Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Important Things to Know About Golf Scramble


In golf, classic stroke play format requires golfers to record their scores for each hole. Essentially, golfers are competing against themselves and the course. A scramble, however, is a fun variation of stroke play format that involves multiple players competing together for a common score. Many casual tournaments utilize the scramble format.
General Rules
According to the Collegiate Golf Alliance, a scramble requires each golfer to hit a tee shot, then the group chooses the best lie. Each golfer then plays the second shot and the group once again chooses the best lie. This format continues until the group has holed out on the putting green. Each group consists of an A, B, C and D player, which is determined by each golfer's respective handicap. This rank is chosen somewhat subjectively. For example, a golfer with a handicap of 5 might be the A player, while the D player might have a handicap of 26.
Tee Shot Usage
While there is no official rule, most scramble tournaments mandate that at least one tee shot is used from each member of the group. For example, the Christian Community Golf Association Charity tournament requires that a group uses at least one tee shot from each member for each nine holes played, for a total of two shots per 18 holes. This prevents a group from using the A player's tee shot on every hole.
Additional Rules
When playing shots from the fairway or rough, the ball must be placed within one club length from the chosen spot and no closer to the hole. Similarly, the ball must be placed within 3 inches from the chosen spot on the putting green and no closer to the hole. Scramble tournaments generally require that men play from the white tees and women from the red tees.
Variations
Further variations of the scramble format, according to the CGA, include the walk-away scramble and the Texas scramble. In a walk-away scramble, the golfer whose shot is chosen by the group is not allowed to participate in the next shot. In a Texas scramble, all players play a tee shot, the best lie is chosen and then all players play their own ball from thereon.

 
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