4 couples golfing - Math Central

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Question from Brian:

We have 4 couples going on a 4 day golf vacation playing 4 rounds of golf.
I have spent hours trying to set up a schedule that allows the 4 spouse to play together,
and then each spouse to play with one of the other spouses (men with women) for the]
other 3 rounds.
I would like the foursomes to be different as possible. Also, no-one should RIDE in a cart with the
same person more than once.
I am not a math guy so I try to do this by working it out on paper, over and over again. It ain't working!!
If you can help, I am very thankful.
Brian

Brian,

I think this might work. In what follows, M1 W1 are a spouses, etc. Players listed together (e.g. M1 W3) share a cart. Foursomes are separated by a semi-colon.

R1: M1 W1 + M4 W4; M2 W2 + M3 W3
R2: M3 W4 + M1 W2; M2 M1 + M4 W3
R3: M4 W2 + M1 W3; M2 W1 + M3 W4
R4: M2 W3 + M1 W4; M3 W2 + M4 W1

--Victoria

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