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Worst form of golf!


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Even a bad form of of golf is still pretty good! But a Scramble!!! What genius (ie idiot) thought of this? I suppose I can get it can bring bad and good golfers together, but that's what handicaps are for! Got stuck behind a scramble recently! My word! What a stupid way to play golf! My friend suggested it to me once, I asked are you serious! We're all at a similar standard anyway! What's the point in playing golf when half ya shots don't count?? It's just not for me!

Gaz Lee

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I would think that scrambles would expedite play. I'm not a huge fan myself (though I certainly don't hate them), but they do have a fun novelty factor to them. In high school we would have a team scramble outing at the end of the year, which was nice since it was a much more casual environment where it didn't really matter if you hit a bad shot. Are you saying you'd rather be stuck behind a foursome, two of whom are constantly duffing and looking for their balls, as opposed to one where they'll just pick up and play from their respective teammates' shots?

-Rich

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I don't mind them. Especially on things like company outings where many of the people maybe play golf once a year.

Where I used to work the boss loved golf and also went out of his way to try to do something nice for the employees. Once a year we would go somewhere to a nice course (that most of us would otherwise never get to play) and play a couple of scramble rounds. Then we would usually stop by a nice restaurant on the way home.

Everybody always had a great time and looked forward to it. Some people that really didn't play golf enjoyed the outings enough to join the country club and take up the game more seriously.

If we had been playing "golf" by the rules with those level of players there is no way those courses would have even allowed us on the course and certainly would have asked us to never come back because it would have taken so long.

It would have been a nightmare for some of those beginners to try to play their own ball but all of the groups moved along fairly well because each group had a "captain" that was a decent golfer. The final scores were usually not much different than the score the captain would have shot on his own.

A couples scramble at the club on Monday evenings is what got my wife into golf. She was a decent putter from the start and had/has an amazing knack for bump and runs from around the greens and could contribute that way. She and I won a lot of those scrambles and she loved it. Now she loves to play and she and another lady play a round whenever they can (and they both take their scores very seriously).

The only scrambles I really don't like are the charity four person team scrambles, and only because of the cheating that goes on. I only play in those if I want to donate to the group anyway and maybe see some old friends.

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I would think that scrambles would expedite play. I'm not a huge fan myself (though I certainly don't hate them), but they do have a fun novelty factor to them. In high school we would have a team scramble outing at the end of the year, which was nice since it was a much more casual environment where it didn't really matter if you hit a bad shot.

Are you saying you'd rather be stuck behind a foursome, two of whom are constantly duffing and looking for their balls, as opposed to one where they'll just pick up and play from their respective teammates' shots?

This was the idea behind them, but the problem is that so many scrambles are played as charity or corporate or bachelor party outings with half the field composed of either non-golfers or twice a year golfers who haven't a clue how to get around a golf course in a reasonable fashion.  Add some alcohol, mix well, and you have the instant 5+ hour round.  There are modifications which can help to speed this up, but most of the types of outings which would most benefit from it have never heard of it. (I've played in one where the player whose drive was selected did not get to play the second shot, cutting 18 swings per group out of the round).

Rick

"He who has the fastest cart will never have a bad lie."

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Five or six times a year, usually around some holiday, the course I live near puts on a nine hole scramble on Saturday afternoon and a pot luck dinner afterward.  Those are generally a hoot!  They shut down the front nine ahead of time and there are usually enough people to start a couple of groups per hole for the scramble.  It is a social and beer drinking opportunity and a lot of fun.

I have never been involved in a single group scramble, but it seems to me that it wouldn't be much slower than normal pace of play, and certainly faster than the idiots I was behind yesterday... but that's a different story.

Bottom line, if you don't like the idea of a scramble, don't participate.  But under the right circumstances they definitely can be fun for some of us.

Driver: Titleist 913 D2 10.5*, Aldila RIP Phenom 50

Fairway 1: Titleist 913F, 17*, Titleist Bassara W55

Fairway 2: Titleist 913F, 21*, Titleist Bassara W55

Irons: Titleist AP1 714 5-PW, Aerotech Steelfiber i95

Wedges: SCOR 4161 48/52/56/60, Genius 9

Grips: GolfPride New Decade Red Mid-size on all of the above.

Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 - Super Stroke Slim 3.0

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Even a bad form of of golf is still pretty good! But a Scramble!!! What genius (ie idiot) thought of this? I suppose I can get it can bring bad and good golfers together, but that's what handicaps are for! Got stuck behind a scramble recently! My word! What a stupid way to play golf! My friend suggested it to me once, I asked are you serious! We're all at a similar standard anyway! What's the point in playing golf when half ya shots don't count??

It's just not for me!

Look at it like this.  It's a team event, and as a result, you play for the team score.  Just as if you were playing a better ball fourball, your shots don't count unless your ball wins the hole.

As mentioned above, it's a social game, and isn't intended to be uber-competitive.  You approach it with the intent to have fun with friends or colleagues, not to beat the tar out of your arch enemy.

Rick

"He who has the fastest cart will never have a bad lie."

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If I'm going to spend time on a golf course, I prefer to be playing golf . Not some poorly contrived version, the only real similarity being that the players strike balls with clubs....

In David's bag....

Driver: Titleist 910 D-3;  9.5* Diamana Kai'li
3-Wood: Titleist 910F;  15* Diamana Kai'li
Hybrids: Titleist 910H 19* and 21* Diamana Kai'li
Irons: Titleist 695cb 5-Pw

Wedges: Scratch 51-11 TNC grind, Vokey SM-5's;  56-14 F grind and 60-11 K grind
Putter: Scotty Cameron Kombi S
Ball: ProV1

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My regular foursome is composed of two groups of two when it comes too skill level. What we are equal on is our desire to play, competitive nature, and we love to gamble, no high stakes dollar a hole. Every other time or every third time we play we divide up and play a scramble. we find it very enjoyable and the two higher handicaps don't get as discouraged on a bad shot if their partner makes a decent one. Not for everyone but works for us, and definitely speeds up our round.

Derrek

Righty in the left trap

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My regular foursome is composed of two groups of two when it comes too skill level. What we are equal on is our desire to play, competitive nature, and we love to gamble, no high stakes dollar a hole. Every other time or every third time we play we divide up and play a scramble. we find it very enjoyable and the two higher handicaps don't get as discouraged on a bad shot if their partner makes a decent one. Not for everyone but works for us, and definitely speeds up our round.

I like the way you mix it up.  Too many modern players are too stuck on pure stroke play.  One group I play with plays a combination of skins and a Round Robin match.  We play individual skins for a quarter, plus $.50 greenies (if you lose every hole and all 4 par 3's, its $6.50).  At the same time we play a 2 on 2 round robin better ball match for $2 with the partners changing up every 6 holes, so that everyone partners with each of the other players.  The most you can lose on that is $6 for a grand total on your worst day of $12.50.  I've never lost more than $5 or $6 - the big winner usually makes about $15 - $20.

Rick

"He who has the fastest cart will never have a bad lie."

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I like the way you mix it up.  Too many modern players are too stuck on pure stroke play.  One group I play with plays a combination of skins and a Round Robin match.  We play individual skins for a quarter, plus $.50 greenies (if you lose every hole and all 4 par 3's, its $6.50).  At the same time we play a 2 on 2 round robin better ball match for $2 with the partners changing up every 6 holes, so that everyone partners with each of the other players.  The most you can lose on that is $6 for a grand total on your worst day of $12.50.  I've never lost more than $5 or $6 - the big winner usually makes about $15 - $20.

the last two times we played our scramble I won $3 and lost $2. We throw in closest to the pin on par 3's and $2 for birdies. we are pretty even playing this way, but you would think to see us playing we were playing for thousands of dollars. Nothing like a good group to play with.

Derrek

Righty in the left trap

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"I've played in one where the player whose drive was selected did not get to play the second shot, cutting 18 swings per group out of the round."

That probably speeds things up in most cases, but not when there's only one decent golfer in the group. You end up usually using the decent golfer's drive, so only the 3 duffers hit the next shot. That removes the chance for the decent golfer to get the 2nd shot somewhere near the green, and instead the 3 duffers either top it 10 yards forward, or send it into the weeds or water.

Bill

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"I've played in one where the player whose drive was selected did not get to play the second shot, cutting 18 swings per group out of the round."

That probably speeds things up in most cases, but not when there's only one decent golfer in the group. You end up usually using the decent golfer's drive, so only the 3 duffers hit the next shot. That removes the chance for the decent golfer to get the 2nd shot somewhere near the green, and instead the 3 duffers either top it 10 yards forward, or send it into the weeds or water.

I've never played on a team with one good and three duffers.  The scrambles I've played in have either been set up with A, B, C, and D players, or they are all duffers or all ringers (Sucks, but what are you going to do in a charity scramble?).  In any of those cases, skipping one shot per hole saves time.

Rick

"He who has the fastest cart will never have a bad lie."

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Even a bad form of of golf is still pretty good! But a Scramble!!! What genius (ie idiot) thought of this? I suppose I can get it can bring bad and good golfers together, but that's what handicaps are for! Got stuck behind a scramble recently! My word! What a stupid way to play golf! My friend suggested it to me once, I asked are you serious! We're all at a similar standard anyway! What's the point in playing golf when half ya shots don't count?? It's just not for me!

Just a fun thing to do from time to time. I don't think I've ever just went out with my buddies and played a scramble but I enjoy playing in a few charity scrambles during the year.

my get up and go musta got up and went..
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If I'm going to spend time on a golf course, I prefer to be playing golf . Not some poorly contrived version, the only real similarity being that the players strike balls with clubs....

My thoughts exactly! If I have the time to play a round of golf, I'm gonna play around of golf! Not get involved with group of people who don't care if they hit a bad shot or not! I mean, there's not even a skill factor in it, it becomes a lethargic game of luck with no motivation to try and play well! I couldn't see myself enjoying it! Even if it was a charity event, I'd rather pay a donation to NOT be involved! I'm not putting the people who play this way down! I'm just saying it's not for me! And I'm sure there are much better ways to accomplish whatever it is this form of golf tries to accomplish!

Gaz Lee

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It depends what type of outing you're playing in.  If you're playing in a reunion type of outing where the purpose is mainly social, and there are a lot of people who aren't golfers playing- scramble is the best way for everybody to enjoy the out.  The better golfers do get a little bit of their competition, while the non-golfers don't get frustrated and enjoy the day out.  Everybody gets around, and better golfers get enough of golf that one day of not playing your own ball isn't going kill you.

I've done a form of a scramble where everybody hits a drive and then you take the play from there.  I'm not a big fan of the shamble style where you take 3 scores on par 3's, 2 on par 4's, and 1 on par 5's.

Once I was playing in a tournament with a 30-handicap who could hit the crap out of the ball (athlete who didn't play much golf).  With his own ball he wouldn't break 100, but taking his 16 bad drives out of the picture allowed him contribute to the team (especially with his huge handicap).  On a short par 5 we were inside of 200 for our drive.  He and I both were around the green on our next shot- except he was net 0, and I net 2, and only 1 ball was scored on a par 5.  No reason for me to play out.

2-man scrambles with both good golfers is kind of fun.  Wouldn't want to do it all the time, but it's fun for a change.

In my personal opinion, stroke play is probably the worst form for most recreational golf.  Stroke play is basically Don't screw up golf.  One blow up and all is lost, no matter how well you play the other 17 holes.  A stableford, which is easy to modify is a lot funner- especially on really difficult courses.

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I play in at 2 scrambles with our work league every year for the past 30+ years. I love them. It's an A, B, C, D format from our league so the teams are fairly even. We play where everybody has to get in at least one drive per 9 holes. We have closest to the pin. Skins. Long drives. The winning team gets anywhere from $200 to $400. I'm always an A player and I've been on teams where the other 3 guys are bad. It's for fun, so I tell them to have fun. Maybe we'll get a CTP or skin. Outside our work league, I've been on loaded teams where I'm the B player and I love that. I hit the ball pretty long, so knowing I have a really good player behind me, I let it fly. That's when I play my best. I'm a terrible green reader but I'm a good putter when I know the line. i think it's despicable when a team cheats. This is a gentlemens (and ladies) game. I have never heard of anyone cheating in our league and I really believe that. I like shambles. That's where the foursome takes the best drive and everyone plays there own ball from there. Most high handicappers seem to lose the most strokes off their drivers. It's a totally different game for them when they get to play 300 yard drives. We try to mix them up. We've played where the team has to play 6 holes from the reds, 6 from the whites, 6 from the blues. The twist is that you get to cjhose whatever holes you like. Typically difficult par 3's we play from the reds. Holes where it's not a big difference between the white and blue tees, we would play the blues. Obviously helps to know the course. I always play a practice round the day before the tourny if I hadn't played to course before. We get motel room or rent a house. Lot of beer drinking and cards. I showed up a more than a few still drunk from the night before. Plus a bunch of us would get $5 bets with players from other teams. I'd get 20 - 30 bets. So it sucks when our teams sucks. I enjoy playing scrambles more than regular golf. Plus a 5 hour round is quick. You'd think it would be faster but it's not. Ever.

Driver.......Ping K15 9.5* stiff 3 wood.....Ping K15 16* stiff 5 wood.....Ping K15 19* stiff 4 Hybrid...Cleveland Gliderail 23* stiff 5 - PW......Pinhawk SL GW...........Tommy Armour 52* SW...........Tommy Armour 56* LW...........Tommy Armour 60* FW...........Diamond Tour 68* Putter.......Golfsmith Dyna Mite Ball..........Volvik Vista iV Green Bag..........Bennington Quiet Organizer Shoes.... ..Crocs

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My thoughts exactly! If I have the time to play a round of golf, I'm gonna play around of golf! Not get involved with group of people who don't care if they hit a bad shot or not! I mean, there's not even a skill factor in it, it becomes a lethargic game of luck with no motivation to try and play well! I couldn't see myself enjoying it! Even if it was a charity event, I'd rather pay a donation to NOT be involved!

I'm not putting the people who play this way down! I'm just saying it's not for me! And I'm sure there are much better ways to accomplish whatever it is this form of golf tries to accomplish!

No skill factor in it? Lethargic game of luck?  What, are we out there with blindfolds on?  I play in a weekly Monday night scramble, 6-8 foursomes, and fully half of the golfers have a lower handicap than your 18.  6 under won it last week - for 9 holes.  How lucky was that?

I'm sure when you get together with your regular foursome for "around" of golf - you know, Ben Hogan, Bobby Jones, Old Tom Morris, and Hardballs - it's serious business.  But that's not the only way to play golf.  You ever hear of a Stableford tournament?  Just pick up if you're making a mess of the hole.

And not all scrambles are the same.  A corporate outing where teams consist of one good golfer, a couple of secretaries, and Floyd from accounting is not the same as a foursome of serious golfers trying to go low.

Lighten up Playa! :dance:

Occam's razor

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Quote:

Originally Posted by David in FL

If I'm going to spend time on a golf course, I prefer to be playing golf. Not some poorly contrived version, the only real similarity being that the players strike balls with clubs....

My thoughts exactly! If I have the time to play a round of golf, I'm gonna play around of golf! Not get involved with group of people who don't care if they hit a bad shot or not! I mean, there's not even a skill factor in it, it becomes a lethargic game of luck with no motivation to try and play well! I couldn't see myself enjoying it! Even if it was a charity event, I'd rather pay a donation to NOT be involved!

I'm not putting the people who play this way down! I'm just saying it's not for me! And I'm sure there are much better ways to accomplish whatever it is this form of golf tries to accomplish!

Here's an idea then...DON'T PLAY SCRAMBLES! Or did you guys just need something to complain about tonight? lol

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