Page type: Group-size game guide
Free tool: Open the calculator →
Best first choice
Singles match play (net). It preserves the direct two-player contest while allowing players of different ability to compete on a handicap basis. Use the Committee's or club's stated allowance and terms rather than inventing a casual allowance; for individual match play, WHS Appendix C recommends 100% of the unrounded Course Handicap as the allowance basis.
What to agree before play
Calling a 3-up lead with 2 holes remaining 'dormie' or treating dormie as a format; under Rule 3.2a the match is already won, recorded 3 and 2. Applying handicaps from Handicap Indexes directly or using an unapproved percentage; WHS says allowances are applied to the unrounded Course Handicap, and match-play strokes are then based on relative Playing Handicaps. Assuming a side game's stake is part of match play; per-hole money, presses, concessions and extra-hole terms need clear prior agreement and do not replace the Rules of Golf.
Table
| Game or arrangement | Why it fits |
|---|---|
| Singles match play (gross) | Two players compare gross scores hole by hole, so it is the clearest head-to-head option when handicaps are not being used. |
| Singles match play (net) | Apply agreed Playing Handicaps, then compare net scores on each hole; this is the practical choice for mixed abilities in an organised handicap competition. |
| Nine-hole singles match play | Play the same head-to-head scoring concept over nine holes when time is limited; it is a shorter arrangement, not a separate Rules-defined format. |
| Eighteen-hole singles match play with agreed stakes | Use standard singles match play and settle an optional per-hole or round stake only after both players agree the house terms; the stake is a side arrangement, not a Rules requirement. |
Worked example
Alex has a Playing Handicap of 8 and Ben has 14. With the recommended 100% individual match-play allowance, Alex plays from 0 relative strokes and Ben receives 6 strokes, allocated by the match's stroke indexes. In an illustrative 18-hole card, Alex wins holes 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 and 16; Ben wins holes 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12; holes 14, 17 and 18 are not needed once the result is decided. After hole 16 Alex is 3 up with 2 to play, so the official result is 3 and 2, not dormie.
Rule reference: Rules of Golf Rule 3.2a and 3.2c; Rule 23.1 for four-ball; WHS Appendix C
Sources: www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.usga.org , www.usga.org
Common questions
What is the best match-play format for two golfers?
Singles match play is the genuine two-player head-to-head format. Choose gross scoring for a scratch-style contest, or net scoring when the competition permits handicaps and the applicable allowance is stated.
Can two players play four-ball match play?
Not as a complete four-ball side-versus-side match: four-ball is played by two partners on each side, with each player using a separate ball and the side taking the lower score for the hole. Two people can play singles match play instead.
How are handicaps applied in a two-player match?
For an individual handicap match, use the applicable Playing Handicaps and normally set the lower Playing Handicap to zero; the other player receives the difference. WHS Appendix C recommends a 100% individual match-play allowance, but the Terms of the Competition or club rules control the event.
Is nine-hole match play a different official format?
It is best described as singles match play over nine holes: a shorter arrangement of the same head-to-head scoring method. Confirm how the competition applies handicaps and resolves a tie or extra holes.
What does 3 and 2 mean in two-player match play?
It means one player is 3 holes ahead after 16 holes of an 18-hole match, so only two holes remain and the match is over. Rule 3.2a treats a lead greater than the number of holes remaining as a win.
Can we attach a dollar stake to a match?
You can agree a private side arrangement such as a per-hole or end-of-round stake, but it is not part of the Rules-defined scoring format. Settle the amount, ties, concessions, presses and any extra-hole treatment before starting, and follow applicable local law and club policy.