What is a Golf Playoff?

By Editorial Team
Updated: Oct 11, 2024
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Views: 14.4k

A golf playoff is a tiebreaking method used when two or more players finish a tournament with identical scores after the scheduled number of holes. While crucial in professional tournaments, playoffs may not be necessary in casual games among friends.

Types of Golf Playoffs

Golf playoffs come in two main varieties: sudden death and aggregate. Both formats begin after the end of regulation play.

Sudden Death Playoffs

Sudden death playoffs are the most common and straightforward type. Here's how they work:

  • Players compete hole-by-hole
  • The first player to score lower on a hole than their opponent(s) wins the tournament
  • This process can end quickly or extend over multiple holes

Aggregate Playoffs

Aggregate playoffs offer a different approach:

  • Players compete over a predetermined number of holes (typically 2-4)
  • The golfer with the lowest cumulative score over these holes wins
  • If a tie persists after the set number of holes, the playoff often transitions to a sudden death format
A person teeing up a golf ball.

Playoff Formats in Various Golf Competitions

Major Championships

Each of golf's major championships has its own unique playoff format:

  • The Masters: Sudden death, alternating between the 18th and 10th holes
  • U.S. Open: Two-hole aggregate, then sudden death if still tied
  • The Open Championship: Four-hole aggregate, followed by sudden death if necessary
  • PGA Championship: Three-hole aggregate, then sudden death if the tie persists

Other Tournaments

Non-major tournaments tend to favor the sudden-death playoff format. Examples include:

  • PGA Tour Events
  • LIV Golf Tournaments
  • Amateur Tournaments

In Casual Rounds

Performing a playoff, even a sudden death, during a non-tournament round is often unfeasible, given pace-of-play rules and course etiquette on a normal course day. For scenarios where a playoff is impractical, USGA suggests to “match scorecards” by comparing scores over the last 9 holes, then the last 6 holes, then the last 3 holes, and finally the last hole if still tied through each progressive step.

How Often Golf Playoffs Occur

Playoffs are relatively uncommon in professional golf tournaments. For instance, in the PGA Championship's over 100-year history, there have been only 19 playoffs. The frequency can vary depending on the tournament and the competitiveness of the field.

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