact I have never seen one,

IMO in Ryder Cup they do NOT play the Best-Ball described in the RoG but another form of match play called:

'Four-Ball: A match in which two players play their better ball against the better ball of two other players.' (from RoG / Definitions: Forms of Match Play) I have never played, seen nor heard anybody having played the 'real' Best-Ball. No wonder the concept has widened a bit...

[meenman]

  Ignorant said:

IMO in Ryder Cup they do NOT play the Best-Ball described in the RoG but another form of match play called:

At my club, with the exception of the match play and stroke play championships, most of the tournaments are either 2 man or 4 man best ball tournaments.

I usually only see scrambles played in charity tournaments on public courses, which makes sense since most of the players in those are twice a year golfers.

[doof_dizzler]

We play a 3-man best ball tournament locally. Best event all summer at the course here, great format!

[osubuckeye2012]

  mrt10x said:

fourputt, do you even read these posts before you start to disagree with them? Randy did not say that best ball was a scramble, or the other way around. Simply stated that often scrambles are mis-labled as best ball. I can recall dozens of times this has been the case. First thing I thought when I read the OP was "wonder if he is really playing in a scramble," because rarely do you actually see a best ball tournament. In fact I have never seen one, except at the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup, and I have never played in one.

Actually, all of the tournaments on our local tour are best ball. We play individual stroke play and best ball (36 holes). I like it better than just a regular tournament because you do get to have a partner. (and whenever your creeping towards that 80 mark, atleast you still have incentive to keep making birdies. lol) I know people mistakingly call scrambles-best ball all the time, but I doubt the tournament director would call it best ball. IDK JMO

[leftcoastsrt04]

Well I never made the Tournament..... Strep Throat really did a number on me..... next time, next time