First Scramble tournament advice please.

[Sai-Jin]

I was invited by the embassy for a charity tournament in summer.

This will be my first scramble tourney and I was wondering if you guys have any advice for me?

Most likely I'll have the longer drive in the group and the better short game + putting.

but I notice that when I get tired my drives are either blocks or fades. chipping and putting are usually unaffected.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Sai-Jin

I was invited by the embassy for a charity tournament in summer.

This will be my first scramble tourney and I was wondering if you guys have any advice for me?

Most likely I'll have the longer drive in the group and the better short game + putting.

but I notice that when I get tired my drives are either blocks or fades. chipping and putting are usually unaffected.

Typically the best player goes last. However, that's for each area of the game. Sometimes the best driver isn't the best short game player or putter. And sometimes the best at something cracks under the pressure, so if they go first and have no pressure, the other players can whale away off the tee (for example) if the best player gives them a safe ball.

Also, sometimes a putt is trickier than a chip. Sometimes the easier shot is the longer one. Sometimes poorer golfers would rather hit from the rough than the fairway because they can prop their ball up.

But really, just figure on not even getting close to winning (people cheat like crazy in scrambles), and just have fun. Make a strategy so you can shoot a good score, but just have fun.

[MEfree]

Iacas makes a lot of good points, including the part about having fun.

As he stated, the order of play can be of importance in a scramble with the key being getting as many players in the spot they are most likely to perform well.  When in doubt, it is better to get the better players performing well, but if you can make the high cappers feel comfortable, that is good too.

There are certainly times that you can go for shots more, but I think it is a mistake to let it take you too much out of your normal game or comfort zone.

Try to get the group in the right mind set for speed on the greens- while you certainly don`t want anyone to leave anything short, putts with way too much speed won`t go in either.  In my mind, everyone should be trying to knock it 1 to 4 feet past the hole on almost all putts.

Same with chips- if you have one very close, the remaining guys should probably be trying to knock theirs 2 to 5 feet past the hole.

I have always had a chuckle when a guys tries to "make" a putt or chip and knocks it 30 feet by the hole and says "at least I got it there"

Strategy can vary depending on if you have to use a minimum number of drives/shots from each player.  In this case, if a higher handicap player hits a decent shot that puts you in decent position, then think about using it even if another shots is a bit better.

[Sai-Jin]

Thanks for the advices, both of you.

Huh? You can cheat in golf? How can ppl cheat like crazy in a scramble?

[Kapanda]

Just out of curiosity, embassy where?

[David in FL]

God I HATE scrambles...... I agree, if you HAVE to play one, try to have fun but understand.... It isn't golf.

[Sai-Jin]

I'm very competitive... I hate to lose...

so how the heck do ppl cheat??

[FuzzyB1]

The biggest problem with scrambles and cheating is most of the outings now sell "mulligans".  This is the worst thing because people will use endless mulligans and shoot scores that are rediculously low.  Before mulligans, cheating was not nearly as bad.  Like mentioned, have fun and don't try to do things out of the ordinary as it can screw up your game if you're not careful. I happen to play in a lot of these things mainly because I play with business colleagues and clients.

[Paradox]

cheating in scrambles isn't really because of mulligans..

Its called pencil-whipping/penciling/pencil strokes  People write down low scores regardless of what their group actually shot on the hole.

The best example of this is seeing a 4 man team on the range who are all hitting their irons fat or thin, their drivers all have a huge, lazy slice..yet when they turn in their scorecard, they shot a 56.

[Sai-Jin]

Seriously? They just put down the score they WANT? wth...

I got to see this with my own eyes... the people I play with are usually very very rigid when it comes to rules =\

[The Gill]

Originally Posted by Sai-Jin

Thanks for the advices, both of you.

Huh? You can cheat in golf? How can ppl cheat like crazy in a scramble?

Son, your mom ever tell you about the birds and the bees? If you can't figure out how people cheat in a scramble, I want to introduce you to a Nigerian prince.

[hesitantly]

The first advice a new scramble player should get is this:

If you are not the last player to putt, and your putt stops a short distance from the hole, do NOT tap it in, because that should count as a stroke, and finish the hole, thereby negating any remaining putts from the remaining player(s).

We play scrambles a lot at my course, and I have seen no outright, intentional cheating, but I have seen some ignorance of the rules of golf.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by The Gill

Son, your mom ever tell you about the birds and the bees? If you can't figure out how people cheat in a scramble, I want to introduce you to a Nigerian prince.

I guess I'm naive too.  I don't understand why intentionally fabricating a score is more likely to happen in a scramble unless it's simply because they feel like they are less prone to be called out as cheaters since everybody is expecting a low score to win.

I've only played in a few charity scramble tournaments, but everybody I've played with is aware of our score at all times.  It would require some very shady people to "pretend" that they didn't know their partner keeping score wrote down a birdie even though everybody missed the birdie putt.

I was assuming when people were speaking of cheating, they meant they would take more club lengths than allowable in the fairway or around the green and improve their lies when not allowable or something.  People lying about their scores are likely to cheat regardless of format.  That's disturbing.

Brandon

[rustyredcab]

It is all about fun. Got to find a way to turn off the competitive juices and have a good time. As for strategy:

Have someone steady tee off first and put a ball in play. If it is a good one, then everyone can take chances on their tee shots because you already have one in play. If the first guy misses, second guy should be all about getting the ball in play. If he misses too, the third guy gets it in play. If he misses too, the last guy should play conservatively enough to get a ball in play. That last guy should be someone who is comfortable with the pressure.

Often the rules will require you to use everyone's drive at least once or more. If that is the case, get those required drives out of the way as soon as possible. It may mean taking a guy's drive that is 30 yards shorter than another. You don't want to come down to the last few hole needing to use a guy's drive no matter what.

As for Mulligans, if you can use them on the greens, do so. Often a putt or chip mulligan is more useful than a drive.

[dericnen]

the best thing i have found is just enjoy the round and dont press.  if u are the bomber of the group have another player put a safe shot in play then stay within yourself and do ur best... i have seen it to many times a big driver struggle cause the tried to get a extra 10 yards... work together find out the yardages your playing partners like if u have to lay back a bit to hit full shots then do so... if everyone likes the 150 shot then try and hit to that mark... scrambles are playing to the groups strengths... i have also seen teams bomb cause they swing fo the fences and get to a uncomfortable yardage for the group and all 4 balls miss the green... best help i can give ya

[iacas]

One time, in a shotgun scramble, I remember seeing six balls on the 18th green when I was teeing off on the first hole.

The scramble did not allow you to buy extra shots. We were in foursomes.

So yeah.

[Jefferey13]

I think I see cheating when the scramble is a 4 man team because there is no one in the group to say differently than what they turn in. When I have seen 2 man scrambles there is a lot less chance to cheat because the other 2-some is often keeping their score.

When I have played scrambles I definitely like the better putter to go last so he can read the line.

[FuzzyB1]

Originally Posted by Paradox

cheating in scrambles isn't really because of mulligans..

Its called pencil-whipping/penciling/pencil strokes  People write down low scores regardless of what their group actually shot on the hole.

The best example of this is seeing a 4 man team on the range who are all hitting their irons fat or thin, their drivers all have a huge, lazy slice..yet when they turn in their scorecard, they shot a 56.

Ok, I  will agree with the mulligan statement but I will tell you I've been playing in scrambles for many years and the cheating is soooo much worse with the availability of mulligans.  Because, like mentioned above, guys can hit extra balls into a green or take extra putts and the groups around them can't assume they didn't use up their alotted mully's....It just helps the cheaters disguise what they are up to much better.