How to Play Match Play Golf

Match Play is the oldest and most traditional scoring system in golf, famously featured in the Ryder Cup and the US Amateur Championship. Unlike stroke play, where players count their cumulative score across all 18 holes, Match Play is a head-to-head format scored entirely hole-by-hole. Each hole is a discrete match, and the total number of strokes only matters for resolving the active hole.

Hole-by-Hole Scoring

In Match Play, two sides (either individuals or partners) compete directly. A side wins a hole outright by taking fewer strokes (gross or net) than their opponent on that hole. Winning the hole earns the side 1 point (or puts them "1 up" in match status). If the sides tie on a hole, the hole is "halved," and the match status remains unchanged.

Understanding Match Status

The status of a Match Play game is calculated by the net difference in holes won. It is described using the following terms:

• [Name] Up: The side currently leading the match (e.g., "2 up" means they have won two more holes than their opponent).
• All Square (AS): The match is tied, meaning both sides have won the same number of holes.
• Dormie: A situation where the leading player is up by exactly the number of holes remaining to play (e.g., "3 up with 3 holes to play"). The trailing player must win every remaining hole to tie the match.

Resolution of the Match

A match is mathematically won when one side leads by more holes than there are holes remaining to play. For example, if Player A is "3 up" and there are only 2 holes left to play (Hole 17 and 18), Player B cannot catch up. The match is resolved early, and Player A wins the match **3 & 2** (3 up with 2 holes to play). If the match is tied after 18 holes, it ends halved (all square) or proceeds to a playoff depending on the group's rules.

Match Play Formats in Settle the Card

Settle the Card supports standalone Match Play across several formats:

• Single 1 vs 1: Direct singles match play between two golfers. Settle the Card automatically pulls the first two players on your roster to build this match.
• 2 vs 2 Team: Two teams of two play a match-play round, typically comparing the best ball score of each side on each hole.
• Round Robin: A multi-match format where every player in a group plays an individual match against every other player simultaneously.

Handicap Strokes (Allowance)

To ensure fairness, handicaps are applied based on standard allowances. In 1v1 singles Match Play, the player with the lowest handicap plays off scratch (0), and the opponent receives 100% of the difference between their handicaps, applied to the scorecard on the hardest handicap holes. For team wagers, allowances are typically set at 90% or 85% of course handicaps.