The 2027 Ryder Cup is a match-play competition between Europe and the United States, using foursomes, four-ball and singles. The official format specifies 28 matches across three competition days at Adare Manor in Ireland, from 17–19 September 2027.
The wider event week runs from 13–19 September. If you mainly want dates and venues, use the 2027 men's majors and Ryder Cup calendar. This guide explains what is happening once a match begins.
Three formats at a glance
| Format | Players on each side in a match | Balls used by each side | How the side competes on a hole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foursomes | Two partners | One | Partners alternate strokes |
| Four-ball | Two partners | Two | Each plays their own ball; the lower score counts |
| Singles | One player | One | One player faces one opponent |
All three are match play at the Ryder Cup. The objective is to win holes against the opposing player or pair, not to build the lowest team-wide stroke total.
Foursomes: alternate shot
In foursomes, partners share one ball and alternate strokes. They also alternate which partner starts each hole.
For example, Elena and Sam form an imaginary side. Elena tees off on the first hole; Sam plays the next stroke; Elena plays the next. Sam then starts the second hole.
This format requires a different reading of the broadcast from watching each player manage a separate ball. When someone hits an excellent approach, the next stroke belongs to the partner.
“Foursomes” is a formal playing format here. It does not simply mean four people happen to be playing together.
Four-ball: each partner keeps their own ball
In four-ball, partners play separate balls. The lower score supplies the side's result on the hole.
Imagine one European pair records 4 and 5, while the opposing pair records 5 and 6. The European side's 4 beats the opposing side's 5, winning that hole.
Both partners can influence a hole even though only the lower score counts. One may already have a useful result while the other still has an opportunity to improve the side's score.
Four-ball is not a scramble: players do not move their balls to a partner's selected shot location.
Singles: one against one
Each singles match places one European player against one American opponent. The player with the lower score on a hole wins it, subject to the applicable Rules.
A player who struggles badly on one hole loses that hole rather than carrying every extra stroke into a tournament-wide total. That is the essential match-play distinction.
How the 28 matches are arranged
The official 2027 format specifies four foursomes and four four-ball matches on each of the first two competition days, followed by twelve singles matches on the final day.
That gives sixteen pairs matches and twelve singles matches. Specific session timing, starting order and pairings should be checked against the organiser's current schedule rather than assumed from a previous edition.
Points and match results
A won match earns one team point; a tied match earns half a point for each side. With 28 points available, 14.5 points secures an outright victory. If the final team score is 14–14, the existing holder retains the Cup.
A match can end before the eighteenth hole. “4 and 3”, for example, means a side was four holes ahead with three remaining. That is a final result, not a missing section of the broadcast.
Likewise, a conceded putt can end a hole without the ball being holed. That is a feature of match play, not permission to use the same procedure in regular stroke play.
A useful way to follow the broadcast
Identify the format, look at the match's hole lead, then check the overall team points. Those are three separate pieces of information.
This article explains the published structure checked on 29 October 2026. Recheck official event information for subsequent changes. It is an independent guide, not an official Ryder Cup publication.