Match play is golf’s oldest game: win more holes than the other side. Each hole is its own contest — take it with the lower net score, halve it and it carries nothing. The scoreboard isn’t strokes, it’s the match state: “2 up with 4 to play.”
Go 3 up with 2 to play and the match closes out early. And when one side is drowning, the press — a fresh match over the remaining holes at the same stake — keeps the walk back to the clubhouse interesting.
| Match | Result | Mike & Sam | Tom & Dana |
|---|---|---|---|
| The match | Mike & Sam win 3&2 | +$10 each | −$10 each |
| Press (from 17) | Tom & Dana win 2 up | −$10 each | +$10 each |
| Day | $0 | $0 |
Match Play is the Nassau engine with one match instead of three — all the same rules apply: halved holes carry nothing, closeouts, presses on the remaining holes.
2v2 best ball: the team's better net score plays each hole. The classic four-ball format.
The hole card shows the match state — "2 up with 4 to play" — after every hole, prompts a press when a side goes two down, and settles the match and every press independently at the end.
Join the beta on TestFlightWhat does "3&2" mean?
The match closed out — one side went 3 up with only 2 holes left, so it's decided early. The stake pays once; there's no bonus for margin.
Can you still play after a closeout?
Yes — that's what presses are for. A press starts a fresh match over the remaining holes at the same stake, so the last holes still matter.
What if the match ends all square?
It's a push — nobody pays. No sudden-death playoff unless your group takes it to the 19th themselves.
How is this different from a Nassau?
A Nassau is three of these at once — front nine, back nine, overall. Match Play is the one-stake version for groups that want a single game without the bookkeeping.