Alternate Shot Golf (Complete Overview)

Written by Todd in Golf Club Questions

There are many different formats that golfers use to keep the game fun and fresh.

There is the traditional scramble format most often played at fundraiser based outings.

There is a best ball, which is a great format to team up and still allow everyone to play their golf ball over the course of the round.

One of the more unique formats is the alternate shot format in golf.

How To Play Alternate Shot in Golf?

Players A and B will play against players C and D.  Each team determines what partner will tee off on the odd number holes and which partner will tee off on even number holes.  After the tee shot is hit, the partners will alternate shots until the golf ball is hole out.

It doesn’t matter who makes the putt, the partner designated to tee off on the next holes will tee off regardless of who holes out the putt.

There is some strategy to picking who will what odd or even number tee shots based on the format of the golf course.

What is another name for alternate shot in golf?

The other name most commonly used is Foursomes.

This is not to be confused with Fourball which is what match play is call due to four golf balls being in play off the tee.

Does the Ryder Cup play alternate shot?

Yes, the Ryder Cup uses Alternate Shot (Foursomes) for two sets of matches and Best Ball (Fourball) for two sets of matches, followed by the singles matches on the final day of the competition.

The President Cup also plays both Alternate Shot (Foursomes) and Best Ball (Fourball)

Is alternate shot a popular format at clubs?

No, it can be difficult to play alternate shot and most golfers want to play their own ball for the duration of the match vs hitting pretty much every other shot.  The preferred method is typically a Fourball format that will involve Match Play scoring.

Is there a challenging tee shot that one partner might handle better than the other?

Why is alternate shot difficult?

What I have found to be most difficult with alternate shot is that the golfer only gets to hit every other tee shot and every other approach shot.  This keeps the golfer from potentially getting into a rhythm and becoming comfortable with the round of golf.

Also the golfer may not putt for a couple of greens based on how his or her partner is putting.

Overall, it is difficult to find your game and becomes even more difficult if you are struggling on that day.

The other difficulty with alternate shot is that the golfer is relying on a playing partner to put them in a proper position on the golf course, plus the pressure that a golfer might feel to keep his or her partner in a good position on the golf course.

One of the benefits of alternate shot is that if you are struggling with the putter, you might not have to hit a difficult 3-5 footer after a poor lag putt and the pressure shifts to your partner.  Or if you are playing a hole you normally struggle on off of the tee, you can set it up to ensure your partner is hitting that tee shot.

How to prepare for alternate shot?

If you know who your partner is going to be, you can play a practice round with each other.  The adjustment you can make is to play the tee shot of your partner and alternate until you finish the hole.  Each golfer can still hit the same number of typical shots, but can dial in certain distances they might face if the two partners don’t drive the ball a similar distance.

The other key adjustments to find a golf ball that fits both players if they use different brands of golf balls.  This has caused major issues in previous Ryder Cups and many times the captain will try to pair teammates that have similar styles and use similar golf balls.

Don’t forget to have fun and enjoy the journey!

Strategy for Alternate shot format?

The biggest strategy is considering who will what the odd or even numbered tee shots. Somethings to take into consideration:

  • Are there more par 3s on the odd or even numbered holes. Does one playing partner typically play par 3s better or is better with irons?
  • Are there really difficult driving holes? Does one playing partner typically hit higher quality tee shots?
  • Are there certain par 5s where extra distance off the tee is vital? Does one playing partner hit the ball further than the other?
  • Who can hit the best pressure shot off of number 1 or off of number 18 if the match is close?

Final Thoughts: Try Out Different Formats

Golf is supposed to be fun! Enjoy the journey and test out the different formats.  Most golfers enjoy having something on the line, even if it is simple bragging rights.  Trying alternate shot as part of a 36 hole match can help keep golfers fresh and take off the pressure of grinding it out for 36 holes in one day.

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My Secret To Golf Improvement

Let’s face it, in order to get really good at golf, we must practice frequently.  About five years ago, I made the leap and invested in a golf simulator build for my garage.  I went with a SkyTrak Launch Monitor and the TGC software and can now play over 100,000 courses including Augusta, Pebble Beach, Bethpage Black, Whistling Straits. St. Andrews and many other of the top 100 courses in the world.

This golf simulator setup, which is more affordable that you might imagine, has been a game changer.  I can now play golf everyday of the year regardless of rain, snow, cold weather or time of day.  I can practice or play rounds of golf.  I can stand in the 11th fairway at Augusta and with the auto-rewind feature I am able to practice my approach shots from various differences.

It is worth checking out through Rain or Shine Golf as they offer some incredible packages along with financing offers that are difficult to beat.

Some direct links to Rain or Shine Golf for pricing and financing:

Take Action – What You Can Do Today to Get Better

What does this mean for you?  I believe in the following recipe to get better:

1 – Improve your motion in the golf swing by identifying a golf instructor.  Here are some options:

Here is a list of golf instructors that we have reviewed:

2 – Train to swing faster and improve your swing speed.  Here are some options:

Looking to gain more Speed and Distance in your swing. Two Options:

3 – Understand course strategy and work to break through your next barrier.  Here is a series on breaking through:

We have provided guides on how to break 100, 90, 80 and 70. Check out more below, if interested.

4 – Practice Frequently

Did you know that I build a golf simulator in my garage and have played over 500 rounds of golf on my SkyTrak system?  It has been a game changer and one worth checking out. Here are some of my other posts on golf simulators frequently asked questions:

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