Best ball golf — your own ball, the team’s best number
Everyone plays their own ball. On each hole, the team keeps the lowest score among teammates. Simple to explain, easy to mess up if nobody is writing individual scores down. Rounds keeps every ball live so the team number is obvious.
Download on the App StoreBest ball rules
Also called fourball when played as match play pairs. Each player completes the hole with their own ball (pace-of-play rules may allow picking up when you can’t beat your partner). The team score for the hole is the best individual score. Sum team holes for stroke play, or win holes for match play best ball.
Why individual scores still matter
The team only needs one number — but you only know that number if both (or all four) scores are known. Live scorekeeping for every player in Rounds prevents the classic “I think I had 5, so we had 5” shrug.
Best ball vs scramble vs Wolf
Scramble: play from the chosen best shot. Best ball: play your own ball, take the best score. Wolf: rotating partner format with pots. Different social energy — same need for an honest card. Rounds is built for the group formats you actually play.
Side bets on a best-ball day
Team best ball as the main game, birdie pots or H2Hs on the side — peer-to-peer challenges can share the same live round. Settle in-app when 18 is done. Free for most features on iOS.
Example hole
Setup
You and Sam vs two others in better-ball match play. You make bogey 5; Sam makes par 4. Opponents make 4 and 6.
Result
Your team ball is Sam’s 4; theirs is 4 — hole halved. Because both of your scores were on the live card, nobody wonders whether Sam actually made the putt when you settle presses later.
How to play best ball in Rounds
Set teams and stakes
Pairs or teams of three/four — agree stroke play or match play best ball.
Score every player
Enter each ball hole by hole on the live scorecard in Rounds.
Take the best score
Team number per hole is clear when individual scores are honest.
Settle side action
Challenges and presses settle in-app from the same round.
Frequently asked questions
Explore more
Scorekeeping
Betting & side action
Ready to play?
Live scoring, side bets, and in-app settlement — free for most features on iOS.
Download on the App Store