In this fun event, the USGA’s Rules of Golf, four-ball stroke play is: a competition in which two competitors play as partners, each playing his own ball. The lower score of the partners is the score for the hole. If one partner fails to complete the play of the hole, there is no penalty. Four-ball match play is defined as a match in which two players play their better ball against the better ball of two other players. Sometimes you may hear this format being called better ball.