How does four ball match play work??

[Orikoru]

Here's the description on the email we got:

SHIPTON CUP - Annual four ball match play knockout competition.
All play is from the white competition tees. Open to all Men’s section members with a handicap up to 24 (capped if higher). The player with the lowest handicap will concede 90% of the difference in handicap to each of the other 3 players.
Winners and runners up receive prizes.

That sounds to me like four individuals against each other but I'd never heard of that before. Is that a thing? Or do you think it's actually two v two but they've worded it funny?

I was thinking about entering a match play this year (never done it before) but our singles one is only available up to 18 h'cap so I was looking at the others.

 

[Scozzy]

It's how our 4ball comps are done and quite simple really..
Say you're the low marker off 8,your partner 10 and both opponents off 14. Your partner gets 2 shots (90% of 2 rounded up) and your opponents get 5 (5.4 or 90% rounded down).So on SI 1&2 your partner is getting a shot along with them and SI 3-5 your both giving them a shot.Does that make sense? It's the 4somes/greensomes that really get interesting trying to work out!

 

[robinthehood]

Check your singles as ours is 18 limit but open to all, you'll just have to play off 18 if you're on 19 +

 

[robinthehood]

Here's the description on the email we got:

SHIPTON CUP - Annual four ball match play knockout competition.
All play is from the white competition tees. Open to all Men’s section members with a handicap up to 24 (capped if higher). The player with the lowest handicap will concede 90% of the difference in handicap to each of the other 3 players.
Winners and runners up receive prizes.

That sounds to me like four individuals against each other but I'd never heard of that before. Is that a thing? Or do you think it's actually two v two but they've worded it funny?

I was thinking about entering a match play this year (never done it before) but our singles one is only available up to 18 h'cap so I was looking at the others.

Its teams of 2 v 2 and you all get shots agasint the lowest handicap

 

[Foxholer]

It would appear they missed the words 'Better Bsll' from between 'ball' and 'match'. Often abbreviated to 4BBB. That's a slight assumption though, as it might be a singles comp, but highly unlikely as that would be a slightly weird format!

As stated Lowest 'cap plays off scratch, while others play off 90% of the difference between theirs and his/hers. Hole is won by side with best nett score.

 

[Orikoru]

Yeah cheers guys, it was a bit confusing, as you say I think they missed a few words out.

 

[duncan mackie]

Yeah cheers guys, it was a bit confusing, as you say I think they missed a few words out.

That would be my interpretation as well.

Best clue is in the 90% allowance - that would only apply in a 4BBB match with pairs. The somewhat interesting concept of all v all playing as a 4ball (were it to exist!) would obviously be full allowance 🤔😁

 

[Orikoru]

That would be my interpretation as well.

Best clue is in the 90% allowance - that would only apply in a 4BBB match with pairs. The somewhat interesting concept of all v all playing as a 4ball (were it to exist!) would obviously be full allowance 🤔😁

Yeah it's definitely pairs. I did a bit of digging and found the previous winners, which were pairs so that's that.

I think me and my mate are going to give it a go and enter. I've never played any matchplay before so it will be a new experience. He's off 19 and me 20 so it remains to be seen if that's a good strategy - previous winners seem to have been one low and one higher hcap, but in 2016 it was two higher guys that won.

 

[rulefan]

As this is match play the upper limit of 24 is probably not permitted by CONGU. It certainly applies to match play singles but it's not clear for 4BBB.
However CONGU have difficulty in policing it.

 

[Orikoru]

As this is match play the upper limit of 24 is probably not permitted by CONGU. It certainly applies to match play singles but it's not clear for 4BBB.
However CONGU have difficulty in policing it.

For the pairs they have specified that anyone higher than 24 can play and just be capped at 24. For the singles though they did not specify, they just said it's handicaps up to 18.

 

[rulefan]

The difference is that singles may be a qualifying competition. The regulation says that full handicap must be used for handicap calculations by the limit may be uses for prize allocation. However, it is categoric in that full handicap must be used in singles match play. It is not clear how that applies to 4BBB match play.