Who really plays foursome golf regularly anymore?

[TEPaul]

I know they play it more than one would expect at Muirfield but day in and day out does any club or group of golfers play foursome golf more often than the other two formats?

You should read the debate that convulsed the early Lesley Cup regarding whether to play foursome competition of individual match play.

[Bob_Huntley]

Tom,

I think it is a Muirfield affectation and should be put down.

Bob

[Bill_McBride]

Very popular in the UK, I think to keep things moving along.  When my wife and I visited Alwoodley in Leeds last summer, our host and his wife suggested we play a match under what he called "Pinehurst" rules, which turned out to be a modified Chapman.  We all drove, each played his partners drive for the second shot, picked the best result, and finished the hole alternate shot.

We had a great match, as we built a 3 up lead through 12, they came back to square the match on 16, and we won it when my wife chipped in for birdie from behind #17 and our hosts got messed up in the fairway bunker on 18.  What fun.  We should be playing more golf like that.

I'm looking forward to at least one round of foursome play at Hoylake in the upcoming Buda Cup.  Go Yanks!  

[ForkaB]

Foursomes is at least as prevalent at Rye as it is at Muirfield.  Also, Littlestone only allows 2-ball matches, so if you have more than one friend, you'll need to play 4-somes (Craig Disher can confirm).  In Scotland, most clubs have one or two year long 4-somes match play knockout competitions, as well as at least one 4-somes Open stroke play event.  There is a very active mixed foursomes circuit, usually referred to as Mixed Gruesomes by the male member of the team.......

[James Bennett]

Rich

Deal (Royal Cinque Ports) is another of the two-ball only clubs.  Get around quick, or else!  They walk very quickly between shots.  They also (apparently) play a lot of foursomes - get around quicker (I think they like 2 hours 40 minutes).

There is a course on the Monterey Peninsula where early morning two-balls are played.  I think foursomes may occur when there are more than two guests.  Only going on what I thought I saw, rather than what I know at this club.

James B

[Philip Gawith]

Huntercombe is a two-ball club. Only under sufferance did the members allow two years ago for fourballs to be played on Sat and Sunday pm - on the basis that younger people who only played once a week wanted to play their own ball. Many of the members are retired and play more than once a week and are very happy playing foursomes.

Of total rounds played at the course, I would think around a third are foursomes, around a third are two-balls, with the balance fourballs/one ball/three ball.

All the matches played by the club - without exception, to my knowledge - are foursomes. The general format is one round before lunch and another after lunch.

[Mark Pearce]

The Northumberland has a foursomes knock-out matchplay competition each year and we also have three of four foursomes strokeplay or Stableford competitions in our competition diary.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Two-ball play is compulsory at Hunstanton, Royal West Norfolk, Aldeburgh and Royal Worlington.  So if three people go out one plays his own ball, while the other two play alternate shots.  

In the Open Week at Conwy there used to be a 36-hole medal competition for pairs playing alternate shots.  It severely tested a friendship!  Sadly, the numbers who want to play in the open week are now so great that they cannot find space in the schedule for this fun competition.

[TEPaul]

It certainly occurs to me that one facet of perserving the prevalence of foursome golf in GB is that apparently the handicap system over there doesn't even allow for the posting of scores in rounds played recreationally in the match play or stroke play format. The only rounds permitted for handicap purposes seem to be what they call the monthly medal (for handicap purposes).

Over here all recreational rounds are allowable for handicap purposes and even if golfers over here were inclined to play foursome golf they might refuse to do it because there could be no handicap posting as a result of it.

Don't worry Rich, I doubt Americans would want to play foursome golf anyway but there seems little question our handicap system serves to prevent it if they did.  

[TEPaul]

"Two-ball play is compulsory at Hunstanton, Royal West Norfolk, Aldeburgh and Royal Worlington.  So if three people go out one plays his own ball, while the other two play alternate shots."

Mark:

In golf Rules terminology that's called a "Threesome" format, perhaps the rarest format of all.

[ForkaB]

It certainly occurs to me that one facet of perserving the prevalence of foursome golf in GB is that apparently the handicap system over there doesn't even allow for the posting of scores in rounds played recreationally in the match play or stroke play format. The only rounds permitted for handicap purposes seem to be what they call the monthly medal (for handicap purposes).

Over here all recreational rounds are allowable for handicap purposes and even if golfers over here were inclined to play foursome golf they might refuse to do it because there could be no handicap posting as a result of it.

Don't worry Rich, I doubt Americans would want to play foursome golf anyway but there seems little question our handicap system serves to prevent it if they did.  

Tom

You still don't understand the CONGU handicapping system, or this "monthly medal" thing, even though I try to educate you every 6 months or so........

OK, just one more time.......

1.  Most clubs in the UK have from 4-6 "monthly medals" (i.e. proper rounds played under the Rules of Golf, with a Committee, proper peer review, etc.
2.  Each club also holds from 2-5 "Open" competitions every year, which anybody from any club can play in (even You!).
3.  So, an active golfer, who plays all his club medals and a good number of open competitions at other clubs, can easily post 10 rounds/month over the spring/fall season.

Corollary--The reason people in the UK like foursomes is the speed of play, and the fact that it is much more sociable than any four-ball, whether the latter is played over match play or medal play.

Slainte

Rich
2.  

[TEPaul]

I've only played foursome golf once in my life and it was at Muirfield and it was a real blast.

The match was over 36 holes with Ammerman and I against Muirfield's historian and a friend of his. Ammerman and I shot a 73 in the morning which seems pretty remarkable to me. Basically Ammerman putted Muirfield's eyes out in the first 18 holes.

And then to lunch and you know what.

I recall how we felt on the first tee in the afternoon, pretty shaky. But we held our huge lead throughout most of the afternoon. I seem to recall we were five up with six to play and somehow we managed to lose the entire day's 36 hole match.  

[TEPaul]

Rich:

OK, so if somebody plays every single medal round he can play he can turn in 10 rounds in a month. Big deal. What if he decided to turn in one round in a month? Would he have a legitimate handicap?  

See what I mean?

"Corollary--The reason people in the UK like foursomes is the speed of play,...."

Rich:

What are they in such a hurry for over there? Are they trying to subsidize the bar business or something?

[Mark Pearce]

Rich:

OK, so if somebody plays every single medal round he can play he can turn in 10 rounds in a month. Big deal. What if he decided to turn in one round in a month? Would he have a legitimate handicap?  

See what I mean?

"Corollary--The reason people in the UK like foursomes is the speed of play,...."

Rich:

What are they in such a hurry for over there? Are they trying to subsidize the bar business or something?

Every Counting competition score must be counted.  If the card isn't put in it will count as  a No Return and 0.1 will be added to the handicap.  Playing in competitions at other courses the local secretary will post your score to your home club (this happened to me recently when I was cut as a result of a round played in a competition at another course).

Players must play in at least three counting competitions each year to maintain their handicap.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Foursomes are not a part of the US fabric of golf...and won't be.

At some private clubs, foursomes are played perhaps once or twice a year in events. Regional golf associations usually have some foursomes as well, usually couples competitions. Is there a national foursomes event sponsored by the USGA?



I have yet to see foursomes played at a public courses.

[ForkaB]

Mark

Don't waste your time on Tom Paul.  The last time he played (or at least, posted, according to GHIN.com) was about a year ago, so, superb player as he is, he has absolutley no idea what is involved in getting or maintaining a proper handicap.  What a poor example to set for all those peons who are now his minions in the PA State Gofling Association........

Rich

[tonyt]

The decline (in percentage terms) in club membership in favour of pay as you play golf means that more golfers nowadays play at multiple venues. Golfers who play 10-40 rounds per year but rarely more than once or twice a year at any single course are more likely to insist upon playing their own ball, as they otherwise have little opportunity to see much of that course.

We play a mini Ryder Cup style event twice per year, and so I twice per year play nine holes of foursomes. Otherwise, I'd need to play most of my golf at one place to be interested to do so far more often.

[TEPaul]

Rich:

Would you prefer that I post scores even if I'm not playing golf? Do they do that in GB too?  

[ForkaB]

Tom

If I read your posts closely enough, I could probably post your scores for you!  Shirley you have played a USGA postable round of golf since August 25, 2005?

Ricardo

[JohnV]

The WPGA has two foursomes stroke-play events a year and they are among our most popular.  We have the Fred Brand Foursomes which is open to all teams that meet the handicap requirements and a Semple Centry Foursomes which is open to teams with combined age of 100 or greater.

We also play our Father/Son, Parent/Child and Brothers championships using the Chapman (or Pinehurst) format.

At least in Western PA, foursomes is still alive.

That being said, I know of no club which plays them around here.

[TEPaul]

Rich:

I guess given the latitude of the USGA's handicap system I sure could've posted a few scores (I do have four scores to post from the PV senior member/guest) but the thing about me now is it doesn't seem I really need a handicap. What would I be using it for if I'm not playing? Obvioiusly you do because you play a lot and you need it for that but what am I using mine for now? So what would I be posting for? So you can look it up on the Internet and comment on it?  

When I played a lot my handicap was probably about as representative as a handicap can get because everything I posted were tournament scores.

By the way, who is Shirley? Or does she spell her name Surely?

[JohnV]

What a poor example to set for all those peons who are now his minions in the PA State Gofling Association........

The Pennsylvania Golf Association doesn't do handicapping so I'll give Tom a pass there.

[ForkaB]

Rich:

I guess given the latitude of the USGA's handicap system I sure could've posted a few scores (I do have four scores to post from the PV senior member/guest) but the thing about me now is it doesn't seem I really need a handicap. What would I be using it for if I'm not playing? Obvioiusly you do because you play a lot and you need it for that but what am I using mine for now? So what would I be posting for? So you can look it up on the Internet and comment on it?  

When I played a lot my handicap was probably about as representative as a handicap can get because everything I posted were tournament scores.

By the way, who is Shirley? Or does she spell her name Surely?

Shirley they wouldn't let you play in the PV Member-Guest if your real handicap was 24?  Or maybe they'd make you play off the ladies tees.  How do they know?

Rich

BTW, you penultimate paragraph tells me you are a CONGU man by heart!

[TEPaul]

"Shirley they wouldn't let you play in the PV Member-Guest if your real handicap was 24?  Or maybe they'd make you play off the ladies tees.  How do they know?"

You're right---they wouldn't let me play if my handicap is 24 but it isn't 24. How do they know? Because they can look up my handicap, even if my handicap probably didn't make the mayor all that happy. But I did manage to shoot a couple of 74s along with a couple of 79s and I can guarantee you they didn't do us old guys any favors on the set up distance of the course. They were about what I used to play in the Crump Cup before they added distance to the course recently.

[Willie_Dow]

It was really something to see a threesome of kids, about 10 years of age playing a single ball at Brora in the Highlands of Scotland.  One would hit a shot and run ahead to be there when the second boy hit his shot.  They would total their score on each hole against the other groups.
This is a lot better way to teach them the game of golf than running the youngsters around in a golf cart.