Golf scramble tournaments are a very common deviation from the normal way we play golf, and a great way to incorporate beginners or inexperienced players. They are usually the favorite when playing charity tournaments, corporate outings, or just casual playdays.
There are many different reasons why golf scramble could be beneficial to playing run-of-the-mill golf, and we’ll discuss these reasons in this article.
But first, it’s important to know what exactly golf scramble is and the rules that come with it.
How To Play Golf Scramble
A scramble is usually played with either a two-person group or a four-person group. This can depend on your group size or tournament format.
Two-person teams are normally played with a handicap whereas four-person teams have no handicap. With four golfers, each team should appoint a captain or team leader so decisions can be made without having to have a long discussion – typically this is the most experienced golfer in the group, but if all golfers know their way around a course this may not be the case.
Each member of the team tees off, then the members of that team choose which of their shots ended up in a better position – this is where the team leader comes into play if a decision cannot be made unanimously.
Once the best position for the next shot is decided, every team member must take their next shot from that position. This process is repeated until the hole is over.
What Are The Benefits Of Golf Scramble?
There are two main benefits to playing a scramble instead of traditional stroke play. The first and main reason is the time it takes to play the game.
Because you are effectively halving or quartering your party size, there will be fewer strokes in total than there would be if you were playing a game of normal golf.
This benefit is especially present when playing with larger parties and is the main reason why golf scramble is so common among larger games such as charity tournaments or club events.
The second benefit to golf scramble is the social aspect. Golf is a social sport, and a scramble makes it just that bit more so by placing people on the same team.
When playing a scramble you are forced to make decisions and work as a team, so it can be a great way of getting to know other golfers. The scores at the end of the round are typically much better than those that any of the individuals would shoot, which can make it a little more fun as it takes the pressure off of any one golfer.
Tips And Tricks To Winning Golf Scramble
A scramble in golf is all about the team and choosing the right playing order. Your team is the basis of your tournament and if you can choose the right players you have a great chance of winning. The first thing you have to assess is the strengths of each member of your team.
The ideal scramble team will have someone who is good at driving the ball a long distance and someone who has a good short game.
The person who is better at the short game should be put first when delivering a tee shot, this way the person who can hit the ball long has a better understanding of where they need to hit it – should they be aggressive or do they need to play conservative and keep the ball in play?
Similarly, when putting, the worst putter should always go first and the best putter should always go last. This allows the best putter to learn from the first player’s line and speed.
Another good rule of thumb is to let the golfer that has their ball chosen as the spot to tee off for the next shot, hit first. This will maintain an air of confidence in the player and they could go on to take another brilliant shot.
Different Variations Of A Scramble
There are a few different variations of golf scramble where the rules are changed or more rules are added, it is a good idea to know each variation just to understand what type of tournament you are playing in and to adjust your strategy accordingly.
Florida Scramble
This variation of scramble introduces the rule that the golfer whose ball was selected after each stroke must sit out on the following stroke.
This ensures that the game isn’t just a one-person show and each player has a chance to contribute.
It also means that if there is an outright best player in your group, the team that they are on won’t necessarily have too much of an advantage.
Texas Scramble
Much like the Florida scramble, the Texas scramble is very similar to the usual scramble rules but adds an extra rule.
This variation includes a rule that requires each team member to contribute at least four drives throughout the game of scramble.
This ensures that every team member is utilized and makes sure that teams can’t just rely on one player.
Las Vegas Scramble
As the name suggests, the Las Vegas scramble has an element of chance to it. This variation involves a six-sided die, each player on the team will be assigned a number or a couple of numbers and the die will determine which member’s drive will be used on that hole.
This variation does take out the use of some strategies but replaces them with an aspect of luck.
Conclusion
People often get stuck thinking of golf in the PGA Tour stroke play style, but there are many more ways to play, especially some games that make the game more accessible. Golf has many different variations of ways to play, and we encourage you to give them a try.
This is why we decided to set up our site, Better Golf, to provide high-quality information that’s accessible to everyone. From newbies, to seasoned golfers, this site covers everything you need to know. Through this site, we will be discussing all the important details.
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