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By PGATOUR.com staff

Match Play: Match Play is the game played by holes.

Opponent: In match play it is never a competitor, always an opponent or player.

Reckoning of Hole (status of match): Reckoning of holes is kept by the terms: so many "holes up," or "all square" and so many "holes to play."

Halved Hole: A hole is halved when each side holes out in the same number of strokes.

All Square: A match is all square when each side has won the same number of holes as the other side, or when each hole has been halved.

Dormie: A match is dormie when a side is as many holes up as there are holes remaining to be played.

Concession of next stroke, hole or match (Rule 2-4): When the opponent's ball is at rest or is deemed to be at rest under Rule 16-2, the player may concede the opponent to have holed out with his next stroke and the ball may be removed by either side with a club or otherwise. A player may concede a hole or a match at any time prior to the conclusion of the hole or the match. Concession of a stroke, hole or match may not be declined or withdrawn.

Scoring: Match play is scored by holes and each hole is scored by strokes. A player will try to win more holes than his opponent in the course of a match, there are no holes awarded for a half and no holes are carried over. Players will try to win as many holes as possible until they cannot be mathmatically caught.

An example: Player A leads Player B by three holes with three holes to go. Player A now has Player B dormie. If Player A were to win the next hole, they will be up four holes with two to play. The match is now over, with player A winning 4 & 2. Even a half on the next hole would mean Player A is up three holes with two remaining, thus the match ends 3 &2.