If you have just recently signed up for a golf tournament, chances are the format is a scramble. A golf scramble is one of the most popular team formats in the game. Playing in a golf scramble can be a great deal of fun, but you must have a general idea as to how these tournaments work. If you want all the ins and outs of a golf scramble, how to play it, tips for scoring low, and whether or not scrambles are worth signing up for, we have you covered.
What is a Golf Scramble?
A golf scramble is a tournament format that allows four people to play a round of golf as a team. Each player will tee off, and the best drive of the four is selected. Then, all golfers will pick up their golf ball and bring it to the location of this ball. From this point, all golfers will then hit again, and the next best shot will be chosen.
With the scramble format, you will pick one good shot each time. This helps the round of golf to move faster and for golfers to have an easier time getting around the golf course.
Golfers of any age and skill level can play in a golf scramble; the key is to understand the rules.
The Rules for Playing Golf Scramble
Playing a golf scramble is not difficult at all. Once you understand the rules of play, you will be able to play scrambles for the rest of your golfing career. Many players that enjoy a scramble are new golfers. This can make the format feel overwhelming, but it is quite simple.
Rule 1: All Players Hit From The Best Spot
The most important and basic rule of the golf scramble is that each time a player hits the ball, they hit from the best possible spot. All golfers will start each hole with a drive. As a team, you must choose the best shot.
At this point, all players will pick their ball up and move it to the location of the best drive. Most of the time, the best drive will be marked with a tee.
Golfers will have to drop their next shot to be hit within a one-club-length circle around this tee. At this point, all golfers will play from this next best spot.
This continues until the ball is on the green. When on the green, all players will putt from the same exact spot marked with a tee or ball marker.
Rule 2: Check For Minimum Number of Drives
When playing in a scramble, you will likely need to choose a minimum number of drives. The tournament committee will set this up, which is something that all teams will have to follow.
The reason that each golfer will have to play at least one or two drives is to help make the event fairer. If a player could hit as many drives as they wanted, the best player would dominate the team format.
With each golfer having to contribute a certain number of drives, it becomes much more of a fair team format.
Rule 3: Ball Must Get In The Hole
The golf ball must get into the hole when you are playing a golf scramble. These events are typically played as a team format for a tournament or an event. If you are not getting the ball into the hole, it is really like cheating.
Even if your team has just a few inches to get the ball into the hole, make sure that you actually take the shot and get the ball to go into the hole. Without taking this putt, you are not fairly participating. Each golfer should have the chance to make a putt. This is really where the higher handicappers can contribute from time to time.
Rule 4: Gross and Net Scoring
Some scrambles will have both gross and net scoring. The gross scoring is the number of shots that the team takes. The net scoring is the score after the handicaps. All players have a golf handicap, calculated in a net scramble.
When playing great golf, you will likely shoot lower than your handicap. Scramble formats assume that the better players will contribute more.
The lower handicap players will only get a small percentage of their handicap counted. The higher handicap player will have a more significant portion of their handicap included. In the end, as long as all teams are handicapped the same way, it should be quite fair.
As long as you write down your gross score for each hole, you should have no trouble with scoring. The tournament committee will be able to handle the net scoring if needed.
Strategies to Help Win at Scramble Golf
Now that you know the basics of how to play in a golf scramble. It’s time to get some strategy to help ensure that you can win your next golf scramble.
There are a few strategies that we have used through the years that have helped bring in quite a few scramble tournament wins. If you have some great players on your team, you should try and take advantage and win your next golf scramble.
Establish An Order
One of the most important parts of playing in a scramble is establishing an order. All golfers should have an order in which they play. Each hole you play, keep this order.
The order helps everyone have a role. Typically the players with the least ability will go first, and they will try and get a ball that is a safe shot in the fairway.
After this, the golfers with the ability to hit the ball the furthest will go. Long ball hitters should always go after a ball in the fairway. When the longest hitters go, they will swing at full speed. Players swinging with full confidence, can get golfers much closer to the hole and make the next shot easier.
The order helps the middle two players have an excellent chance at doing something that will impress the team. These golfers will know that they have the great player ready to back them up after their shots.
Hit One Straight
When you play in a golf scramble, the key is to ensure you always have a straight shot or a safe shot. When you see teams make bogeys, they usually get a bit too risky with the shots they hit.
When shooting low scores, you will have to have at least one shot ready to hit from a good location. Once this shot is in place, you can then start to place the ball as close as you can to the hole or the center of the fairway.
Essentially once there is one safe shot, it gives golfers the green light to get creative. IF you want to shoot low in a scramble format, your shots need to end up close to the hole. You should have chances for birdies and eagles if you manage the golf course correctly.
Best Putter Goes Last
So many scramble teams have the best player go first. This is a mistake. If the best player misses, all of the other golfers are going to play out of their comfort zone to try and get the ball as close to the hole as possible. The better strategy here is to have the best player go last.
Give all three golfers in the group a chance to make the putt. If they can’t make it, the player with the most skill will be ready. The chances of making the putt are highest for the best putter.
When you let this putter go last, your team has a much higher chance of leaving the green with a birdie.
Tips & Tricks – Scramble Round
We have already given you some of our best possible tricks for a scramble round. However, there are some great tips and tricks that you can work on before your next round to ensure you are ready. If you want to prepare for your scramble properly, consider these ideas.
Practice Iron Shots
Iron shots are really where the scoring happens in a scramble. Typically after four drives, there is bound to be one shot in the fairway. However, the iron shot or the approach into the green is what will ensure a short putt.
If you want to win in a scramble, simply hitting the ball to the center of the green will likely not be enough. Instead, you are going to need to learn to hit it close.
Golfers should practice their shots with a 7, 8, 9 iron and pitching wedge before signing up for a scramble event. When you are able to dial in these shots and get them close to the hole, your overall scoring will be quite a bit lower.
Learn To Hit A 3 Wood Straight
Not all golf holes require a driver to be hit off the tee. However, when all the golfers in your group try and hit the driver, it can sometimes result in issues with accuracy.
If you want to be able to help your team, it makes sense to learn how to hit a 3 wood straight down the middle. When your shot is straight and lengthy it can be a go-to shot. If all other players start to struggle, the team may have you hit this shot on each hole.
In addition, if you can learn to hit this 3 wood straight, you may be able to use them from the fairway. If someone hits a long drive on a par 5, there is a chance you will be able to go for the green in two shots.
When you can make an eagle in scramble golf, it becomes much easier to win the event. The key is to stay away from any situation that brings up a bogey.
Practice Long Putts
Chances are, most of the putts that you have to take during a scramble are going to be within the ten foot range. Golfers focus on these putts and try to learn to hit them. In addition to practicing these putts, don’t forget to practice long putts.
When you practice long putts, don’t always focus on making them, but also focus on getting the ball close to the hole. If the ball can end up close to the hole, your chance of making par or better is highly likely.
Essentially as a scramble team, you must do everything you can to ensure that you are not going to make a bogey. If you make a bogey, expect that your team will have a hard time winning.
This format can get very competitive, and the chance of recovering from a bogey is tough.
Variations of Scramble Golf
So many golfers confuse the scramble and best ball tournament, and these are not the same format. With the best ball tournament, all golfers play their own shot, and the best ball or best score is counted for each hole.
With a scramble, all shots are played from the location of the best ball. There is where the confusion lies. There are some formats that are very similar to the scramble.
The most common is the Shamble. Here are a few of the others.
Alternate Shot
Instead of hitting every shot, you will hit every other shot. Golfers that play an alternate shot format will hit their shot, and then the teammate will hit the next one.
This is a tough format and is typically played at private clubs when golfers partner with a friend.
Shamble
A shamble format is the most like a scramble. With a shamble, golfers are going to each hit a drive, and then the best drive will be selected. From this point forward, all golfers will play their own drive. Essentially what this does is it allow you a great start on each hole.
From the position of the drive into the green, you must then use your own golf ball to see what you can do and how you can score. Shamble formats are fun because they are a mix of your own skills and the skills of the other golfers on your team.
Best Ball
A best ball may sound like it is just like the scramble, but in this format, all golfers will play their own golf ball. At the end of the hole, golfers will then be able to choose the best score for the hole and count this as the team score.
Best ball tournaments typically have a net and gross division of the tournament.
FAQ
Here are a few of the most commonly asked questions about playing in a golf scramble. If you are in the middle of the event, don’t be afraid to ask the tournament administrator how to play the event.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you now have the information you need to ensure your next golf scramble is a great experience. A scramble is a fun format that allows all golfers to participate. If you have the option to play in one of these events, you should take it. Overall, golf scrambles are a great way for a new player to get involved in the game. Take advantage of these playing opportunities and get out there to learn.
