Team Mode Is Here: Best Ball, Alternate Shot, and More Ways to Play Together

Team Mode Is Here: Best Ball, Alternate Shot, and More Ways to Play Together | 18Birdies

Golf is better with friends. Team Mode brings more ways to play.

Hole 18 at Triggs Memorial in Providence, RI. Tied match, drinks on the line, our Scramble team buried in a bunker 50 yards out. We needed to get up and down to win.

My buddy stepped up first and duffed it, leaving it all on me. I thought of Bryson staring down that bunker shot at the 2024 US Open at Pinehurst, got over the ball, and skulled it clean off the face. I hunched over in disappointment before I even looked up. I immediately heard my teammate roar in excitement as my ball somehow caught the lip and rolled out to five feet. My teammate drained it. Game over.

Golf is better with friends, and at 18Birdies we have seen that play out across roughly 160,000 Scramble rounds over the past five months. When the round belongs to the team, the pressure shifts, the game opens up, and suddenly everyone has a reason to be invested in every single hole. That is what team golf does. It turns a routine Saturday round into something worth talking about on the ride home. Today we are expanding that experience with Team Mode on 18Birdies.

Built on What You Already Love

When we launched Scramble Mode, the response was incredible. Golfers loved having a dedicated place to track team rounds, share results with friends, and enjoy a format where every good shot gets celebrated even when it might not be your best day.

After surveying our 18Birdies user base, the ask was clear: more team formats. Best Ball was the top request, with Alternate Shot close behind. Team Mode is the evolution of Scramble Mode into a full suite of team scoring options. Same easy setup, three formats to choose from, and it is all free.

Ready to play together? Start your team round now.

Start Your Team Round

The Three Formats

Team Mode launches with three unique formats, each designed to make the round more fun, keep a few bad swings from derailing the whole round, and give everyone on the team a way to contribute.

Scramble

The one you know. Everybody hits, the team picks the best shot, and you all play from there until the ball is holed. Pure fun, zero pressure, and one of golf's most social formats for good reason. Perfect for charity events, corporate outings, or any round where the vibe matters as much as the score.

Best Ball

Each player plays their own ball, and the lowest score on each hole counts for the team. It keeps the individual side of the game intact while giving you and your playing partners something to compete for on every hole. A good score feels personal while also helping the whole team.

Alternate Shot

Two players share one ball and alternate every shot until the hole is finished. Simple in concept, surprisingly demanding once the round gets going.

Not sure which format fits your group best? Read our full breakdown of Scramble vs. Best Ball vs. Alternate Shot.

Team scoring updates automatically throughout the round.

How It Works in 18Birdies

Setup

Start a new round in 18Birdies.

Select Team Scoring as your scoring mode.

Choose your format.

Scramble, Best Ball, or Alternate Shot.

Set up your teams, pick your tees, and go.

Scoring

For Scramble and Alternate Shot, one score gets entered per team after each hole, keeping things simple and fast since everyone is playing from the same ball. For Best Ball, each player enters their own score after every hole and the app automatically calculates your team's best score per hole without any manual tracking or math.

The scorecard shows the team result alongside each player's individual contributions so you can see exactly how the score came together. After the round, your result posts to the Community Feed where teammates can view the scorecard and share the results.

Team rounds post directly to the Community Feed after the round.

Play the Format That Fits the Day

Pick your format, build your teams, and play the version of golf that fits the day. Not the safe 7-iron off the tee on a par 5, but rather attempting to hit a Tiger "kisser cut" that curves over the trees and leaves your whole group in shock after you somehow stick the green. Open 18Birdies and start creating those moments today.

Play Team Mode

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Team Mode play count toward my handicap?

Scramble and Alternate Shot formats do not count toward your handicap, as there are no individual scores. However, Best Ball will count toward your handicap, as each player puts in their individual score for each hole. You can choose to exclude a Best Ball round from your handicap in the Round Settings.

How many players can play Team Mode in 18Birdies?

Team Mode supports up to five players per round. You can set up a single team or two competing teams in any combination, from a 1v1 matchup to a 1v4. You can also play a single-person Scramble, where you play two balls to test different shot strategies or just enjoy a casual round without it counting toward your handicap.

Will my Team Mode rounds show up in my round history and stats?

Your Team Mode rounds post to the Community Feed and are visible in your round history. Individual stats like putts and greens in regulation are tracked in Best Ball since each player plays their own ball. Scramble and Alternate Shot focus on the team score and do not generate individual stats.

Can I set up a Team Mode tournament in 18Birdies?

For larger competitive events with multiple groups, the Tournaments and Leagues feature in the app supports Best Ball, Scramble, Stroke Play, and Stableford. Organize your group and 18Birdies will handle the rest.

What team format do they use in the Ryder Cup?

The Ryder Cup features three formats across its matches: Foursomes, Four-Ball, and Singles. Foursomes is another name for Alternate Shot, where two partners share one ball and take turns hitting until it is holed. Four-Ball is the Ryder Cup's version of Best Ball, where both players play their own ball and the lower score counts for the team on each hole. Singles are straight head-to-head matchplay. If you have ever watched the Ryder Cup and wanted to recreate that team format feeling in your own round, Alternate Shot and Best Ball in Team Mode are exactly how you do it.

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