4 Man Scramble.....Need a new Format that balances the field.

TMBob · January 25, 2016

Looking for a "fair" format for our Men's Club.

We call it a ABCD Tourney.....which is taking all the entries and dividing them into 4 groups (ABCD) by handicap from the lowest to the highest. Then the lowest cap player (A) will get the highest cap player (D) and the highest B player and the lowest C player and do the same till all the teams are formed. This format tightens the teams total handicap which our Tournament Director feels levels the playing field.

Example, we had 10 teams with 0 to 1.5 team caps and the event was all net. Each player had to use 2 drives and 2 second shots.

The problem is that all the low cap players teams all smoked the rest of the field. I feel that this was mainly due to each player only having to use two drives and two second shots, meaning that the high capper need two drives and possible two putts on par threes and he's done leaving the dirty work to the low capper. A 1 handicap and a 32 handicap against a 7 and a 25 with limited shot requerments favors the 1 handicap players team IMHO, because it's becomes a 1 against a 7 for the majority of the round. The other players are more balanced (B and C) and do not effect the outcome as much as a 1 handicapper does.

This event will not change from the ABCD format and that's cool, but I am looking for suggestions on what your Club does or if you have played in a event like this before.

Some thoughts would be to change the shot requirement to 3 or 4 shots each and eliminating 2nd shots on Par 3. Or maybe the A player is required 2 and 2, the B player is required 3 and 3, the C player 4 and 4 and the D player 5 and 5. I also have heard cap % formula using a less % from the lower caps and higher % of the higher caps....or maybe I have that backwards.

Next would be, teams total handicap divided by how much?

Look forward to your suggestions

2bGood · January 26, 2016

A "Stand-aside" scramble really forces more of the team to contribute. Basically you can't hit two shots in a row, who ever shot the team uses can't hit the next shot.

i.e.:

Team chooses play A's drive. Players BCD can hit second shot - they choose player B's shot. Third shot can be hit by players ACD.....

this also speeds up a play a bit as after the drive only three players hit each shot.

TMBob · January 26, 2016

A "Stand-aside" scramble really forces more of the team to contribute. Basically you can't hit two shots in a row, who ever shot the team uses can't hit the next shot.

i.e.:

Team chooses play A's drive. Players BCD can hit second shot - they choose player B's shot. Third shot can be hit by players ACD.....

this also speeds up a play a bit as after the drive only three players hit each shot.

Good idea, thanks

rymail00 · January 26, 2016

A "Stand-aside" scramble really forces more of the team to contribute. Basically you can't hit two shots in a row, who ever shot the team uses can't hit the next shot.

i.e.:

Team chooses play A's drive. Players BCD can hit second shot - they choose player B's shot. Third shot can be hit by players ACD.....

this also speeds up a play a bit as after the drive only three players hit each shot.

I've never heard of this before but sounds like a great idea.

As far as something different then the tradional scramble, I've heard of a group of 4 play a normal tee shot. All 4 players hit off the tee, and then choose the best drive and everyone plays their own ball from their. I can't remember how the scores were recorded after the drive, but I guess you could really do anything. For example have a total cumulative score for the 4 players. Or just the best 2 scores. Or possibly a cumulative of the best score and worst score together, or the mid two scores, etc. Or maybe switch the format every hole with the examples above.

Just a thought.....

2bGood · January 26, 2016

A "Stand-aside" scramble really forces more of the team to contribute. Basically you can't hit two shots in a row, who ever shot the team uses can't hit the next shot.

i.e.:

Team chooses play A's drive. Players BCD can hit second shot - they choose player B's shot. Third shot can be hit by players ACD.....

this also speeds up a play a bit as after the drive only three players hit each shot.

I've never heard of this before but sounds like a great idea.

As far as something different then the tradional scramble, I've heard of a group of 4 play a normal tee shot. All 4 players hit off the tee, and then choose the best drive and everyone plays their own ball from their. I can't remember how the scores were recorded after the drive, but I guess you could really do anything. For example have a total cumulative score for the 4 players. Or just the best 2 scores. Or possibly a cumulative of the best score and worst score together, or the mid two scores, etc. Or maybe switch the format every hole with the examples above.

Just a thought.....

This is called a Shamble. If you want it to move fast you count one score on each hole, but like you say you can score it many ways.

PepsiDuck · January 26, 2016

A "Stand-aside" scramble really forces more of the team to contribute. Basically you can't hit two shots in a row, who ever shot the team uses can't hit the next shot.

i.e.:

Team chooses play A's drive. Players BCD can hit second shot - they choose player B's shot. Third shot can be hit by players ACD.....

this also speeds up a play a bit as after the drive only three players hit each shot.

I have played this format before and seems to be the best alternative format to the scramble.

Gax · January 27, 2016

The way we play our weekly rounds is a bit different. In no way am I thinking this way is better, but I thought it would help to have different option :)

We play as follow :

- Foursomes

- Stroke play - every player receives strokes based on handicap

- groups are made by a sum of total handicap (examples below)

- Take only 3 balls out of 4 (leaving the worse score).

Examples :

A - 3 hcp

B - 8 hcp

C - 13 hcp

D - 18 hcp

This team has a total of 42 strokes (split by hole handicap).

On a par-4 hole having handicap 10 :

A - Par = 4 - played 4 = E

B - Par = 4 - played 5 = +1

C - Par = 5 - played 4 = -1

D - Par = 5 - played 5 = E

Then you calculate the overall scoring for the 3 best balls : E, (+1 isn't kept), -1, E : team is -1 on this hole.

What I like about this format is everyone can keep their stroke play score (it's obviously longer), even high handicaper can have an impact. Any blow-up hole is not as bad as it would be in a simple stroke play game. Lastly, it forces the team to play it safe when someone drives OB / into hazards :)

Hope it helps !

Mr.Fuji · February 11, 2016

We do the ABCD thing as you said based on caps but each A then pulls a number out of a hat and then then B guys pull numbers and so on through C &D so the 4 guys who drew 1 are a team and so on. This way the teams are random and change week to week. Also BCD all hit from the up tees.