Match Play
A competition format where players or teams compete hole by hole, with the winner being whoever wins the most individual holes.
What does match play mean in golf?
In match play, each hole is a separate contest — the player with the lower score wins that hole, and ties (called 'halves') result in no advantage to either side. The match is won when one player leads by more holes than remain to be played (e.g., '3 and 2' means 3 holes up with 2 to play). Match play creates dramatically different strategy compared to stroke play — a player can take more risks because a bad hole costs only one point. The Ryder Cup and WGC Match Play are premier match play events.
GolfN Tip: Challenge friends to match play directly in GolfN — scoring and results are tracked automatically.
Download GolfN free →Related Golf Terms
Stroke Play
The most common competition format where the total number of strokes across all holes determines the winner.
Nassau
A popular betting format that divides the round into three separate matches: front nine, back nine, and overall 18.
Best Ball
A team format where each player plays their own ball and the lowest score among teammates counts for each hole.
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