Match play is a format where you compete hole by hole against an opponent rather than counting your total score. Win a hole and you go "1 up"; lose one and you go "1 down". Whoever is ahead by more holes than there are left to play wins the match.
It's the oldest way to play golf competitively, and the most natural for two friends out for a round. Instead of adding up 18 scores, you only care about one thing on each hole: did I beat my opponent here?
How the scoring works
You play each hole as a mini-contest. Whoever takes fewer shots on a hole wins that hole. The running score is kept in holes, not strokes:
- 1 up / 2 up — you're ahead by that many holes.
- 1 down / 2 down — you're behind by that many holes.
- All square (A/S) — the match is level.
- Halved — a hole tied; nobody's lead changes.
The match ends the moment one player is further ahead than there are holes remaining, because the other player can no longer catch up.
What does "3&2" mean?
Match-play results are written as two numbers, like 3&2. The first is the winning margin in holes; the second is how many holes were left unplayed.
3&2 = 3 holes ahead with 2 to play. With only 2 holes left, a 3-hole lead can't be overturned, so the match finishes on the 16th green. A win on the final hole is written "1 up"; a win decided at the last possible moment can go to a "19th hole" if extra holes are played to break a tie.
How handicaps apply in match play
To make matches fair between players of different abilities, the higher-handicapper receives shots on the hardest holes. The difference between the two players' course handicaps is the number of strokes given, allocated to the holes with the lowest stroke index (1 being hardest).
Example: if you get 4 shots, you deduct one stroke from your score on the 4 hardest holes — so a 5 on stroke-index-1 counts as a 4 for the purposes of winning that hole. Playing off the correct handicap index is what keeps it honest.
Why mates' leagues love it
- One bad hole doesn't ruin your round. A triple bogey loses you a single hole, not your whole card.
- It's faster. Once a hole is lost you can pick up and move on.
- Every hole has drama. The lead swings back and forth, right to the closing holes.
- It's perfect for a league table — clean wins, losses and halves that turn straight into points.
Run a match-play league with your mates
Four Putt keeps the table, sorts the handicap shots automatically, and even scores live on the course with a "who's up" bar. Free for a small group.
Start your league →