What Happens When Two Golfers Tie?

Nothing in golf gets the competitive juices flowing quite like finishing a round tied with your playing partner. The handshake on the 18th green is firm, but both of you are thinking the same thing: What happens now? What comes next can feel like a totally different game, with rules that change depending on if you’re trying to win the club championship or just bragging rights amongst friends. This guide will walk you through exactly how ties are settled in every situation, from tour-level professional events to your casual weekend game.

Ties in Professional Golf: The Playoff

When millions of dollars and a championship trophy are on the line, simply calling it a "draw" isn't an option. This is where the golf playoff comes in - a high-stakes, high-drama format designed to produce a single, undisputed winner. If you've ever watched a tournament on a Sunday afternoon, you've likely seen one of these unfold. There are two primary types of playoffs you'll see on the professional tours.

The Go-To Format: Sudden-Death Playoff

This is by far the most common type of playoff in modern professional golf, used by the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, and in a slight variation at the Masters and PGA Championship. The concept is simple and thrilling: winner take all.

Here’s how it works:

• All players who are tied for the lead after 72 holes head back out to a predetermined hole (usually the 18th hole to start).
• They all play the hole.
• If one player scores lower than all the others on that single hole, they are declared the winner on the spot.
• If two or more players are still tied after the first playoff hole (for instance, they all make par), they move on to the next hole in the playoff rotation (often the 10th or 17th) and repeat the process.

This continues, hole by hole, until one player wins a hole outright. A birdie can seal the victory, a costly bogey can end it, and the tension builds with every single shot. It’s what gives sudden death its dramatic, nail-biting feel.

A Different Beast: The Aggregate Score Playoff

While less common, some major championships prefer a more robust test to decide a champion. Instead of a single hole determining the outcome, an aggregate score playoff requires players to compete over a set number of holes. The most famous examples are The Open Championship and the U.S. Open.

• The Open Championship: Uses a four-hole aggregate playoff. The tied players play a pre-selected four-hole loop. The player with the lowest combined score over those four holes is the winner. If a tie remains after four holes, then it reverts to sudden-death on a hole-by-hole basis.
• The U.S. Open: Historically, the U.S. Open used a full 18-hole playoff on Monday following the tournament. They’ve since shifted to a two-hole aggregate playoff. The principle is the same - lowest combined score over the two designated holes wins.

This format asks a bit more from the players, testing their stamina and consistency over a small stretch rather than their clutch performance on just one hole.

Breaking Ties in Club Tournaments: The Card Match Method

For most amateur golfers playing in a club tournament or local event, getting the entire field back onto the course for a playoff is completely impractical. This is where the term "card match" or "scorecard playoff" comes in. Instead of playing more holes, the winner is determined by looking back at the official scorecards.

The USGA provides a recommended procedure for this, which has become the standard at most golf clubs. If two players have the same final score (for example, they both shot 85), the tie is broken by comparing their scores on a specific portion of the course. It’s a countdown method.

The Step-by-Step Countdown

Think of it as looking at the scorecard in reverse. The system prioritizes the most recent performance, rewarding the player who finished strongest.

Here is the standard procedure:

1. Compare the Back 9 (Holes 10-18): The first tiebreaker is the total score on the back nine. If Player A shot 42 on the back nine and Player B shot 43, Player A wins the tiebreaker.
2. Compare the Last 6 Holes (Holes 13-18): If both players shot the same score on the back nine (e.g., both shot 42), the committee then looks at the combined score of the last six holes played.
3. Compare the Last 3 Holes (Holes 16-18): If the players are somehow still tied after the last six holes, the focus narrows to the last three holes.
4. Compare the 18th Hole: In the rare case that a tie persists, it comes down to a hole-by-hole comparison, starting with the 18th. Whoever had the lower score on the 18th hole wins. If they tied on 18, the comparison moves to the 17th hole, then the 16th, and so on, until a winner emerges.

What about Net Scores and Handicaps?

The Card Match method also works for net tournaments where handicaps are used. However, you don't just use the total net score. To make it fair, a portion of each player's course handicap is applied to the segment being compared. The USGA recommends the following:

• For the Back 9 Tiebreaker: Subtract 1/2 of the player's course handicap from the back nine gross score.
• For the Last 6 Holes Tiebreaker: Subtract 1/3 of the course handicap from the gross score on those holes.
• For the Last 3 Holes Tiebreaker: Subtract 1/6 of the course handicap.
• For the 18th Hole Tiebreaker: Subtract 1/18 of the course handicap.

This process of allocating handicap strokes ensures that the comparison remains fair and based on net scores, not just gross performance.

What About Match Play? Winning in "Extra Holes"

Match play is an entirely different format from stroke play, and so is its tiebreaker. In match play, you're competing to win individual holes, not total score. A match that is tied after 18 holes is said to be "all square."

To break this tie, players continue to "extra holes," which are played in a sudden-death format. Here’s how it works:

• The players head to the first hole to begin the playoff.
• They play the hole just as they did during the regular match.
• The very first player to win a hole wins the entire match then and there.

There's no need to complete any further holes. Whether it’s with a birdie, a par, or even a bogey, as long as one player's score is lower than their opponent's on the hole, the match is over. This can be quick and decisive or an extended battle of wills that goes on for several holes.

Your Weekend Game: Deciding a Friendly Wager

What about when there isn't a tournament director or a rulebook? When you and a friend both shoot a 92 and have a five-dollar bet on the line, the "rules" become much more flexible and fun. You get to decide. Here are a few common and creative ways to settle a friendly tie:

• The Putting Contest: Head to the practice green. You can play a putting version of HORSE, see who can lag it closest to the hole from 30 feet, or declare a "best of three" holes.
• The Chip-Off: Grab your favorite wedge and a few balls. Pick a hole on the practice green and see who can chip it closest. The nearest pin after three chips wins.
• Sudden-Death on a Par 3: If the course isn't busy, find an open par 3 and play one hole of sudden death. Closest to the pin or lowest score takes the honors.
• Call it a "Push": Bragging rights are an undefeated currency. Sometimes, the best way to handle a tie is to call it a draw and let the anticipation build for the mandatory rematch.

Final Thoughts.

At the end of the day, a tie in golf rarely stays a tie. From a dramatic showdown on tour to a meticulous scorecard review at your home club or a fun-spirited putting contest with a buddy, there's always a method to determine a winner. Understanding which procedure to use makes the game fairer and a lot more fun.

Sorting through these different rules, especially when net scores and handicaps are in the mix, can sometimes feel confusing. That's why we built Caddie AI. If you ever find yourself in a tight competition and need to know the specific USGA procedure for a card match or have a question about how handicap strokes are allocated in a playoff, you can just ask. I'm available 24/7 to provide a quick, simple explanation on rules and strategy so you can get a clear answer right when you need it.