Match Play vs Stroke Play?

[chollyred]

How many of you play match play instead of stroke play?

A few years ago, a buddy and I would always play match play for a $1 a hole. I don't think I ever lost more than $2. More often than not, we'd end up even for the round. Over the last few years, it seems handicaps and stroke play are all that count.

[EDSGOLF]

I only play stroke play, but with sometimes a skins game.

[Marmotte]

[QUOTE=chollyred]How many of you play match play instead of stroke play?

QUOTE]
I mostly play match play with Slammer Tour. For friendly games, I perfer Bingo-Bango-Bongo (first on green, closest to pin and fist in the hole... each scores one point).

[Ruskie]

I play regularly on the Slammer Tour, which is all straight matchplay. Even though I'm a pretty crappy player, I enjoy it quite a bit, since my blowup holes don't nesessarily mean I loose the match. However, for the same reason, there's no feeling of importance on every single shot, which is probably detrimental to the overall game. It would be interesting to compare it to OGTour this season.

[Kilroy]

Skins/Cleaners are a form of match play, but with stroke play rules. It's agreat format for bigger groups. Our leaderboard is handicapped stroke scores.

When playing in a 2 or 4some I like match play (partners if 4)

[Colby]

I often play a $2 Nassau in a match play format fairly often and I play in the club's match play events.

[LobWedge]

In my book match play is as good as it gets. Head-to-head against your opponent. There's nothing like it. The game becomes much more tactical. You take chances that you wouldn't normally take in stroke play.

[broken27]

Play a bit of both. I find it very interesting to play stroke-based cleaners, which has the added bonus of a "hole-by-hole" contest within it.

Dan

[Started2k3]

I often play a $2 Nassau in a match play format fairly often and I play in the club's match play events.

What is a "Nassau"?

[Colby]

What is a "Nassau"?

Here's a good explaination:

http://www.vancouverisland.com/golf/?id=22#nassau

When I play, we allow a press once the player is down 2 holes or more. Playing a $2 Nassau, I have rarely seen more than $6-8 dollars change hands.

["Richard"]

I've never even heard of any of this stuff. I thought you just played and whoever had a the best score won

[Colby]

I've never even heard of any of this stuff. I thought you just played and whoever had a the best score won

So much to learn...

[Kilroy]

Stroke / Medal Play
Just add 'em up! Medal Play is the most basic format for golf tournaments. Contestants simply play 18 holes and prizes go to players with the best gross scores and net scores. Use handicaps from 80-100% - preferably on the lower side to prevent sandbagging. Medal Play is the most serious and least forgiving tournament format (no gimmies!), so it's often used for club championships.
Low gross: no adjustment for handicap;
Low net: subtract your handicap, low score wins.

Match Play
Two players play head to head. Total strokes are not important. The object of this game is to win as many holes as possible. The player with the best hole score for each hole wins the hole, any tied holes are thrown out and are not counted. If player A has won 2 holes, it is "2 Up." If Player B wins the next hole, player A is now "1 Up." The player who wins the most holes wins the match. The match ends when one player is ahead by more holes than the number of holes remaining.

Skins
Each hole is worth a set dollar amount (a skin). If a player scores the lowest score for the hole (w/o any ties), he/she wins that amount. If there is a tie for the best score for the hole, the money for that hole is carried over to the next hole. The player with the most money at the end of the round wins.

Selected Score
In this game, each golfer plays 36 holes. Each then arrives at a final score by combining the two rounds, selecting the best net score from each of the 18 holes. The winner is the player with the lowest total. This format is usually played with two-thirds or three-fourths handicap. Selected score is a fun, leisurely format to use over a weekend, although I've seen some fanatics pack it all into one day.

Bingo Bango Bongo
A "bingo" is awarded to the 1st player to hit onto the green (regardless of the # of strokes taken). A "bango" is awarded to the player who is closest to the pin once all players are on the green (again, regardless of the # of strokes taken). A "bongo" is awarded to the 1st player who putts the ball in the hole. If a player wins all 3 in one hole, he/she is given double points for the hole.

Snake & Mongoose
Snake = Bad - The last player to 3 putt gets the snake until the next person 3 putts to get it. Be sure to play in turn to avoid errors.
Mongoose = Good - The last player to make a putt longer than a flag length gets the snake until the next person 3 putts to get it. Longer puts do not beat shorter ones that are outside the flagstick. It is the last one in. Again, be sure to play in turn.
After 9 holes the holder of the Snake pays one "unit" to each player, the holder of the Mongoose collects one "unit" from each player. Start over on the back nine.
Some players have a token like a string of beads to represent the Snake and Mongoose. Clip it to the bag of the holder. It is fun to give and to receive.

666
Match play with a new partner every six holes. Match play means that the score is kept based only on whether holes are won or lost with no consideration given to the winning margin on each hole.
Each 6 holes are a mini match.
Best and worst drives on # 1 are partners for the first 6 holes
Best and worst drives on # 7 are partners for the next 6 holes (excluding same pairing from the first)
Remaining pairs are partnered together for the final 6 holes
Players' net scores (after handicap) are generally used and the most popular format " Best Ball'. This means that each team's better net score on each hole is used against the opposing team's better score. A team which has won 2 holes and lost 1 hole is said to be "1 up".
Play best ball or team total, your choice.

Nassau
A Nassau is really three games in one. The front nine being one, the back nine being the second and the entire 18 being the third. '2 - 2 - 2' would mean a two dollar wager on the front nine, a two dollar wager on the back nine and a third, two dollar wager on the entire 18.

[NoBack]

I often play a $2 Nassau in a match play format fairly often and I play in the club's match play events.

Yeah and rookies must pay. Cost me $6 to learn that one. Thanks Dave

[Colby]

Yeah and rookies must pay. Cost me $6 to learn that one. Thanks Dave

Not always. I won $8 the first day I played it

[beatnik58]

Dan, can you describe a Four Ball Game?

[Kilroy]

Not sure about "4 ball" but here are a bunch more...

http://forum.ottawagolf.com/showthread.php?t=7917 (post 12)