Singles is where theplayer competes purely on his/her own account, no matter what the game format is.

Fourball

Fourball is where two players play as a team against the other two players, regardless of the game format.

Foursomes

Foursomes is probably the oldest game type of all because a foursomes game, if played properly, is considerably faster than the other formats. Traditional foursomes are where the partners, in advance of a round, agree which holes (on an alternating basis) each will tee off at, with one player driving at the odd-numbered holes (1,3,5 etc) and the other the evens. Thereafter, the ball in play is struck alternately by the players until holed out. There are a number of ‘variants’ on the foursomes theme:

Greensomes (or Greensome Foursomes)
In this game type, both players drive at each hole, and select the most advantageous tee-shot. The partner then plays this ball, and the players then take alternate shots as in foursomes until the ball is holed.

Fensome or St Andrews Foursomes

Both players drive at each hole, but have pre-determined who will play the second shot (odds and evens, as above). It is rumoured that this game type was invented by better golfers (possibly pros) on the basis that this gives them the chance to play their own tee-shot on at least half the holes!