The HurleyBurley Foursome is a fun, fast-paced golf format that blends the teamwork of traditional foursomes with an element of rotation and strategy. It is particularly popular for corporate days, charity events, and social club competitions where variety and engagement are prioritized over strict tradition.
Unlike a standard foursomes match (where two partners alternate shots on one ball), the HurleyBurley Foursome introduces mid-hole rotation or alternating tee boxes, keeping every player involved on every hole.
| Result | Winning Team Points | |---------------------------------------------|----------------------| | Team A’s better ball beats Team B’s better ball | 1 point | | Team A’s worse ball also beats Team B’s better ball | 2 points (Bonus) | | Tie on better balls | 0 points (or half) |
Variations exist – some clubs award 2 points for a standard win and 3 for a “double win.” hurleypurley foursome
First, let’s dismantle the name. In golf, a foursome (also known as "alternate shot") is a format where two players form a team and play one ball, alternating shots until the hole is finished. That part is standard.
The word "HurleyBurley" (often misspelled as "HurleyBurly" or "Hurlyburly") is the modifier. In common English, "hurly-burly" means a state of commotion, tumult, or disorder—think Shakespeare’s Macbeth ("When the hurly-burly's done, / When the battle's lost and won").
In golf, a hurleypurley foursome combines the structure of a foursome with the scoring system of a scramble or a greensome, but with a crucial, maddening twist: After each hole, the team rotates which player hits which shots. The HurleyBurley Foursome is a fun, fast-paced golf
Here is the standard rule set:
In its purest form, the hurleypurley foursome is a simple 9 or 18-hole alternate-shot match where the batting order is in constant flux. This prevents one stronger player from simply crushing driver every time, forcing strategic adaptation hole by hole.
Visually, HurleyPurley calls for bright, incongruous elements—patterned costumes, mismatched instruments, graffitilike typography. Onstage, movement could emphasize circular patterns and quartet choreography; musically, expect syncopation, modal shifts, and unexpected pauses—playful structures that surprise but resolve. In its purest form, the hurleypurley foursome is
| Aspect | Normal Fourball (Better Ball) | Hurley Park Fourball | |----------------------|-------------------------------|------------------------| | Objective | Lowest better ball wins hole | Win via better ball or double | | Team focus | One good score per hole | Both scores matter – a bad score can still win if opponent is worse | | Risk/reward | Conservative; one player can carry | Aggressive; both need to score well to maximise points | | Comeback potential | Moderate | High – a double win changes match dynamics instantly |
Knowing you have a "mulligan" built into every tee box encourages hero shots. That risky line over the water? Go for it. If you fail, your partner’s safe lay-up is there as a backup. This leads to spectacular birdies and hilarious double-bogeys in equal measure.
Sutton's Sanctuary © 2026
