Medal play, officially known as stroke play, is the scoring system where your total number of shots over a round - or an entire tournament - determines your score and final standing. It's the most common format you see on professional tours and at most club championships for a simple reason: it identifies the most consistent golfer. This guide will walk you through what medal play is, the most important rules to follow, and the specific strategies you need to develop to post your best scores.
Unlike other golf formats where you compete directly against an opponent on a hole-by-hole basis, in medal play, you are competing against the entire field and the course itself. Every single shot counts toward your final score, from the first tee shot to the last putt that drops into the cup on the 18th green. The winner is the player who completes the round(s) in the fewest total strokes.
The beauty and brutality of medal play lie in its absoluteness. A great birdie on one hole is exciting, but a disastrous triple-bogey a few holes later can erase that progress and then some. This an entirely different beast from match play, where you only need to beat your opponent on an individual hole to win that hole. In match play, a triple-bogey costs you the same as a bogey would - you lose the hole, shake it off, and move on to the next one with a clean slate. In medal play, that triple-bogey stays on your scorecard, hanging around for the rest of the day.
This dynamic demands a different mentality. It rewards patience, conservative strategy, and resilience over aggressive, high-risk golf. Your goal isn't just to make birdies, it's to avoid the "blow-up" holes that can destroy your score in an instant.
Because every stroke is recorded, adhering to the rules is fundamental. A few procedural rules take on extra importance in a medal play competition to protect the integrity of the field.
This is the most significant difference for many casual golfers. In medal play, there are no "gimmies." Every putt must be played until the ball is in the hole. That little two-footer you might scoop up during a friendly game must be stroked. This rule ensures every player's score is a complete and accurate reflection of their play. Missing short putts adds up quickly, and holing out under pressure is a skill that separates players in a competitive environment.
At the start of a medal play round, you will exchange scorecards with another player in your group, known as your "marker." Your responsibility is to keep their score, and theirs is to keep yours. After each hole, you should:
At the end of the round, it's time for the final accounting. You and your marker must review the scorecard hole by hole to confirm all scores are correct. Once you both agree, you each need to sign the card in the spaces designated for the "Player" and the "Marker." Signing an incorrect scorecard carries heavy penalties. Signing for a score higher than you actually shot means you have to accept that higher score. Signing for a score lower than you actually shot results in disqualification. After signing, the card must be returned to the tournament committee promptly. No detail is too small when it comes to the scorecard.
Because entire tournaments are running on this format, pace of play is a group responsibility. Nobody wants a five-and-a-half-hour round. Here a few simple habits to develop:
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