Golf can occasionally become frustrating when experienced and beginning players play together. Because an inexperienced player tends to make more mistakes, this leaves the more experienced player frustrated because of the time spent waiting and the inability to get into a rhythm. The inexperienced player can become frustrated when they get “into a rut” and need to constantly attempt to recover from bad shots. Two-person Best Ball is a golf variation that can help even the playing field between the experienced and inexperienced and increase the level of fun for both.
Best Ball for Casual Play
In Best Ball for Casual Play, each person shoots from the tee as normal. After each ball has landed, the two players select the shot with the superior final position – the “Best Ball.” Retrieve the more poorly positioned ball. Then, both players take their second shots from the position where the best ball stopped rolling. Decide which of the two shots is better, and then continue in that fashion until you have completed the game. This golf variation is ideal for situations where an experienced player is teaching someone how to golf. The inexperienced player can have a little more fun than they might otherwise, because they will have more opportunities to shoot from the fairway. Also, after a few games, the inexperienced player may occasionally have the best ball, which can be a tremendous confidence boost.
Best Ball for Tournament Play
In Best Ball for Tournament Play, scoring becomes more important. For this reason, both players on a two-person team are required to shoot from their own ball positions. When one player on the team has completed the hole, the other player picks up their ball and the two continue to the next hole. This tournament variation is an excellent choice for giving players with varied skill levels the opportunity to play in a competitive environment, as even new players stand a chance of walking away with a score they can be proud of. Best Ball is a common golf variation for charity and business tournaments.
Best Ball Scoring
In Best Ball for casual play, it is generally not worthwhile to keep score because the two players essentially golf as a single unit, and individual performance does not particularly matter. If you do keep score, the score is shared between the two players. Count each best ball as one stroke. In Best Ball for tournament play, only the number of stokes for the person on the team who completes the hole first is recorded. In tournament play, “Four-person Best Ball” is a popular variation with four golfers to a team rather than two. Although each tournament may have its own particular rules, scoring is generally the same as described here.
