MatchPlay Golf

A Postal game for 2 players, by Allan Stagg

The GM constructs an 18-hole golf course, by giving values of 3, 4 or 5 to each of the holes. I would suggest 4 3s, 10 4s and 4 5s, with a possible course being 443 544 354 445 345 434

Each player starts with 18 stroke cards, which signify the number of strokes it has taken them at each hole. These cards have values of 3, 4 and 5 , and the number of 3s, 4s and 5s should be the same as the number of holes with that par on the course.

Players also have 4 special cards, which will modify these scores. Two Blue cards will modify a player's own score on one hole, by +1 and -1, and two Red cards will modify an opponent's score on one hole by the same amount. Players may play one of these cards on any hole they choose, with the following restrictions:

a) Each player may only play 1 special card per turn
b) A player must play special cards in two of the first three turns, and
c) A player must not play special cards of different colours in the first 3 turns

This means that either the two red cards or the two blue cards must be played in the first three turns, and the cards of the other colour must be played in turns 4 - 6.

In each turn, players will play one stroke card for each hole. This gives the number of strokes a player has taken for that hole, although the score may be modified by any special card that is played. The player taking the least number of strokes wins the hole: if both players take the same number of strokes the hole is halved.

Example 1:

In the first round the holes are par 4, 4 and 5. George plays 3, 5 and 4, and chooses not to play a special card. Bill plays 4, 4 and 5, and plays a Blue card on hole 3, adding 1 to his score. The results for the first round are:

So after 3 holes George leads by 1 hole

When playing the second half of the course, it may be the case that after playing a hole, one player has built an unassailable lead. If this happens, the GM will stop the game at this point, declaring this player the winner.

Example 2:

After 12 holes George leads Bill by 3 holes. Bill has already played one of his Red special cards in the second half, and decides to play his second red card, which will subtract 1 from George's score, on hole 13. George has yet to play any of his Blue cards, and he also decides to play a card on hole 13. He selects the card which will add 1 to his score. The next three holes are 4, 3 and 4. The results for the 5th round are:

After the 15th hole George is 4 holes up, with 3 holes left to play. The GM declares George the winner by 4 and 3.