Suggestions for scramble and group handicaps please

[timd77]

We’re off to Portugal in a few weeks, there are 18 of us this time which is a bit of an awkward number for golf! We’ll have 3 x fourballs and 2 x three balls. Has anyone got any suggestions how we can deal with the below:

Day 1 is a team scramble. The teams of 3 will be a player down obviously so how do you balance that? Do you just let 1 player take an extra shot or is there another way of doing it? And then working out the shots each team receives, does the team of 3 get an extra percentage?

Day 2 & 3 is an individual stableford comp, but there’s a prize for the ‘group’ with the highest number of points. Again, how would you sort that out for the three balls? I’m thinking that it would be fair to just divide the total points by the number of players, giving an average score per player, any thoughts on that?

It’s a pretty informal trip, only half of the players have proper handicaps and play regularly, but we want to keep it fair.

 

[Deleted member 36735]

Why not arrange the daily comps to suit the number of players instead of picking unsuitable formats?

Forget the scramble and pick out 6 groups of 3 or 9 pairs at the end of the Stableford each day.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Why wouldnt you just make it 6x 3 balls?
Surely best and fairer that way.

 

[Backache]

We’re off to Portugal in a few weeks, there are 18 of us this time which is a bit of an awkward number for golf! We’ll have 3 x fourballs and 2 x three balls. Has anyone got any suggestions how we can deal with the below:

Day 1 is a team scramble. The teams of 3 will be a player down obviously so how do you balance that? Do you just let 1 player take an extra shot or is there another way of doing it? And then working out the shots each team receives, does the team of 3 get an extra percentage?

Day 2 & 3 is an individual stableford comp, but there’s a prize for the ‘group’ with the highest number of points. Again, how would you sort that out for the three balls? I’m thinking that it would be fair to just divide the total points by the number of players, giving an average score per player, any thoughts on that?

It’s a pretty informal trip, only half of the players have proper handicaps and play regularly, but we want to keep it fair.

It's actually now a crime to play with unofficial handicaps anywhere in the WHS zone. I'd be very careful, Portuguese gaols are not nice places and Golf England has friends over there to make sure the law is enforced.

 

[D-S]

Why wouldnt you just make it 6x 3 balls?
Surely best and fairer that way.

I guess that is 6 tee times not 5, so it would cost more.

 

[Beedee]

I'd definitely plan for alternate formats. If the course is busy and someone spots you playing a scramble, especially a 4 man scramble, you will be hunted by the marshalls.

Also, it's very unlikely, but there is a chance you're going out as four 4 balls and one 2 ball, and have a couple of new friends joining you. I've been in strange group sizes in Portugal for many years, and it has happened to us a couple of times.

 

[timd77]

I guess that is 6 tee times not 5, so it would cost more.

And, not to mention more buggies, more money.

Thanks for the replies so far, appreciated, but the formats I’ve mentioned are what we always play, but if anyone has any suggestions for an alternative format for the group sizes they would be welcome too!

 

[Orikoru]

You could make the teams of 4 play the 'drop out' format. That is when whoever's tee shot you've just taken doesn't play the following shot, and so on. Might balance it up a bit.

Edit: For the second dilemma - you could add a 'ghost player' score to each group of 3. That is a player from another group, drawn at random.

 

[timd77]

You could make the teams of 4 play the 'drop out' format. That is when whoever's tee shot you've just taken doesn't play the following shot, and so on. Might balance it up a bit.

Ah, Florida scramble. That’s worth considering, thanks.

 

[Orikoru]

Ah, Florida scramble. That’s worth considering, thanks.

That's the one, knew there was a word for it.

(I edited my previous post to add something else too, in case you didn't see.)

 

[Skytot]

Teams with 3 have a Ghost player .
The ghost player is picked randomly and use their score

 

[timd77]

Thanks for those last couple about a ghost player. So do they know they’re a ghost player? And you just draw the name at random in advance?

Interesting suggestion, I like it!

 

[Skytot]

We did it randomly at the end of. But it could be doe at the beginning so everyone knows who the Ghost is

 

[KenL]

Are you allowed to rock up at a course and play a scramble. Not sure it is a good idea as you “might” hold up the course.

 

[timd77]

Are you allowed to rock up at a course and play a scramble. Not sure it is a good idea as you “might” hold up the course.

Never been a problem in the previous 12 trips.

 

[Orikoru]

Thanks for those last couple about a ghost player. So do they know they’re a ghost player? And you just draw the name at random in advance?

Interesting suggestion, I like it!

I played in a team betterball thing last year where we had a 'ghost player', and we did not know who it was going to be beforehand. I have no idea if he knew or not though. He played rubbish and didn't help our score at all. Maybe he did know and couldn't handle the pressure of playing for two teams.

 

[timd77]

I played in a team betterball thing last year where we had a 'ghost player', and we did not know who it was going to be beforehand. I have no idea if he knew or not though. He played rubbish and didn't help our score at all. Maybe he did know and couldn't handle the pressure of playing for two teams.

Good to know!! I like the idea of it being a secret draw and only revealing it after the round. Keeps it fair plus still fun.

Might get my wife to do the draw and put the names in an envelope!

 

[rulie]

For the three ball in Stableford, one each hole count highest points once, the lowest points once and the middle points twice. Gives that group a total of 4 scores counting on each hole.

 

[RedEyes]

Scramble is awful, just don't play it

 

[Skytot]

Good to know!! I like the idea of it being a secret draw and only revealing it after the round. Keeps it fair plus still fun.

Might get my wife to do the draw and put the names in an envelope!

Download a Random name wheel. We use it for sorting our teams out on our away trips.