I really don't see the point in scrambles

[fishstix94]

[quote name='deadsolid...shank' timestamp='1405949386' post='9747899']Does anyone else play scrambles that are not charity based?

I'll play in five to ten a year, and they are just as competitive as stroke play tournaments. One round of our pro am is played in scramble format.

I just don't understand all the dislike. It's still a competition and you're still hitting shots. And hopefully you're playing with friends. Yes they take longer, but I'm prepared for that going in. We play a lot of three mans, that way you can have two teams per hole and not have the round take 5 1/2 or 6 hours.

If you're in an area that doesn't offer a lot of stroke play, then that is what you have to choose from.[/quote]
Most people who dislike scrambles dislike them because many teams cheat.. I played in a scramble once where my team shot 16 under and finished in 2nd.. The team that won shot 18 under but they were so drunk they could hardly walk, yet they went home with the big bucks..

[bruinsPATSirish]

I always like seeing "USGA rules apply." on the rules sheet for a scramble. Makes me chuckle

[UCBananaboy]

Has anyone ever played a scramble that actually put a scorer with each group? I've personally never seen it but would love to play a scramble that actually did this.

[sydor_05]

I just played in a 4-man scramble on the weekend that included a Calcutta and some para-mutual betting so it was rather serious.

We played in groups of 8 and traded scorecards. Didn't slow down the pace at all really. We played in about 5.5 hours or so which I find normal for a scramble. It was a good way to keep everyone honest.

[Pepperturbo]

Don't know about you all, but 'all' the scrambles I've played in were tied to charities I like. Reason I am there, not for the cheating and slow play. Years back I use to play in the Oldsmobile Scramble..it was fun and not nearly as much cheating. There again, maybe those events were exceptions to the rule.

[Pepperturbo]

[quote name='UCBananaboy' timestamp='1408113789' post='9940739']
Has anyone ever played a scramble that actually put a scorer with each group? I've personally never seen it but would love to play a scramble that actually did this.
[/quote]

Given the typical purpose of a Scramble, that being charity and or company events filled with people that seldom play golf, and relaxed rules, don't' see a scorer as practical. If concern over fairness, rules infractions and possible winning are at the crux of signing up, don't play in scrambles.

[MadGolfer76]

The only ones I have ever remotely enjoyed were "mixed" scrambles where groups were randomly drawn from different handicap brackets. Made it harder to cheat, I suspect.

[Desert Golf]

About 10 years ago, a golf course that is about an hour from my house (Hidden Valley) set up tents on the greens for romps with prostitutes during their scrambles.

[Pepperturbo]

[quote name='Desert Golf' timestamp='1408594139' post='9977689']
About 10 years ago, a golf course that is about an hour from my house (Hidden Valley) set up tents on the greens for romps with prostitutes during their scrambles.
[/quote]


I recall and have played that course. What made that really odd, club pros were behind it, later fired and had to deal with costly litigation. Talk about a career killer.

[2putttom]

[quote name='Desert Golf' timestamp='1408594139' post='9977689']
About 10 years ago, a golf course that is about an hour from my house (Hidden Valley) set up tents on the greens for romps with prostitutes during their scrambles.
[/quote]If this tents arockin' don't come a knockin'

[HoosierHacker89]

I play in about 10 per year love them. Buddy of mine will not play unless it is scramble anymore. He says it makesgolf fun and he isnt a bad player. Shoots 80s own ball

[fumanchu1]

[quote name='2putttom' timestamp='1401739502' post='9415903'] A coupon for dinner...Hmmm.. some of these prizes make my case of forty year old scotch we got for forth place look good. [/quote]

Congrats, I now hate you lol, if you don't want the 40yr old scotch bottle I'll take it :P

[kekoa]

Played in a chairity scramble last year. The other two in our group dropped out so a friend and I went out on our own and we were allowed to each hit two shots. Its amazing how well good players can do like this. On our second shots, we both would hit closer than our first. After a point, we were almost competing against each other as to who could knock it closest on approaches. Needless to say, we shot -19 and won the thing. I was in the restroom washing up afterwards and a group of guys walked in complaining that we cheated blah blah blah. They had no idea I was on the winning team.

Recently a lot of the scrambles I play in allow you to buy mulligans for $5/pop. Its a good way to raise some additional money, but most guys just taked unlimited mulligans (especially on the putting greens) whethere they bought in or not.

[MidwestGolfBum]

I play in 2 scrambles a year, both of which we play as 2 X man teams. 1 of the scrambles is 3 man teams, and we are playing for a half way decent amount of cash by the time you throw in the pari-mutuals, side bets with other groups and calcutta, so this is taken fairly seriously. The course is set up as hard as possible and we play from all the way back at just over 7200 yards, so the quality of golf you see is fairly high. The second is very similar with 4 man teams and big cups, played from 7400. Neither event will let your buy anything to help the score out and everything gets putted all the way out. The winning scores of both is typically somewhere between 8-10 under and the winning team will take home somewhere in the range of $1000 per guy not including the other betting.

[Exactice808]

[quote name='fishstix94' timestamp='1407910053' post='9922597']
[quote name='deadsolid...shank' timestamp='1405949386' post='9747899']Does anyone else play scrambles that are not charity based?

I'll play in five to ten a year, and they are just as competitive as stroke play tournaments. One round of our pro am is played in scramble format.

I just don't understand all the dislike. It's still a competition and you're still hitting shots. And hopefully you're playing with friends. Yes they take longer, but I'm prepared for that going in. We play a lot of three mans, that way you can have two teams per hole and not have the round take 5 1/2 or 6 hours.

If you're in an area that doesn't offer a lot of stroke play, then that is what you have to choose from.[/quote]
Most people who dislike scrambles dislike them because [b]many teams cheat.[/b]. I played in a scramble once where my team shot 16 under and finished in 2nd.. The team that won shot 18 under but they were so drunk they could hardly walk, yet they went home with the big bucks..
[/quote]

Not a scramble, but a Company (non real tourney) tournament stroke play. Guy comes in with the max 30 handicap..... Shoots a 90 to get a net 60. He is the low net winner, and before he was announced he was bragging in the food line how 3 weeks ago he shot a 78 and hes been shooting low 80's...... If you know you can shoot that why even waste your time with a 30hdcp on top of that first prize low net was Cash.... so BS.....

Good thing though is the company uses the previous years as your follow on handicap. So he will be adjusted, But even I got luck but not ridiculous...... last yrs Hdcp 14 shot an 80 so net 66..... Its going to be rough though next year LOL Hdcp 8... yikes

[tatertot]

[quote name='kekoa' timestamp='1411059541' post='10141083']
Played in a chairity scramble last year. The other two in our group dropped out so a friend and I went out on our own and we were allowed to each hit two shots. Its amazing how well good players can do like this. On our second shots, we both would hit closer than our first. After a point, we were almost competing against each other as to who could knock it closest on approaches. Needless to say, we shot -19 and won the thing. I was in the restroom washing up afterwards and a group of guys walked in complaining that we cheated blah blah blah. They had no idea I was on the winning team.

Recently a lot of the scrambles I play in allow you to buy mulligans for $5/pop. Its a good way to raise some additional money, but most guys just taked unlimited mulligans (especially on the putting greens) whethere they bought in or not.
[/quote]

But you did cheat ... it's much easier for 2 guys to go low if they're hitting 2 shots each.

[fishstix94]

[quote name='tatertot' timestamp='1412780387' post='10254967'][quote name='kekoa' timestamp='1411059541' post='10141083']
Played in a chairity scramble last year. The other two in our group dropped out so a friend and I went out on our own and we were allowed to each hit two shots. Its amazing how well good players can do like this. On our second shots, we both would hit closer than our first. After a point, we were almost competing against each other as to who could knock it closest on approaches. Needless to say, we shot -19 and won the thing. I was in the restroom washing up afterwards and a group of guys walked in complaining that we cheated blah blah blah. They had no idea I was on the winning team.

Recently a lot of the scrambles I play in allow you to buy mulligans for $5/pop. Its a good way to raise some additional money, but most guys just taked unlimited mulligans (especially on the putting greens) whethere they bought in or not.
[/quote]

But you did cheat ... it's much easier for 2 guys to go low if they're hitting 2 shots each.[/quote]
That's not cheating, I've seen that allowed in many scrambles when teammates drop out.

[OUZO Power]

There is a point to scrambles.

Business development. I'd rather take my clients out and golf and drink all day rather than sit in meeting rooms with them. Most of my golf is scramble corporate tournaments. At least once a week in the summer. I make money playing golf. Love it.

[rjm74x]

Same here. We've played eight? Ten? So far this year. They're all industry or charity based. We hold our own for all of our clients/business relations as well.

Do I prefer playing stroke play? Sure. But I'm okay with being paid to golf and play some courses I wouldn't normally have a chance to play.

For example, the Shriners Open "Tough Day" challenge next Monday at TPC Summerlin

[MichiganSRT8]

Id say 95% I do are for charity, which IMO everyone cheats anyways but its for charity so who gives. The other 5% are with friends who grab me as a anchor player and pay my fee going in, so I have no investment. Either way scrambles should only be for fun, unless they are like a local one where you actually have a scorer go around with each group to ensure no cheating and people on each green as well. The price for this outting end sup around 5-6k so they need it really, thats the only time Id play one seriously.

[Chomper]

Scramble tournament - a bunch of "golfers" get together for charity, knowing full well it is overpriced and takes too long. Hope for decent food and maybe a raffle prize.
If you go into a scramble with any type of expectation (other than booze or companionship) then you are gonna be pissed off when it is over.

[CHARGERS]

Very good friend of mine invites me to play in a bunch of these each year and I cant stand it anymore!!!!
I've worked it down to one a year, at most. Its so bad and cheesy, the courses are always in rough shape, the food is nasty and the prizes are a joke. Always like a 8 am shotgun , we all meet somewhere at the butt crack of dawn and ride together like a Ryder cup team. He wants to win one more than anything else in the world i think. He takes it so damn serious like its a real amateur golf tourney and to watch these guys choke under a little pressure is beyond funny. My team always consists of the same 3 guys that are all 20 handicaps at best, hit the ball short as hell and look to me to carry them. They sell mulligans and crap, two groups on every hole and takes forever, plenty of cheating going on all over the course....very sad for the profession they all are employed. I shared my opinion on how to speed up play with the guy running the event one day and they all looked at me like I had 3 heads....always a handful of groups that barely break par or even wind up over par, so I said why not give everyone a par max per hole so it would speed up play big time??? I got a lot of blank looks....
Also, my main mans ego is so big, he won't play up on the senior tees where he has way qualified for many years ago, but tees off every hole with us on the white tees and we are lucky to use his shot on anything but a par 3. I threatened not to play anymore unless he moved up accordingly and he did. We wound up using a few of drives and had a better score that day and he was in the event.....but, next time out he was right back on the white tees, OMG !!!
I got to figure a way out these this year.....

[1puttTUT]

I love the idea of scrambles, but some of them can be a real waste of time and money. Often there are major cheaters, pace of play issues, and other annoyances. But if you find a really good one with legit causes, rules and payouts, then they can be a lot of fun!

[ChrisNH]

I like playing in scrambles occasionally. It's a nice break from the grind of playing smart all the time. It's a chance to try risky shots that I normally wouldn't even consider playing so long as someone has a ball in play. Plus it's usually a relaxed, good time.

[beanpod]

I enjoy them. Working at a bank allows me the opportunity to play in a lot of these each year. They are pretty much the same charitable organization it foundation each year, but they are lots of fun. If you want to make it competitive, get you and your regular golfing buddies together and split teams evenly and then put some wager on it. You may not win the actual event, but bragging rights and an Andrew Jackson or 3 out of their pockets make it a great day!