Tie
Tie means a deadlock — two players or sides have the same result.
In golf the tie occurs in two situations. In stroke play it means that two or more players have the same stroke count after the round. In match play the match is “all square” when both sides are the same number of holes up or down — this state is also called All Square. A single hole can also be “shared” or “halved” when both parties finish it with the same stroke count. The term comes from English and is omnipresent in tournament play.
In practice, in the event of a tie the rules of the event decide. For example: two players finish a club tournament with 78 strokes. Depending on the conditions of competition, a Play-off over one or more extra holes, a sudden victory playoff (“sudden death”) or the countback over the harder holes of the second nine follows. In match play team competition, by contrast, a match level after 18 holes often ends in a draw, with half a point for each side — as in the legendary team format of the great continental matches.
Typical misconception: a tie is not a drawn ending for both in the sense of “nothing happens”. In stroke play a winner almost always has to be determined, and the playoff has its own rules — such as which holes are played and in what order. In match play, by contrast, the shared point is a legitimate, frequent result. Anyone who reads the conditions of competition knows before the first tee shot how a tie will be resolved.
FAQ
What happens in the event of a tie at a club tournament?
That is governed by the conditions of competition of the event, and you should read them before the round. A playoff over one or more extra holes or the countback over the harder holes of the back nine is common. A tie in stroke play therefore almost never remains a shared result — a winner is determined.
Can a hole end in a draw in match play?
Yes, and that is even the normal case when scores are level on a hole: the hole is shared or halved and both sides get nothing. A side has won when it is more holes up than there are holes left to play. If it is level after 18 holes, the state is called All Square — in team events this often ends with half a point per side.
Is there even a real draw in golf?
Yes, above all in match play and in team events, where a match level after 18 holes ends with a shared point. In stroke play, by contrast, tournaments almost always play a playoff because an individual winner is needed. Whether a tie stands or is resolved therefore depends on the format.