Four-Ball Match Play Handicap Calculator
Enter the four players’ Handicap Indexes and the ratings for their own tees. The calculator keeps each Course Handicap unrounded, works everyone off the lowest player, then shows the strokes and scorecard dots for the match.
Match-play strokesA: 0 · B: 6 · C: 12 · D: 15
- Reference player
- Reference player: Player A (1.453 unrounded Course Handicap)
- Player A match-play strokes
- 0
- Player B match-play strokes
- 6
- Player C match-play strokes
- 12
- Player D match-play strokes
- 15
- Scorecard dot guide
- A: No strokes.; B: SI 1–6: 1 dot each; C: SI 1–12: 1 dot each; D: SI 1–15: 1 dot each
Four-ball match-play stroke allocation
| Player | Unrounded Course Handicap | Off lowest | After allowance | Match-play strokes | Scorecard dots |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player A | 1.45 | 0 | 0 | 0 | No strokes. |
| Player B | 8.59 | 7.13 | 6.42 | 6 | SI 1–6: 1 dot each |
| Player C | 14.98 | 13.53 | 12.18 | 12 | SI 1–12: 1 dot each |
| Player D | 18.43 | 16.98 | 15.28 | 15 | SI 1–15: 1 dot each |
Course Handicaps stay unrounded until after the off-lowest difference and handicap allowance are applied.
Stroke-index positions refer to the scorecard indexes, not necessarily hole numbers.
How to use this calculator
- Choose a 9-hole or 18-hole round so the dot guide uses the right range of stroke indexes.
- Enter the competition allowance; use 90% unless the terms of competition say otherwise.
- Enter each player’s Handicap Index, Slope Rating, Course Rating, and par for the tees that player will use.
- Read the match-play strokes and mark the listed dots against the scorecard stroke indexes.
How four-ball match-play strokes are calculated
Four-ball match play is played by two sides of two, with every golfer playing a separate ball. Handicap strokes are allocated to individual players, not to the partnership. The usual USGA and World Handicap System recommendation is a 90% allowance, but the committee’s terms of competition control.
First, convert every Handicap Index to an unrounded Course Handicap for the player’s own tees:
CH = HI × SR ÷ 113 + (CR − P)
- HI is Handicap Index.
- SR is the Slope Rating, and 113 is the standard slope.
- CR is Course Rating and P is par for that player’s tees.
Find the smallest unrounded Course Handicap in the group. That player plays from zero. For every player, subtract that low value, multiply the difference by the allowance, and round only once to a whole stroke:
PH = round(allowance × (CH − CH_low))
Keeping the Course Handicaps unrounded is important. Rounding them before the subtraction or before the allowance can change a close result by a stroke. A plus handicap is entered as a negative Handicap Index, so a player with a plus value can naturally become the reference player.
Putting the strokes on the scorecard
The result is applied to scorecard stroke indexes, not automatically to the holes numbered one through eighteen. A player receiving six strokes gets one dot at stroke indexes 1 through 6. With 20 strokes in an 18-hole match, every index gets one dot and indexes 1 and 2 get a second dot. The same complete-set approach works for a 9-hole card.
Mixed tees are handled by using each player’s own Slope Rating, Course Rating, and par before choosing the lowest Course Handicap. The ratings must match the round length: use nine-hole ratings and par for a nine-hole match. If two players have the exact lowest unrounded value, both receive zero strokes.
What this calculator leaves out
This tool does not determine which tee a player is eligible to use, create an official scorecard, calculate a Playing Conditions Calculation, or apply local rules. It also cannot decide a committee’s allowance or resolve differences between a club’s scorecard allocation and a competition’s published terms. Check the current scorecard and the committee instructions before the match.
Worked example
Use the default 18-hole example: Player A has a 1.1 Handicap Index and Players B, C, and D have 6.9, 12.1, and 14.9. Each uses a Slope Rating of 139, Course Rating of 72.1, and par of 72. Their unrounded Course Handicaps are 1.453, 8.587, 14.984, and 18.428.
Player A is the lowest, so A plays from zero. At a 90% allowance, B receives round(0.90 × (8.587 − 1.453)) = 6 strokes, C receives 12, and D receives 15. B marks one dot at stroke indexes 1 through 6; C marks indexes 1 through 12; D marks indexes 1 through 15.
Common questions
Why is four-ball match play normally played at a 90% handicap allowance?
The 90% figure is the recommended allowance in the USGA Rules of Handicapping Appendix C for four-ball match play. It is intended to make the format equitable while recognizing that a side can use its better score on each hole. The competition committee can specify another allowance, so its terms take priority.
Do I round Course Handicap before subtracting the lowest player?
No. Calculate each Course Handicap with full precision, subtract the lowest unrounded value, apply the allowance, and then round the final result once. Early rounding can move a player across a whole-stroke boundary and produce a different match allocation.
How do plus handicaps work in four-ball match play?
Enter a plus Handicap Index as a negative number. Its Course Handicap may be the lowest in the group, in which case that player plays from zero and the other players receive strokes relative to that value. The calculation does not turn a plus value into a positive stroke allowance.
How are match-play strokes assigned to holes?
Put the first complete set of strokes at the lowest scorecard stroke indexes, starting at index 1. If a player receives more strokes than the round has holes, give every index one stroke before starting a second set at the lowest indexes. Use the club’s published stroke indexes; they can differ from the hole numbers.
Can this calculator handle different tees and a nine-hole four-ball match?
Yes. Each player has separate Slope Rating, Course Rating, and par inputs, so the calculator converts every player from the appropriate tees before working off the low player. For nine holes, choose the 9-hole option and enter the ratings, par, and stroke indexes for that nine-hole round.
What is the difference between four-ball, best ball, and foursomes?
In four-ball, two partners each play their own ball and the better score counts for the side on each hole; it is often casually called best ball. In foursomes, partners play one ball in alternate shots, so it uses a different handicap allowance method. Always use the competition’s named format rather than assuming the terms are interchangeable.