match play
1
5.6
- noun
:
match play
- In match play, competition is based on how many holes one subject wins compared to how many holes the other subject wins, and the total number of strokes is not relevant to winning.
- a hole in match play
Examples
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Lowest score wins the hole in regulation match play.
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This suggests that confidence is more important during match play than during medal play if one hopes to perform well.
Academic text (1996) -
Ladies and gentlemen, this morning's contest will be 18 holes of match play golf between Mr. Diver and Mr. McKay, according to official USGA rules.
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A total of 22 subjects participated in match play and averaged 33.59 putts (SD = 3.45) for the eighteen holes.
Academic text (1996) -
Today's tournament features a thrilling 18-hole match play competition where the player with the most holes won will take the championship trophy.
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In match play, each hole is played separately, and the player who wins the most holes is declared the overall winner of the round.
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During the match play event, each golfer competes hole by hole, aiming to win the most holes rather than achieving the lowest total score.
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase combines 'match' (a contest) and 'play' (a way of playing), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer this refers to playing in the form of a match — i.e., a competitive format. However, the specific scoring rule (deciding winner by holes won rather than total strokes) is a specialized sports convention that is not fully predictable from the constituents, making the expression partially but not completely transparent.
Etymology
Match play comes from treating each hole in golf as a separate match that players play, like many small contests. So, match play means the winner is the player who wins the most holes, not the one with the fewest total shots.