What Is Team Stroke Play in Golf?

Team stroke play turns the famously individual sport of golf into a collaborative and social experience. It’s one of the most popular ways to play in scrambles, charity outings, and friendly weekend games because it reduces individual pressure and emphasizes teamwork. This article will break down what team stroke play is, explain the most popular formats like the Scramble and Best Ball, and give you practical strategies to help your team play better and have more fun.

First, A Quick Refresher on Stroke Play

Before we add teammates to the mix, let's quickly review the basics of standard, individual stroke play. In its simplest form, stroke play is a scoring system where you count the total number of strokes you have taken over one round of golf. After 18 holes, the player with the lowest total score is the winner. Everything counts - tee shots, fairway shots, chips, putts, and even penalty strokes. If you shoot an 85, your score is 85. This is also known as your gross score.

Many events also use a net score, where your golf handicap is subtracted from your gross score to level the playing field between golfers of different abilities. So, if your gross score is 85 and your handicap is 15, your net score would be 70. In stroke play, every single shot has an impact on your final number.

How Adding a Team Changes the Game

Team stroke play takes the core concept of counting strokes and applies it to a group of two, three, or four players. Instead of one individual's score determining the outcome, the team's performance is based on a combined result. The brilliant part is in how those scores are combined. There are several different formats, each with its own unique set of rules and strategies.

The beauty of team play is that it minimizes the impact of a single bad shot or a disastrous hole. We've all had that par-5 that turns into a 9. In individual stroke play, that can sink your round. In a team format, your partners are there to pick you up. This cooperative spirit makes it a fantastic way for golfers of all skill levels to compete together and enjoy a day on the course without feeling overwhelming pressure.

Common Team Stroke Play Formats You'll Play

While there are dozens of variations, most team stroke play competitions use one of a few time-tested formats. Understanding the rules for each one is the first step to developing a winning team strategy.

The Scramble (Sometimes called Texas Scramble)

The Scramble is far and away the most popular format for charity events and casual corporate outings. It’s fun, fast-paced, and lets everyone contribute, regardless of their skill level.

How it Works:

• All players on the team ( A, B, C, and D) hit a tee shot.
• The team members ride or walk to the balls and decide together which single tee shot is in the best position.
• Let's say they choose Player B's drive. The other players (A, C, and D) pick up their balls and drop them within one club-length of Player B’s ball.
• Everyone on the team then plays their second shot from this spot.
• This process repeats for every shot - fairway shots, pitches, and putts - until one team member holes out.
• The team records one score for the hole. For example, if the team holed out on their third shot, they record a score of 3.

Scramble Strategy Tips:

• Designate Your Hitter Order: Consistency is your friend. On the putting green, let your less confident putters go first. This gives your more confident players a chance to see the break and speed before their turn. Conversely, on the tee, let your "wild thing" or biggest hitter go last. If the other three players have already put a drive safely in the fairway, it gives your power hitter a "free swing" to be aggressive and try to get the ball way down there.
• Think About 'Leave' Putts: In a scramble on the green, you don't always want to ram the first putt four feet past the hole if it misses. Have the first putter try to a "die" the ball into the hole. If it misses, it will likely leave an easy, stress-free tap-in for the next player.
• Play to Strengths: Your team likely has players with different skills. Someone might be a clutch long-putter, another might be a deadly wedge player. Recognize these strengths and rely on the "specialist" when the situation calls for it.

Best Ball (Also known as Four-Ball or Better Ball)

Best Ball is the format you most often see in prestigious team competitions like the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. It allows for individual play within a team context.

How it Works:

• Unlike a scramble, every player on each team plays their own golf ball from tee to green on every single hole.
• At the end of the hole, you compare the scores of all team members.
• The team records only the single lowest score from one of its players.
• For example: On a par-4, Player A makes a 4, Player B makes a 5, Player C gets a double-bogey 6, and Player D makes a 5. The team's score for that hole is 4. The other scores are irrelevant for the team total.

Best Ball Strategy Tips:

• The "Safe" and "Aggressive" Roles: A classic Best Ball strategy is to have players adopt different roles on each hole. If Player A is first to play their approach shot, they might play it "safe" to the center of the green. This guarantees the team will have a decent score (likely a par) on the hole. This frees up the remaining players, especially Player D, to take a more "aggressive" line and fire directly at the flag, knowing there’s already a good score on the card.
• Keep Your Partner "in the Hole": The worst thing in Best Ball is when all players score poorly on the same hole. If you see your partner get into trouble (e.g., hits their drive into the trees), your own strategy should immediately become more conservative. Focus on just getting your ball in the fairway and onto the green. Your goal is to make a simple, stress-free par and ensure the hole isn't a total loss for the team.
• Never Give Up on a Hole: Even if you are having a terrible hole, don't just pick up your ball. Finish it out. You never know when a miracle chip-in or a long putt might just win the hole for your team.

Combined Score (or Aggregate)

This is arguably the most demanding and truest "team" format, because everyone's performance directly contributes to the final score.

How it Works:

• Just like in Best Ball, every player plays their own ball from tee to green.
• However, instead of taking just the one best score, the team's score for a hole is the sum of multiple scores.
• A common format is "2 of 4 Combined." This means on each hole, you take the two lowest scores from your team of four and add them together. For example, if players score 4, 5, 5, and 7, the team score is 4 + 5 = 9.
• In its purest (and most frightening!) form, all four players' scores might be added together. Using the above example, the team score would be 4 + 5 + 5 + 7 = 21.

Combined Score Strategy Tips:

• Avoid Blow-Up Holes: This is a format of survival. A single triple bogey can be devastating. The primary focus for every player should be on avoiding "the big number." This means playing conservatively, taking your medicine if you get in trouble (punching out of the trees instead of trying for the hero shot), and eliminating penalties.
• Focus on Bogeys Instead of Birdies: While birdies are great, the real goal in Aggregate is to eliminate anything worse than a bogey. If you can make sure your two posted scores are pars and bogeys all day, you will be very difficult to beat. It’s a contest of consistency, not flashiness.

Fun Hybrids and Variations

Beyond the "big three," you might encounter creative formats that blend elements of the others.

• Shamble: This is a popular hybrid of a Scramble and Best Ball. All players hit a tee shot, the team picks the best drive, and then everyone plays their own ball from that spot into the hole. The lowest individual score on the hole counts as the team score. It provides the benefit of a good drive (like a Scramble) while allowing for individual play on the rest of the hole (like Best Ball).
• Chapman/Pinehurst (for 2-person teams): Both players hit a tee shot. Player A then walks over and hits Player B’s ball for their second shot, and Player B hits Player A’s ball. After the second shots, they choose the ONE best ball to play from there. From that point on, they play alternate shot until the ball is holed. It fosters great communication and teamwork.

Winning Mindset for Team Golf

No matter what the format is, the right approach can make all the difference. Remember these tips to be a great teammate.

1. Know the Format Inside and Out: Before you hit the first tee, make sure every player on the team understands the rules. Your strategy in a Scramble is completely different from your strategy in a Combined Score event.
2. Communicate Constantly: Talk honestly with your partners. "I'm going to play this one safe on the right side." "I can see the putting line breaks a little to the left from my angle." Good information leads to good decisions.
3. Stay Positive: Golf is hard. Someone is going to hit a bad shot. Don't sigh, groan, or apologize for your own mistakes. The whole point of team golf is that you have others to lean on. Be encouraging, be supportive, and celebrate the great shots together.
4. Enjoy the Company: At its heart, team golf is about making the game more social. Enjoy the walk, the conversation, and the shared experience. A happy, relaxed team is almost always a better-performing team.

Final Thoughts

Team stroke play comes in many wonderful forms, from the beginner-friendly Scramble to the strategically demanding Best Ball and Aggregate formats. Understanding the specific rules and a few basic strategies for each will not only help your team perform better but will significantly increase how much fun you have on the course.

In any team format, playing with confidence stems from making smart decisions together. That's where I have found our app, Caddie AI, to be a fantastic resource. In a Best Ball match, a player can use it to determine the smartest course of action versus a riskier play, helping the team decide how to attack the hole. When your scramble team is stuck behind a tree, you can even snap a photo of the lie to get instant, actionable advice on the best shot to play, giving the entire group confidence to pull off the recovery.