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How to Play Chapman (Pinehurst) in Golf — Rules Explained

Learn how the Chapman format (Pinehurst System) works in golf — both tee off, swap balls, pick the best, then alternate. Includes a worked example.

What is Chapman?

Chapman — also called the Pinehurst System or American Foursomes — is a two-person team format that blends a scramble's tee shots with a foursome's alternate-shot finish. Both partners tee off on every hole using their own ball, giving the team two chances right from the start, unlike a straight alternate shot format where only one player tees off.

How Chapman scoring works

  1. Both players tee off using their own ball.
  2. Partners then swap balls for the second shot: Player A plays Player B's drive, and Player B plays Player A's drive.
  3. After both second shots, the team picks whichever ball is in the better position. The other ball is picked up.
  4. The player whose second shot was not chosen plays the third shot. From there, the team alternates shots on the chosen ball until it's holed.
  5. One team score is recorded per hole — total strokes taken with the ball actually played to completion.
  6. Handicap allowance: 60% of the lower-handicap partner's course handicap, plus 40% of the higher-handicap partner's, combined into one team playing handicap.

Worked example

On a par 4, Player A drives into the fairway, Player B drives into the rough. They swap: Player A now plays B's ball from the rough, hitting a strong recovery back to the fairway. Player B plays A's ball from the fairway, hitting it onto the green. The team picks Player B's shot (on the green) to continue with — so Player A, whose second shot wasn't chosen, plays the third shot: the putt.

Common mistakes

  • Forgetting that the player whose second shot wasn't picked plays next — it's easy to lose track of whose turn it is after the swap.
  • Choosing the ball in the better position without considering who has to hit the next, potentially harder, shot.
  • Using the wrong handicap split — Chapman's 60/40 combined allowance is different from foursome's flat 50%.

Track your Chapman round automatically

Keeping track of two starting balls, a swap, a selection, and then an alternating finish is a lot to hold in your head over 18 holes. Golf with Mates keeps your team's score straight through every stage of the hole.

Related guides

Chapman scoring handled from tee to green.

Switch drives, pick a ball, settle the team score.

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