Explanation of Games and Terms
Best Ball: Played using 2, 3, or 4 - person teams. Commonly called “Better Ball” when played as a team of 2. Each player plays her own ball and obtains her own score. At the conclusion of each hole, the best score of the team or the better score between the partners is recorded as the event score for that hole.
Match Play: This game is played hole by hole and the winner of the hole is the player having the lowest score. A hole that is tied is considered to be halved. The player at the end of the round of golf that has the most holes won is the winner.
Medal Play – Stroke Play: This is one of the basic forms of play in golf for both the professional and the amateur. It is simply the total number of strokes a player requires to complete a round of golf versus the opponent and their total strokes. Very simply the low score wins.
Odd/Even Alternate Shot: Generally a 2 person team, whereby each team selects one player to tee off on the odd numbered holes, and the other player from the even numbered holes. After the tee shot on each hole, play will be a strict alternate shot through the green.
Scotch Alternate Shot: Both players tee off on each hole. Player A hits from Player B’s position and Player B hits from Player A’s position. After this point, the best shot is selected, and play alternates, beginning with the player who’s shot was not selected.
Scramble: A team event played with 2, 3 or 4 players in which, after all players tee off, subsequent strokes are played from the location of the best lie. In other words, the tee-shot in the best location is considered to be the best lie. Each player brings her golf ball to that location. Each player hits her own ball again, from that lie. This continues until the ball is “holed out”. One score for the team is recorded.
Handicap: A stroke system applied to level the playing field between the professional and the amateur golfer.
Gross Score: The actual total number of times you struck (or attempted to strike) the ball.
Net Score: Your score after subtracting your handicap from your gross score.
Through the Green: The whole area of the course except all hazards, the teeing ground and the putting green of the hole being played.