One drive is in the fairway and the other is out of bounds. What do you do?

Choose either one with a penalty stroke

With the ball already chosen, B hits it into a penalty area. Does the penalty change the turn?

No: the partner whose turn it is plays

What handicap allowance does the WHS recommend for greensomes?

60% of the lower plus 40% of the higher

One drive is out of bounds or lost and the other is in play.

In keeping with the format, where the drive that is not chosen is picked up, the side chooses the ball in play and the other one does not count. Section 9B does not say it in these words: if the terms of the competition say otherwise, they apply.

Both drives out of bounds or lost.

Neither the Rules nor Section 9B settle this case: the terms of the competition do. In keeping with the format, the side chooses one of the two balls under stroke and distance (Rule 18.2b) and the partner who did not hit that drive plays 3 from the teeing area, because a penalty does not change the turn (Rule 22.3). They do not both tee off again.

A drive may be out of bounds or lost.

If the other drive is in play, no provisional is needed: choose that one. If both may be out or lost, Section 9B does not settle it; in keeping with the format, each partner plays a provisional with their own ball and the side then chooses as it does with the drives. Check the terms of the competition.

After choosing the ball.

It is played as foursomes: alternate strokes until the ball is holed, and a penalty stroke does not change the turn (Committee Procedures 9B; Rule 22.3).

Morris

GuidesWhatsAppText Morris

Greensomes

Both partners tee off, pick one drive and play that ball by alternate shot until it is holed.

Players: Pairs
Scored by: Strokes · Holes
Difficulty: Medium
WHS allowance: 60/40 %

Have Morris explain it

morris.golf/greensome

One hole, shot by shot

Hole 1 · Par 4 · SI 7

Shot	1	2	3	4
EmmaHcp 12
JackHcp 20

Strokes: 1

Step by step

How it is played

Both partners tee off on every hole and choose one of the two drives; the other ball is picked up. The partner whose drive was not chosen plays the next stroke, and they alternate from there until the ball is holed (Committee Procedures, 9B).

The cases that raise questions

One drive is out of bounds or lost and the other is in play.
In keeping with the format, where the drive that is not chosen is picked up, the side chooses the ball in play and the other one does not count. Section 9B does not say it in these words: if the terms of the competition say otherwise, they apply.
Not set by the Rules: the terms of the competition decideR&A, Committee Procedures, Section 9: Other Forms of Play Rules of Golf (R&A), Rule 18: Stroke-and-Distance Relief, Ball Lost or Out of Bounds, Provisional Ball
Ask Morris
Both drives out of bounds or lost.
Neither the Rules nor Section 9B settle this case: the terms of the competition do. In keeping with the format, the side chooses one of the two balls under stroke and distance (Rule 18.2b) and the partner who did not hit that drive plays 3 from the teeing area, because a penalty does not change the turn (Rule 22.3). They do not both tee off again.
Not set by the Rules: the terms of the competition decideR&A, Committee Procedures, Section 9: Other Forms of Play Rules of Golf (R&A), Rule 18: Stroke-and-Distance Relief, Ball Lost or Out of Bounds, Provisional Ball Rules of Golf (R&A), Rule 22: Foursomes
Ask Morris
A drive may be out of bounds or lost.
If the other drive is in play, no provisional is needed: choose that one. If both may be out or lost, Section 9B does not settle it; in keeping with the format, each partner plays a provisional with their own ball and the side then chooses as it does with the drives. Check the terms of the competition.
Not set by the Rules: the terms of the competition decideR&A, Committee Procedures, Section 9: Other Forms of Play Rules of Golf (R&A), Rule 18: Stroke-and-Distance Relief, Ball Lost or Out of Bounds, Provisional Ball Rules of Golf (R&A), Rule 22: Foursomes
Ask Morris
After choosing the ball.
It is played as foursomes: alternate strokes until the ball is holed, and a penalty stroke does not change the turn (Committee Procedures 9B; Rule 22.3).
Under the RulesR&A, Committee Procedures, Section 9: Other Forms of Play Rules of Golf (R&A), Rule 22: Foursomes
Ask Morris

Handicap

WHS recommendation (Appendix C): 60% of the lower handicap plus 40% of the higher one. The Committee sets it in the terms of the competition.

Source: WHS Rules of Handicapping, 2024 edition, Appendix C

Your playing handicap

Enter each player's course handicap: the format's allowance does the rest.

YouYour partner

The side's playing handicap15

You: 60 % × 12 = 7.2
Your partner: 40 % × 20 = 8
Σ 15.2 → 15
Rounded to the nearest whole number.

Ask Morris with these handicaps

Basis in the Rules

Not a form of play of its own in the Rules: Rule 21.5 lets them be adapted and the R&A describes it in its Committee Procedures (Section 9B) as a variation of foursomes. Whatever that does not cover is set by the terms of the competition.

Got it?

A 4-question recap to check you have it. Every answer comes with its why and its source.

Question 1 of 4

In greensomes, who plays the second stroke?

The card, for your group

The format at a glance, with its short link. Send it to your group before you tee off.

Greensomes card: who plays and how, step by step

Send on WhatsApp Save the picture

Organising a Greensomes?

Morris sets up the terms, the groups and the handicap allowance with you on WhatsApp.

Organise it with Morris

Other formats

All formats