Medal Play
Medal play is a golf scoring format where the winner is the player who completes the round, or rounds, in the fewest total strokes. It is another name for stroke play.
What is medal play?
Medal play is the most common scoring format in golf, and the rules of the game define it under the modern name stroke play. The player counts every shot on every hole, adds any penalty strokes, and ends the round with a single total. The lowest total wins.
It applies whether two golfers or two hundred are playing at the same time. Each player is competing against the rest of the field over the same course, not against any single opponent on a hole-by-hole basis. According to the USGA, stroke play is “a form of play where a player (or players) competes against all others in the competition by comparing a total score for one or more rounds,” and players must hole out on every hole.
Medal play is the format used at all four men’s major championships (the Masters, US Open, The Open Championship, and PGA Championship), all five women’s majors, and the large majority of PGA Tour and DP World Tour events. It is also the standard for club championships, monthly medals, and most amateur events at any level.
Why is it called medal play?
The name comes from the prize, not the rule. In golf’s early years, the winner of a stroke-play competition was usually awarded a medal, and the winner was known as the “medallist.” Over time, the format itself took on the name of its trophy.
The term dates to at least 1807, when the Edinburgh Burgess Golfing Society commissioned a gold medal as the prize for its annual stroke competition, specifying that “the player holing two rounds at the fewest number of strokes is to be the winner.” Through the 1800s, “medal play” was the standard term in the UK, where the game was concentrated. The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews used “medal play” in its 1899 Rules of Golf and did not introduce “stroke play” until 1913.
The governing bodies eventually settled on “stroke play” as the official term, and the current Rules of Golf no longer use “medal play” at all. The older name has stayed alive at club level and in one specific tournament context: the stroke-play qualifying rounds that precede some match-play brackets, such as the US Amateur. The low scorer in those qualifiers is still called the medalist.
Medal play vs match play
The two formats can look similar on a scorecard, but the strategy and outcomes differ sharply. Medal play counts every stroke across the whole round; match play looks at each hole as its own contest.
| Aspect | Medal play | Match play |
|---|---|---|
| How the winner is decided | Lowest total strokes across the round | Most holes won |
| Score is relative to | The whole field | One opponent |
| Effect of a blow-up hole | Counts toward the total all day | Loses that one hole only |
| Holing out | Required on every hole | Putts can be conceded (“gimmes”) |
| Typical use | Pro tour events, club medals, all four majors | Ryder Cup, Solheim Cup, Walker Cup, WGC Match Play |
| Typical strategy | Consistency, avoiding big numbers | Hole-by-hole risk and reward |
A 9 on one hole in match play costs the golfer that hole. Nothing more. The same 9 in medal play stays on the scorecard and shapes the rest of the round, which is why medal play is often called golf’s most unforgiving scoring format.
Common variants of medal play
Most medal competitions are scored in one of two ways:
- Gross medal: the total number of strokes, taken as recorded with no adjustment. This is how professional tournaments are scored.
- Net medal: the gross total minus the player’s handicap allowance. This is the standard for club competitions where players of different abilities compete against each other.
The Rules of Golf also recognise a few other forms of stroke play that share medal play’s “count every stroke” structure but score individual holes differently. Maximum score caps a player’s score on any one hole at a number set by the committee. The cap speeds up play and limits the damage of a disaster hole. Stableford converts each hole’s score to points based on how it compares to par, so a triple bogey is worth zero points but does not crater the round.
A traditional “medal” at a golf club almost always means regular gross or net stroke play with full hole-outs, not one of these variations.
Medal play in major tournaments
Every men’s major is decided by medal play: the Masters, US Open, The Open Championship, and PGA Championship. All five women’s majors use the same format. The PGA Championship is the only one of the four men’s majors with a match-play past. It ran as a match-play event from its inception in 1916 until 1957 and switched to medal play in 1958.
The biggest team competitions go the other way. The Ryder Cup, Solheim Cup, Presidents Cup, Walker Cup, and Curtis Cup are all match-play events, which suits the head-to-head nature of team competition.
Related Golf Terms
- Match play — A format where the winner is determined by holes won rather than total strokes.
- Long drive — A contest to see who can hit the ball the farthest off the tee.
- Mallet putter — A putter with a larger, rounded head for improved alignment and stability.
- Marker — A person who keeps score for another player, or a small object to mark ball position.
- Long iron — Irons numbered 1-4 used for longer distance shots.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is medal play the same as stroke play?
Yes. The two terms mean the same thing. “Stroke play” is the term used in the current Rules of Golf, while “medal play” is the older name that survives in club golf and in references to stroke-play qualifying rounds.
What is medal match play?
A less common hybrid format where two players or two sides compete head-to-head, but the winner is decided by the total difference in strokes rather than by holes won. It is occasionally used in club competitions and exhibition matches.
Are gimmes allowed in medal play?
No. The Rules of Golf require players to hole out on every hole in regular stroke play. Conceded putts (“gimmes”) apply only to match play.
What’s the difference between gross and net medal?
Gross medal uses the raw stroke total. Net medal subtracts the player’s handicap allowance from the gross score, so golfers of different abilities can compete on a level basis.
Why is the low scorer in some tournaments called the medalist?
The term comes directly from medal play. In stroke-play qualifying rounds before match-play brackets, the player with the lowest qualifying score is the medalist, even if they do not go on to win the tournament itself.
Sources
- United States Golf Association. “Stroke Play.” Rules Hub.
- United States Golf Association. “Maximum Score Form of Stroke lay.”
- Easdale, Roderick. “What Is Medal Play In Golf?” Golf Monthly, 22 October 2024.
- “Explaining the Meaning of Medal Play in Golf.” Golf Compendium, April 2024.
- Davies, Peter. The Historical Dictionary of Golfing Terms. Robson Books, 1993.
- “Stroke Play.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stroke_play
