Page type: Glossary / definition
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Meaning
An Extended Match is a match-play contest that continues beyond its scheduled final hole because the players are tied and the competition requires a winner. It is played one hole at a time until someone wins a hole, rather than being treated as a new round.
How it matters in match play
In match play, a tied match may be extended after the final scheduled hole when the Terms of the Competition require a winner. The extra holes follow the original order unless the Committee sets another order. Under the Rules, this is a continuation of the same round, not a new round; handicap strokes continue by hole in the same way unless the Committee sets a different method.
Table
| Quick reference | Detail |
|---|---|
| Term | Extended Match |
| Category | scoring |
| Applicable rule | Rules of Golf Rule 3.2a(4), Rule 3.2c(2), and Rule 5.1 |
| Related concepts | Match Play, Extra Hole, Play-off, Match Result, All Square |
Worked example
Alex and Ben are All Square after 18 holes; the competition requires a winner, so they play an Extra Hole, where Alex scores 4 and Ben 5, making Alex the match winner 1 up after 19 holes.
Rule reference: Rules of Golf Rule 3.2a(4), Rule 3.2c(2), and Rule 5.1
Sources: www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.usga.org
Common questions
Is an Extended Match a new round?
No. Under Rule 5.1, a tied match played on beyond the scheduled holes is a continuation of the same round, not a new round.
How many holes does an Extended Match use?
It uses one hole at a time until there is a winner. The holes normally follow the order of the original round, unless the Committee sets a different order.
Do handicap strokes continue in an Extended Match?
Yes. Rule 3.2c(2) says handicap strokes are given by hole in the same way as in the round, unless the Committee sets a different method.
Does every tied match have to become an Extended Match?
No. The Terms of the Competition may say that a match ends in a tie rather than being extended. Follow the competition’s published terms.
Is an Extended Match the same as a stroke-play Play-off?
No. The Rules describe an extended tied match as a continuation of the same round. A stroke-play play-off is treated as a new round under Rule 5.1.
Is Extended Match an official scoring format?
It is best understood as a descriptive label for match play continuing after a tie. The Rules set out the procedure as extending a tied match; they do not create a separate competition format called Extended Match.