Match play, a tournament format of enjoying aggressive golf
By Kim Jeong-kyoo
Hong Jung-min snatched victory at the 2022 Doosan Match Play Championship on May 22, Sunday. She put up a neck-and-neck fight with rookie rising star, Lee Ye-won, clinching her first career triumph in her 35th appearance on the KLPGA Tour. The 20-year-old eked out a 1-up victory with the unequaled approach shot close to pin before rattling off a 70-centimeter birdie putt on the penultimate hole.
Match play differs from stroke play in that the scoring is based on the number of holes that are won during the round rather than the number of strokes accumulated. It is a form of play in which you or your side plays directly against an opponent or opposing side in a head-to-head match.
The player or team with the lowest total score for each hole wins the hole and is awarded a point. In the event of a tie, each is awarded a half-point, meaning the hole is halved or they are tied. One wins the match when they lead their opponent by more holes than the holes still left to play.
Incidentally, contestants may concede a stroke or a hole at any time. Some professional tournaments, such as the Ryder Cup, the Presidents Cup and the Volvo World Match Play Championship feature a match play scoring system.
Match play is more of a mental game than stroke play. You need to have the guts to push through, patience and persistence. You'd better stay aggressive and competitive. As the total number of strokes will not have a crucial influence on your glory, you can go for a more risky shot.
Also, you need to have an agile mind, adjusting your game plan and playing strategies depending on your competitor. Importantly, even when your rival chips in from the bunker, for instance, you need to remain poised and calm rather than be thunderstruck or flabbergasted. Don't let the feat pulled off by your opponent drive you to panic.
When you have honors on the tee box, just hit the fairway. When you are hitting your approach shot first, just hit the green. That will leave your opponent uncomfortable and under pressure. You don't have to be perfect. Your goal is simply winning the hole.
Here is the confusing terminology that you may hear while watching match play, which is akin to a professional boxing match. Golf match play has a series of 18 separate games within a round; a boxing match has 12 distinct rounds within a bout.
The scoreboard that reads “AS” means all square. This means that the number of total holes won by each opponent is equal and the contestants are currently tied.
A score reading “three up” for one golfer means that the golfer that is three up has won three more holes than his or her opponent. Similarly, if a golfer is leading by two holes, he is referred to as “two up.”
You are “dormie” when you are up, ahead, or leading your opponent by the exact same number of remaining holes to play. The term, “dormie,” is derived from the French word, “dormir,” which means “to sleep.” A player who is dormie can relax or literally go to sleep without fear of losing the match. This situation means that your opponent can only draw with you in the match at best.
If you are up three holes with only two holes left to play, you may write “3&2” on the leaderboard. This reflects that you have won the match without playing the remaining last two holes. Similarly, you can refer to a player's final winning score as “5&4,” “4&3,” “2&1” or “1 up.”
The author (kimjstar@hanmail.net) lives in a rural village near Seoul, studying and teaching golf.