Orange Ball

Type Stroke
Alias None
Format Tournament
Number of players 2, 3, 4
Team or Individual play Team
  • This game is played with three regular golf balls and one orange ball. The orange ball is rotated among the team members and changes hands at each hole. For example, if Player A plays the orange ball at Hole 1, Player B at Hole 2, Player C at Hole 3, and Player D at Hole 4, then the order is as follows:

        Player A: Holes 1, 5, 9, 13, 17

        Player B: Holes 2, 6, 10, 14, 18

        Player C: Holes 3, 7, 11, 15

        Player D: Holes 4, 8, 12, 16

        • The player with the orange ball plays that ball and records their own score while the other three players play a traditional scramble.
        • At the completion of each hole, the orange ball score and the combined score of the two lowest balls from the scramble are added to determine the team score for that hole.
        • If the original orange ball is lost during play, it warrants a 5-stroke penalty. This penalty is added to the hole on which the ball was lost. A substitute orange ball is then played in its place. However, while the team can continue to play, they are not eligible to win the tournament.
        • In the case of a threesome, a minimum of five holes must be played by each member.
        • The team that finishes with the lowest score and returns the original orange ball at the end of the round is declared the winner.

              Variations

                  • Some tournament organizers can choose to give more than one orange ball to every team in a tournament, depending on the difficulty of the course. In this way, even if one orange ball is lost, the team is not eliminated from the tournament and can continue to play.
                  • In some tournaments, a certain amount of additional orange balls can be bought for a specified fee.