Half Stroke
A half stroke is the shared count that both parties receive in match play for a drawn hole.
The half stroke belongs to match play, the match play format. There the total stroke count does not matter; each hole counts on its own. Whoever finishes a hole with fewer net strokes wins it and goes "1 up". If both sides play the same net number, the hole is halved. On the score form you then note the half stroke for both parties.
In practice it looks like this: hole 7 is a par 4 and you and your opponent each need four net strokes. No one has won the hole, the score stays unchanged, and both are credited with a half stroke. It is quickest of all with a conceded putt, the Gimme. If both sides are conceded the remaining putt, the half stroke is already settled before the ball is holed.
A common misconception: the half stroke is not a halved golf swing and has nothing to do with half handicap strokes. In stroke play it does not exist at all; there every stroke played counts in full. The final score of a match can also be shared: if it stands after 18 holes All Square, both sides receive half a point each on the match.
FAQ
When do I get a half stroke in match play?
Whenever you and your opponent finish a hole with the same net stroke count. Both sides receive a half stroke each on the score form, and the score does not change. The half stroke only exists in match play, not in stroke play.
Can a match end completely drawn?
Yes. If it is level after 18 holes, the match ends shared, and in team competitions each side receives half a point. In club competitions with a knockout system, a hole-by-hole play-off usually follows instead until one hole is decided.
Does the half stroke also exist when counting the round?
No. In stroke play every stroke played counts in full; there are no half counts there. The half stroke also has nothing to do with half handicap strokes — it is pure match play bookkeeping.