Match Play and Stroke Play Played at the Same Time
Q: Our league has organized a competition in which players will compete in an individual match play event, and at the same time, each player will also compete in an individual stroke play competition. Two separate prizes will be awarded upon completion based on the match play results and the stroke play scores. Under the USGA Handicap System, are either of the two scores acceptable for handicap posting purposes?
A: According to Decision 5-1c/1 of ?The USGA Handicap System? manual, the stroke play score is an acceptable score for handicap posting purposes. Rule 33-1 of ?The Rules of Golf? states, ?Certain specific Rules governing stroke play are so substantially different from those governing match play that combining the two forms of play is not practicable and is not permitted. The result of a match played in these circumstances is null and void and, in the stroke-play competition, the competitors are disqualified.? Even though the player(s) are disqualified from the stroke play competition, their score is still considered an acceptable score and must be posted for handicap purposes. (See Section 5-1e.)
“The USGA Handicap System” manual is available online via: http://www.usga.org/playing/handicaps/manual/manual.html.
