Ban Texas Scrambles?

[TheDiablo]

We had our drawn 2 man scramble today. Brekkie down the club and live draw. 2 groups, low and high. Cut off was 10.x for ‘low’

Great fun, but always going to be won by a low guy (sub 4) with a mid teen handicapper with the way the shots work. All of the top 6 (~25% of field) were of that ilk

 

[jim8flog]

Not heard of a 2 man version before this thread. What's the split regarding drives?

you take mine and I will take yours.

 

[Captain_Black.]

Several clubs not too far from me don't allow them
We do a Canadian Scramble which I dislike especially in poor weather as I find it involves too much hanging around between shots.
I never play in it.

 

[PJ87]

So I guess you've never played the USA fun format of 'Bing, Bang, Bosh'?

Is that like bingo bango bongo? Where each hole has an extra 3 points available for stableford

The bingo point (first to hit the green)
Bango point (closest to hole when everyone on the green)
Bongo point (first to hole out)

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I don't do scrambles that often as they are often nine hole "social" events at my place and seem to take forever and I don't really like the format. I'd prefer to do it on holiday with a few mates. Worked well at the Ashbury

 

[Orikoru]

It's not a crime to have fun on the golf course. I love a scramble every now and then. Don't particularly care about the fact that a team of bandits will probably run away with it, it's just about making the best score you can with your team and going for hero shots you wouldn't normally try. Nobody is forcing the sour git who wrote that article to enter them.

Golf Monthly articles really are just becoming a constant whinge lately aren't they? Bunch of miserable sods they've got writing for them.

 

[Swango1980]

I'll play them as a bit of fun, albeit I agree handicap allowances are a joke. A team of very low handicappers would have to almost average a gross birdie every hole to be competitive.

Also makes no sense, as handicap allowance is the same for Texas and Florida Scramble, even though you lose a man in Florida Scramble for every shot except off tee. The allowance is the same, regardless on restrictions on drives. It allows men and women to be in the same team, although I've seen the huge advantage that gives when you play a course the red tees are miles ahead of yellows/whites.

Ohh, and I don't believe the document explains anywhere that 3 and 4 ball team handicaps are not equitable? So, our club seems to just have 3 ball teams in a mainly 4 ball event, because the system allows it. Yet, I worked out that if one 3 ball team had an extra player join them, with a lower handicap than the current 3 players, not only would that team get an extra player and a better player, they'd also get a higher handicap

 

[Arthur Wedge]

It's not a crime to have fun on the golf course. I love a scramble every now and then. Don't particularly care about the fact that a team of bandits will probably run away with it, it's just about making the best score you can with your team and going for hero shots you wouldn't normally try. Nobody is forcing the sour git who wrote that article to enter them.

Golf Monthly articles really are just becoming a constant whinge lately aren't they? Bunch of miserable sods they've got writing for them.

Yet they have created 4 pages of discussion on here already plus on the Facebook , Twitter pages etc - job done

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Two man Scramble is a bit like Greensomes.
Does that still get played ?
Used to be popular with ladies clubs.

 

[PaulMdj]

Two man Scramble is a bit like Greensomes.
Does that still get played ?
Used to be popular with ladies clubs.

Or it’s exactly the same as a 4 man scramble played in pairs.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Or it’s exactly the same as a 4 man scramble played in pairs.

Last time I played Greensomes [over 25 years ago] it was choose the best tee shot then play the hole out as foursomes.

 

[PaulMdj]

Last time I played Greensomes [over 25 years ago] it was choose the best tee shot then play the hole out as foursomes.

Different ways of playing scrambles, 2 man texas, is exactly the same as 4 man texas.

 

[Orikoru]

Yet they have created 4 pages of discussion on here already plus on the Facebook , Twitter pages etc - job done

Sadly, you are correct. This is what online 'journalism' has become. Just say any old crap that gets people clicking.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Two man Scramble is a bit like Greensomes.
Does that still get played ?
Used to be popular with ladies clubs.

Or it’s just like a 4 man scramble and but not like Greensomes

 

[Orikoru]

Greensomes is just a cross between scramble (off the tee) and foursomes (from 2nd shot onwards). I really enjoy that format too, but you almost never get to play it. I was entered into one the other week but they cancelled it on the day due to rain. God knows when the next chance will be.

 

[LincolnShep]

The problem is not the format, it's the mindset, and it applies to all formats to a greater or lesser extent. You could just play golf for your own pleasure and the challenge of trying to do your best. I only have a passing interest in who wins the competition or what the prizes are. I would be equally likely to enter a competition with no prizes, as one with huge prizes. When I'm playing with friends, we might have a the price of a coffee on the line but that's it. I will try to beat my friends, but I have no interest in how a load of strangers do in the same competition. If the game is making you stressed, it can't be fun and something must be done. You could choose not to enter scrambles, or you could enter but not care about the result.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

The problem is not the format, it's the mindset, and it applies to all formats to a greater or lesser extent. You could just play golf for your own pleasure and the challenge of trying to do your best. I only have a passing interest in who wins the competition or what the prizes are. I would be equally likely to enter a competition with no prizes, as one with huge prizes. When I'm playing with friends, we might have a the price of a coffee on the line but that's it. I will try to beat my friends, but I have no interest in how a load of strangers do in the same competition. If the game is making you stressed, it can't be fun and something must be done. You could choose not to enter scrambles, or you could enter but not care about the result.

The thing with most comps is that you want to have at least a feeling of a chance that if you do well you may get amongst the prizes

Looking at the recent scramble

For us to win or challenge the team I play in would have had to score 19 under par gross to come second

We had a HC allowance of 2 - the winners 18 and won by a fair distance

 

[LincolnShep]

The thing with most comps is that you want to have at least a feeling of a chance that if you do well you may get amongst the prizes

No, totally disagree. I absolutely don't need a feeling that I may get amongst the prizes - that was my point. You might have this feeling, but I don't. My golf mindset has changed completely.

 

[Slab]

If looking to win a scramble (which most don't) then much like any team sport, you need to start with a team selection that, on paper at least, is capable

On paper, a team of all low or high handicap players doesn't have much of a chance in that format

 

[Beezerk]

So what is the ultimate texas scramble team made up of? One really low handicap and 3 high-ish handicaps?