This Ryder Cup Begins With Foursomes, a Sometimes-Frustrating and Unfamiliar Format

Also known as alternate shot, foursomes have proved baffling for the U.S. in road Ryder Cups.

ROME — The format that frustrates and infuriates will kick off the Ryder Cup on Friday morning, promising to cause some awkward moments between partners who are far from accustomed to playing golf in such a manner.

You’d be hard-pressed to find any of today’s star golfers playing foursomes in casual golf at any point unless it is to get ready for a Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup.

You’d be hard-pressed to find many around the world who purposely set out to engage in a style of game that sees you hitting half the shots.

There are some notable exceptions such as Muirfield in Scotland, where it is the game of choice, with 18-hole rounds concluding in some two-and-a-half hours and getting to lunch (or the bar) a bigger priority.

Xander Schauffele (left) and Patrick Cantlay, pictured at the 2019 Presidents Cup, are unbeaten in foursomes in Cup competitions and figure to play again this week / Imago

Here at Marco Simone Golf Club, the foursomes format that will be used both Friday and Saturday mornings will inevitably play a big part in the overall outcome. While it is just eight of the overall 28 points, it can set the tone for the day or the entire event.

"Obviously, it’s significantly different," said Max Homa, who last week practiced the format at his home course in Arizona with Wyndham Clark.

Foursomes, also known as alternate shot, begins with partners deciding to alternate tee shots on odd and even holes. From there, the other partner hits the second shot, then the alternating continues until the ball is holed.

It can mean oddities for a player such as not hitting a driver for long periods of time, not hitting a mid- or long-iron or even a chip shot, or going several holes without hitting a meaningful putt.

"It’s really hard, in terms of getting in any sort of flow," said American Xander Schauffele. “You're hitting half the shots. So if you start off kind of cold, you have quite a long time to hit your next shot depending on sort of what the hole is.

"I think it's something that we're going to get better at, now that everyone is a similar age and everyone really gets along well ... golf as a whole has gone one direction that's sort of 'hit it as far as you can and do everything else in between.' I think guys are starting to figure it out."

Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay have emerged as a strong foursomes pairing for the United States, having played together in two Presidents Cup and one Ryder Cup, all winning efforts. Not only did the U.S. teams prevail in those matches but Cantlay and Schauffele went 5-0.

There are some other natural U.S. teams for foursomes based on past team competitions, such as Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth and Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns. Captain Zach Johnson will have to mix that with how he wants to play fourball (best ball) as well as conserving energy for Sunday’s singles.

Getting prepared for the format presents a challenge. Players need to get to know the golf course for their own games as well. Fourball and singles require you to play your own ball.

But you also need to figure out where you might be hitting from with a partner, who is going to tee off on the odd or even holes, developing a strategy.

"We’ve advised them to play some alternate shot (in the practice rounds), maybe even modified, so you get more reps in," said U.S. captain Zach Johnson. “You’re both teeing off, and then you’re switching. There’s ways you can go about it so you can more reps in on the golf course, which helps you for singles, which helps you for fourball.

"But we told them it would be wise and would speed up practice rounds a little bit if you want to get some more practice in or physio work in or whatever it may be. They are in tune with that, and that’s not something new."

Another part to work out is the golf ball. Players are used to hitting the brand and type of ball they play with every week. They spend considerable time tweaking their specifications and getting it correct.

In foursomes, you cant switch golf balls between shots—although you can change them from tee to tee. (The one-ball rule in use at typical tour events is not used at the Ryder Cup). That means for certain holes the golf ball is unfamiliar and can react different.

"I think all these golf balls react pretty similar with a driver," said Rory McIlroy. "It’s more the iron shots and around the greens. If I’m playing with a guy who uses a different golf ball, I can just hit his golf ball off the tee. He’s able to hit it into the green and we go from there. Vice-versa, he can hit my golf ball off the tee and I can hit my ball into the green and do that.

"Yeah, it can get a little tricky if you’re chipping and putting, different feels of ball. Spin rates is a big thing, especially if the wind gets up in some of these elevations. So just trying to get comfortable with that in some ways and trying to be mindful of it.

“But I don’t think it presents a huge challenge. I think guys are pretty much adaptable. We have 24 of the best players in the world here. If we can’t adapt a little bit to a slight change of the golf ball, the game is certainly not going in the right direction. So I think we are O.K."

Perhaps, but European captain Luke Donald sees an advantage in the format for his side. The home captain can decide the order of formats, and Donald went with foursomes, a switch from traditionally starting with fourball.

The U.S. side should not be at a disadvantage in the format. The Presidents Cup helps get players acclimated so that now once a year those who manage to make both U.S. teams get more familiar.

But there is an interesting trend that has developed. In the last four Ryder Cups that have been played overseas, the U.S. has been dreadful at foursomes, securing just 9½ points to Europe’s 22½. The U.S. got wiped out 4-0 in the afternoon foursomes in France five years ago, effectively putting them behind for the entire competition. They went 2-6 overall in the format.

"Pretty simple really," Donald said. “We feel like as a team, statistically we are stronger in foursomes within our team the would be in fourballs. Why not get off to a fast start? That’s it."