The Rules MATCH PLAY :
Golf ’ s Original Form
by KENDALL DUNOVANT , USGA RULES DEPARTMENT
DID YOU KNOW that when the Rules of Golf differ for match play and stroke play , they almost always refer to the Rules of match play first ? This is because the earliest form of golf was match play .
Match play is a format where a player competes directly against an opponent on a holeby-hole basis . Most of the differences in how the Rules apply in match play and stroke play are because of one fundamental difference between the two formats : in match play , the players in the match can protect their own rights and interests , whereas in stroke play , the Rules need to protect the interests of all players in the field . In match play , the only two people who have an interest in how the Rules apply are involved in the match and can advocate for themselves throughout the round .
Match play can be played in partner formats as well . For more information about how this form of play functions in partner formats , see Rules 22 and 23 .
With all that in mind , let ’ s dive into the details !
THE BASICS Match play is the only form of play where the term opponent is used . An opponent is the person the player is playing against in a match .
Match play can be thought of as a series of one-hole competitions , each resulting in one of three possible outcomes : win , lose or tie . A player can win a hole by completing the hole in fewer strokes than his or her opponent . If the player and the opponent complete the hole in the same number of strokes , the players have tied the hole ( also known as halved ). The match is won when
The one-on-one nature of match play makes it an exciting form of golf , one that is completely different than the against-the-field mentality of stroke play .
a player is winning by more holes than there are left to be played . For example , if the player is up by four holes , and there are only three holes left to play , the player has won the match . The players in this match do not have to play the remaining holes , as there is no way for the opponent to win the match with only three holes left . Of course , match play can also be played with handicaps where net scores would be compared on each hole .
If the match is tied after the final hole , the match is extended one hole at a time until it is won . However , the Committee in charge of the competition may decide that a match will end in a tie rather than be extended . We see this happen in competitions like the Walker Cup and the Curtis Cup .
CHRIS LANG
14 V IRGINIA G OLFER | M ARCH / A PRIL 2021
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