My first scramble...

[jaytee617]

Although I have been playing golf for a long time, I've never played in a scramble, mainly because I don't belong to any groups/clubs, and also because I'm kind of a golf purist and would rather play my own ball from beginning to end and try to score the best I can as a legit round each time out.

 

That being said, my wife has a new job at a non profit and they have a charity scramble tournament coming up next week that I signed up for. It's four player teams, and I registered as an individual so I'm not sure who they will team me up with.

 

It seems to me like the strategy would be for one player to hit a decent, safe shot and then everyone else try to go all out once our team has one safe, playable shot. As for putting, I'm not sure if this is a common rule in scrambles, but the rules for this event are that everyone attempts the first putt and if you don't make it you just add a second stroke without having to hole the second putt, so I assume the strategy would be for everyone to always try to make every first putt without much regard for distance control.

 

Any other tips or words of wisdom for me about the scramble?

[Yepyukon]

Have fun and don't take it too seriously. In my experience, scrambles are usually won with about a 54 by four people who couldn't break 90 with their own ball so try not to get too competitive. Remember, it is all for a good cause (for your wife's work I am guessing).

If you have a particularly good part of your game (you putt well or chip well) then try to be closer to the end to hit so you have a few reads. I am a single HC so I often hit last in my group because I have a better chance of pulling off a safe shot if they all miss or a great shot if one of them hits a safe shot.

[BrettB97]

Drink like a fish, eat as much food as you can, and bring a rubber eraser.

I always love playing the charity scrambles when I can. Very enjoyable atmosphere aside from "that group" that takes it way too seriously. Oh and go ahead and count yourself out of the long drive / closest to the hole contests. Scrambles are apparently the tournament of choice for people that can hit 400yd bombs and hole in ones on the reg.

[jaytee617]

Brett, I believe the special invited guest to this thing is some sort of long drive champion who can legitimately hit 400 yarders. Not sure if he will be doing a demonstration or what his role will be.

[Yepyukon]

/\ usually they set that guy up on a certain hole and you get the option (sometimes cost money or a ticket) to play the drive that he hits.

[JimNewton]

It's all about putting. Have a semi decent putter go first - a guy who can [u]get the ball to the hole[/u] on the line you've agreed on with decent pace. Then have your best putter go last, always. If you're not making the eagle/birdie putts you won't win. Nearly every group is going to be all over the GIRs, it's just the best putting group that day (..or maybe someone who can really stick it close). That's really our groups problem, most of our birdie putts are > 10 ft.

[Break81]

Scramble are always full of drunk cheaters. If they sell mulligans, those teams buy a boat load and they lose count of how many they have actually used.

Besides that it's a ton of fun.... enjoy!

[goobers80]

[color="#800080"]​Just know there is cheatings involved. Unless it is run by a club where most are members. Those seem more honests.[/color]

[jaytee617]

they sell mulligans $25 each or 6/$100. you have to buy them at the beginning, you can't buy them as you want them. but i guess my question with that would be why would we need them? If there's 4 players, assuming no beginners, at least one of us would hit a decent tee shot each hole, right?

[tigerwoods]

It doesn't matter how many mulligans you buy, save your money by the way, the only thing that matters is if you guess the low score correctly and write that on your scorecard. Scrambles have nothing to do with golf.

[somaplr]

Swing as hard as you can

[Matty T]

Swing hard just in case you hit it

[dlygrisse]

Have fun, stay hydrated, there will probably be free booze...and buy as many mulligans as they allow.I


If they allow mulligans, don't use them trying to hit the perfect drive or long approach, use them on the greens to make putts, just like the PGA tour the hot putter wins. I have probably played in 50 of these things, someone is always padding their score, if you are a purist about golf, just pretend you are playing another sport....scrambles arent golf they are a reason to skip work and to raise money for a charity. Winning hole prizes, swag, and meeting some good people should be the goal. Again, making putts is the key, if after 3 holes you aren't at least 2 under forget trying to win and just enjoy the day. I have seen 22 under win more than once, or take 2nd.

[vbb]

Those tournaments are about having fun, not winning. The winning score is usually 15 under par or better, which obviously means a lot of birdies. And yes, there's always a group or two that is flat out cheating.

Just have fun. This post alone shows that you've put too much thought into it. 90% of the field won't be taking it seriously at all.

[jaytee617]

So the way you guys are talking now, I think I'm going to resent the fact that this thing is at one of the nicer private clubs in my area that a muni-golfer like me would rarely if ever have access to. I'd rather have the chance to just play the course. But I guess I can swing hard like the rest, and the buying mulligans for putts makes sense now, especially given their putting rule. I was thinking about tee shots when I posted that mulligans didn't make sense. I'll let you all know how it goes...

[Air Jordan]

Don't forget to make use of the "provisional mulligan"

[rvgolfer]

Remember that the purpose of the tourney is to make money for the charity. Buying mulligans and long drives is just another way to donate. If you can afford and want to donate another 100 or more, buy the mulligans,,if not, don't, since you are playing with partners you don't know, and likely the prizes aren't all that great anyway.

I'd just go out to play my best, and noy get frustrated with players that aren't "golfers", the pace of play or anything else that would prevent you from having a fun day, and use the day to socialize with players that you might not normally have a chance to meet and have fun with. I wouldn't even worry about strategy, and all the other elements of a really competitive scramble,,just go with the flow.

[jewofgolf]

My advice as a person who will not play in a 4 person scramble (have played serious 2 person scrambles full of low handicaps) - just try to hit as many good shots as you can. Try to have your ball used for as many entire holes as possible.

Enjoy the nice course, play your own little game.

[thug the bunny]

I was going to say imbibe a lot, but since you are playing a nice course, check that, just play well and enjoy the course.

And, don't get too upset when a bunch of guys whose swings look like Michael J Fox digging trenches with a pickax win with a 50...

[needfasp3ed]

This thread confuses me a bit. The scrambles I have played in this summer had 2 teams playing on each hole. Not a chance
you could cheat as they had our score written down before we even told them.

[Agent Jim]

The winning team usually starts -5, just know that. Scrambles are for fun. I have an annual one coming up. I am most excited about the meal following the golf. We always put in our honest score, so we never have to worry about leaving the food for some meaningless award.

[GooseHook]

[quote name='JimNewton' timestamp='1379560365' post='7875433']
It's all about putting. Have a semi decent putter go first - a guy who can [u]get the ball to the hole[/u] on the line you've agreed on with decent pace. Then have your best putter go last, always. If you're not making the eagle/birdie putts you won't win. Nearly every group is going to be all over the GIRs, it's just the best putting group that day (..or maybe someone who can really stick it close). That's really our groups problem, most of our birdie putts are > 10 ft.
[/quote]

I would also suggest another thing, for the good putters..

Don't go last. Just make sure someone goes before you who can actually hit a putt on line, and to the hole like JImNewton says. Nothing is more distracting than seeing all 3 playing partners yank putts or hit them way too soft before hitting your own.

[Lefty94]

I play in a ton of scrambles for work. Heres my take. Expect a loooooooong day. 5 hour round and your flying. Usually closer to 6. I play in 1 every year thats mandatory for work that I know will be about 7 hours. Last year was just short of 8 hrs.

Secondly know that everyone cheats. Like someone said most guys couldn't break 90-85 with their own ball but somehow shoot a 54 to win. If your a purist like you said, this will drive you nuts. For example you are supposed to put your ball within the same area as the ball your playing. But same area to some can be within 3 club lengths, even if the ball your playing is in the rough, people will move it to the fairway. I got paired up with a few guys in 1 last week. I'm, by no means a good golfer. I typically shoot in the mid 80's, which for the amount of time I play, maybe 2-3 times a month and thats mostly work scrambles isn't bad. 3 guys I got paired with couldn't break 115. One hole was a short par 4, like 275. We had one in the fairway so I went for it and drove the ball just short of greenside. Problem was my ball leaked to far right and it was ob into the junk by about 4 feet. This hole has zero room right, so anything right is almost guranteed ob. I see my ball and I knock it out of ob into the rough. I'm getting ready to pick it up to go back 100 yards to the ball we are going to play. My riding partner goes what are you doing, we are playing that. I said you can't take a ball that was ob, move it into play and then play it. We have to take the other ball. He was like "oh".

Next depending on the organization most people (if alchohol is served) will get plastered. Which then increases the amount of cheating and slow play due to drunken shenanigans.

Lastly, try to have fun. Depending on the event and who you play with scrambles can be a ton of fun or 6 hours of pure torture. I'm someone who takes golf serious....sometimes a little to serious so generally I don't typically enjoy these events. But when you play in 7-10 for work each year they can get to be a drag.

[pingpring]

Here's what you do, before you even tee off go ahead and put down the scores you like to have on every hole. Then go out, drink a ton, cheer on every hole like you've been knocking 'em in from the fairway and have a good time. By the time you're done you'd swear that score is accurate and you turn it in. There's your scramble!

[agray94]

Enjoy, it is a nice change of pace and can be very enjoyable, especially if you are playing with friends.
If you want to take things serious then:
have a lead -off hitter who is accurate and can put a solid shot out there. Save the biggest hitter for last, as there are more chances that someone will have a very good drive and he can try to hit a huge shot.
same for fairway. have someone who can put you on the dance floor and then allow others to shoot at the stick.
Putting is different. We usually have to putt out rather than take a 2 putt. So we have someone who is decent but usually gives you a good look at the line..then follow suit. We usually have our best putter go 3rd, just so they have good looks but without the pressure of being the last chance-that's kind of our way to do it.
Basically your score will come down to putting. With four drives and four approaches..you'll usually have something to work with.
Best advice, don't worry about winning, just have fun and see where the chips fall. Not always but usually you are going to have at least 1 if not more groups that are loaded and looking to go -16 or better.

[RecreationalHacker]

[quote name='BrettB97' timestamp='1379559084' post='7875333']
Drink like a fish, eat as much food as you can, and bring a rubber eraser.
[/quote]

Best answer.

[RRFireblade]

Scrambles are not really golf so make sure you have fun doing something else.

It will take ALL day. Some group of hacks are going to turn in a 55/56 at worst to win. You will be very glad when its over.

Eat plenty and get drunk.

[Jack Pearsall]

Fun but not something JP does much anymore. Jack plays this one benefit every year but it really is up to who's in ur 4 some. Have fun. Helps if the course is a friendly one..
...some guys always take stuff too far...

[patrick421]

sell your spot in the tourney for the charity. you will feel better the next day. if i hear one more post about getting a bad bounce in a scramble I'm gonna barfffff.

[Jon54]

Two scramble stories:
I played in a scramble once that was flighted in advance by handicap. Our team was in the flight just behind the championship flight. There were 36 teams and we played out of our minds. Our score was better than the championship flight and we won all 4 of the closest to the pins (I won 2) and the long drive contest. Fortunately, there were two groups on each hole so we had witnesses.

I played in another scramble in a small town about 50 miles away. It was a 3 man scramble that was flighted after day one. Again, 36 teams and the other threesome playing with us was even par after day 1. The next day they shot something like 52. The local sheriff was heading up the tournament and asked us if they sandbagged the first day, which was obvious. He gave them 5 mins to get out of town. The first day, they would all miss 3' putts.