- Games
- Scramble and team formats
Scramble, shamble, best ball and alternate shot
In a scramble the team picks its best shot every time and plays one ball; in a shamble only the drive is shared; in best ball everyone plays their own ball and the best score counts. They suit outings, member-guests and trip days where partners matter more than anyone's own card.
Free for a single round. Players never sign up.
The rules. Five formats, one question: how many balls?
Every team format answers two things: how many balls the team has in play, and when it chooses between them. That's the whole difference between a scramble and a shamble.
| Format | How it's played | Team's score |
|---|---|---|
| Scramble | Everyone hits; the team picks the best shot and everyone plays the next from there. Repeat until holed. | One ball, one score a hole. |
| Shamble | Everyone drives; the team picks the best drive, then each plays their own ball from there into the hole. | The best score (or best two) of the team's balls. |
| Best ball | Everyone plays their own ball the whole way. Also called four-ball when it's two against two. | The best score (or best two, or three) on each hole. |
| Alternate shot | Partners take turns hitting one ball. One tees off on the odd holes, the other on the even. Also called foursomes. | One ball, one score a hole. |
| Pinehurst | Both drive, then each hits the other's ball for the second shot. The team picks one and alternates from there. Also called Chapman. | One ball, one score a hole. |
Scramble vs shamble
Both share the drive. A scramble keeps sharing every shot to the hole, so the team is only ever as bad as its best shot; a shamble stops sharing after the drive, so each player still has to finish the hole. Shamble scores are higher, and individual mistakes count.
Best ball vs scramble
In best ball nobody shares anything: each player plays his own ball, and the team takes the lowest score. It's the format where your partner's par bails out your double. A scramble is easier and faster; best ball is closer to real golf.
Best ball, net, two players.
Dale and Tom play net best ball off playing handicaps of 5 and 15. Dale gets a stroke on stroke index 1 to 5 (holes 2, 4 and 6 here); Tom gets one on stroke index 1 to 15, which is all six holes. The team's score is the lower net score on each hole.
| Hole | Par | SI | Dale | Tom | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 7 | 4 net 4 | 6 net 5 | 4 |
| 2 | 5 | 1 | 6 net 5 | 6 net 5 | 5 |
| 3 | 3 | 15 | 4 net 4 | 3 net 2 | 2 |
| 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 net 4 | 5 net 4 | 4 |
| 5 | 4 | 11 | 4 net 4 | 6 net 5 | 4 |
| 6 | 4 | 5 | 5 net 4 | 7 net 6 | 4 |
| Total | 24 | 28 | 33 | 23 |
The same pair in a scramble would post one ball, say 4, 5, 3, 4, 3, 4 for 23 gross. Their scramble allowance (below) is 5 strokes, which fall on stroke index 1 to 5, holes 2, 4 and 6: a net 20.
Handicaps. Each format has its own allowance.
Sharing shots makes a team much better than its players' handicaps say, so team formats play off a percentage. The World Handicap System's recommended allowances (Appendix C) are the usual reference: individual players' percentages for own-ball formats, a combined team figure for one-ball formats.
Here they are for one pair, Dale off a course handicap of 6 and Tom off 18. Percentages are always applied low handicap first.
For a four-player scramble the recommendation is 25/20/15/10 from lowest to highest: a team of 4, 10, 16 and 22 gets 1 + 2 + 2.4 + 2.2 = 7.6, so 8 strokes. A three-player team is 30/20/10.
| Format | Allowance | Dale 6, Tom 18 |
|---|---|---|
| Best ball, stroke play | 85% each | 5 and 15 |
| Best ball, match play | 90% each | 5 and 16 |
| Shamble | No official figure; 80% each is common | 5 and 14 |
| Scramble, two players | 35% of low + 15% of high | 2.1 + 2.7 = 5 |
| Alternate shot | 50% of the combined | 24 × 50% = 12 |
| Pinehurst / Chapman | 60% of low + 40% of high | 3.6 + 7.2 = 11 |
Settling the money. A team pot, paid by place.
Sixteen players, four teams of four, $20 a man: a $320 pot. Paying two places 70/30 gives the winning team $224 ($56 a man) and the second $96 ($24 a man).
Two teams tied for first share first and second: $320 between them, $160 a team, $40 a man. Many outings break ties on the card instead (the back nine, then the last six, three and one).
What the entry form usually says.
In Live Links Golf. Scored off the card, own ball or shared.
Every one of these formats is scored from what goes on the card. A shared-ball team posts one score a hole on its scoring link; an own-ball team posts each player's score and the team's ball works itself out. Nobody types in a winner.
Team formats, asked at registration.
What is the difference between a scramble and a shamble?
In a scramble the team picks its best shot every time and plays one ball into the hole. In a shamble the team picks the best drive, then each player plays their own ball from there, and the best score counts.
What is the difference between best ball and a scramble?
In best ball every player plays their own ball the whole hole and the team takes the lowest score. In a scramble the team shares every shot and plays one ball.
How is a two-person scramble handicap worked out?
The World Handicap System recommends 35% of the lower course handicap plus 15% of the higher. Course handicaps of 6 and 18 give 2.1 + 2.7 = 4.8, so 5 strokes.
Who tees off in alternate shot?
One partner tees off on the odd-numbered holes and the other on the even, decided before the round. From the tee they alternate shots until the ball is holed.
Is Pinehurst the same as Chapman?
Yes, two names for one format: both partners drive, each plays the other's ball for the second shot, the team picks one ball, and they alternate from there.