Rule 3 · The basics
Rule 3: Match play, stroke play, scorecard
Official title: The Competition
Every competition sets three things: match play or stroke play, as an individual or with a partner, gross or net. In match play each hole counts on its own, in stroke play the total of all your strokes.
3.1 What every competition sets
The form of play, whether you compete as an individual or with a partner, and whether handicap strokes count.
3.2 Match play
You play against an opponent, hole by hole. You may concede a stroke, a hole or the whole match, and a concession cannot be withdrawn. If asked, you must give your number of strokes correctly, and you tell your opponent about a penalty as soon as you can.
Rules questions on this
- What is a halved hole in match play?
- Match tied after 18 holes: what happens?
- What does ‘4 and 3’ mean in match play?
- Can I concede a hole before teeing off in match play?
- Match play: when may we agree to halve a hole?
11 more questions
- Putt conceded, but I putted anyway and missed: what counts?
- Did not tell my opponent about a penalty: what happens?
- Stopped my opponent’s ball to concede the putt: is that allowed?
- Can my caddie concede a putt?
- Hole conceded, then your ball is in the hole: what now?
- Declared a handicap that is too high in match play: what happens?
- Match play: can I change my mind after saying I will take relief?
- Gave a wrong score after the hole: do I lose the hole?
- Agreed on the wrong match score: what now?
- Gave the wrong number of strokes in match play: what happens?
- Can I let my opponent’s breach go in match play?
3.3 Stroke play
All strokes and penalty strokes count. Your marker enters the scores, you check them, you both certify the card and you return it promptly. A score that is too high stands, a score that is too low usually means disqualification. The same threatens if you do not finish a hole and fail to correct that in time.
Rules questions on this
- Do I have to certify my own scorecard?
- Lower score on the scorecard than played: what happens?
- Who records my scores in stroke play?
- Can you concede a putt in stroke play?
- Higher score on the scorecard than played: what happens?
6 more questions
- Wrong total on my scorecard: is there a penalty?
- Marker forgot to certify my scorecard: what happens?
- Did not hole out in stroke play: what happens?
- Unsure about a penalty and did not ask: what happens?
- Penalty discovered after returning my scorecard: am I disqualified?
- Can my marker change during the round?
Our own simplified summary of the 2023 Rules of Golf. The official Rules text is what counts.