A "shamble" is a type of golf tournament format in which a team of golfers selects the one best drive among them after teeing off, then all four play their own golf balls from that position into the hole. You can think of a shamble as a scramble off the tee and then regular stroke play
Stroke play
Stroke play, also known as medal play, is a scoring system in the sport of golf in which the total number of strokes is counted over one, or more rounds, of 18 holes; as opposed to match play, in which the player, or team, earns a point for each hole in which they have bested their opponents. In stroke play the winner is the player who has taken the fewest strokes over the course of the round, or rounds.
What is the difference between a scramble and a shamble?
- One golfer hits their tee shot in the left rough, while the other finds the fairway. ...
- Golfer A:
- Hits their second shot from the fairway into a greenside bunker. From the sand, they get onto the green. ...
- Golfer B:
- Hits their second shot from the fairway onto the green. ...
- The shamble team uses golfer B's score of 3 for their team score on the hole.
What is a 4-man scramble in golf?
What Is a 4-Man Scramble in Golf? Definition. The four-man scramble features teams of four players competing against one another. ... 4-Man Scramble vs. 2-Man Scramble. ... Teamwork. Scramble tournaments often are used at charity and fundraising events, many of which feature novice or occasional golfers. Variations. ... Finding Tournaments. ...
What are the rules for scramble in golf?
Golf Scramble Rules. Scramble teams consist of 2-4 players, with one player nominated as the team captain. Each member of the team will hit a tee shot and it’s the captain’s job to select the best tee shot. Each member will then hit a shot from that spot (within one club length) with the captain again selecting the best of the bunch.
How to play a scramble tournament in golf?
Scramble Tournament in Golf: What It Is, How to Play It
- Strategy in Scramble Tournaments. What should the order of play be? ...
- Handicaps in Scramble Tournaments. There are no official rules about how to employ handicaps in a scramble tournament; the USGA nor any other handicapping body provides any "rules."
- Different Types of Scrambles. There are many variations on the basic scramble golf tournament format. ...
What is the difference between shamble and scramble in golf?
In the Golf shamble format, things change after everyone tees off. When you're playing a scramble, every player on your team takes a whack at the ball from the tee and then on from where the team determines is the "best" lie for the next shot. In the shamble, everyone tees off as you do in the scramble.
What is a shamble scramble?
A shamble is a type of golf tournament that combines elements of a scramble with elements of stroke play. Like in a scramble, all members of a team (usually four) tee off and the best ball of the four tee shots is selected. All players move their balls to the spot of the best ball.
What is a 2 man shamble in golf?
The event format is a two-person modified scramble (shamble). Each player hits a tee-shot, the team selects the best tee-shot and each player plays their own ball from that point until it is holed. The lower of the two scores, is the team score for the hole.
How does a two man shamble work?
Game FormatsShamble: All four players tee off. ... 2-Man Best Ball: Stroke play. ... 2-Man Scramble: Both players will tee off. ... 4-Man 2 Best Ball: Pop your card according to Assignment of Strokes. ... 2-Man 6-6-6: Holes 1 – 6 played best ball; holes 7 – 12 played scramble; holes 13 – 18 played scotch.More items...
What is a Texas shamble in golf?
In a two-person shamble format, both players hit their tee shots and select the one best drive among the two. After selecting the optimal tee shot, each team member plays his or her own golf ball from that position into the hole.
What is a Florida shamble?
A "Florida Scramble" is a golf tournament format that is a variation on a regular scramble, although both are (usually) played by four-person teams. After the four team members each hit a drive, the best of those shots is chosen. In a Florida Scramble, the golfer whose shot is selected sits out the following stroke.
How do you handicap a shamble?
A typical handicap in a shamble is reduced by 20-25%, at the discretion of the golf tournament organizer. Here is an example of what a scorecard might look like in a 4-person handicap shamble, counting the best gross and net scores on each hole. Note that the same player cannot count both their gross AND net scores.
What is a 3 man shamble?
In a shamble, each player will tee off. The group will select the ball in the best position and all three players on the team will play their own ball in from the selected position. The team score will be the aggregate total of the 3 scores. Each team must use 3 drives per player.
How do you figure a shamble handicap?
How To Handicap A Shamble. Generally, a two-person team is handicapped at 80% of each player's handicap, three-person teams at 85% of the 2 best players, while a 4-person team is handicapped at 80% of the 2 best players.
What is a Texas Scramble format in golf?
A Texas Scramble is a four-person team scramble, and this normally requires a minimum number of tee shots of each member of the team to be used during the round. Some forms of Texas Scramble require a player to play his or her own ball for the duration of each par 3 hole.
What is a Chapman format in golf?
"Chapman System" is the name of a 2-person team competition format for golfers that works like this: Both golfers on the side hit drives; Each plays the other's ball for the second shots; The best of the second shots is selected, and from there the two partners play alternate shot into the hole.
How do you play a 2-person scramble in golf?
Scramble format involves 2-person teams where each player on the team hits a tee shot, and then the players decide which shot they like better. The two players then play from that spot. The person who's shot was not taken picks up their ball and moves it to within one club length of the selected spot.
What is a shamble tournament?
Shamble tournaments are sometimes called " brambles .". In his book, "Chi Chi's Golf Games You Gotta Play," Chi Chi Rodriguez and co-authors John Anderson and Peter Jacobsen describe the attraction of the shamble format: Two nice benefits of a shamble: First, with occasional exceptions, golfers get to play approach shots from a decent position on ...
What is a "shamble" in golf?
A "shamble" is a type of golf tournament format in which a team of golfers selects the one best drive among them after teeing off, then all four play their own golf balls from that position into the hole.
What happens after a shamble?
Once each golfer in a shamble plays his second stroke, he continues playing his own golf ball into the hole, in each case from wherever it lies. No more choosing the best of the second shots, best of the third shots, etc., as you'd do in a scramble tournament. That scramble element is only used after the tee balls. After that, each golfer on a team plays his or her own ball into the hole. They play "real golf," in other words.
What does it mean when a shamble tournament feels like a regular game of golf?
When it's said that a shamble tournament "feels more like a regular game of golf," it means that on every shot (except the second one) the golfers are, in fact, just playing regular golf. That is, they are hitting their own golf ball from its own position.
How many scores does a shamble team have?
A shamble team consisting of four golfers is going to finish each hole with four scores — one for each golfer on the team. So what is the team score?
What are the benefits of a shamble?
Two nice benefits of a shamble: First, with occasional exceptions , golfers get to play approach shots from a decent position on the fairway. Second , it feels more like a regular game of golf; and if a player has plunked down a generous fee for a spot in the tournament, it's nice to be able to play your own ball and see the whole course. ...
What happens when you hit the best drive in golf?
All players move their balls to the location of that best drive. That is the location from which each golfer plays his or her second stroke. Therefore, if Golfer B hits the best drive, Golfers A, C, and D pick up their drives, walk over to the location of B's ball, and all play their next strokes from that location.
What is a shamble in golf?
A shamble is a team game within golf that draws upon elements from the ever-popular scramble format and strokeplay. The game type is less well known in the golf community compared to other formats like best ball or texas scramble, but shamble is by far one of the best formats if you can find a golf tournament playing shamble rules.
What is the best thing about a Shamble tournament?
The great thing about shamble tournaments is that they encourage teamwork. With each player bringing something different to the game, you’ll feel like you’ve torn your way through the course as you sit back to review your round on the 19th hole.
What is gross score in golf?
A gross score is the number of shots a player actually hits over 18 holes in a standard stroke play match. For example, let’s say you hit 90 shots on a par 70 golf course. That means you hit 20 more shots than the par for the course. Then let’s say you have a handicap of 18. You will then be able to take away 18 shots off your handicap ...
What is the Shamble scoring system?
Depending on the rules, there are various ways you can score in a shamble tournament, but the shamble scoring system is basically a variation on stroke play.
What happens if you play two ball golf?
If two golfers from opposing teams reach a tie with a low score, the hole is then halved, and each team is awarded half a point.
How many technicalities are there in Shambles?
The Rules. Shambles golf rules are very simple to understand and adhere to, but there are eight technicalities you should be aware of if you’re going to play in a club tournament. As participants approach the green, each team member can only place a golf ball in a location within one club-length of the selected shot.
How far away can you put your ball on the green?
On the green, each player may place a ball within four inches on the left or the right of the selected shot. Again you cannot place your ball closer to the hole. Note, you must always hand place your ball, and you cannot drop your ball as you would if you were taking a penalty drop.
Golf Shamble vs Scramble
A scramble golf event is a true team format in that each golfer essentially hits from the same tee and the same lie. Each team member tees off and then the team chooses which ball they want to play. The balls they choose not to play get picked up and those strokes are ignored.
Best Ball Golf Format Explained
A best-ball competition has teams of two to four golfers who all play out each hole like they normally would under a normal golfing format. Each player tees off and plays his or her respective ball until sinking the putt or otherwise putting the ball in the cup.
Golf Shamble Format Combines the Best of Both
With the shamble golf format you start with the standard scramble from the tee. That gives every player the best chance at having a reasonably good chance at making a nice approach shot on a par 4 or a par 5 hole.
Play on 3-Par Holes
The scramble portion of the golf shamble only applies to tee shots on par 4 and par 5 holes. When playing a par 3, the tee is the approach shot, so there is no sense in starting with a scramble. Instead, the par 3 follows the best-ball format with the player whose score is lowest representing the entire team’s score for that hole.
Applying Player Handicaps
When it comes to the individual player handicaps, they do affect the team score. A typical golf shamble might reduce individual handicaps by between 10 and 20 percent, but still would apply them to help level the playing field between recreational golfers and more serious ones with low handicaps or none at all.
Golf Shamble Format Team Strategies
The potential exists to create a potentially effective shamble golf team strategy that could mean the difference between winning the tournament and buying others’ drinks at the 19th hole. It generally pays to play every hole in two ways.
Use of Laser Rangefinders in Golf Shamble
Shamble tournaments are not sanctioned USGA events, so any prohibition on using rangefinders would come from the tournament organizer. Odds are, you can use your rangefinder to get straight line measurements to the pin and scan the hole Odds are, y before you to learn the distances to various objects that you want to avoid.
What Is A Shamble In Golf?
The so-called shamble in golf is not as popular as the Texas scramble (or scramble), best ball, or stroke play. But shamble is one of the best game formats more golfers love to play. A golf shamble is a team game format that has two to four golfers hitting a tee.
How To Play A Shamble In Golf
The shamble format (sometimes called brambles) in golf typically has two to four golfers that will play the 18-hole. Every player will drive off the tee for each hole. In each hole, the group will go for the best drive shot in playing their next swing.
Shambles Golf Rules
The rules in shamble are easy to understand. There are typically eight rules that each player must abide by in the game. Here they are:
How To Keep Score In A Shamble
Keeping a score in a shamble tournament will not take much time for the team to settle in. The scores in shamble are lower than stroke play as the group plays from the spot with the best tee shot. But depending on the agreed rules, there are still variations in scoring similar to stroke play.
Golf Shamble Strategy
The first to do in determining your strategy in playing shamble is to read and learn the rules. Determine how many scores will count and if the tournament requires each player's handicap to be included. Also, know what the percentage reduction would be.
Golf "Shamble" vs. "Scramble"
The scramble is one of the most popular team formats in golf tournaments. The shamble is a variation of the scramble format. But scramble usually involves players with different skill levels.
Shamble Golf Format Handicap Allowance
The most common handicap in shamble tournaments is reduced by 20% to 25%, depending on the disposition of the event organizer.
How many people are in a shamble?
Shambles usually consists of a 4 person team, where total scores for the hole (and round) are tracked to determine the winning team. # of players. Single or Team play.
Who are the four players on the Shamble team?
Adam, Phil, Rory, and Luke are on a 4 person shamble team and playing the 1st hole shown in the scorecard above. Rory’s tee shot is dead straight in the fairway, whereas the rest of the group are in worse positions. The team decides to use Rory’s tee shot. Shown in purple below.
How many players are on a shamble team?
Shamble teams consist of 2-4 players and since it requires each player to finish with their ball, the shamble format is not the best format for beginners. It does however provide a nice change of pace from the scramble and best ball formats for intermediate and advanced players.
What is scramble golf?
The scramble format is one of golf’s most popular team formats. Designed for golfers of all skill levels, the scramble rules call for each player on a team to hit a tee shot.
Why are scores in a shamble lower than stroke play?
Scores in shambles tend to be lower than stroke play because each member of the team plays from the location of the best drive/tee shot. Here is an example of a scorecard for a 4-person shamble team counting the two best scores on each hole.
How many strokes does a 4-handicap golfer give to a 12-handicap golfer?
For example, let’s take a 4-handicap golfer playing against a 12-handicap golfer. In this instance, the 4-handicap golfer gives one stroke to the 12-handicap golfer on each of the eight hardest ranked holes. Applying handicaps to a scorecard correctly is imperative to any competitive round of golf.
What is the best thing about golf?
One great thing about the game of golf is each format can be adapted to players of all skills and abilities. Here are some basic variations that can be made to the shamble format:
What is an 8 handicap golfer?
A golfer’s handicap is based on their average number of strokes over par for an 18-hole round. So a golfer with an 8 handicap will either receive a 1 stroke reduction to their score on the eight hardest ranked holes or an eight-stroke reduction from their final 18-hole score.
