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Principles of Match Play

 

There are basically two forms of Golf, (and should be looked upon as entirely different games)

1 stroke play (where we play against any number of others even a 100)

2 Match play (where we play against one other player)

Aim of stroke Play

Most are familiar with stroke and the aims of the game (to go round the course in as few strokes as possible. With the purpose of having the lowest score on the day, they’re by winning) we will endeavour to play our best golf

Aim of Match Play

Match play is different in that all we are aiming to do is play each hole in one less stroke than our opponent.  This will not necessarily mean we have to play our best golf at every hole. (Expand: - opponent plays a bad shot we could chip our way up the fairway play safe for an 8 or 9 and still win the hole)

Tonight we will concentrate on the principles and aims of Match Play and see why the rules change so much between the two games.

 

One of the basic principles of match is that each contender is on hand throughout the game and as such is expected to look out for their own interests.

In stroke each contender will not be present and may be playing hours apart. (They may play in the am we in the pm) so the rules in stroke need to look out for those not present.

                                To illustrate Gimmies allowed in Match, as all interested parties are present. Can’t have them in Stroke ( would have to call in all other players! take a    vote? What if one said no? would we have to play out to satisfy them? And take the gimme from the others? Resulting in different scores against different players?

 

So straight away we can see why we do not call those in our group Opponents in stroke play, they are FELLOW COMPETITORS as they are competing along side us against all others

In Match they are our OPPONENTS as they are contending against only us.

 

DIFFERENCES IN THE RULES

 

One of the first differences we notice is in regard to penalties

2sp becomes Loss of Hole

WHY? In Stroke we need to complete the course so 2sp will be added each time we breach a rule for the purpose of levelling out any advantage we might have gained over other competitors.

In Match as we are playing hole by hole we only need a winner of that hole and move on to the next. A match should be finely balanced ( esp when H/caps are taken into consideration) and a 2sp would effectively result in the hole being beyond winning, hence Loss of hole.

 

Other penalties

Let us look at some of the main changes and see why they change.

Doubt as to procedure Rule 3-3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Discontinuing play

Rule 6-8

Play of two balls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

___________________

Stroke play player may play out hole with two balls and get dec from committee after round

Match play not allowed.

 

 

 

 

___________________

 

Stroke play:- not allowed (few exceptions)

Match Play:-

Players may discontinue play by agreement and resume later

      

Practice rule 7

Practice before a round

Match Play:- allowed

Stroke play :- D.Q.

Order of play

Rule 10

Playing out of order

Match play:- opponent may recall stroke.

Stroke play:- no penalty

The Tee

Rule 11

Playing from outside tee

Playing from wrong tee

Match play:-  no penalty but opponent has right to recall stroke.

Stroke play:- 2sp and the player must play from within tee

Ball moved

Rule 18

Ball moved by opponent

Match: - 1sp to opponent

Stroke play no penalty

 

 

 

 

Ball deflected

Rule 19

Ball deflected by opponent or his equipment

Player may cancel stroke and replay, or play ball as it lies

Rule

19-5

 

Hitting another ball on the green

Stroke 2sp

Match no penalty

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The reasons behind the changes

Rule 3-3 doubt as to procedure

In stroke play if a player is unsure as to how he should proceed He may elect to play out the hole with two balls and get a decision from the committee at the end of the round.

This is not allowed in Match play for the simple reason that the opponent will not know which ball he is playing against (principle of match;- a player is entitled to know the state of play at all times)

 

Rule 6-8 Discontinuance of play

 

Rule 7 practice

Opportunity

In a stroke play comp there may be 100 others out on the day only those out first will be able to practice on the course.

In a match there will be equal opportunity for both sides to practice

 

Rule 10 order of play

In stroke play the order of play is of little or no importance

 

In a match it is of vital importance, as the player will need to know what kind of stroke to play in any given situation to stay in contention. And this will depend largely upon the position of the opponent.

 

Rule 11 the tee

 

A player may gain an advantage or a disadvantage from the mistake.

In stroke the other competitors are not on hand to decide

 

In match the opponent is there to judge, And can decide whether or not to take the resulting advantage of the mistake.

 

Rule 18 Ball Moved

In stroke the F C is an outside agency and gains nothing

 

In Match he must look out for his opponents ball.

 

Rule 19 ball deflected

 

In stroke play it is a rub of the green

 

In match the players must look out for their own interests and if silly enough to leave equipment etc where it gives an opponent some advantage they have no one to blame but themselves.

So in stroke play if a ball is deflected or stopped by a fellow competitor the ball must be played as it lies, they are no part of our game and as such are outside agencies 

In match play they are part of our game in as much as they are our opponents. So if they leave equipment or the like in a place where it may be of benefit to us they have no one to blame. It we hit them or their equipment we have the choice of playing the ball as it lies, or canceling the stroke and playing again.

 

Rule 19-5

In stroke play there is a penalty as  a F C ball may be assisting the FC may have reason to leave the ball there to give his best mate a helping hand. Hence 2sp

In match the opponent has no one to blame but himself if he doesn’t utilize rule 22

 

 

 

 

 

By now we can see that one of the main principles of Match play is that the opponent is on hand to look out for his own interests and therefore the rules reflect this.

 

Another great principle of match play is that the player is entitled to know the state of play at any given moment

 

This brings us to Rule 9 Information as to strokes taken

 

As we have said before it is of vital importance in a match to know the state of play before taking any action

At club level this rule is hardly ever implemented which is a shame because it would add so much more interest to our matches if it were more strictly observed.

Basically Rule 9 is a match play rule and is based on the principle that a player needs to know the state of play before taking any action.  So this rule gives the player the RIGHT to ascertain from his opponent how many strokes they have played.  This puts a great responsibility on us to give correct information when asked.  Should we give wrong information then we lose the hole if we do not correct it before our opponent plays his next stroke.  The decisions on the rules take the rule one step further to it’s logical conclusion and extends the meaning of playing the next stroke to a concession or a picking up of the ball.

Any information as to strokes taken must include penalty strokes and we must inform our opponents as soon as practical if we incur a penalty.

The principle of this can best be seen by a real life situation.

Player ‘A’ has played 5 strokes and is approximately 18 ins. from the hole.  Player ‘B’ his opponent asks, “How many have you played?” “Four” replies ‘A’ omitting to count a penalty stroke incurred back on the fairway, either deliberately or because of ignorance of the rules.

“OK I concede your next stroke” says B and knocks away A’s ball saying “you’re down for five, I’m here for four so I have a putt for a half”.  If it then comes to light that ‘A’ has not included the penalty does this mean that ‘B’ now has a putt for the win and two for the half?

NO - since ‘B’s’ concession of the next stroke to A was the equivalent of his next stroke it means that B wins the hole as ‘A’ has given wrong information.

This rule puts great onus upon us to know the rules, because if we have incurred a penalty stroke and do not inform our opponent we lose the hole.  If this rule was adhered to more closely I think many more players would take time to understand the rules more thoroughly.

SUMMARY: of rule 9

1.     We must inform our opponent as soon as we incur a penalty.

2.     We must give correct information when asked how many strokes we have taken.

3.                    If we do not correct wrong information BEFORE our opponent takes any action we lose the hole.        

 

It is worth mentioning here that in match play we can ignore a breach of the rules made by an opponent, as long as we don’t agree to waive a rule.

In stroke play we are under obligation to call penalties

 

Sum up

 

Listing

1 Aim of Match play

2  principles;-   A player must look out for themselves.

Player has right to know state of play before playing a stroke or taking any action

End with Rule 33-1