What’s your preferred type of 4-ball game format?

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Highfade

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You turn up at the course for your weekly 4-ball with the usual suspects where there’s a range of abilities.

What format do you play?
Whats the thoughts on the most inclusive and fun format?
Straight handicapped stroke play?
Do u break into teams and mix it up each week?
Matchplay? Stableford? Skins?
Or maybe get creative with a combination of a few.

How do you keep it fresh?
Also is there always wagers/side bets?
Or can that lead to arguments?
 
Minor bets (beer) on match only, no other bets - it's about bragging rights, not money. Fourball best ball match play. Net best ball played off the low handicap.
Commonly heard on the 1st tee - "net bestball, no strokes". :) :cool:
 
We tend to do a little two ball betterball match it there are four of us. Nothing particularly riding on it other than bragging rights, or maybe, losers buy the drinks at the end. We'd still total up the individual Stableford scores at the same time though.
 
Yeah we do Better Ball as well. Means we can all keep our own score but a fun match play element to it. We usually do best of 3 rounds then switch up the teams. We all play off scratch also even though we have a range of between scratch to 18. In better ball i think handicaps are less relevant as we are all able to make par.
 
Normally better-ball just for a very small amount,
Winners buy the drinks and are usually out of pocket.

Occasionally to mix it up might play 3 matches of 6 holes each with a different partner.
 
We don't have a weekly 4-ball but a group of up to about 12-15, so mix up the groups depending on who is playing any given week.
We also have (mostly optional entry) club comps every Saturday, which are predominantly individual stroke play, and we all play in. We used to have a few side bets (nassau, ntp, and team if numbers worked for that) but many have stopped carrying cash in recent years, so that has fallen by the wayside.

If we have a fourball any other time, we most often play betterball matchplay or skins.
 
We would normally play 4BB matchplay.

If it is likely to be slow we will play 4BB matchplay High-Low where the better score from one side plays against the better on the other side on each hole, and the worse vs the worse - so you can win or lose 2 holes one each hole, it tends to keep the game going longer (if you are 3 up with 2 to play you can still lose) and keeps everyone involved.
 
Most weeks the guys play better ball stableford because there is a singles comp at the same time.

Choosing for a comp I would go with a Bowmaker

For something different I would go with yellow ball stableford.
 
I’m not bothered about format - and for me a straightforward 4BBB match never loses its fun. But I don't go for any form of social golf where there is more than a couple of quid at stake - for it is the case that the love of money (and hence acquiring it) is the root of all sorts of evil - with golf most certainly not being immune. 😘
 
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4BBB matchplay, it generally keeps everyone involved for the majority of the round. Today's game went to the 18th with both me and my partner having a putt to half. I missed, he holed his, jackpot.

We used to play a game we called "On the Perch", if someone won a hole he was then playing against the other three. It's a decent game, but you could freewheel for 16 holes, win the last two and walk away a winner. We ditched it for that reason.
 
Draw lots for partners and play betterball matchplay.

Years ago we played 25p each nine and 50p the game, 10p birdies. So the most you could lose was £1 plus any birdies.
We doubled that at some point, but I can't remember when that was - possibly 1990s or early 2000s
Most times now I find chaps can't be bothered to have any money on it and the game loses nothing of its enjoyment.
I'm happy to play for the £2 or whatever the majority want to do.
I see some of the younger chaps in their groups playing for stakes where you need to be carrying some paper money. I will never be persuaded.
 
Voyager EMH said:
Draw lots for partners and play betterball matchplay.

Years ago we played 25p each nine and 50p the game, 10p birdies. So the most you could lose was £1 plus any birdies.
We doubled that at some point, but I can't remember when that was - possibly 1990s or early 2000s
Most times now I find chaps can't be bothered to have any money on it and the game loses nothing of its enjoyment.
I'm happy to play for the £2 or whatever the majority want to do.
I see some of the younger chaps in their groups playing for stakes where you need to be carrying some paper money. I will never be persuaded.
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I can’t see the appeal in playing for serious money.
It’s a game I play for enjoyment not to win or lose proper money at (I’m not good enough either).

I think I won £4.50 about 10 years ago and that’s the biggest win I have had.

We only ever have 2 drinks and the way we do it means generally you all pay about the same.

I think giving a mate a load of stick for missing a 4 footer on the last is enjoyable enough without having to take folding as well.
 
Neilds said:
We chuck the balls in the air for pairing and play 4bbb. If there are a few groups we might do bowmaker . Usually just for a couple of quid - front, back and overall.
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A bit of a digression, but a funny story told by one of the lady members - on the first tee, the four ladies decided to do something they had seen the men do. They tossed the group's four balls into the air, watched them come to rest, then one of them said "Now what do we do?"
 
A form of bowmaker stableford. Best 3 of 4 to count (but if there are any threes they count the second best twice).
 
irip said:
I can’t see the appeal in playing for serious money.
It’s a game I play for enjoyment not to win or lose proper money at (I’m not good enough either).

I think I won £4.50 about 10 years ago and that’s the biggest win I have had.

We only ever have 2 drinks and the way we do it means generally you all pay about the same.

I think giving a mate a load of stick for missing a 4 footer on the last is enjoyable enough without having to take folding as well.
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I absolutely feel the same. I think the quickest way to make my golf game crumble into dust would be to back it with my own money. 😂

Edit: having said that, I do play matches against my mate where the loser buys lunch, and that would work out to something more than a fiver. But it doesn't feel as bad when it isn't for cold, hard cash, it feels more gentlemanly somehow.
 
Orikoru said:
I absolutely feel the same. I think the quickest way to make my golf game crumble into dust would be to back it with my own money. 😂

Edit: having said that, I do play matches against my mate where the loser buys lunch, and that would work out to something more than a fiver. But it doesn't feel as bad when it isn't for cold, hard cash, it feels more gentlemanly somehow.
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Yeah I agree, with money it feels a lot harsher for some reason.
It’s also quite amusing when someone wins 50p but the round costs them £20.

It’s all part of the banter as opposed to trying to beat a mate to take their money.
 
I dont play in a regular 4 ball but there are between 16 and 24 of us who turn up most Fridays and non-comp Sundays.

Our preferred format is skins. We usually have 3,4 or 5 nearest the pins (usually 1 or 2 NTP in 2 shots). Everyone throws £3 in. Value of skins (and the amount paid out for a NTP) will vary depending on how many turn up.

If folks want to have a side bet amongst their 4-ball it is up to them....most common it will be a 4BBB match playing for £1 each front 9/back 9 and overall, or sometimes the losing pair buys the beer.
 
SteveJay said:
On a similar vein.....if one of your 4 ball withdraws, are there any decent options for a 3 ball?
We have a few options, including Perch and Barracuda/6 points split, but interested to hear other's opinions.
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One game we play occasionally is Bingo,Bango,Bongo

You play it as stapleford as normal but on each hole there is an extra point for
1st on the green
Nearest the hole (once all on the green)
1st in the hole.

If the same person gets all 3 they get an extra 2 points.

You do have to play in turn or at least know who was first each time.

It’s just a bit of fun we do occasionally but it’s something a bit different
 
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