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Glite Dictionary
stroke play

stroke play

1 5.9
A way to score golf where the lowest total shots wins
  • noun
  • /stroʊk pleɪ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : juego por golpes
  • In many golf tournaments, participants compete in stroke play to see who can achieve the fewest strokes by the end of the event.
  • stroke play event
  • stroke play format
  • 72-hole stroke play

Examples

  • Gaudreau et al. (2002) calculated discrepancies between goal and performance in golf players by subtracting the scoring goal on an 18-hole stroke play competition from the actual score after the conclusion of the competition.

    Academic text (2008)

  • The tournament featured a thrilling finish, showcasing the excitement of stroke play as players vied for the top spot over four rounds.

  • At the championship, the strategy of stroke play emphasized accuracy and consistency over the course of the lengthy match.

Synonyms

medal play
vsstroke play
  • Jargon
6.2

A way to score golf where the player with the fewest total shots wins

is the alternate interchangeable name for the same scoring system

Surface Forms

stroke play singular
stroke plays plural

Morphology

stroke + play

The compound is compositionally built from 'stroke' (a hit/shot) + 'play' (a manner or mode of playing), so a learner who knows both words can infer it denotes a way of playing/scoring based on strokes. Although domain-specific to golf, the relation is literal and follows common compounding patterns, making the meaning derivable without prior exposure.

Etymology

Stroke play comes from golf, where each swing of the club is a stroke and the whole match is the play, so players add up every stroke they make. The winner is the player with the 'fewest strokes', which is why the name describes how the game is scored.