Ban Texas Scrambles?

[Swango1980]

Not sure.
I would have thought that 4 scratch golfers would expect to go around birdie-ing every other hole for -9.
4 x 30 handicappers aren't likely to do much better than half a dozen pars and 12 bogeys for... oh yeah -9.
I think it would be pretty tight.
Depends on the course and the failings of the 30 HIs. They only have to hit a couple of bunkers in their round and they're probably screwed.

4 x 30 handicappers is pretty extreme I guess. Although I've often played in scrambles with 4 high handicappers, somewhere in the 20's. They still usually shoot around par or better. They can effectively get away with 3 horror shots each time, as long as one can get in in play reasonably. I probably wouldn't expect them to be stiffing it close for birdie, but if they can get on or around the green in regulation, and knock their first putt / chip close enough that one of them will make the putt, I see a lot of pars. Maybe sneak 2 or 3 birdies, maybe slip up and get 2 or 3 bogies.

We had a fairly low handicap team at the weekend (all around 2-4) and they were 11 under gross. 2 of those players can hit it over 300 yards pretty easily, so that helps. They finished 14th out of 21. They'd need to shoot -16 gross to tie with the leaders

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Wow. Not doubting you but all those scores would have me thinking there was some shenanigans afoot.
I know it's only ever a 2 person scramble, but when you watch Bryson and another pro playing a scramble off the forward tees with him knocking in 30 foot putts and hitting 320+ drives on manicured courses they're only making low 50s.
When I read stuff like that I can understand why some people dislike them.
They were always really closely contested at my old club. The day we shot 66 was the first time I'd seen any gross under par scores and it was all the top 3.

It’s very much achievable as a gross score when you have that many low players

We were 10 under in the recent scramble and prob missed about 4 other good chances - we were 1 , 5 , 6 and 18 handicap ( only got 2 shots )

Good gross scores are very part of the norm in scrambles

 

[PaulMdj]

Wow. Not doubting you but all those scores would have me thinking there was some shenanigans afoot.
I know it's only ever a 2 person scramble, but when you watch Bryson and another pro playing a scramble off the forward tees with him knocking in 30 foot putts and hitting 320+ drives on manicured courses they're only making low 50s.
When I read stuff like that I can understand why some people dislike them.
They were always really closely contested at my old club. The day we shot 66 was the first time I'd seen any gross under par scores and it was all the top 3.

Our 2 man Texas Scramble yesterday was won with a nett 64, 6 under, by 2 guys receiving 9 shots, they won it on countback from a team getting 4 shots and a team getting 1 shot.

 

[RichA]

4 x 30 handicappers is pretty extreme I guess. Although I've often played in scrambles with 4 high handicappers, somewhere in the 20's. They still usually shoot around par or better. They can effectively get away with 3 horror shots each time, as long as one can get in in play reasonably. I probably wouldn't expect them to be stiffing it close for birdie, but if they can get on or around the green in regulation, and knock their first putt / chip close enough that one of them will make the putt, I see a lot of pars. Maybe sneak 2 or 3 birdies, maybe slip up and get 2 or 3 bogies.

We had a fairly low handicap team at the weekend (all around 2-4) and they were 11 under gross. 2 of those players can hit it over 300 yards pretty easily, so that helps. They finished 14th out of 21. They'd need to shoot -16 gross to tie with the leaders

I guess I'm judging it compared to my old club which was 6600 yards with only 2 par 4s that were realistically reachable in 2 for most mid-handicappers, never mind 20+ guys. The other 9 par 4s averaged 410 yards. The 466 yard 18th rarely gives a birdie chance to good golfers.
Lots of older fellas at my old place. They're barely driving it 200, never mind the approach shots.

 

[Swango1980]

I guess I'm judging it compared to my old club which was 6600 yards with only 2 par 4s that were realistically reachable in 2 for most mid-handicappers, never mind 20+ guys. The other 9 par 4s averaged 410 yards. The 466 yard 18th rarely gives a birdie chance to good golfers.
Lots of older fellas at my old place. They're barely driving it 200, never mind the approach shots.

Yeah, course will have an impact on the gross scores for sure.

For some perspective, mine is 6239 yards, Par 71.