Stroke Play
The most common competition format where the total number of strokes across all holes determines the winner.
What does stroke play mean in golf?
In stroke play, every shot counts equally — a triple bogey on one hole cannot be erased by birdies elsewhere, it simply adds to the total. This format rewards consistency and mental resilience across an entire round or tournament. Most professional events, including all four major championships, use stroke play. The pressure of stroke play is different from match play: there is no opponent to 'press' against, only the course and the leaderboard.
Related Golf Terms
Match Play
A competition format where players or teams compete hole by hole, with the winner being whoever wins the most individual holes.
Par
The predetermined number of strokes an expert golfer is expected to need to complete a hole or a round.
Net Score
A player's gross score minus their course handicap strokes, used to level competition between players of different abilities.
Handicap
A numerical measure of a golfer's ability that allows players of different skill levels to compete fairly against each other.
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