what is a scramble in golf

What Is A Scramble In Golf And How To Master This Team Game

Author: Larissa Allard

Updated: Dec 31, 2023

Comments: 0

Are you excited because your team competes in a tournament for the first time? Well, it’s pretty evident that you all would team to win and would be somewhat anxious for the game.

Yet, as a part of your strategy, you would look for the rules of the tournament, and if it’s a golf Scramble, you would be confused!

Here’s where you would be looking for what is a Scramble in golf, and I have covered you all with it!

What Is A Scramble In Golf?

In Golf Scramble, there is a team of four players, among which all swing their shots. However, only one shot that covers the maximum distance or is better from a low-score perspective is selected. 

Further, this continues till the ball finishes every hole. This type of game format is suitable for events where an informal style is preferred, and the aim is to have fun and not be competitive.

Primary schools, organizations, and charity events are some examples that support this gameplay.

What Are The Different Types of Scramble Golf? 

The official golf rules don’t specify anything like a scramble, as it is an informal version of the game.

People look upon it as a means of golf without much difficulty. Yet, you should know about the different types of Scrambles that prevail.

1. Texas Scramble

Texas Scramble is like the classic Scramble, except for one rule. This specifies that in a game consisting of four players, each player will play a minimum of four drives for a game. 

2. Florida Scramble 

Florida Scramble is a different variation of the informal gameplay. The player whose ball was selected as the best shot will hit the next one.

However, following this scenario, one of the team would skip every stroke except for the Drive. 

3. Las Vegas Scramble

The Las Vegas Scramble is a game of luck. Here, dice are rolled to decide who will play the drive for the hole. 

4. Bramble

In Bramble, the game begins as Scramble, where all players hit the shot, and one is selected.

Further, players play for themselves after the initial shot until the hole is finished. 

5. Ambrose 

Ambrose is a Scramble in which you play along with a team handicap.

This means that when you play, your team’s net scores will be calculated depending on the handicap for the team.

What Are The Rules for Playing Golf Scramble? 

In Scramble, players tee off and choose the best shot from all of them to continue the game. You can keep the ball up to one golf club closer to your target to play a better shot.

However, if it lands in any hazard, then you won’t be able to move its lie. Thus, you can keep hitting the ball from the chosen location till the end of the hole. 

But only one score will count for your team, like in a Scramble. As the rule of golf states, the team with the lowest total score would win the game.

In case of a tie, the score is chosen from a random hole to decide the winning team. But if it’s still a tie, the score check continues until there comes a point with no tie. 

How To Win Golf Scramble: Pro Strategy

When playing Scramble, you should know it’s an informal gaming style, and the rules vary accordingly. So, you have to align your winning strategy with it! 

I once competed in a Scramble during primary school; here’s how I won the game with some hacks: 

Playing Order

In golf, weaker players of the team should hit at the beginning. Further, the best putter should play at the end to target the greens well. Hence, the good players get a chance if the weaker players miss. 

Choosing Shots 

Select the ball with the best lie and angle to approach the target. Also, remember that whoever’s drive is selected will have to swing for the next shot. 

Team Balance 

Ensure that you have a team of players whose skills balance each other. Thus, you should also have weak and strong players, accurate and long hitters.

Those players who hit accurate shots should play first, and the ones who hit longer distances should swing at the last.

Therefore, you can even ensure that every player on the team improves. 

Putting Strategy

The worst putter on the team should play first, then the second best, and later the best putter. Thus, you save the best player for playing on the greens. 

No team is perfect, especially the one playing for a Scramble. Therefore, you should keep a balanced play that leverages the skills of all the team members.

How to Organize a Golf Scramble?

Choosing and preparing a good team is essential when you want to organize a golf scramble tournament. 

Here’s how it should go: 

Keep a Balanced Team 

Ensure every team mixes excellent and average players for fairer gameplay. Further, every player should be able to play and improve, thus keeping a balanced team. 

Have a Skilled Golfer 

Notably, you should have at least one skilled golfer in every team. Therefore, you can ensure you hit good shots from good locations in the game. 

After organizing your team, you must ensure that you are clear with the basic terms of golf. The section below will illuminate an important team to clear any misconceptions! 

Scramble vs Best Ball

When the best ball tournament goes on, every player should hit the balls for themselves in the complete round. Next, the game should continue only where the ball stopped.

In contrast, for a Scramble, only one score for every hole is considered, and then results are evaluated for the entire team, with the lowest score for the winner declaration. 

The Final Verdict

If you were looking for what is a Scramble in golf, then you would have got your answer! Here, a team of four players plays for a hole, and the best shot is considered. This scheme is implemented from the drive as well. 

Moreover, certain variations in Scramble include Texas, Florida, and Las Vegas golf scramble.

Bramble and Ambrose are other forms of it that all the players enjoy. Next, to win the tournament, ensure you reorganize it well and follow the hacks for your team to succeed.

<a href="https://golfgearz.com/writers/larissa-allard/" target="_self">Larissa Allard</a>

Larissa Allard

Larissa has been a flamboyant golfer since the raw age of 8. With her savvy mind and keen observation skills, she mastered the sport faster than anyone else could. Larissa has always been eloquent with writing and is a graduate of Creative Writing from the University of California, San Diego. Being a golf player for 16 years and a professional golfer for 8 years, she's adapt and has coached many amateur golfers as well.

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