Match play is a game format where the objective is to win more individual holes than the opponent. Unlike stroke play, where the total number of strokes matters, in match play, a lower score, such as 4, wins the hole against a higher score, like 5. The competition unfolds hole by hole, and players earn a point for each hole won. When a player is '2 up,' it means they have won two more holes than their opponent.
The strategic aspect of match play involves adjusting your strategy based on the score, deciding when to be conservative or aggressive. For example, a final score of '3&2' indicates that the winner was three holes up with only two holes left to play, concluding the match ahead of schedule.