Each Ryder Cup match is played over 18 holes in the modern format.

Quick Scoop

  • The Ryder Cup currently consists of 28 match-play games , all contested over 18 holes each.
  • That means every individual match is scheduled for 18 holes, not 36, and there is no “extra holes” playoff; if it’s tied after 18, the point is split.
  • Historically, up to 1959 the event used 36-hole matches, but since 1961 the standard has been 18-hole matches.

So if you’re asking “how many holes are played in the Ryder Cup?” in the sense of the length of a match , the answer is 18 holes per match under the current format.