
What does as mean in golf scoring?
The term AS in golf refers to the scoring in a round of match play. When the scoreboard reads AS that means “all square”, this means the totals of holes won by either team is equal so the golfers are currently tied. In match play golf you keep score of the amount of holes you have won relative to your competition.
What is match play in golf?
Match Play in golf is a head-to-head competition against a player (or players) during each hole. Instead of stroke play, which is an overall stroke score on the 9 or 18 holes at the end, Match Play is a single victory, tie, or loss for each hole. Match Play is essentially you competing against another player rather than the scorecard.
What does 5 and 4 mean in golf Matchplay?
This essentially means the winner of the game was already decided. As there is a larger lead than the number of holes remaining. The term five and four refers to a situation where a golfer is up five holes in score with only four holes remaining. If you win matchplay two and one that means you had a lead of two holes coming into the last hole.
How does scoring work in match play in golf?
Brent Kelley is an award-winning sports journalist and golf expert with over 30 years in print and online journalism. At root, match play scoring in golf is very simple: Golfers compete hole by hole, and the golfer who wins the most holes wins the match.

How do I read my match play scores?
The first number in such a score tells you the number of holes by which the winner is victorious, and the second number tells you the hole on which the match ended. So "2 and 1" means that the winner was 2 holes ahead with 1 hole to play (the match ended after No.
What does 4 and 3 mean in golf matchplay?
The match is over if you lead by more holes than are remaining to be played. For example, if you are playing 18 holes and are 4 up after 15 holes, there are only three holes left to play and your opponent can't catch up. You would be the winner by a score of "4 and 3."
What does 5&3 mean in match play?
Match play Format - rules for match play golf with handicapsThe TermsMatch Play ExplanationAll-squareMatch is equal2 Up2 hole ahead3 down3 holes behind5&35 holes ahead with only 3 holes left to play. Wins on the 15th Hole
How do you score in match play golf?
Match play is a scoring system for golf in which a player, or team, earns a point for each hole in which they have bested their opponents; as opposed to stroke play, in which the total number of strokes is counted over one or more rounds of 18 holes.
What does dormie mean in golf?
Definition of dormie : being ahead by as many holes in golf as remain to be played in match play.
Who tees off first in match play golf?
10-1. In match play, golfers play in this order: On the tee – On the first hole, the player listed first on the scorecard (as determined by the committee) tees off first; otherwise, the order is decided by lot or other fair means (e.g., a coin flip).
What does 3&2 mean in match play?
This is when you see the final score of 3&2 for example. That means three holes up with two holes to play. The other player cannot win in this case. A match is considered 'dormie' when one side is up by the exact number of holes that remain.
What does F mean in golf score?
“FinishedWhat Does F Mean On A Golf Leaderboard? Sometimes, in the blue circle on the image above, you will see the letter “F” instead of a number like a 65 or 1-18. This simply means “Finished” and is another way of saying that player has completed their round for the day.
What does 3 and 1 mean in golf matchplay?
3 & 1: This means that one player had a two-shot lead going into the 17th hole, and won that hole — so they won by three and there was just a single hole to play. They played 17 because had their opponent won the last two holes, the match could have ended in a draw.
How do shots work on match play?
Giving Strokes In Matchplay If Player B is to receiving 5 strokes then the player takes one shot off the actual score at each of the holes with Stroke Index 1 to 5. This gives a nett score for each hole and this is the score used to calculate the result of each hole.
How do you mark a scorecard on match play?
Match Play So mark your scorecard "AS" for "all square" so long as the match remains tied. Once someone wins a hole, you'll mark the card "-1" if you lost the hole, or "+1" if you won the hole. This means you are 1-down or 1-up, respectively, in the match.
Can you refuse a conceded putt?
When the concession is made, the ball is considered holed and the golfer whose putt was conceded is finished playing that hole. Once a stroke is conceded, the concession can't be refused or withdrawn.
What is match play?
Unlike in stroke play, where a player aims to post the lowest score over 18 holes, golfers in match play have to try to win more holes than their opponent.
How does the scoring work?
Whichever player, or team, completes the hole in the fewest strokes wins the hole, and therefore wins a point. If both scores are identical, the hole is halved, resulting in no change to the overall score.
Anything else?
When a player is in a position where they can still halve the match but cannot lose, this is known as “dormie”. So if Player A is 2-up with two holes to play, they are “dormie 2”.
Playing with handicaps
In a handicap match, it is the lowest net score that wins each hole. The golfer with the highest handicap receives extra shots according to the difference between each players’ handicaps.
Match play on tour
The Ryder and Solheim Cups are both match play golf events. Both are played over three days between teams of 12, with a variety of fourball, foursomes and singles matches.
What is match play scoring?
At root, match play scoring in golf is very simple: Golfers compete hole by hole, and the golfer who wins the most holes wins the match. But match play competitions can create some scores that novices might not be familiar with, scores that may look odd or use terminology unfamiliar to beginners.
What does 2 and 1 mean in golf?
So "2 and 1" means that the winner was two holes ahead with one hole to play (the match ended after No. 17), "3 and 2" means three holes ahead to with two holes to play (the match ended after No. 16), and so on.
How many holes does a match play match have?
Match play matches do not have to go the full 18 holes. They often do, but just as frequently one player will achieve an insurmountable lead and the match will end early. For example, say you reach a score of 6-up with five holes to play—you've clinched the victory, and the match is over.
What is the meaning of tie in golf?
Simple: Win a hole, that's one for you; lose a hole, that's one for your opponent. Ties on individual holes (called halves) essentially don't count; they aren't kept track of in the scorekeeping.
What is match play scoring?
In match play scoring, the number of holes won determines the winner rather than total strokes. Match play is a variation of the more traditional scoring method of stroke play in golf. More emphasis is placed on the result of each hole as opposed to accumulating the lowest number of strokes for the entire round.
How does match play differ from stroke play?
Match play differs from stroke play in that the scoring is based on the number of holes that are won during the round as opposed to the number of strokes accumulated. As a result, the number of strokes it takes to win a hole becomes virtually irrelevant. In effect, this type of play can be viewed as a series of 18 separate games within a round.
What is four ball golf?
Fourball match play occurs when teams of two are pitted against each other. Each golfer plays his own ball throughout the hole, and the score of the player with the lowest total for the hole is used. A variation of this game involves players alternating shots. For example, the first player hits the tee shot, the second player hits the next shot, the first player hits third shot, and so on until the hole is completed.
Why is golf so aggressive?
Because of the nature of the scoring system, golfers in match play can often be more aggressive. Because the total number of strokes does not necessarily matter, a player can take a more risky shot, knowing an errant result will not have a large impact on the final score. In team match play, one method of play is for one golfer to take an ...
What is the final score in golf?
The final score is stated as a function of the margin of victory. For example, if one team has a four-hole lead after 16 holes, it means there is no way the second team can win and the match is over. The final score is stated and “4 and 2,” meaning the first team had a four-hole lead with only two holes remaining.
What is the meaning of the hole in a tie?
In match play, the player or team with the lowest total score for the hole wins the hole and is awarded a point. In the event of a tie, each is awarded a half-point, meaning the hole is “halved.” At the end of the round, the player or team with the most points is declared the winner. In team play, the lowest score on each team is often used to determine the winner of each hole.
What is match play?
Match play is a form of play where a player (or players) plays directly against an opponent (or opponents) in a head-to-head match. You win a hole by completing it in the fewest number of strokes, and you win a match when you are winning by more holes than remain to be played.
Do you have to keep scorecards in stroke play?
If you and your opponent don’t agree on how to proceed, you should do what you think is correct. Your opponent can then make a request for a ruling, which will later be decided by the Committee. In match play, you are not required to keep a scorecard – scorecards are only required in stroke play.
What is the term for the part of the golf club that strikes the golf ball at impact?
Clubface: The clubface is the part of the golf club which strikes the golf ball at impact.
What does "above the hole" mean in golf?
Above the Hole: To describe the position of the golf ball in connection with the cup, or hole, when the ball is on the green, the golf phrase ‘above the hole’ is used. Ace: When a ‘hole in one ‘ is scored, or a player has scored 1 on any hole, it is an ‘Ace’ .
What is an approach course?
Approach Course: A golf course having short holes, may be a par 3 distance or shorter and falling short on designated teeing areas is called approach course. Approach Wedge: Another name for gap wedge, approach wedge is a name for a golf club which has a high loft.
What does the lip mean in golf?
The first means that around two inches above the level of sand, in a bunker, there is a rim of sod. This prevents the chance for a golfer to putt out of the bunker. The other meaning refers to the edge or rim of the hole or cup.
What is the golfer's decision making called?
Course Management: The golfer’s decision-making during a round of golf is called course management.
What is a ball striker?
It refers to the golfer’s ability in full swing. Ballstriking: Ball striking means the full swing abilities of a golfer. A great ball striker is a golfer who is excellent at full swing. Ball Washer: A device normally kept besides tee boxes to clean the golf balls is called a ball washer.
What is the name of the golf ball that spins backwards?
Backspin: When the ball rotates backward (towards the player)in flight along its horizontal axis, it is called the backspin. Back Tees: The tees at the extreme rear of a golf course are the back tees. Backweight: Any weight attached to the back of the head of golf club is referred to a back weight.
How many players are in a singles match?
Singles Matches. In stroke play, your handicap is clear enough – it tells you how many strokes you get against the field. But in a singles match, there are only two players. The player with the lowest handicap becomes the baseline handicap and plays at scratch, meaning he doesn't get any handicap strokes.
What is handicap in golf?
Golf's handicap system allows players to compete equitably in a match-play competition, whether two or four players are involved. Amateur golfers all over the world use handicaps. They allow players of widely differing skill levels to have competitive games against each other. Unlike stroke play, the actual number of strokes taken in ...
How many strokes do you subtract from your handicap?
If you are entitled to more than 18 strokes, you subtract the additional strokes from the most difficult holes in order of difficulty.
What are the two types of handicaps?
Types of Handicaps. The USGA issues two different types of handicap indexes – 18-hole, which most players think of when they hear the term "Handicap Index," and nine-hole indexes, which have a (N) after the number. If you have only a nine-hole handicap index, double it for 18-hole matches. If you have only an 18-hole index, halve it ...
How many players are on a four ball?
In a four-ball (or better ball of partners) match, there are two teams of two players. Each player plays his own ball, and each team uses the best score of its two players. The player with the lowest handicap plays at scratch.
Can you use individual handicaps in foursomes?
Since each team plays a single ball and alternates shots (you hit the drive, your partner hits the approach, you putt, etc. ), individual handicaps cannot be used.
Is the number of strokes taken in a match recorded?
Unlike stroke play, the actual number of strokes taken in a match isn't the recorded score. Handicaps are used a little differently in a match-play competition.
