What Is Match Play?
Match play has formed the basis of the Ryder Cup since its creation in 1927, but what exactly is it?
Avid golf fans will be familiar with the match play format, but with most tournaments centred around stroke play, it may not be so recognisable to more casual fans watching the Ryder Cup. So, what exactly is match play?
The format is used at every Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup as well other notable occasions, including the Amateur Championship, US Amateur Championship and Solheim Cup.
The format pits one player or team against another. That differs from stroke play, which sees players attempting to master the course with the lowest score they can achieve.
In match play, competitors attempt to beat each other to the best score on each hole, with the player with the lowest score winning the hole to go 1up. The aim of the game is to win as many holes as you can in that manner until there are no longer enough holes for the opponent to come back.
For example, in an 18-hole match play contest, the highest score you can win by is 10&8, which means the winner would be 10up with only eight holes left in the round. Tiger Woods famously nearly achieved that feat at the 2006 WGC-Match Play, when he took on Stephen Ames and beat him 9&8.
At the Ryder Cup you may also see the letters AS on the leaderboards. That means the match is All Square - neither player has won more holes than the other.
Match play can also take several forms, and that is true of both the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup, which each feature match play split into three sections - four balls, foursomes, and singles.
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
Singles is perhaps the most easy to understand for the casual fan as it pits one player against another, with the player with the lowest score winning each hole. Four balls is similar, but it features two pairs of players, with the lowest score winning the hole. Finally, foursomes features two pairs of players, but they play one ball and it is alternate shot.
Traditionally in the Ryder Cup, Team Europe performs better in four balls and foursomes, whereas the Americans tend to excel at singles.
Due to the nature of match play, it has created some incredible moments and intense pressure and yet it is rarely used on the DP World Tour, PGA Tour or LPGA Tour because the final would only be between two players.
However, if anything, that merely adds to the appeal of match play when it does come around, as fans get to watch a format of the game that can produce a wholly different dynamic, atmosphere and outcome to that which they experience on a more regular basis.
A golfer for most of his life, Sam is Golf Monthly's E-commerce Editor.
Working with golf gear and equipment over the last six years, Sam has quickly built outstanding knowledge and expertise on golf products ranging from drivers, to balls, to shoes.
He combines this knowledge with a passion for helping golfers get the best gear for them, and as such Sam manages a team of writers that look to deliver the most accurate and informative reviews and buying advice. This takes the form of buying guides, reviews, supporting gear content as well as creating deal content.
This is so the reader can find exactly what they are looking for, at a good price.
Sam now spends most of his time testing and looking after golf gear content for the website, whilst he is also responsible for all content related to golf apparel.
Additionally Sam oversees Golf Monthly voucher/coupon content which seeks to find you the best offers and promotions from well-known brands like Callaway, TaylorMade and many more.
Unfortunately, Sam is not a member of any club at the moment but regularly gets out on the golf course to keep up the facade of having a single-figure handicap.
Sam's What's In The Bag:
Driver: Cobra LTDxLS (9 degrees)
Fairway Wood: Ping G430 Max (15 degrees), Nike Covert Tour 2.0 (19 degrees)
Irons (4-PW): Titleist AP2
Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7 54˚, 58˚
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X 5.5
Ball: Srixon Z-Star Diamond
Shoes: G/FORE Gallivanter/Nike Air Zoom Victory Tour 3/Cuater The Ringer
(For off the course he goes for Nike Jordan 1 Low G shoes as well)
- Mike HallWriter
-
The Chevron Championship Tee Times - Round Three
Jin Hee Im and Atthaya Thitikul share the lead at eight-under-par, but World No.1, Nelly Korda, is only one shot back of the pair
By Matt Cradock Published
-
RBC Heritage Tee Times - Round Three
The top nine at the RBC Heritage are separated by just two shots as the action heats up on the weekend at Harbour Town
By Ben Fleming Published
-
Why Tiger Woods’ Masters Week Was Actually A Huge Success
Woods finished last at an event in which he made the cut for just the third time in his near-30-year pro career at The 2024 Masters - but looking at the result here is too short-sighted...
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
Patrick Cantlay What's In The Bag? 2024 Update
The American is no longer a contracted club player with Titleist - so what equipment is he now playing? Let's take a closer look
By Michael Weston Published
-
Nelly Korda What's In The Bag? 2024 Update
We take you through what the TaylorMade staffer and Major champion has in her bag
By Michael Weston Published
-
Xander Schauffele What's In The Bag? 2024 Update
The clubs used by America's Xander Schauffele, a member of Team Callaway who has one or two other brands in the bag
By Michael Weston Published
-
Rose Zhang What's In The Bag? 2024 Update
The hugely talented young star that is Rose Zhang is a member of Team Callaway
By Michael Weston Published
-
Wyndham Clark What's In The Bag? 2024 Update
What clubs does the 2023 US Open champion play? Let’s take a closer look at his line-up
By Michael Weston Published
-
Tyrrell Hatton What’s In The Bag? 2024 Update
We take a closer look at the Englishman’s choice of clubs and full equipment setup on tour
By Michael Weston Published
-
25 Things You Didn’t Know About Sergio Garcia
Get to know 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia better with these 25 facts
By Elliott Heath Published