In four ball stroke play, what is the ruling if a player joins their partner after the partner has teed off for the fourth hole?

In four ball stroke play, the format allows two players to compete against another team of two, with each player playing their own ball throughout the round. If one player joins their partner after the partner has already teed off for a specific hole, the ruling states that the player may not join the play until the next hole.

This is because each player must be present to play their own ball throughout the hole to maintain the integrity of the competition. If a player arrives after their partner has already made a stroke, they effectively miss their opportunity to participate in that hole, and thus cannot join in until the next hole begins. Recognizing this rule helps uphold the structure and flow of the game, ensuring that all players have equal opportunities to contribute during each hole.

In this context, the other options do not reflect the established rules for four ball stroke play. The mechanics of the game simply do not allow for penalties or the continuation of play by the arriving player on the current hole once the partner has teed off.