What is 'ham and egging' in golf?

Though light-hearted and colloquial in its name, there’s no arguing with the effectiveness of ham and egging when it comes to team formats in golf.

If you’ve never heard of it and frequently play foursomes or four-ball better-ball, then adding some ham and egg to your golfing plate could revolutionise your game. But what is ham and egging, and how does it work?

Here, you’ll learn where the idea came from, different interpretations of its meaning and how it can be used across different formats.

A definition of ham and egging

Ham and egging refers to a round of golf in which partners cover for each other’s deficiencies, errors and shortcomings on a hole-to-hole, or even shot-to-shot, basis.

This is an important distinction. Ham and egging is not when one player in a team of two is a significantly better golfer than the other, and is single-handedly covering the back of a weaker partner on every single hole.

No, it’s a much more equitable playing style than that. Player A could have a nightmare on a hole for any particular reason, so Player B adjusts their game to cover for them and make sure that the team as a whole doesn’t suffer because one player finds particular holes and situations more challenging than the other.

On the next hole, the roles might be reversed. Here, Player B might struggle, hit a poor shot, or generally find it difficult to make heads or tails of the task at hand. Not to worry, then, because Player A will make up for this with an improved performance of their own.

Ham and egging strategies

This is where strategy and understanding come into the picture. To effectively ham and egg a round, your strengths and your partner’s weaknesses must complement one another. Player A’s drive might be superb, and they might have absolutely no issue making the fairway. Player B might not be the best driver of the ball, but may instead be a master of approach shots or putting.

The two players can then approach the course with a strategic view, knowing which holes suit each of their skill sets and which holes each player may need to be rescued on.

However, sometimes you may be made to ham and egg even if you didn’t plan on it.

Let’s face it: every golfer messes up a shot every now and then. So, if Player A hooks their shot and it flies into the rough, Player B may then decide to play more safely and more conservatively to ensure that they make par, so the first shot doesn’t have a negative effect on the team’s score.

Ham and egging in different formats

The above scenario is only really applicable for a round of four-ball better-ball. This is the format where ham and egging is particularly useful.

Four-ball better-ball

In a four-ball better-ball game, each of the four players (in two teams of two) has a ball of their own. As the name suggests, only the best of the two balls per team counts towards the overall score. If Player A hits a bogey, but Player B manages an excellent birdie, only the birdie would count. The unsuccessful bogey would be wiped from existence.

You can probably see why ham and egging it would suit this format more, because there’s additional leeway. One player can be ambitious or make a mistake, avoiding any detriment to the score as long as their partner covers for them.

Foursomes

It’s a little trickier when playing foursomes. In this format, instead of each player having their own ball, each pair shares a single ball.

This means you’ll have to be extra strategic and less gung-ho, as there is far less room for error. Player A can’t be overly ambitious, for example, because Player B may then find themselves having to take a shot from the rough, a bunker, or any other less-than-ideal position.

This is where it’s all about complementing each other’s strengths. Player A’s amazing driving capabilities can then allow for Player B to play an excellent approach shot, for example.

Communication is key. Make sure you know your partner’s strengths and weaknesses, adapt to cover for them, and plan each hole in advance.

Where does the phrase ham and egging come from?

There’s some dispute as to the origin of the term. But what’s pretty certain is that it’s because ham and egg complement each other on the plate, just as you and your partner complement each other on the golf course.

Some argue that the ham is good, while the egg is bad. Others argue that the ham is ambitious, while the egg is conservative. There’s no definitive answer as to which, if any, interpretation is correct.

That said, Golf Digest’s Shane Ryan found that the term of ham and egging has existed in a sporting context for over a century, and in a golfing context since the 1960s, hailing from the USA.

In this sense, it’s subjective whether a player executing a good hole is the ham, while their less successful partner is the egg, or vice versa. It’s up to you, just so long as you’re complementing one another on the course.

Trying ham and egging

Instead of one player being better than the other, ham and egging allows two capable (or, at least, similarly able) players to play a more successful game by adapting to cover each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

To that end, if you have a regular playing partner you know like the back of your hand, and you haven’t tried to ham and egg it before, give it a go! You might just find that, by making slight adaptations, communicating and covering each other’s backs, you’ll become a more formidable team than ever before.

FAQs

What does ham and egging mean in golf?

Ham and egging refers to two golf partners covering for each other’s shortcomings on a hole-to-hole or shot-to-shot basis. If one player is struggling on a hole, it’s up to their partner to perform.

How does ham and egging work in a golf partnership?

Ham and egging works in a partnership where two players complement each other well at different times to keep the team competitive.

What golf formats involve ham and egging?

Ham and egging is best used in golf formats where two players play as partners, like foursomes and four-ball better-ball.

Is ham and egging most common in foursomes or four-ball better-ball golf?

You can use ham and egging in both four-ball better-ball and foursomes. It is particularly suited to four-ball better-ball, as only the player with the best score on each hole counts. This means if one player has a poor hole, the other player can rescue them with their stronger hole. It also works in foursomes, where each player on a team of two takes alternate shots.

What is an example of ham and egging in golf?

If Player A makes a birdie on hole 1, but Player B struggles with a triple bogie, only Player A’s score would count in a game of four-ball better-ball. On the next hole, Player B might step up with a par, while Player A hits a bogey. Player B’s score would then count. Each player is covering for the other’s poor hole in true ham and egging style.

Can ham and egging help you win a match even if neither player is playing particularly well?

For ham and egging to work effectively, each player is allowed to play poorly, but each golfer must also play well at times. If one player is struggling on a particular hole with a long drive, for example, it’s up to the other player to step up and cover their deficiencies.

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