Solheim Cup 2023: Rules and Format explained

The Solheim Cup is the female counterpart to the Ryder Cup in professional golf. Since 1990, the best female golfers from Europe have squared off against their American counterparts every two years in teams of twelve players each.

Solheim Cup 2023: Rules and format

In 1996, the Solheim Cup adopted the exact same format as the Ryder Cup. Over the course of three days, the tournament is played in a “woman-to-woman” format, comprising a total of 28 matches over 18 holes. Three different game formats are played over these three tournament days. On the first and second tournament days, there are a total of eight classic foursomes (alternate shot) and eight four-ball best-ball matches (fourballs). In these matches, two players from one team, appointed by the captain, compete against two players from the opposing team. On the final day, the competition culminates in singles matches, where it’s one-on-one.

Foursomes

On Friday and Saturday, four foursome matches are played. Here, the same ball is alternately played within a team of two until it’s holed. If one team takes fewer strokes than the opponent on a hole, they go “1 up.” If a team is ahead by more holes than there are remaining, the match ends before the 18th hole, and the winning team gets a point. If both teams have won an equal number of holes, the match is halved, and each team receives half a point.

Fourballs

On Friday and Saturday, four fourball matches are also played. In these matches, two European golfers face off against two American golfers in a foursome flight. However, unlike foursomes, all four players use their own balls. Only the best score per team is counted for each hole. Otherwise, the same rules as other match-play formats apply. Whether the days start with foursomes or fourballs is determined by the event organizer.

Singles

On Sunday, the Solheim Cup concludes with twelve singles matches. The order in which players from each team face representatives of the opposing team is determined by the respective captain. However, captains do not know in advance which players will face each other. The matchups are randomized by the captains’ selections, a process that also applies to foursomes and fourballs.

How the Solheim Cup is decided

For every victory in a match, the team earns a point, which contributes to the team’s overall score. If a match ends in a tie, both teams receive half a point. With a total of 28 matches, there are 28 points up for grabs. A team needs 14.5 points to win the Solheim Cup. In the event of a tie, the defending champions are declared the winners.