Sides and Forms of Competition
Sides and forms of competition are the various formats of play in which golfers compete against each other.
The rulebook distinguishes two major basic forms: Stroke Play, in which all strokes of a round count, and Match Play, in which each hole is won individually. The forms of competition build on this. You play individually or in sides, that is in teams. The best-known team formats are the Fourball, in which everyone plays their own ball and the better one counts, and the foursome, in which two partners share one ball and hit alternately. Added to this are scoring systems such as gross, net and Stableford, which count the results differently.
In practice, you come across the formats in every club calendar. An example: the monthly tournament is an individual stroke play event with Stableford scoring, so you play alone for points. The weekend after, a fourball is on the schedule — you and your partner play against another pair, and per hole the better net score counts. In a scramble, the whole team always plays on from the best ball; that is the most sociable variant and popular at corporate events. Each format demands its own tactics: in match play, risk pays off; in stroke play, every slip costs double.
A typical misconception is equating format of play and scoring. Stroke play and match play are formats of play; Stableford and net are scoring systems — they can be combined, but they are not the same thing. Also popular: the assumption that in a fourball only the better player may putt. There, everyone fundamentally plays their ball to the end, unless the result is already decided anyway. Before your first participation, a look at the entry conditions helps, because format, scoring and the special features of the competition are bindingly fixed there.
FAQ
Which format suits my first club tournament?
For getting started, an individual stroke play event with Stableford scoring is ideal: you play your own ball for points, and a ruined hole costs you at most zero points instead of the whole round. More sociable is a scramble, in which the team always plays on from the best ball — popular at corporate and beginner events. Before registering, a look at the entry conditions is worthwhile; format, scoring and special features are bindingly fixed there.
What is the difference between fourball and foursome?
In a fourball, each partner plays their own ball, and per hole the better result of the two counts. In a foursome, two partners share a single ball and hit alternately — that requires considerably more coordination and tactics. Both formats are classics of team competitions, from the club match to the Ryder Cup.
Do I have to play match play with different tactics than stroke play?
Yes, significantly. In match play, only the individual hole counts, so risk pays off there — a total failure on one hole costs you at most one hole. In stroke play, on the other hand, every stroke adds up, and a single slip can ruin the whole round. Whoever knows the format chooses the right strategy at the tee instead of always playing the same way.