What makes the Solheim Cup different from your regular tournaments? The format. This biennial event offers foursome and four-ball types of match play. While you are getting ready to witness America vs. Europe at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia, here are the differences between the foursome and four-ball formats.

Foursomes and four-balls indeed sound relatively the same, but they are not. As per rule 22 in the Rules of Golf, the foursome is a type of team match or stroke play, which is also known as an alternate shot, and this name might help you to understand it better. A golfer will team up with another golfer and then they will take their turns to hit a single ball on each hole in an alternate order.

Although four-ball is also a form of team match or stroke play, it’s the opposite of foursomes. Coming under Rule 23, the four-ball format is also known as low ball or best ball. Its alternate name might not clarify much, but it refers to a type of play where golfers at the Solheim Cup compete side by side. Unlike foursomes, each golfer uses their own ball. For each hole, your team’s score will be the lower of the two scores.

Be it four-ball or foursomes, it will grant the match winner one point. In case of a tie, the golfers will receive a half-point. There are a total of 28 points to grab, and the first team to reach 14 ½ (or more) will claim the cup. However, if there is a tie, the defending champion will retain the cup. Last year Europe was able to retain it; it will be interesting to see how the tournament will unfold this time.

The action will start as early as 7 am on Friday. However, there will be foursomes and four-ball matches on Friday and Saturday at the tournament. Meanwhile, you can watch singles matches on the final day, Sunday. Let’s see what the timings and pairings for the tournament look like.

What are the match timings and format at the Solheim Cup?

The first Foursomes match will start on Friday at 7:05 am ET. There will be a total of 4 foursomes matches, with the last one expected to start at 7:41 am ET. After almost 5 hours of break, you can expect Fourball matches to start at 12:05 pm ET. Just like Foursomes, there will be four four-ball matches, and that’s all there will be to enjoy on Day 1 of the Solheim Cup.

Moving to the second day, Saturday, there are no changes in timings and matches unless there is an external delay. After these two days, the grand finale will offer you not eight but twelve matches, and there will be singles. The singles will start at 8:50 am ET, and if everything goes right, the last match will start at 10:40 am ET, and we can expect to see the winner at noon.

Now that the anticipation continues to build for the tournament, which team are you rooting for this time? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!