Definition of stroke play

The term "stroke play" is commonly used in the sport of golf to describe a scoring format. This format differs from a traditional match play format, which involves direct competition between two golfers instead of against the course itself. In stroke play, each golfer plays their own ball throughout the round, rather than watching their opponent's shot and then responding with their own. The goal is to complete each hole in as few strokes as possible, and the total number of strokes accumulated over the course of the round determines the winner. The origin of the term "stroke play" can be traced back to the mid-19th century, when it was first used in England. At the time, golf was primarily played using a match play format, and "stroke play" referred to the number of strokes a player took during a round, as opposed to the number of holes they won. Today, stroke play is the most commonly used format in professional golf tournaments around the world, providing a more objective determination of the winner than match play. It also allows for larger tournament fields, as each golfer plays their own ball and is not directly eliminated by their opponent. In summary, the origin of the term "stroke play" in golf refers to the concept of keeping score based on the number of strokes taken per hole, as opposed to focusing solely on wins and losses during direct match play competition.