Match Play (Singles)
Head to head, one hole at a time
In match play you’re not adding up strokes for 18 holes. You win, lose or halve each hole, and the match goes to whoever wins more holes. A blow-up hole only costs you one hole, which makes it more forgiving than stroke play and much more fun to follow. Singles match play is how every Ryder Cup ends.
- Players
- 1 vs 1
- Handicap allowance
- 100% of course handicap
- Pace
- Normal, and conceded putts speed it up
- Best for
- Final-day singles, settling rivalries
How match play works
- 1
Work out strokes
Subtract the lower course handicap from the higher one. The higher player gets that many strokes on the hardest holes by stroke index.
- 2
Play each hole
Lower net score wins the hole. Equal scores halve it.
- 3
Keep the status
The match is described by how many holes one player is ahead: “1 up”, “2 down”, or “all square”.
- 4
Close it out
The match ends when a player is ahead by more holes than are left. A 3-hole lead with 2 to play is a “3 & 2” win.
- 5
Award points
In a team event, a win is usually worth 1 point and a halved match ½ point each.
Scoring example: three holes of a singles match
Course handicaps: Tom 4, Nick 12. Nick gets 8 strokes, on stroke index 1–8.
| Hole (SI) | Tom | Nick (net) | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (SI 7) | 4 | 5 (4) | Halved | All square |
| 2 (SI 15) | 4 | 5 (5) | Tom wins | Tom 1 up |
| 3 (SI 1) | 5 | 5 (4) | Nick wins | All square |
After three holes the match is all square. Nick’s stroke on the hardest hole won it for him.
Handicaps in match play
The USGA recommends 100% of course handicap for singles match play. The lower player plays at zero and the higher player gets the full difference.
Strokes go on holes in stroke index order: 1 is the hardest hole on the card, 18 the easiest. With more than 18 strokes, a player gets a second stroke starting again at stroke index 1.
Pros
- A disaster hole only costs one hole
- Easy to follow and dramatic at the end
- Concessions keep the pace up
- Fair across very different handicaps
Cons
- Only two players per match, so you need several matches going at once for a group
- Matches can finish early, leaving players waiting
When to play match play
Save singles for the last day of a Ryder Cup-style event, when every match is a point and the team totals are close.
Match Play in CupTracker
Singles is a built-in match play format at 100% handicap, with strokes off the low player. CupTracker shows the live status (“2 up thru 11”, “3 & 2”) and adds each result to the team score.
You choose the points per match, and you can also award separate points for the front nine and back nine.
Mix it with other formats across your rounds, or even within one round. Building your event is free; you pay when you publish it to your group.
Match Play FAQs
- How does match play scoring work?
- Each hole is won by the player with the lower net score, or halved if the scores are equal. The match status is how many holes one player leads by, and the match ends when the lead is bigger than the number of holes left.
- What does 3 & 2 mean in golf?
- It means the winner was 3 holes up with only 2 holes left to play, so the match ended on the 16th green.
- How do handicap strokes work in match play?
- Take the difference between the two players’ course handicaps. The higher handicap gets that many strokes, one on each hole starting from stroke index 1.
- What is dormie?
- A player is dormie when they’re ahead by the same number of holes that are left, for example 2 up with 2 to play. They can’t lose the match, only halve it.
