Foursome is a type of golf in which two players form a team and face another team of two players. The key to the game is that both players on the team share a single ball. How does this work? I'll explain it to you step by step:
- Alternating Strike: The two players on the team take turns hitting the same ball. One of them starts on the first hole and then, no matter where the ball lands, the other player hits the next shot. This alternating pattern continues until they finish the hole. On the next hole, the other player starts the first shot, and so on. That's why it's called "alternating stroke."
- Strategy: As you can imagine, strategy is key in foursomes, as you must trust your partner and think together about how to handle each hole. It's not about everyone playing their own ball here; coordination and communication are essential to get the most out of each shot.
- Punctuation: The most common format in foursomes is match play, where the team that completes each hole in fewer strokes wins that hole. The goal is to win more holes than the other team during the round. It can also be played in stroke play, where the team with the fewest total strokes at the end of the round is the winner.
This format is very popular in competitions such as the Ryder Cup and the Solheim Cup, and what makes it exciting is that it is based on teamwork and the ability to adapt to your partner's game.
The anecdote of foursome golf:
During the 2018 Ryder Cup, held at Le Golf National near Paris, which I was lucky enough to attend, Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood They formed an explosive duo in the modality of foursome and fourball, being so dominant that they earned the nickname "Moliwood."
In particular, in the foursome sessions, Molinari and Fleetwood demonstrated an exceptional connection and level of play. What was really surprising was that this duo won all the games they played together, something extremely difficult to achieve in a competition as intense as the Ryder Cup. In fact, they became the first European duo in Ryder Cup history to win all four of their matches as a pair.
One of the most notable victories was in the category of foursome against the powerful American duo of Tiger Woods and Patrick ReedMolinari and Fleetwood played with incredible precision, outplaying Woods and Reed by a score of 4 and 3 (winning by 4 holes with 3 to play). This was a big surprise for many, as Woods and Reed were considered a very strong pair, but “Moliwood” simply dominated the match.
Molinari and Fleetwood continued their winning streak throughout the tournament, helping Europe win the Ryder Cup with a final score of 17½ to 10½Molinari also made history by becoming the first European player to win the five possible points in a single Ryder Cup, which further cemented his status as a European team hero.
