(1) Winning a Hole. A player wins a hole when:

• The player completes the hole in fewer strokes (including strokes made and penalty strokes) than the opponent,
• The opponent concedes the hole, or
• The opponent gets the general penalty (loss of hole).

If the opponent's ball in motion needs to be holed to tie the hole and the ball is deliberately deflected or stopped by any person at a time when there is no reasonable chance it can be holed (such as when the ball has rolled past the hole and will not roll back there), the result of the hole has been decided and the player wins the hole (See Rule 11.2a, Exception).

(2) Tying a Hole. A hole is tied (also known as "halved") when:

• The player and opponent complete the hole in the same number of strokes (including strokes made and penalty strokes), or
• The player and opponent agree to treat the next stroke, a hole or the match as tied (but this is allowed only after at least one of the players has made a stroke to begin the hole).

(3) Winning a Match. A player wins a match when:

• The player leads the opponent by more holes than remain to be played,
• The opponent concedes the match, or
• The opponent is disqualified.

(4) Extending a Tied Match. If a match is tied after the final hole:

• The match is extended one hole at a time until there is a winner. See Rule 5.1 (an extended match is a continuation of the same round, not a new round).
• The holes are played in the same order as in the round, unless the Committee sets a different order.

But the Terms of the Competition may say that the match will end in a tie rather than be extended.

(5) When Result is Final. The result of a match becomes final in the way stated by the Committee (which should be set out in the Terms of the Competition), such as:

• When the result is recorded on an official scoreboard or other identified place, or
• When the result is reported to a person identified by the Committee.

See Committee Procedures, Section 5A(7) (recommendations on how the result of a match becomes final).

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