How to play Match Play
Each hole is its own contest and the lowest score wins it. Total strokes don't matter. Whoever wins more holes wins the match, and a match can end before 18.
In ForeBoard, this is Straight Up, set to match play.
The rules
- Play head to head. The lower score wins the hole, and a tie halves it.
- Win a hole and you go 1-up. Lose one and you go back toward all square.
- The match ends as soon as one side leads by more holes than are left. 4 & 3 means 4-up with 3 to play.
- If the lead equals the holes left, the leader is dormie.
- Level after the last hole is a halved match.
A match, start to finish
A leads by 4 with 3 to play and wins 4 & 3
On the board
Who it's for
Two golfers head to head, or two teams of the same size. On a Ryder Cup trip, singles and team pairings both play it.
Variations ForeBoard supports
Choose these when you set up the round.
Gross or net
In a net round, each golfer gets strokes from their full handicap.
Team Match Play
With two teams, each hole is its own contest. Add up each team's scores, and the lowest combined total wins the hole. Team A's 4, 4 and 5 make 13, which loses to Team B's 3, 5 and 4 for 12.
Questions golfers ask
Can you concede a hole or a putt?
Conceding is not supported in ForeBoard. Enter a score for each golfer and the match status follows.
Can you press in Match Play?
Not supported in ForeBoard. Presses are a Nassau feature.
What does dormie mean?
The leader is up by exactly the number of holes left, so the trailing side can only halve the match.
What happens after a match closes?
The result is frozen at the closeout. Later holes don't change it.
What if a score is missing?
The hole only counts once every golfer in the match has posted. ForeBoard lists the missing hole.
Score it free on ForeBoard
Choose Match Play, share the link, and everyone sees the score as you play. No app, no account.
Start a round