Unlike its more widely recognized counterpart, stroke play, match play offers a distinctive way of scoring that can lead to dramatic shifts in momentum and strategy throughout the course of a round. In this format, golfers compete hole by hole, with the number of holes won determining the victor, rather than the total strokes taken over the course of the round. This head-to-head competition adds an intense psychological element to the game, as players are not just battling the course but also their opponent on a much more personal level.