4 - ball scrambles.

[Region3]

scrambles remain a charter for the lows then I will not play.

I agree in part.

Taking it to the extreme, give a scratch guy 4 goes at every shot against a 28hc having 4 goes at every shot and I will bet as much as you'll let me that the scratch wins by at least 3 (28hc gets 2.8).

On the other hand, if I say stablefords are a charter for the mid-high hc's I will be blasted from here to next week for being a whinging low hc.

Should I not enter them because I have next to no chance? I think I'll carry on donating my fiver because I just like playing golf, whatever the format.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Can't get my head around the mid and higher handicappers winning. Not the case at ours.

Example - a team of 2 14s and 2 12s get 5 shots. A team of 2 2s and 2 1s get a shot. Add to that their vastly superior golfing ability and it's a no-brainer. They've lost hardly anything whereas the mid guys have lost 9 & 7 shots respectively.

Hardly a level playing field.

Teams should be of mixed abilities in my view but when scrambles remain a charter for the lows then I will not play.

Sad for me but there it is.

What's all this "lost" business - you are all having 4 shots at each shot


This year my team - 4 , 8 ,10 and 10 scored 10 under then take 3.2

The winners had a gross 10 under - HC 15,18,22 and 24 - they took off 7.7 - over 4 shots extra

The HC calculation is fair

At 15% it's even worse

One scrambled we tried 25% - a bunch of High HC won it by a mile - 20 plus under par

Charter for the lows is factually incorrect but for me it doesn't bother me - I enjoy it for what it is - a good fun format and not bothered about winning

 

[JohnnyDee]

On the other hand, if I say stablefords are a charter for the mid-high hc's I will be blasted from here to next week for being a whinging low hc.

Should I not enter them because I have next to no chance? I think I'll carry on donating my fiver because I just like playing golf, whatever the format.

I played in four last year as I really enjoyed the format but after seeing the usual suspects win them all hands down I became irritated.

Stablefords are run off full handicap, as in my view so should everything be, so how they favour anyone high v low puzzles me.

We have 3 divisions at ours so the lows. mids and highs are segregated and essentially independent from one another as far as places and prizes are concerned.

We all have (or should have) CONGU managed handicaps. These are a true reflection of our golfing ability so why should there ever be any variation to this? It's something that I will never understand or be convinced to accept should be otherwise.

 

[chrisd]

What's all this "lost" business - you are all having 4 shots at each shot


This year my team - 4 , 8 ,10 and 10 scored 10 under then take 3.2

The winners had a gross 10 under - HC 15,18,22 and 24 - they took off 7.7 - over 4 shots extra

The HC calculation is fair

At 15% it's even worse

One scrambled we tried 25% - a bunch of High HC won it by a mile - 20 plus under par

Charter for the lows is factually incorrect but for me it doesn't bother me - I enjoy it for what it is - a good fun format and not bothered about winning

So you off 4 you lose 3.6 off your handicap, your 10 handicap loses 9 shots off his handicap. I'm sure you can play near scratch a lot better than he can play to 1h/c and that gets significantly more unfair for a 20 handicappers!

 

[JohnnyDee]

What's all this "lost" business - you are all having 4 shots at each shot


This year my team - 4 , 8 ,10 and 10 scored 10 under then take 3.2

The winners had a gross 10 under - HC 15,18,22 and 24 - they took off 7.7 - over 4 shots extra

The HC calculation is fair

At 15% it's even worse

One scrambled we tried 25% - a bunch of High HC won it by a mile - 20 plus under par

Charter for the lows is factually incorrect but for me it doesn't bother me - I enjoy it for what it is - a good fun format and not bothered about winning

I can sort of see the argument as the spread of handicaps in your example is wide-ish.

However when applied to a team of 'cracks' then the logic is flawed. 4 low handicappers can all make greens in regulation, or else wedge it close and inevitably have 4 goes at holing for a birdie or a short par at the very worst.

We'd banned scrambles at ours until the last year. However since relaxing this the 4 we have had have seen the same group of (all 4 of them) lows take the spoils.

1/10th combined is a ludicrously unfair system, and in common with many others at ours, has made us resolve to have no further part in scrambles unless the system is changed to one that gives everyone an equal and fair chance to compete / win.

 

[MadAdey]

I'm quite happy at the team I am with tomorrow, our combined handicap is 42 I think. The 9 handicapper is someone who doesn't have the best of short games, but is a real consistent striker of the ball, although not the longest. One of the mid handicappers has a reasonable short game, hits it a long way, but is never sure where it will land. The other mid handicapper is just an everyday average mid handicapper.

Fingers crossed we do well, it's a company competition and one of my playing partners is one of the bosses so I hope not let him down and get in his good books seeing as I'm chasing a promotion or 2

 

[Wayman]

That's the annoying thing as they really are great fun - but at £10 entry fee PP per team at ours (only special occasions) they are a stupid waste of money.

What's the rationale behind such a daft handicapping formula?

Anyone?

What's the ruling about full handicap. You think cat 1 golfers enjoy shooting under par to find some 20odd handicapper has a nett 59 in???
Serious narks me people like you. Me personally would rather play scratch golf week in week out and get beat every week
The good golfers who practice e and put a bit effort in get punished with the handicap allowance rising and golfers getting .1 "to get a extra shot"

 

[JohnnyDee]

One of the things often said about golf is that because of the handicapping system players of varying abilities can have a game together and any of them could win.

If a 2 handicapper plays a 22 handicapper off scratch there is only going to be one winner every time.

Cat 1 players who are churlish about losing to a higher handicapper in club golf should perhaps try their luck on one of the lesser tours and see how they get on.

I suspect that getting trounced week in and week out would soon alter their view.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

One of the things often said about golf is that because of the handicapping system players of varying abilities can have a game together and any of them could win.

If a 2 handicapper plays a 22 handicapper off scratch there is only going to be one winner every time.

Cat 1 players who are churlish about losing to a higher handicapper in club golf should perhaps try their luck on one of the lesser tours and see how they get on.

I suspect that getting trounced week in and week out would soon alter their view.

That post really does get to me

Every week I tee up knowing that im pretty much not going to win

This year I have played more times under my handicap that ever and won a stableford - in the biggest board comp of the year I went round level gross and was beaten by some who shot 20 more shots than me. Not once did I complain who threaten to boycott because I believed it to be unfair because I didn't win - I just enjoyed my day playing good golf with friends because winning isn't the important thing for me

Every time the HC system comes up and low HC complain about being beaten by High HC I post in full support of the HC system because I think it makes golf great

I have lost in KO over the years to guys I have given 18 shots too and just shook his hand and congratulated him on playing well

A Texas scramble is supposed to a fun format - winning should be irrelevant , you should just go out and enjoy the course , the format and your playing colleagues company. If you are only concerned about winning - get better then. Banning scrambles ?! How pathetic is that - refusing to play in them because you don't think you will win is even worse.

Thankfully at our club the list of winners is mixed from high to low and they are popular comps and people enjoy them because that's exactly how they should be.

If you only play in a scramble to win then I suggest you pick a better team or you work hard to get your HC lower then.

 

[Smiffy]

Jesus H Christ!!!!
I find myself in full agreement with you Phil.
For a change!

 

[JohnnyDee]

A Texas scramble is supposed to a fun format - winning should be irrelevant , you should just go out and enjoy the course , the format and your playing colleagues company. If you are only concerned about winning - get better then. Banning scrambles ?! How pathetic is that -

Just to clarify - Our place 'banned' them previously, not because of who won them but because they were taking 5 hours plus off a shotgun start. They were reintroduced last year and they are great fun.

Maybe we're different to the norm but in all staged so far our elite have scooped the win.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

They are meant to be fun but when you are playing an entrance fee you also need an expectation that you can compete. If that is shot then you are less inclined to pay up. My old club ran a few of these, very popular. For a while the teams were well spread and different teams won. Then, one crack team of low h/c started playing and cleared up all year. Some of the fun disappeared then.

If you are going to keep to 1/10th h/c, heavily loaded towards the low h/c teams, then I like the idea of teams having to have a spread of players. The alternative is that people stop entering and nobody wins then, do they?

 

[Norrin Radd]

the only time we have one at our course is xmas .teams of three consisting of one junior one lady and a male ,be he senior or adult.
it is a fun game and all teams are drawn.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

They are meant to be fun but when you are playing an entrance fee you also need an expectation that you can compete. If that is shot then you are less inclined to pay up. My old club ran a few of these, very popular. For a while the teams were well spread and different teams won. Then, one crack team of low h/c started playing and cleared up all year. Some of the fun disappeared then.

If you are going to keep to 1/10th h/c, heavily loaded towards the low h/c teams, then I like the idea of teams having to have a spread of players. The alternative is that people stop entering and nobody wins then, do they?

So it's only fun when you can win ?

I have played in 3 scrambles a year and only came close to winning once - and was beaten because the team had more shots than us because they had higher HCs playing.

What the HC be ? 15% ? 25% ? Then you start having teams getting 10 plus shots before even hitting a ball !!

I have seen a team of low HC go round in 14 under gross but yet still end up losing because others had more shots taken off.

If a team play better and win - how about some congratulate them on playing well instead of High HC whinging that it's unfair

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I like a scramble but won't play one anymore because of the preposterous 1/10th combined handicap allowance fiddle.

Without a draw that requires teams to comprise of an A , B, C & D category player it's just an invitation to give your comp fee and the subsequent prizes to the scratch and low single-figures 'teams' who, in my experience always win by a country mile.

We play 1/10 but max team combined handicap 6.
We won ours last year off 14/16/16/18,

Runners up this year to a team also all in the teens.

 

[User20205]

Clubs can make up whatever handicap % they want because scrambles are Mickey Mouse! A good laugh but miles away from proper golf.

Anyone who wants more shots when they have 4 goes to get it right should have a little word with themselves

 

[bobmac]

- but at £10 entry fee PP per team

I'm confused.
Is the entry fee £10 per person or per team?

 

[Junior]

A Texas scramble is supposed to a fun format - winning should be irrelevant , you should just go out and enjoy the course , the format and your playing colleagues company. If you are only concerned about winning - get better then. Banning scrambles ?! How pathetic is that - refusing to play in them because you don't think you will win is even worse

I agree Phil. I really enjoy them. We do about 3 or 4 a year. We did have a spell where we did it every other week in winter and it got a bit much. Max 2 single figure golfers per team in ours aswell. Not sure this achieves much but it keeps the people who are concerned about handicaps at bay.

@Adey, lowest usually goes last, but we normally have a rule whereby each player has to have 4 tee shots.....so it might get to a stage where you have some tough choices to make. We usually try and get a score going as quickly as possible, then hold onto it. Also, whomever shot is used, they are first to play the next shot.

All good old fun and a laugh if you leave someone with only a few holes to get their tee shots in towards the end.

 

[JohnnyDee]

I'm confused.
Is the entry fee £10 per person or per team?

Per person (team is £40)

Good prizes to be had you see, as we only do them on 'special' occasions

 

[patricks148]

Myself and 3 mates only tend to play in one maybe 2 a year that are opens.

These two are very well managed, handicap is 10% of combined and everyone has to hit 4 drives. There are also different sections so low, mid and high, depending on the shots give.

I always enjoy them as its a bit of a laugh and a nice change to medal golf. My fav is the Moray one, but not on this year as they have a week of course maintenance around that date.