Stroke Play vs. Match Play – The more demanding format?
Golf world is split down the middle over a question that appears very easy to answer but is actually very difficult. Which is the more demanding format of the sport - Stroke play or Match play?
Each format has its supporters who have a hundred reasons for the liking their chosen format. Each camp demands that its format should be recognized as pure golf as it is more demanding and requires more skills and technique than the other.
The original format of golf was match play. This format dates back to old days when golf had not become a commercial activity. The players used to play golf as a leisure activity.
The format of match play evolved from those days when it was a simple hobby that comprised of knocking a ball around a green field.
There was no record of how many hits it took a player to complete the course. Instead, it was a hole-by-hole competition. Each hole was a new game that required a new strategy and patience.
This format demanded great skill and technique. Every hole presented its own challenge and the opponent could seriously harm the player’s chances of winning by playing differently at the hole.
Overtime, match play came to represent the game of golf. The players, fans and governing bodies accepted the fact and almost all pro tournaments adopted the match play format.
When golf became a commercial activity and golf became a major source of revenue for many media outlets and sponsors, these stakeholders realised that match play format has a serious flaw. Despite the fact that it was the accepted method of playing golf,
it was not suitable for mass entertainment.
The format was considered to be too complex and not too media savvy. So, a new format was devised, which was simpler in scoring and was more entertaining for the general public.
This format was based on keeping a record of all the strokes a player had played during the game. They were then tallied up and the player with the lowest score was declared the winner.
It was not long before the new format, called stroke play, caught on. Mainly due to the support of the major sponsors and media outlets, many tournaments switched to stroke play.
Younger players who were entering the sport also embraced stroke play as it was the format that guaranteed their entry into major events.
Around that time, the debate about which format is more demanding began and it has been raging since. Proponents of both sides demand to recognize their style as the more difficult play.
Experts say that each format requires its own mix of skills and technique. This is why no format can claim to be superior in efforts required to master it.
For stroke play, the players need to be very careful about avoiding mistakes and reducing extra shots to their total. Usually players try to hit long and hard to get the ball near the hole. They then employ their putting skills to finish the hole.
In contrast, match play demands the concentration of the players at every hole. The objective is not to win the game by using the least number of strokes.
The purpose of match play shrinks down to one single hole. Each hole demands its own strategy and players often change their tactics at every hole.
The debate will rage on as long as there are players playing each format. No expert or player can settle it as both formats demand precision, focus and attention on the course.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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