How many scramble shots would it take you to be a scratch golfer?

[trackster]

With all this talk about scrambles it got me thinking about how I could do in a 4 ball scramble format by myself.  So my question is, how many balls would you have to be able to hit for each shot (taking the best shot as your play) in order for you to play scratch golf?  For me personally I think it would take 3 shots per shot to play scratch.  Originally I thought this was kinda low, but I  just played a 4 man scramble, with 3 other golfers who are worse than me and we shot -2.

[14ledo81]

I would say about the same. A buddy and I sometimes play a four ball scramble (two shots each) and we usually shoot 5 to 7 under. I think I might be able to do it with two shots.

[trackster]

I was also trying to think of how many I would need to play on the pro tour.  I was thinking about 10.  But I just do not think that I am long enough off the tee to even play on the tour, so I don't think any amount of shots would help me.

[BuckeyeNut]

Originally Posted by trackster

With all this talk about scrambles it got me thinking about how I could do in a 4 ball scramble format by myself.  So my question is, how many balls would you have to be able to hit for each shot (taking the best shot as your play) in order for you to play scratch golf?

1

[mirv]

there's a local 1-man scramble tournament coming up in a month or so and i've played a few practice rounds in that format.  against par 70 i've shot scores of 63 (my irons were spot-on this day), 67, 68, 69 and 70, so on average i'm about 3-under par in that format.  i could probably shoot scratch if you gave me one mulligan anywhere from tee to green, and then one mulligan putt (as opposed to a mulligan on every shot on the hole).

[JP1111]

The two weaknesses in my game lately are fairways hit and putts inside 10 feet and I'm averaging 10-14 over. So assuming I can get one of my drives in play and then get a read on every putt I reckon I could go under par with 2 shots.

Tactics would play a big part too. If I did it I would play safe with the first (3 wood off the tee, iron to the centre of the green, roll putts up to a couple of feet etc.) and then if that shot went to plan I'd be aggressive with the second.

[Mattplusness]

Two.

The second shot is always easier.

[TourSpoon]

I could easily do it with 2 shots. I could probably do it with 9 anywhere mulligans or less.

[lumpuckeroo]

I would probably need 3.

[MrSandman]

scratch golfer doesn't mean shooting even par.  more like 3-6 over par on average.  I would hope to be able to do that with two balls.

Shooting even par, might take 3 balls.

[zipazoid]

A few years back I played in a 4-man Scramble but 2 of our guys didn't show up & they didn't put anyone with us. So the two of us just hit two shots each time. We shot 9 under, and I was the better player (I was a 5 hc, he was a 10).

So from this mini-experiment, I would conclude that if you let me hit 2 shots & play the best one, I could break par. Like Mattplusness said, the second one is always easier.

[k-troop]

Originally Posted by Mattplusness

Two.

The second shot is always easier.

Unless you're trying to break par in a 1-man scramble and you just rinsed your first tee shot on the watery par-5 16th.  Might still be tough when it counts to you.