How to Play the 2-Person Best Ball Format

Two-Person Best Ball is the name of a golf competition format that can be used for tournaments, or can be played within a group of four golfers (two vs. two). Two-Person Best Ball uses two-player teams, and on each hole the lower of the two partners' scores counts as the team's score.

Two-Person Best Ball is also commonly called 2-Man Best Ball, 2-Woman Best Ball, or 2-Player Best Ball. "Better Ball" (as in 2-Person Better Ball) is also sometimes used rather than "Best Ball" when the teams are made up of just two golfers. Also note that played by four golfers, two vs. two (as opposed to a tournament) match play, 2-Person Best Ball is synonymous with "Four Ball." (Two-Person Best Ball played as a match by four golfers, using match play scoring, is the Four Ball format used in the Ryder Cup.)

When this format is called by the 2-Person Best Ball name, it is probably going to be stroke play. But it can also be played as match play (with "Four Ball" the more commonly used name in that case). And it's a simple format:

• The two golfers on a team each play their own balls into the cup on every hole. Just your straightforward, everyday golf.
• Then they compare scores. What was the lower score between the two? That's the team's score for that hole.

Let's say on Hole 1 Golfer A scores 5 and Golfer B scores 4. The team's score on the first hole is four. On Hole 2, Golfer A makes 3 and Golfer B has 5. The team's score on the second hole is three. And so on. On each hole, the lower of the two scores recorded by the partners is the team's score.

Two-Man Best Ball can be played using gross scores or net scores. If using gross, the partners need to be close in playing ability, otherwise the team scores will be contributed largely by one (the better) golfer. In a tournament setting, just follow the guidelines provided by the organizers.

Golf Digest author Ron Kaspriske, in the magazine's book on golf games, offers this suggestion for 2-Person Best Ball strategy: "If a player has already made an acceptable hole on a score or is in good shape to secure an acceptable score ... the partner can attemp a riskier shot ... If a player is in trouble off the tee, the teammate should play conservatively."

More formats:

• 2-Person Net Multiplier format
• How to play a 1-2-3 Best Ball
• The American Foursomes format explained

Sources:
(Book titles are affiliate links; commissions earned)
Hyde, Alan. Golf Formats For Societies & Game Secretaries, Allin Golf Society, 2012, M-Y Books Ltd.
Kaspriske, Ron. Golf Digest's Complete Book of Golf Betting Games, 2007, Doubleday.