Ever been paired up for a best ball tournament and had no idea how the scoring actually worked once handicaps got involved? You're not alone. I've watched plenty of golfers, some who've played for decades, scratch their heads over this exact question on the first tee.

Best ball is one of the most popular formats in club golf, corporate outings, and weekend money games. It's fun, it's forgiving, and it lets a scratch golfer and a weekend hacker actually compete on the same team without one of them carrying the whole load. But once you throw handicaps into the mix, things can get a little murky fast.

This guide breaks it all down in plain English. No jargon, no confusing rulebook language, just a straightforward walk through how handicaps work in best ball, how strokes get applied, and what you need to know before your next round.

What Is Best Ball Golf, Exactly?

Best ball is a team format where each player plays their own ball for all 18 holes, but only the best score among teammates counts toward the team total on each hole. It's different from scramble, where everyone plays from the same spot after picking the best shot.

Best Ball vs Scramble

In a scramble, the whole team hits, then picks the best shot and everyone plays from there. In best ball, everyone plays their own ball start to finish. Scramble scores tend to be lower and less individually revealing than best ball.

Best Ball vs Four Ball

Here's where people get tripped up. Four ball and best ball are basically the same thing, just different names for it depending on where you're playing. Some tournaments use "four ball" for two on two, and "best ball" more broadly.

Why Handicaps Matter in Best Ball?

Without handicaps, best ball would just favor whichever team has the lowest scoring player. Handicaps level the playing field by giving weaker players strokes on certain holes, so a 20 handicap golfer can genuinely contribute to the team score, not just ride along.

The Fairness Factor

Think about it this way. If a scratch golfer teams up with a 24 handicapper and there's no handicap adjustment, that higher handicap player basically becomes a spectator for most of the round. Handicaps keep everyone involved and invested in every hole.

Encouraging Full Participation

When strokes are applied correctly, even a struggling player can post the team's best score on a tough par 4 simply because they got a stroke there. That's the beauty of it. Every player has a moment to shine somewhere on the course.

How Handicap Strokes Are Calculated in Best Ball?

Each player's course handicap determines how many strokes they receive, and where. The strokes are typically applied based on the stroke index printed on the scorecard, which ranks holes from hardest to easiest. A 10 handicap gets a stroke on the ten hardest holes.

Course Handicap vs Handicap Index

Your handicap index is a portable number that follows you between courses. Your course handicap is that index adjusted for the specific course's slope and rating. Best ball scoring always uses the course handicap, calculated fresh for the tee you're playing.

Stroke Index and Hole Difficulty

Every scorecard has a stroke index row, usually numbered 1 through 18. Hole number 1 on the stroke index is considered the hardest, hole 18 the easiest. Players receive their strokes starting from the hardest holes and working down.

Common Best Ball Handicap Formats

Tournaments don't all handle handicap allowances the same way. Some use full handicaps, others reduce them by a percentage to keep scores from getting inflated. Knowing which format you're playing under before you tee off saves a lot of confusion later.

Full Handicap Allowance

This is exactly what it sounds like. Every player receives 100 percent of their course handicap. It's the most straightforward method and tends to be used in casual club events or friendly weekend matches where fairness matters more than pace.

Percentage Handicap Allowance

Many competitive events reduce handicaps to a percentage, often 90 percent for the higher handicap player and 100 for the lower one, or vice versa depending on the format. This prevents sandbagging and keeps net scores from feeling artificially low.

Two Man vs Four Man Best Ball

In two man best ball, both players' individual strokes apply directly. In four man formats, some events only count the best net score from the two lowest scorers on each hole, while others use all four. Always check the local rules sheet.

A Real-World Example to Make It Click

Let's say Mike and Dave are playing best ball. Mike is a 5 handicap, Dave is an 18. On the third hole, ranked as the hardest on the course, Dave gets a stroke because his handicap covers that hole, but Mike doesn't.

Mike shoots a 5 on that hole, no stroke applied, so his net score stays a 5. Dave shoots a 6, but with his stroke, his net score becomes a 5 too. Either way, the team posts a net 5 for the hole. Now flip to an easy par 3 later in the round. Mike doesn't need a stroke there and shoots a clean 3. Dave, without a stroke on that hole, shoots a 4. The team takes Mike's net 3. That's best ball in action, each player pulling weight depending on the hole.

How Team Handicaps Are Determined in Larger Formats?

For bigger group events, like four person scrambles or best ball with more than two players per team, tournament organizers often calculate a blended team handicap using a specific formula rather than applying everyone's full number individually.

Common Blending Formulas

A popular approach for two man teams is taking 60 percent of the lower handicap and 40 percent of the higher one, then combining them. Four person teams often use something like 20, 15, 10, and 5 percent of each player's handicap, low to high.

Why Organizers Adjust the Numbers?

Full handicap stacking in larger teams can create wildly skewed results, where a team of four higher handicappers ends up with an unrealistic scoring advantage. Blended formulas keep the competition tighter and more representative of actual playing ability.

Tips for Playing Smart in a Best Ball Handicap Format

Knowing the rules is one thing. Using them strategically is another. A little course management awareness can turn a decent best ball golf  round into a winning one, especially when you understand exactly where your strokes are going to help you most.

Know Your Stroke Holes Before You Play

Check the scorecard before your round starts. If you know you're getting a stroke on holes 3, 7, and 11, you can play those holes more aggressively, since you've essentially got a built in cushion if things go sideways.

Play Conservatively on Your Non Stroke Holes

On holes where you don't get a stroke, especially the tougher ones, lean toward safer shot selection. Let your partner carry the pressure there if their handicap gives them an advantage on that hole instead of yours.

Communicate With Your Partner

Best ball works best when partners actually talk strategy. If your partner already has a safe par in the bag, you might feel free to go for a risky pin on your approach. That kind of communication wins matches.

Mistakes Golfers Commonly Make With Best Ball Handicaps

Even experienced players mess this up more often than you'd think. Misapplying strokes or misunderstanding the format's rules can lead to disputes, especially in competitive events where the scorecard gets checked closely at the end of the round.

Applying Strokes to the Wrong Holes

This happens constantly. Players sometimes apply their strokes based on the hole number instead of the stroke index number. Hole 1 on the scorecard isn't necessarily the hardest hole. Always check the stroke index row, not the hole sequence.

Forgetting to Recalculate Course Handicap

Your handicap index doesn't change from course to course, but your course handicap absolutely does. Playing a tougher, higher sloped course means recalculating before your round. Skipping this step is one of the most common scoring errors out there.

Final Thoughts

Best ball with handicaps isn't as complicated as it first appears once you break it down hole by hole. The whole point of the format is fairness, giving every player on the team a real chance to contribute, regardless of skill level. Once you understand how strokes get applied and which format your event is using, you'll walk onto the tee with a lot more confidence.

Next time you're teeing it up in a best ball event, take five minutes beforehand to check your stroke holes and confirm the handicap format being used. It's a small step that can genuinely change how you approach your round, and honestly, it makes the game a lot more fun when you know exactly where you stand.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the difference between best ball and match play?

Best ball is a team scoring format where the lowest score among teammates counts on each hole. Match play is a head to head format scored by holes won and lost, not total strokes. They can actually be combined in some tournaments.

2. Do both players use their own handicap in best ball?

Yes. In a standard two man best ball format, each player uses their own course handicap to determine which holes they receive strokes on. Their net scores are calculated individually before the team's best net score is selected for each hole.

3. Can a scratch golfer and a high handicapper really compete fairly in best ball?

Absolutely, that's the entire purpose of the format. The higher handicap player receives strokes on the harder holes, which balances out the scratch golfer's natural scoring advantage. It's one of the most inclusive formats in golf for this reason.

4. What percentage of handicap is typically used in best ball tournaments?

It varies by event, but many tournaments use somewhere between 85 and 100 percent of each player's course handicap. Always check the tournament's local rules sheet before the round, since organizers often adjust this to keep scoring balanced and competitive.

5. How do I find my course handicap for a specific course?

Your course handicap is calculated using your handicap index along with the course's slope rating and course rating for the tees you're playing. Most golf apps and clubhouse computers can calculate this instantly once you enter your handicap index.

6. Is best ball the same as four ball golf?

Largely, yes. The terms are often used interchangeably, especially in two on two formats. Some tournaments distinguish "four ball" as a formal name for two versus two team play, while "best ball" gets used more loosely across different team sizes.