American Foursomes is a fantastic team golf format that combines strategy, teamwork, and a healthy dose of forgiveness, making it a favorite for club competitions and friendly weekend games. It's an action-oriented version of alternate shot that keeps both players involved while easing the pressure of a perfect drive. This guide will walk you through exactly how to play, offer some smart strategies for success, and clear up any confusion about its different names.
At its heart, American Foursomes is a two-person team competition played as a variation of alternate shot. The core idea is simple: both you and your partner hit a tee shot on every hole. After you've both hit, you choose the one tee shot you want to play a second shot from. From that point forward, you play alternate shot until the ball is holed out.
This format is often called by several different names, which can be a bit confusing. You'll commonly hear it referred to as Greensomes, Scotch Foursomes, or sometimes even Canadian Foursomes. While there might be tiny local rule variations, they all generally follow the same step-by-step procedure.
The beauty of this format is that it takes the pressure off any single player. Did you hit a bad drive? No worries, your partner likely found the fairway. This freedom allows you to play more aggressively off the tee and gives your team two chances to get into a good position, blending individual effort with team collaboration.
It's helpful to understand how American Foursomes differs from other popular Foursomes formats:
Knowing these distinctions will help you understand exactly what rules you're playing under when you head to the first tee.
The rules are straightforward, making it an easy game to learn. Here’s a simple breakdown of how a hole is played in American Foursomes.
Both you (Player A) and your partner (Player B) hit a tee shot. Right away, you have two golf balls in play and you're both immediately in the game.
After both players have hit, your team walks - or drives - down the fairway to assess the two tee shots. Together, you decide which ball is in the better position. You’ll pick one ball to continue playing with and pick up the other one. No penalty is incurred for picking up the ball not being used.
This is where the format gets its signature twist. The player whose drive was NOT chosen must hit the second shot.
This rule ensures that one player can’t carry the team by hitting both a great drive and a great approach.
After that second shot has been played, hole play continues in an alternate-shot format. Following the previous example:
You continue this back-and-forth pattern until your team holes the ball out. Then you move on to the next hole and start the process over again, with both of you teeing off.
American Foursomes isn't just about hitting good shots - it’s about planning and making smart team decisions. Shifting from an individual mindset to a team strategy is how you win. Here’s a bit of coaching advice to take to the course.
The best American Foursomes teams often pair players with complementary skill sets. A classic and effective pairing is a long-but-sometimes-wild hitter with a shorter-but-straighter hitter. The powerful player can take a rip off the tee, knowing that the "fairway finder" will likely have a safe backup in play. This gives your team the best of both worlds: a chance for a big distance advantage or a safe play to fall back on.
The "best" drive isn’t always the longest one. When you’re choosing which ball to play, consider several factors beyond sheer distance:
Talk constantly with your partner. Before teeing off on a tight par 4, you might agree that one person should hit iron for safety while the other hits driver to go for it. This pre-shot planning takes the guesswork out and lets everyone play with confidence.
Know what your partner likes to hit. If your partner says they feel great with a full-swing sand wedge in their hands, it might be smart to pick the tee shot that leaves them at that exact yardage. Playing to a teammate’s favorite club and a shot type is a huge advantage.
In individual golf, you manage your own game. In American Foursomes, you have to manage the team’s position on the course. A conservative play that keeps you out of trouble is often better than a risky "hero" shot that could lead to a big number.
Avoid doubling down on mistakes. If you’ve both missed the fairway, the priority should be to get the ball back into a good position, even if it means sacrificing a shot. Your new "par" on the hole might be a bogey, and playing for that smartly is much better than trying to force a par and ending up with a triple bogey.
Using handicaps makes the game fair and fun when teams of different abilities are competing against each other. While variations exist from club to club, the most widely accepted method for calculating a team’s handicap is recommended by the USGA and R&,A.
The standard formula is:
(60% of the lower-handicapped player’s Course Handicap) + (40% of the higher-handicapped player’s Course Handicap)
This team handicap is then used to determine the net score for the round in stroke play or what holes the team gets strokes on in match play.
American Foursomes, or Greensomes, truly captures the spirit of team golf. By letting both players hit every drive, it keeps everyone engaged and minimizes the frustration of a single bad shot, all while requiring thoughtful strategy to score well. It's a format that's easy for beginners to pick up and offers enough strategic depth to keep experienced golfers on their toes.
Winning in teamwork formats requires you and your partner to make smart, unbiased decisions on every shot. For those moments when you’re standing over a ball in a tricky spot and need a second opinion without the emotions, I built Caddie AI. By snapping a photo and asking for advice, our app provides a neutral, data-driven recommendation for how to play the shot, helping you navigate course management like a pro. With instant strategy for any hole and expert club selection advice, our goal is to eliminate your team's guesswork so you can play with total confidence.
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