Playing a Scramble Practice Round

[JonMA1]

While playing a practice round yesterday, my partner and I decided to play a scramble on the back nine to see if we could break par. He's a bogey golfer and I'm a few strokes higher, but we are both fairly serious about the game and figured breaking par might be an achievable goal.

Two things became obvious right away. There was less pressure on each shot, and the format brought a new level of strategy.

I'm not sure what our scores would have been had we played our own original shots, but it seemed like we both played quite a bit better than usual. We tried to play to our strengths, and on more than one occasion, the lack of pressure enabled me to pull off shots I might have deemed too risky to attempt had I been playing alone. 

The importance of teamwork really showed on the 17th hole - a par 3 with a very nasty slope - where we needed a birdie to pull back to even par.  I stuck my tee shot on the right side of the green after my partner missed with his. The ball was pin high but 30+ feet right of the hole. Having played this course so many times, I knew the putt had to start on an extreme angle up the slope for it to work across the green and back down to the hole. I was just trying to give him a read but the putt stopped less than a foot from the hole. We would get a par, I thought.

My buddy, who is a much better putter than I am, had the line from my putt showing up in the dew on the green. He made a slight adjustment in speed and nailed it for birdie. Unfortunately, we bogeyed the 18th to finish one-over par.

I've yet to play any tournaments, so playing this format was a first where I actually kept score. It was very enjoyable and a nice alternative to a regular practice round.

[Valleygolfer]

I played a scramble last Saturday, it was me (golfaholic), my girlfriend (a occasional golfer that golfed for 25 years or so shoots mid 60s on 9 holes, never serious), her sister and brother in law (who play once a year a piece at this tourney). We shot a 69...figure that one out. We had 2 eagle putt attempts and quite a few birdie putt attempts. Probably would have been considerably lower had the greens not been punched and poorly sanded.

[TourSpoon]

I think that you made yourself a better golfer by trying a new format, you freed your mind from your own game, took some chances and had fun while doing it. I remember some of the best lessons I ever learned  was when I was working at a course while putting myself through grad school. During the summer months, a group of us would go out and play a pick up skins game with the pros twice a week. I learned to take chances without regard to being a prisoner of score. You either won a skin or you didn't. The lack of pressure to play for score allowed for risk taking and I quickly learned what I was capable of. It lead to creative shot making, learning from others and really just enjoying a different format. Sometimes it pays to play a different game other than stroke play. Good post! 

[dennyjones]

The most fun I've had this year was last week when we played 27 holes and played four ball, scrambles and alternate shot.     

Congrats on your epiphany.

[bkuehn1952]

I enjoy 2-person scrambles (dislike 3 or 4 person).  Each player has to contribute.  There is still some pressure on each shot, especially the 2nd person when the first screws up.

My wife & I play this format all the time as well as the grand kids.

As you did, it is important to set a target so the "team" has a goal and is not just out there flogging it around.

[JonMA1]

On 10/17/2016 at 10:54 PM, TourSpoon said:

I think that you made yourself a better golfer by trying a new format, you freed your mind from your own game, took some chances and had fun while doing it. I remember some of the best lessons I ever learned  was when I was working at a course while putting myself through grad school. During the summer months, a group of us would go out and play a pick up skins game with the pros twice a week. I learned to take chances without regard to being a prisoner of score. You either won a skin or you didn't. The lack of pressure to play for score allowed for risk taking and I quickly learned what I was capable of. It lead to creative shot making, learning from others and really just enjoying a different format. Sometimes it pays to play a different game other than stroke play. Good post! 

I agree with everything you wrote in regards to using this as a learning tool. Thanks. It kind of brought back a lesson I learned from LSW (but had apparently forgotten). Good strategy isn't about always taking the safest shot. 

11 hours ago, bkuehn1952 said:

I enjoy 2-person scrambles (dislike 3 or 4 person).  Each player has to contribute.  There is still some pressure on each shot, especially the 2nd person when the first screws up.

My wife & I play this format all the time as well as the grand kids.

As you did, it is important to set a target so the "team" has a goal and is not just out there flogging it around.

The only other time I've played this format was when my my oldest son was ready to give up the game due to frustration. I suggested we play "best-ball" (which I now realize is the wrong term). We didn't set a goal or keep score and it went exactly how you suggested.