All of our Solheim matches are played using Match Play format. The Captain of each Solheim team is responsible to ensure that each of the players, playing Solheim matches understand the difference between Stroke Play and Match Play formats. Please refer to the Rule Book for further clarification on any of the rules below.
The main difference between Stroke Play and Match Play is that In Stroke Play, all players are simply playing each hole in an attempt to have the total lowest score at the end of the game. In Match Play, two or more players, are playing against each other, with each one trying to score the lowest score on individual holes. Each team is trying to win as many holes as possible. In the Niagara District Solheim League we award points based on the winning team/individual winning the most holes on the Front Nine and the winning team/individual winning the most holes on the Back Nine, to win the most Overall points for the match. In our Niagara District Solheim monthly Matches from May to August, ties are allowed at the end of a match, and no playoff is required to have an overall points winner for the match. (Refer to section XX on scoring).
In Match Play a team/individual will either win, lose or tie each hole. If you tie a hole you “halve a hole” and no points are awarded for that hole to either team/individual.
All holes must be clearly played or conceded. Do not leave a hole un-played, or un-conceded. Both teams need to agree on the decision.
Conceding A Hole
In Match Play, you may concede a hole at any time. (For example on a par 3, one team/individual is lying 6 on the green and the other team/individual is putting for a birdie or a 2. The likelihood of the team/individual putting for birdie ending up with a 6 to tie the hole, is likely NIL, therefore the hole should be conceded by the losing team/individual). In conceding a hole, it means that you are telling the other player(s) that they just won the hole. In that situation, all players would pick up their golf balls and move on to the next hole. (Rule 3.2b)
Conceding Putts
In Match Play conceded putts are perfectly legal. Your opponent(s) can concede a putt to you at any point, whether its six inches from the cup or 60 feet from the cup, but most putts that are conceded are very short putts. Conceded putts should always be offered, and not requested. That is why in some matches you may notice a golfer lingering over a very short putt, hoping their opponent(s) will concede the putt. You can still putt out after your putt has been conceded, without penalty, if you are playing in a partner’s match, it may help your partner to see the line of her putt if you putt out after the putt has been conceded to you. If you miss the putt after it has been conceded, it does not matter because the concession was already granted to you before you putt out. (Rule 3.2b)
NEW!
Players in Four-Ball or Foursomes are not allowed to stand on or close to an extension of the line of play behind the ball while their partner is making a stroke to gain information for the side's next stroke (Rule 22.6) or for their (the player's) next stroke (Rule 23.8). A breach constitutes the general penalty or loss of hole if the action helps the partner's play or hurts the opponent's play.
Are The Rules Different For Stroke Play and Match Play?
The simple answer is ‘yes’ and ‘no’. Most of the basic rules of golf are exactly the same, but the penalties for violating these rules will depend if you are playing Stroke Play vs Match Play.
Doing what you would consider friendly such as “offering advice,” which most of us would consider friendly and polite, is actually a penalty in Match Play and would mean the loss of a hole.You are allowed to offer advice to your team mate, but not to your opponents. (Giving Advice, Rule 10.2)
Playing out of turn in Match Play. If you hit out of turn in Match Play, your opponent can require you to replay the shot in the proper order. This applies throughout the golf course, as well as on the putting surface of the green. That is why it is very important to ensure that the distance away from the cup is understood by all playing the match, before the first individual attempts to putt out. In a team Four Ball Match Play (as we play for Solheim), when player ‘A’ and ‘B’ are on the same team, player ‘A’ who is closer to the hole may putt first to show player ‘B’ (her team mate) the line of her putt, and that is not considered playing out of turn. Playing out of turn would be if player ‘A’ is closer to hole than player ‘C’ (on the opposing team) and player ‘A’ plays first. Players ‘C’ and ‘D’ may require player ‘A’ to re-mark their ball and wait until they have putted, before player ‘A’ can replay her putt. (Rule 6.4a)
Hitting outside the teeing ground. In Stroke Play if you hit outside of the tee box (in between the tee markers and up to club lengths behind the tee markers) a player will be assessed a two stroke penalty. In Match Play there is no penalty, but your opponent may require you to re-hit your tee shot from the proper teeing ground. (Rule 6.1b)
Hitting an opponent. When your ball in motion accidentally hits your opponent, their caddy or the opponent's equipment, there is no longer a penalty and your ball is played as it lies, (except on the putting green, where the stroke does not count and must be replayed). (Rule 11.1a,b)
Playing two balls if uncertain on how to proceed is NOT allowed in Match Play. If you are unsure of a Rule or a procedure in Match Play you must try and resolve the issue with your opponent without undue delay. If you cannot agree on the resolution before teeing off on the next hole, a claim must be made and you must notify your opponent that you are making a claim, both agree on the facts of the situation and you can bring it to the Solheim Captain overseeing the day’s competition,after the Match, who can seek direction from their Head Golf Professional for a ruling on the claim before deciding the outcome of the Match.
Practice on course before and during a Match Play round is allowed after the hole has been concluded or before the match. For example: if you miss a putt, you are allowed to go and replay that putt to see what the correct putt would have been to hole the putt. Remember, not to hold up play and only practice after all opponents have concluded the hole. You are also allowed to play the entire course in the morning and then play your match in the afternoon in Match Play, although for the Niagara District Solheim League we have concluded we do not want anyone playing on the course in competition for the day’s matches, prior to the day’s rounds. (Rule 5.2a)
On the putting green if your ball is struck from OFF the putting green and it strikes another ball at rest in Match Play there is no penalty. Your ball must be played as it lies, while the ball that was moved must be replaced on its original spot.
Loss of Hole. In Match Play any breach of a rule, which in stroke play results in the general penalty, results in loss of hole in match play, for that player involved. Pick up and move on. In the fourball format, the other partner may complete the hole.
Arriving Late. If players arrive more than five minutes late for their starting time in Match Play, they are both disqualified. If all players arrive late, but within 5 minutes of their start time, each player would incur a penalty of loss of the 1st hole, which result in a tie of the first hole. (Rule 5.3a)
Ball overhanging hole. If your ball is overhanging the hole and your opponent does not allow for the appropriate time for you to walk up to the hole and wait 10 seconds for the ball to drop in the hole, and instead picks up the ball and hands it to you, your ball is treated as having been holed with the previous stroke and there is no penalty to the opponent for picking up your ball. (Rule 13.3b)
Touching an Opponent’s ball. You must not touch your opponent’s ball in play unless you are helping to search for it and inadvertently touch it. You will incur a 1 stroke penalty for touching your opponents ball. Do not mark an opponent’s ball on the putting green unless requested to do so by your opponent or a 1 stroke penalty will be incurred. (Rule 9.5b)
Incorrect Information. If your opponent gives you wrong information about their score, they must correct it before you make your next stroke, or they will lose the hole. (Rule 3.2d)
Request for strokes played. Refusal to give the correct number of strokes that you are lying at any time during a hole results in loss of hole. (Ie it’s more than proper etiquette, it’s a rule in match play)(Rule 3.2d)
Too many clubs. If a player has more than 14 clubs in their bag, and the breach is discovered after they had won the first hole, then they would lose the hole. If the breach is discovered after winning 4 holes for example, then they would lose a maximum of 2 holes. The maximum penalty for carrying more than 14 clubs in an entire match is loss of 2 holes. (Rule 4.1b)
Opponent vs Fellow Competitor
You might be in the habit of referring to the people you’re playing with in a tournament or event as “opponents” but they are only referred to as opponents if you are playing Match Play. In a Stroke Play round the other players are your “fellow competitors”.
Etiquette and Scoring
“Honours” are observed at all times. Match Play is when we don’t play ‘ready golf’. The team/individual who won the previous hole tees off on the next hole first as they have the ‘honours’.
Never play out of turn. There is no continuous putting or ‘I’ll finish’ in Match Play. You must mark the ball and wait for your opponent to either give you the putt or make you mark the ball and wait to putt out. If your opponent is off the green and you are on the green, but they are closer to the hole than you are, you must play first. If under a time issue, your opponent may give you permission to play out of turn. (Ie your opponent is searching for their ball or some other delay)
Scoring. When you win a hole mark down +1. If you win the next hole, mark down +2. If you lose the third hole, you would mark down +1. You may not need to finish all 18 holes to win the match. For example if you are +3 with 2 holes to play or ‘3 and 2’. At this point in the match you can continue to play the remaining holes in a friendly competition with the regular rules of golf applying as the Match has been concluded, or the team/individuals may decide to forgo playing the remaining holes and come back to the clubhouse to complete the scoring.
Always be aware of your opponent’s score on the hole, so you know how you might want to play the hole. If for example you know you need to make a putt to ‘halve’ or ‘tie’ the hole, you should know this before you putt out. You are allowed to ask what your opponent’s are lying at any time in the match.
Give putts that you know your opponents will make.