Could you please explain a match play rule to me? After
playing 18 holes the match was tied [all square], and we needed a result.
Player A had to give Player B seven shots at the start of the match. Player A
thought that because she had given the shots and had finished all square she
did not have to give them again. They played the first hole again and Player A
recorded a 6 with Player B recording a 7. They both thought the match was over,
and returned to the clubhouse. The following day they were told that Player A
should have given Player B a shot on the 1st hole. Can you please give me the
ruling?
Thank you.
Lulu from Australia
Dear Lulu,
Player B should have received a handicap stroke from Player
A. The match was all square after 19 holes, and play should have continued.
However, since both players agreed that the match was over, and Player B did
not file a claim before the result was official, Player A is the winner [Rule
2-5].
Let’s take a quick look at how to handicap a match. If
Lulu’s handicap is 12, and Annie’s is 19, Lulu will play the match at scratch
(no strokes), and Annie will receive a stroke on the holes that are identified
as handicap holes #1 through #7. If the two competitors must play additional
holes to decide the match, Annie will receive the same number of strokes from
Lulu on the same holes as she did the first time around.
Think about it. Annie is receiving these strokes because she
is not as good a player as Lulu. These strokes are intended to give the weaker
player a fair chance to halve the hole. When the players move on to extra
holes, Annie doesn’t miraculously become a better player who can now play
even-up with Lulu on the very same holes where she needed a stroke the first
time around. She is entitled to her strokes on the #1 through #7 handicap holes
each time she plays those holes. They do not run out in overtime.
Linda
Copyright © 2015 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
