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All game formats Matchplay · Holes won

Singles Matchplay

Also called Matchplay, Head to head

Golf at its most personal. You don't count your total — each hole is a fresh contest, won, lost or halved.

Players
2
Scoring
Holes won
Allowance
100% of the difference in course handicaps
Winner
Most holes won

How it works

  1. 1The lower handicap plays off scratch. The other player gets the full difference, as shots on the lowest stroke-index holes.
  2. 2Lower net score wins the hole. The same score halves it.
  3. 3Keep score as holes up or down — "2 up", "all square".
  4. 4The match is over once someone is more holes up than there are holes left — "3 & 2" means three up with two to play.

Worked example

Course handicaps 8 and 14 → the 14 gets 6 shots, on stroke index 1–6.

Ties

All square after 18? Play extra holes until someone wins one, unless the competition says otherwise.

Good to know

You can concede a putt, a hole or the match at any time — but you can't take it back.

Close relations

Fourball MatchplayPairs, own ball, better score counts.Foursomes MatchplayPairs share one ball, alternate shots.Par / BogeyWin, halve or lose each hole against par.

Play it on PinPals. Live scoring works out the handicaps and keeps the leaderboard on everyone’s phone.

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Allowances follow the World Handicap System recommendations used by Golf Ireland. Your club or society may set its own — the entry sheet wins.