Match play
Match play is a head-to-head game where every hole is its own contest: the lower score wins the hole and equal scores halve it. The match is over as soon as one side leads by more holes than are left to play.
How to play
- Pick the sides: two players, or two pairs in four-ball. Three or five players can play a separate match against each other.
- Agree strokes before the first tee. The usual way is off the low: the better player plays scratch and the other receives the difference on the hardest holes.
- On each hole the lower net score wins the hole. Equal scores halve it and nobody moves.
- Keep the match status as holes up or down, or all square. Three up with two to play is called 3 and 2, and the match ends there.
- Settle at the end. By default one stake is paid per match; a group can instead pay the stake for every hole up.
Example
Ann plays to a 10 handicap and Bo to a 14, so off the low Bo receives 4 strokes, one each on the four holes with stroke index 1 to 4. On the par-4 third hole, which is stroke index 2, Ann makes a 5 and Bo makes a 5 gross. Bo gets a stroke there, so his net is 4 and Bo wins the hole.
The most you can lose
Match play, default settings, 2 golfers: Most you can lose: $1
Agree on the first tee
- Team scoring (4 players): best ball
- Strokes: off the low
- Handicap allowance %: 100
- Teams (4 players): 1&2 v 3&4
- Match tied after last hole: push
- After the match is decided: keep scoring