Nina Caldwell
Medal play, also known as stroke play, is the simplest of golf's scoring formats. In medal play, golfers record each of their shots and the total number of strokes is counted over one or more rounds of 18 holes. The golfer with the lowest score wins. Gross is when the golfer who has posted the lowest round wins, while net is when the golfer who has posted the lowest round net of their handicap wins. Medal play is considered more intimidating than other formats because every shot counts, and there are no teammates to bail you out.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Other names | Stroke play, match and medal |
| Scoring | Count the total number of strokes over one or more rounds of 18 holes |
| Winner | Player with the lowest score wins |
| Score calculation | Gross score (no handicap) or net score (with handicap) |
| Handicap | Used to level the playing field for players of different skill levels |
| Tie-breakers | Playoff, scorecard count back, or sudden death |
| Variations | The front, the back, and the aggie; foursomes |
| Intimidation factor | High, as every shot counts and there is no teammate to bail you out |
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What You'll Learn
Medal play is also known as stroke play
Medal play, also known as stroke play, is the simplest of golf's scoring formats. In medal play, each golfer records all their strokes (including penalty strokes) on every hole. The golfer with the lowest score at the end of the round wins.
Medal play is different from team play formats such as best ball, where a teammate can help out with a better score, or Stableford, where the effect of a quadruple bogey is softened. In medal play, every shot counts, and there is no room for error. This makes it the most intimidating format for golfers, as they must sink every putt, no matter how long it takes.
The total number of strokes is counted over one or more rounds of 18 holes. In a multi-day tournament, the golfer with the lowest total score wins. The player's medal score may be gross or net, depending on whether the competition is using handicaps. If handicaps are in use, the player's score is adjusted by their handicap to determine the medal score.
Medal play is the traditional way of playing golf and is the format most often seen on television, especially in tournaments held by the PGA Tour and its international equivalents. It is also the format used for the men's and women's golf Majors, including The Masters, The US Open, The Open Championship, and the PGA Championship.
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Record every shot and penalty
Medal golf, also known as stroke play, is the simplest of golf's scoring formats. In medal golf, every stroke on every hole is recorded until the player has holed out. This includes any penalty strokes. The strokes are then tallied over the designated number of holes played, and the player with the lowest number of strokes wins.
This scoring method enables several golfers to compete against each other at the same time, as opposed to match play, where the competition is head-to-head between two golfers or two groups of golfers. Medal play is also different from Stableford, where hole scores are converted into points totals. In Stableford, if you rack up a high score on a hole, you simply score zero points on that hole, so the damage is contained to that one hole. In medal play, however, every shot counts, and there is no way to soften the effect of a bad shot.
Because of this, medal play is often considered the most intimidating format. There are no teammates to bail you out, and mistakes can be extremely costly. The best way to approach medal play is to try and minimise mistakes and not let them compound. For example, if a bad drive ends up in the trees, it is wiser to punch out to the fairway rather than trying a risky miracle shot for the green.
Medal play is considered the truest test of a golfer's ability, which is why it is used most often by the PGA Tour to award cash prizes.
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Lowest score wins
Golf is a unique sport in that it is the only one where the lowest score wins. Medal play, also known as stroke play, is the simplest of the scoring formats in golf. In medal play, each golfer records every one of their strokes (and penalty strokes, if any) on every hole. The golfer who has posted the lowest score wins.
Medal play is different from other common types of competition, such as match play and Stableford. In match play, players aim to win individual holes by making the lower score on them, and the player who wins the most holes wins the game. In Stableford, hole scores are converted into points totals. In these formats, if a player racks up a huge score on one hole, the damage is contained to that hole.
However, in medal play, every shot counts, and there are no teammates to bail a player out. This makes medal play the most intimidating and unforgiving format. It is no wonder that golf club medal competitions attract a better average standard of golfer than Stableford ones.
The lowest officially recorded round of golf is 55, achieved by Rhein Gibson in 2012, and recognised by the Guinness World Records. In men's major championships, the lowest round is 62, while in women's, it is 61.
Additionally, in the Tournament of Champions, Cameron Smith scored a PGA Tour record of 34-under 258, beating Jon Rahm's 33-under.
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Gross and net scores
In medal golf, also known as stroke play, the player with the lowest total number of shots wins. The player's medal score may be gross or net, depending on whether the competition uses handicaps.
Gross Score
Gross scoring refers to a player's score without a handicap. It is the total number of shots played, including any penalty shots incurred. Gross scores are used to determine a player's handicap. Some club competitions, such as the club championship, are determined solely on the gross score. These are typically more formal events, and gross score tournaments are usually played without handicaps.
Net Score
Net scoring, or handicap scoring, allows golfers of different skill levels to compete on an even playing field. To calculate a net score, the player's handicap number is deducted from their gross score. Most amateur golf tournaments have both gross and net divisions, with lower handicap golfers playing in the gross division and higher handicap golfers in the net division.
Adjusted Gross Score
Adjusted gross scores are used only to calculate handicaps. It limits how high a score can be recorded on a hole for handicap purposes. For example, for a player with an established Handicap Index, a very high score on a hole will be recorded as a net double bogey. This prevents one or two bad holes from skewing the calculation of a player's handicap, which represents their "potential" score in any given round.
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Breaking ties
Another way to break ties is by comparing the golfers' scores on the last 9, 6, 3, or 1 hole(s) of the course, with the best net score on these holes deemed the winner. This method is recommended by the USGA and R&A and is often used in medal play tournaments with handicaps.
Additionally, some tournaments may use the ""count back" method, where the gross scores of the tied golfers are compared. However, this method is considered unfair in handicap competitions, as it does not take into account the golfers' handicaps.
In some cases, if the tie still remains, the golfers may be sorted alphabetically by their names, and the event organizer will decide how to break the tie further. This could include using Par values or points-based systems, or comparing scores on the hardest hole.
It is important to note that the tie-breaking rules may vary depending on the specific tournament and organizing committee, and it is recommended to communicate any tie-breaking procedures to the players in advance.
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