Rule 3: Your Golf Competition: Match Play or Stroke Play
What this is about
This rule explains the basis of every golf competition. Here you'll learn the different ways of playing and scoring.
What you need to do
Before you start, know which of the two main formats you're playing:
- Match play: You play directly against one opponent. You win a hole by taking fewer strokes than the other player. If the scores are equal on a hole, you halve the hole. You win the match by being ahead by more holes than there are left to play.
- Stroke play: You play against all the other participants. Your goal is to take as few strokes as possible over all the holes. Every stroke, including penalty strokes, counts. The player with the lowest total score wins.
Think about whether you're playing alone or with a partner, such as in a four-ball. Check whether your scores are adjusted with your handicap (net) or not (gross).
Common mistake
Many beginners think that in match play they also need to keep track of their total score. In match play, it's only about who has the best score per hole. The total sum of all strokes doesn't count.
Example
Say you and your friend are playing match play. On the third hole, your friend hits his ball into the water. He gets a penalty stroke and makes six strokes. You play the hole cleanly in five strokes. You win this hole, and now you're one hole up.
Practise this rule with real exam questions in the free app.
3.1 Basic elements of every competition
3.1a Forms of play: match play or stroke play
In match play, a player (or side) and an opponent (or opposing side) play directly against each other, hole by hole. The player who wins the most holes wins the match. In stroke play, all players in the field compete against each other based on the total number of strokes over the entire round (or rounds).
3.1b How players play: alone or as partners
Players can play individually or as partners in a side. In foursomes, two partners play together with one ball and take turns hitting it. In four-ball, two partners each play their own ball and the better score of the two counts.
3.1c How players score: gross scores or net scores
In a competition without handicap (scratch), the gross score counts. In a handicap competition, handicap strokes are deducted from the gross score to determine the net score.
3.2 Match Play
3.2a Result of a hole and match
A hole is won by the player who completes the hole in the fewest strokes (including penalty strokes). The state of the match is expressed in the number of holes a player is ahead or behind (e.g. "2 up" or "1 down"). The match is won when a player is ahead by more holes than there are left to play (e.g. "3&2" means 3 holes ahead with 2 to play).
3.2b Conceding the next stroke, hole or match
In match play, a player may concede the next stroke, the hole or the match to their opponent (concession). Once made, an offer of concession can't be withdrawn. Conceding a stroke, hole or match is final.
3.2c Adjusting handicaps in a handicap match
In a handicap match, players must exchange their handicaps and handicap strokes are given on the holes as determined by the Committee.
3.2d Responsibilities of the player and opponent
Players are responsible for knowing the state of the match. If the score is kept incorrectly and this is only discovered later, the score is corrected, unless the players had agreed on it earlier and played further holes.
3.3 Stroke Play
3.3a Winner in stroke play
The player who completes the entire competition (one or more rounds) with the lowest total number of strokes (gross score in scratch play, net score in handicap play) wins the competition.
3.3b Scoring in stroke play
The scorecard must show the correct number of strokes (gross score) for every hole. After the round, both the player and the marker must sign the scorecard and return it to the Committee. The Committee is responsible for calculating net scores and handicap adjustments. Penalty for returning a score lower than actually played on a hole: disqualification. A score higher than actually played on a hole isn't corrected, that higher score stands.
3.3c Not holing out
In stroke play, you must hole out on every hole. If you don't and you don't correct this mistake before starting the next hole (or on the final hole, before returning your scorecard), you're disqualified. Exception: in Stableford, Maximum Score and Par/Bogey (Rule 21), you're allowed to pick up and give up on the hole.