Golf Glossary
Canadian Foursome
In short
The Canadian foursome is a format for two-player teams. Both partners tee off, the team chooses one of the two drives, and the partner whose ball was not chosen plays the second shot. After that the partners play alternate shots until the ball is holed. The name is not used the same way everywhere, so the terms of the competition decide.
What is a Canadian foursome in golf?
The Canadian foursome, also written Canadian foursomes, is one of the alternate-shot formats. Two partners form a team and play only one ball per hole. What makes it special is the start: both partners tee off, the team picks the better drive and the other ball is picked up. From there on the partners play alternate shots.
The format sits between the classic foursome and the scramble. As in the classic foursome there is just one ball that is struck alternately. As in a scramble you get a second chance at the start, because the team can choose between two drives. That takes the pressure off the opening shot and makes the format friendly for mixed teams.
It is worth knowing that ‘Canadian foursome’ is not a defined term in the Rules of Golf. Clubs and competition notices use it in different ways. This page follows the most common meaning, which is very close to greensomes.
Canadian foursome rules: the format shot by shot
The routine is the same on every hole.
- Step 1: both partners tee off, each with their own ball.
- Step 2: the team agrees which drive is better. That ball stays in play and the other one is picked up.
- Step 3: the partner whose drive was not chosen plays the second shot, from where the chosen drive lies.
- Step 4: from then on the partners alternate, including putts on the green, until the ball is holed.
The scorecard shows one team score per hole. Who plays the second shot depends on whose drive was chosen, so the order changes from hole to hole.
The Rules of Golf describe the classic foursome in Rule 22. The basic principles apply here as well: playing in the wrong order is penalised, and penalty strokes do not change the order of play. A short agreement on the tee about who putts first saves confusion.
Practical example: a par 4 in a Canadian foursome
Anna and Ben play a 340-metre par 4. Anna drives 190 metres to the middle of the fairway. Ben drives 215 metres but ends in the rough. The team chooses Anna’s ball because it lies better.
Ben plays the second shot from Anna’s position, 150 metres from the flag. He hits a 7-iron to six metres. That was the team’s second stroke.
Now Anna putts to within 50 centimetres, stroke three. Ben holes the short putt for stroke four. The team has taken four strokes, which is a par.
Had Anna holed from six metres, it would have been a birdie in three. The example shows the appeal of the format: both partners contribute, and one good drive can cover for a poor one. At the same time the pressure is real, because every shot by your partner shapes your own result.
Handicaps and scoring in a Canadian foursome
The format can be played as match play, stroke play or Stableford, depending on the terms of the competition.
Because the team plays one ball, it does not receive the sum of both handicaps. For greensome-type formats the World Handicap System recommends in Appendix C a weighting of 60 per cent of the lower and 40 per cent of the higher course handicap. Example: Anna has 12 and Ben has 28. That gives 7.2 plus 11.2, which is 18.4, rounded to 18 strokes for the team.
Friendly games sometimes use a simpler half of the combined handicaps. In official competitions the terms always decide.
A Canadian foursome does not count for your personal handicap. Only rounds in which every player makes all strokes with their own ball count for handicap. In Germany these are individual results, for example from individual stroke play or Stableford. That is not the case here.
One term, several meanings: why the terms of play matter
The name causes confusion because it is not used the same way everywhere. In many German-speaking clubs and English-language sources it means exactly what is described above: both tee off, one drive is chosen, then alternate shots. That corresponds to greensomes.
Other clubs use it for a variant in which each partner first plays the other’s ball after the drives, which resembles the Chapman format. Others simply use it as an umbrella word for various foursome formats with a joint choice of ball.
So read the competition notice or ask the organiser. A simple question settles it: does the team choose after the drives, and who plays the second shot?
If you run an event yourself, describe the format in two or three sentences. That prevents arguments at the first tee.
Tactics and tips for your team
Sharing the tasks well helps more than raw skill.
- Agree the order before the hole, so you know who plays the second shot if your ball is chosen.
- Play safe first: the partner who plays the second shot usually has a better position than on a normal hole, so aim for the green.
- Choose the ball with the better position for the next shot, not automatically the longest. A ball on the fairway beats a longer one in the rough.
- Use strengths: the better putter should take the short putts, the better long-iron player the second shot on long holes.
- Agree who putts first. The first putt shows the second partner the line.
For beginners the format is ideal because the pressure is shared. A poor drive often does not matter when your partner hits a good one.
How it differs from greensomes, Chapman and scramble
All of these use both partners’ balls at least at the start.
- Classic foursome: one ball from the start, partners alternate, including the tee shot. Covered by Rule 22.
- Canadian foursome or greensome: both tee off, the team chooses one drive, then alternate shots.
- Chapman: both tee off, each plays a second shot with the partner’s ball, then the team chooses one ball.
- Scramble: all players of a team play every shot and the team picks the best ball each time, all the way to the hole.
- Four-ball better-ball: each partner plays their own ball and the better score counts. Covered by Rule 23.
The Canadian foursome is the simplest entry among the foursomes with a choice of ball. If you are playing in a two-person team for the first time, you will find your way quickly.
Try it at Golf Lounge
Besides the Resort Cup and fun tournaments, Golf Lounge Resort Hamburg in Moorfleet also runs team tournaments. The format used is stated in the notice for each event. If you would like to try foursome formats like this in a pair beforehand, you can do so on the 9-hole Black course, which is open from April to December for players with the DGV Platzreife. Tee times are booked online, with up to four players per booking.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Canadian foursome in golf?
The Canadian foursome is a format for two partners. Both tee off, the team chooses one drive, and the partner whose ball was not chosen plays the second shot. After that the partners alternate until the ball is holed. One team score counts per hole. The name is not used the same way everywhere, so the terms of play apply.
What is the difference between a Canadian foursome and greensomes?
Usually there is none, because both names describe the same routine: both tee off, the team picks one ball, then alternate shots. Some clubs, however, apply the name to other variants, for example a Chapman-style format. The competition notice tells you what is meant.
How are handicaps calculated in a Canadian foursome?
For greensome-type formats the World Handicap System recommends 60 per cent of the lower and 40 per cent of the higher course handicap. With handicaps of 12 and 28 that gives 7.2 plus 11.2, rounded to 18 strokes for the team. The terms of the competition are always binding.
Does a Canadian foursome count for your handicap?
No. Only rounds in which every player makes all strokes with their own ball count for handicap. In a Canadian foursome the partners play shared balls, so the round does not count for handicap purposes.
As of: October 2026