Matchplay golf explained
without the scorecard argument.
How holes are won, tied and lost, where strokes fall and when a match ends.
Who it suits
Choose matchplay when this sounds like your group.
Best for head-to-head golf and groups that want every hole to create a fresh contest.
The format in plain English
Match play compares opponents hole by hole. The lower score wins the hole, equal scores tie it, and the running state is expressed as holes up or down rather than total strokes.
A match ends when one side leads by more holes than remain. Three up with two to play is a 3&2 win.
Handicap handling
The lower-handicap player plays from zero and the other player receives the difference on the lowest stroke-index holes. Current WHS guidance recommends 100% of the difference for singles match play and 90% for four-ball match play.
Yardages currently applies 90% of the Course Handicap difference in its friendly head-to-head and round-robin scoring engine. For an organised competition, use the allowance in the event terms; the app's friendly default does not override them.
Concessions and finishing
A player may concede a stroke, a hole or the match. A concession is final. If the match is all square after the stipulated round, the competition terms decide whether it is tied or continues to extra holes.
Worked example
Three holes, one stroke
Sam receives a stroke from Alex on stroke index 3.
- On SI 3, both make gross 5. Sam's net 4 wins the hole and goes 1 UP.
- On SI 12, neither receives a stroke. Alex's 4 beats Sam's 5, returning the match to all square.
- On SI 7, both make 4 with no stroke. The hole is tied and the match stays all square.
Match play resets the contest on every tee; only the holes won matter.
Common pitfalls
- Calling 90% the official singles allowance; current WHS guidance recommends 100% for singles.
- Applying both players' full handicaps instead of playing from the lowest player as zero.
- Taking back a concession after it has been clearly made.
How Yardages handles it
- Yardages tracks each pairing as won, lost or tied and displays the live up/down state.
- For three or more players, the app runs simultaneous round-robin pairings from the same gross scores.
- Its current friendly-match stroke engine applies 90% of each Course Handicap difference.
Accuracy sources
Related pages
More after Matchplay
Matchplay, the 90% rule, and how shots actually drop
Matchplay without the rulebook energy: holes won and lost, official singles and four-ball allowances, and Yardages' current 90% friendly-match handling.
Read moreWHS handicaps without the rulebook
Handicap index, course handicap, slope, stroke index — the bits of WHS that actually matter in a Saturday fourball, explained in plain English.
Read moreStrokeplay golf explained
Gross and net strokeplay, holing out, handicap adjustments and complete-card scoring.
Read more
Less admin. More golf.
Let Yardages score matchplay live.
Join the waitlist for supported scoring, joined-player standings and a round history worth returning to.