Question; In handicap match play the lowest handicapped player usually plays off scratch and the opponent the difference in their handicaps. For example if the low marker was off 17 and their opponent off 26, the 17 marker plays off 0 and the 26 marker off 9.

If the low marker is off +3 and their opponent is off 8 does the low marker play off 0 and the 8 marker off 11?

Spot on royd.

You’re not “playing off” anything.
The lower marker allows an extra shot to his opponent on the relevant holes as per the match play index, based on the difference in handicaps. If the difference is greater than 18, the allowance is two shots on some holes.

The ‘par’ of any hole is completely irrelevant. If you have an 8 on a hole and you have to give a shot on that hole, your opponent has 9 shots for a half.

Basically the biggest burglar wins.

I played this earlier in the year. I was giving 22 shots away to my opponent and I got flogged 5 and 4. Its a killer if the high marker plays real well. First hole I birdied it for a half. New it was gunna be a long day.

In some handicap match play matches the maximum strokes given is 18. In the last season of four ball match play the maximum strokes given was 18 and this was done so the low handicap players don’t have to give more than one shot a hole.

I think it’s unfair to not allow the longer marker his rightful number of shots. I do agree that on Par 3 holes, nobody should be given two strokes start. If that means having a second set of ratings for the 18 holes, then fair enough.

As for players on low handicaps being at some sort of disadvantage, assuming both players are on fair dinkum marks, I believe the lower marker has the odds in his favour.

Whenever I played an opponent who I had to give a lot of shots to, I would really try to intimidate him in the first few holes. Plenty of practice prior to the game, especially with the long clubs and hopefully take that to the first tee.

If you get the first few drives away, more often than not the longer marker would feel he had to try and keep up, often with disasterous consequences.

Unfortunately, if that failed, or he got off to a good start, it often meant a short game and lots of drinks at the 19th!!! What’s not to like.

I think the issue of having a high handicap player being able to use all their handicap in four ball match play would be some teams might load their teams with high handicap players and in some cases they might get 2 shots a hole and on a par 5 the low marker would need an eagle to even walk away with a square on the hole. I think even in club comps no one should get more than a shot a hole in handicap match play, I suppose the question is ? do most clubs have graded handicap matchplay or only handicap matchplay.

I will take the extra shots where necessary…..

I think it’s unfair to not allow the longer marker his rightful number of shots. I do agree that on Par 3 holes, nobody should be given two strokes start. If that means having a second set of ratings for the 18 holes, then fair enough.

As for players on low handicaps being at some sort of disadvantage, assuming both players are on fair dinkum marks, I believe the lower marker has the odds in his favour.

Whenever I played an opponent who I had to give a lot of shots to, I would really try to intimidate him in the first few holes. Plenty of practice prior to the game, especially with the long clubs and hopefully take that to the first tee.

If you get the first few drives away, more often than not the longer marker would feel he had to try and keep up, often with disasterous consequences.

Unfortunately, if that failed, or he got off to a good start, it often meant a short game and lots of drinks at the 19th!!! What’s not to like.

Practice doesn’t make perfect – it just ingrains bad habits.

At my home course, the Matchplay index worked out that the bloke I played got two shots on 3 of the 4, par 3 holes. Killer.

So, Yarn, let him have those 3 holes and he uses up 3 of his handicap advantage. You get them back elsewhere.

Matchplay index is set up so that any strokes given or taken are spread evenly over the 18 holes. the longer cappers only advantage is that he has more chance of shooting under that handicap than the short marker. however in matchplay that tends to even out more than it does in stroke play.I could not imagine a club that would disallow a player to play off his rightfull handicap.