How would a scramble team fare in the US Open?

Let's say you assembled a team of four amateurs. All four have a USGA Handicap Index of 6.0 - 8.0. This team is entered in the US Open, and can play as a four man scramble.

Do they miss the cut?

Make the cut, but never in contention?

Contend and finish in the top 10?

Or win the whole damn thing?

Share your thoughts.

I'm torn between "Miss the cut" and "Make the cut, but never in contention", but leaning toward the former.  Most amateurs have never played a course in PGA Tournament condition (and length) and from what I've heard/seen so far, Chambers Bay is going to be a doozy.  I'm not sure that a group of 6-8 hcps could get it done under those conditions.

Miss the cut. Too many long second shots and too many tough shots out of thick greenside rough. They'd still be missing plenty of GIR on those 500 yard par 4s. I would go so far as to say they would score worse as a scrsmble team on a U.S open setup than they would score playing their own ball at their home course.

Using Game Golf

That handicap range averages 50% FIR, 235 yard drives. So by statistics they should only miss 1 fairway all day in a scramble for the group.

They probably be averaging about 190-210 yards into the par 4's unless one of the guys is a bomber who hits a few fairways. Still, they should get a lot of nGIR. Then you'd think one of them would be able to get the ball inside 15 feet on most short game shots. I would say they would be decent putters form inside 15 feet.

I'd say they might get lucky on a few par 3's, maybe a couple short par 4's. The par 5's would be ok because two good shots leaves a mid iron probably. I'd say they would be able to shoot around par.

I'm with Golfindad, I think that a foursome of 6-8 handicappers would win.  They would almost certainly birdie every par 5, every short par 4 and make pars on all of the other holes with a couple of birdies on the par 3's.  Having four shots for all shots is such a huge advantage.

I gave them the benefit of doubt, and voted make the cut, and not contend. Not contend by a long shot. That said, if they missed the cut, that would not be a surprise either. I have played on few US-O qualifier courses in my day, and was quite humbled at my lack of ability to score well on those courses. This was when I was at the top of my single digit  (6)  game. I am pretty sure that on the actual US-O course used, those qualifier courses would be a piece of cake for the true, competitive player.

Thanks for adding the poll. I'm new around here, and did not see that option.

I'd say the scrambling would be closer to 50% for that handicap range. Even if they miss every green they would get up and down 16-17 times. Even if they get no GIR for tournament, they'd probably shoot in the low to mid 70's. Something like 72, 74, 71, 75.

I'd see a lot of pars. They might get lucky in birdie one of the short to mid range par 3's and the short par 4's. Probably steel a birdie on a par 5.

I am seeing 2 bogeys, 4 birdies, 12 pars.

Something like 68, 70, 71, 69. Probably 278-280.

Just getting four shots at ever shot is just huge. Even if they catch a fairway bunker, I am thinking one of them would be able to hit a solid shot up near the green.

Yea, I think they would be in contention.

Ok I think I voted wrong.

Can I say that it depends on the course? I'm not sure a group of 6-8 cappers has the distance to compete with the pros at a course like Chambers Bay. Just because there's going to be probably 3-4 holes a round where they can't get a nGIR (at an average driving distance for that group, I'd think any par 4 that's over 450 will be really tough for them to get a nGIR). I think at a long course, that group would be looking at a couple of bogeys per round that they'll have trouble offsetting with birdies. If that's the case, they'll make the cut but not contend.

At a shorter course, where they're only looking at 1 hole where they can't get a nGIR, I could see them winning. At Merion, for example, they would have trouble with length of one or two holes probably?

If the group is 4 long hitters (I mean around 270 average drive, which is not unusual for a 6-8 handicap, but definitely above average), then I think they could win the US Open. But average hitters would not win on a long course.

It seems strange that the average drive for 6-8 handicappers would be lower than 260-270.Though I admit, I don't have much experience playing with people who are of that handicap so I don't have an accurate way to gauge what they'd hit. The only person I've played with in that range is Matt, who probably has 10-20 yards on me every hole that I've played with him and I fall into the 270 ish average drive. Seems to me, though, that if someone were to put together a four person team of that range to compete they'd try to have a mix of long hitters and good short game players.

Clubhead speed for 6-8 handicap is 95-105 mph. So your looking at 230 to 250 yards.