Match Play:
Rules & Scoring
The complete guide to match play golf — scoring, handicaps, formats, and how it fits into side bets.
What Is Match Play?
Match play is the oldest form of golf competition. Instead of counting total strokes over eighteen holes (stroke play), you compete hole by hole. Win a hole and you go 1 up. Lose one and you go 1 down. The match is over when one side leads by more holes than remain.
Match play changes everything about how you think about the game. In stroke play, a triple bogey on one hole can ruin your entire round. In match play, a triple bogey costs you exactly one hole. You dust off and move on. Conversely, a birdie in stroke play saves you one stroke. In match play, a birdie wins the hole outright, the same as winning it by one stroke or five.
This binary nature — you either win the hole or you do not — makes match play more aggressive, more forgiving of mistakes, and more dramatic than stroke play. It is golf the way it was originally played, and it is the format behind the Ryder Cup, the Presidents Cup, and most amateur club championships.
How Match Play Scoring Works
Match play scoring uses "up" and "down" instead of total strokes:
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| All Square (AS) | The match is tied. Neither side leads. |
| 1 Up | One side leads by one hole. |
| 2 Up | One side leads by two holes. |
| 3 and 2 | One side won 3 up with 2 holes remaining — the match is over. Written as "3&2." |
| Dormie | One side leads by exactly as many holes as remain. For example, 3 up with 3 to play. The leading side cannot lose in regulation — at worst, the trailing side can tie every remaining hole and force the match to extra holes (or a push, depending on rules). |
| 1 Up (after 18) | The match was decided on the final hole. Written as "1 up." |
Hole-by-Hole Flow
- Both players (or teams) play the hole.
- The player with the lower net score wins the hole. If net scores are equal, the hole is halved (tied).
- Update the match status: if you were all square and you win the hole, you are now 1 up. If you were 1 down and you win the hole, the match returns to all square.
- Repeat until one side leads by more holes than remain, or until all 18 holes are played.
Match Conclusion
A match can end before the eighteenth hole. If you are 4 up with 3 to play, the match is over — your opponent cannot catch you even by winning every remaining hole. This is called being "closed out" or winning "4 and 3."
If the match is all square after 18, it is either a draw (most common in side-bet play) or goes to a sudden-death playoff (common in tournaments).
Handicap Strokes in Match Play
In a handicapped match, the player with the higher course handicap receives strokes. The number of strokes is the difference between the two players' course handicaps.
For example: Player A has a course handicap of 8. Player B has a course handicap of 18. The difference is 10, so Player B gets 10 strokes.
Those strokes are assigned to specific holes based on the course's stroke index (the "handicap" number on the scorecard, 1 through 18). Stroke index 1 is the hardest hole, stroke index 18 is the easiest. Player B gets a stroke on the ten hardest-rated holes.
On a stroke hole, Player B subtracts one from their gross score before comparing. If Player B makes a gross 5 on a stroke hole and Player A makes a 4, the net comparison is 4 vs 4 — the hole is halved.
bagboy handles this automatically. Enter your Handicap Index on your profile, and the app calculates the strokes for every match based on the course and tees you are playing.
Individual Match Play
The simplest format: two players, head to head, eighteen holes. You can play individual match play as a standalone bet or as part of a Nassau.
As a standalone bet: Agree on an amount for the match. The winner takes the bet. If the match ends all square after 18, it pushes (no money changes hands). Some groups play a sudden-death playoff on 1 to break ties.
Common amounts: $5, $10, $20 for the match.
Four-Player Individual Match Play
In a foursome, you can run six simultaneous individual matches (one for each pairing of two players). Every player has three matches running at once: against each of the other three. This creates a lot of action but is virtually impossible to track without an app.
Team Match Play
Two teams of two play best ball (four-ball). On each hole, each team counts the lower net score of their two players. That team score is compared to the other team's score to determine who wins the hole.
Team match play is the format used in the Ryder Cup's four-ball sessions. It rewards aggressive play because one partner can go for a risky birdie knowing the other partner has a safe par.
Alternate Shot (Foursomes)
Partners alternate shots on each hole. Player A tees off on odd holes, Player B tees off on even holes, and they alternate shots until the ball is holed. This is the most teamwork-intensive format in golf and creates incredible drama when one partner leaves the other in a bad spot.
Concessions and Gimmies
Match play allows concessions, which stroke play does not. At any point on a hole, a player can concede their opponent's next stroke, the hole, or even the match.
- Conceding a putt: "That's good" — the opponent picks up and their score is whatever the next stroke would have been. A two-foot par putt that is conceded counts as par made.
- Conceding a hole: If you are lying 3 in a bunker and your opponent is on the green in 2, you can concede the hole. You lose the hole without finishing it.
- A concession cannot be refused. Once you say "that's good," the putt is made, period.
Concessions speed up play (no need to putt out short ones) and are a core part of match play etiquette. In casual side-bet play, most groups concede putts inside three feet routinely. Whether to concede a pressure putt is a strategic decision — giving a four-footer early in the match is normal, but that same putt on the eighteenth hole with the match on the line might not get conceded.
Match Play vs Nassau
A Nassau is match play with a structure built around it. If you play a standalone match, it is one eighteen-hole bet. If you play a Nassau, it is three match-play bets (front, back, overall) with the option to press.
For most side-bet purposes, Nassau is the better choice. The three-bet structure keeps the competition alive, and presses ensure the action does not go flat. Standalone match play is best for tournaments or when you want a single clean result.
Match Play Strategy
Play the Player, Not the Course
In stroke play, you play the course. In match play, you play your opponent. If your opponent is in trouble, you play safe — let them make bogey and take your par. If your opponent just hit it to three feet for birdie, you can take a risk you would never take in stroke play because a bogey only costs you one hole.
Win the Hole, Not the Stroke
A birdie counts the same as an eagle for match-play purposes — both win the hole. And a bogey counts the same as a triple bogey — both lose the hole. This changes your risk-reward calculation. A 50-50 birdie putt in match play is always worth an aggressive run because making it wins the hole outright and missing it might still result in a halve with your par putt.
Use Stroke Holes
If you are the higher-handicap player, your stroke holes are your best chance to win holes. On those holes, you effectively get a one-stroke head start. Play smart on your stroke holes and aggressive on the non-stroke holes.
Momentum Matters
Match play has a psychological element that stroke play does not. Winning three holes in a row puts enormous pressure on your opponent. Even if you are still only 2 up, the momentum shift can cause them to press too hard and make mistakes. Conversely, if you lose a few in a row, the best play is to halve the next hole and stop the bleeding.
How bagboy Runs Match Play
bagboy tracks match play as part of any side bet that uses it:
- Live match status. After every hole, the app shows the current match position: 1 up, all square, 3 down, dormie.
- Handicap strokes visualized. The app shows which holes each player gets strokes on, so there is no confusion about whether a hole is a stroke hole.
- Automatic close-out. When a match is mathematically decided (e.g., 4 up with 3 to play), the app closes it and records the result.
- Pair with Nassau. Match play is the scoring engine inside Nassau, so setting up a Nassau automatically gives you match-play scoring with presses on top.
Tip: If you want pure match play without the Nassau structure, you can set it up as a standalone game in bagboy. For most groups, Nassau is the way to go because it adds the front/back/overall split and press action.
Match Play FAQ
Does the match always go 18 holes?
No. A match can end early if one player leads by more holes than remain. A "5 and 3" result means the match ended on the 15th hole. In side-bet play, even when the match is decided, you typically play out the round for any other games running alongside (skins, birdies, etc.).
What if the match is tied after 18?
In casual side-bet play, a tied match is usually a push — no money changes hands. In tournaments, a sudden-death playoff starting on a designated hole determines the winner.
Can I concede a putt in match play side bets?
Yes. Concessions are a standard part of match play. Most groups concede anything inside two to three feet in casual play. Longer concessions are a strategic decision.
What happens if I am playing match play and skins at the same time?
You play out every hole regardless of the match play status. The match play bet might be decided on hole 15, but the skins game is still live through 18. bagboy tracks both independently.
How many strokes do I get?
The difference between your course handicap and your opponent's. If you are a 15 and they are a 7, you get 8 strokes on the eight hardest-rated holes. bagboy calculates this automatically from your Handicap Index.