In this system of scoring, each hole is played as a mini match.

The player with the lowest net score for the hole is said to win the hole.

If Player A wins Hole 1 he is said to be ‘one-up’. Player B who has lost the hole is said to be ‘one-down’.

If Player B wins the next hole, the match is 'all-square'.

If Player A wins the next hole, he is two-up.

If both players get the same score the hole is 'halved' and the match score stays the same.

Score is kept by the number of holes up (won) and the number of holes to play. (Example: Player A is 2-up, with six holes to play.)

When a team is up (winning) by more holes than there are holes remaining, then the match is won or 'closed out'.

A match is considered 'dormie' when one side is up by the exact number of holes that remain.

For instance if Player A is 'dormie two' that means he is two holes ahead with two holes to play.

Player B can only halve the match

Because the match is played between the two players or pairings and no-one else, players can opt to ‘give’ short putts rather than make their opponent hole out.

The ‘given’ putt still counts as one stroke.