4 Man Scramble Strategies?

[DK<80]

Hello. Tried to look this up as to not start a common thread but didnt see much?

 

I have a scramble I'm playing this Friday.

My dad, my uncle, his friend and I are the foursome. Not sure of the handicaps but dad high 80s, uncle low to mid 90s, friend aims to break 100. I'm low 80s, break 80 on a good day.

 

Suggestions on strategies for this format? Does it even matter when we're not that good? Would appreciate any ideas? Thanks!

[RSinSG]

It doesn't really matter as no matter how well you score unless you are willing to cheat you will never win. It's sad but true. My advice is to have fun with your pops and uncle and enjoy the experience.

[Triple Putt]

Someone will post 18 under so sit back and have fun enjoying the day with your company.

[DK<80]

Yeah I've only played one of these before. It was the same tournament last year and our same foursome shot -1 last year and I think the winner was 61 or lower. I still had a lot of fun and will again. I kept hitting last, fun to put a little pressure on myself when the 3 others in your group go ob!

 

Thanks for the reality check though lol. Will definitely be playing for fun.

 

*btw I was super impressed the four of us could even shoot under par

[saksittb]

If you ain't cheating, you ain't playing! Buy the Mulligan kit. Roll the ball before you putt to see the line. Have the best player go last. Have fun! If you don't birdie or better every hole, figure out how haha!

[wkndhack]

The other guys got it. One group will be stacked, or one group will cheat, or both, and if you know you aren't them, don't worry about winning and just have fun.

 

My only advice, if you are concerned you might have 4 drives nowhere near in bounds, is have someone put something reliable in play before you swing for the fences, even if it's only a fairway wood or hybrid.

[ebrasmus21]

If you ain't cheating, you ain't playing! Buy the Mulligan kit. Roll the ball before you putt to see the line. Have the best player go last. Have fun! If you don't birdie or better every hole, figure out how haha!

 

LOL, almost spit up my coffee reading this. Sad, funny and true all at the same time.

[Petunia Sprinkle]

Longest driver goes last. Obviously, if one of the other three hits a decent drive in the fairway, it gives him carte blanche to swing out of his shoes. If you don’t have to keep the same order, best putter goes last.

[j.b.newton]

If you ain't cheating, you ain't playing! Buy the Mulligan kit. Roll the ball before you putt to see the line. Have the best player go last. Have fun! If you don't birdie or better every hole, figure out how haha!

 

LOL, almost spit up my coffee reading this. Sad, funny and true all at the same time.

 

And if that random roll goes in - count and move on. Need to quicken the pace right? Its amazing how good/creative people can be in scrambles...

 

Oh - and the group that brings back the long drive/closest to pin always seems to have the winner. How does that happen?

[TheLarch]

My strategy is to re-arrange my schedule so I have to work any time I'm asked to play in a scramble.

[ebrasmus21]

If you ain't cheating, you ain't playing! Buy the Mulligan kit. Roll the ball before you putt to see the line. Have the best player go last. Have fun! If you don't birdie or better every hole, figure out how haha!

 

LOL, almost spit up my coffee reading this. Sad, funny and true all at the same time.

 

And if that random roll goes in - count and move on. Need to quicken the pace right? Its amazing how good/creative people can be in scrambles...

 

Oh - and the group that brings back the long drive/closest to pin always seems to have the winner. How does that happen?

 

Lol wow. That is pretty damn funny. JB you sound like a scramble vet.

 

I won the long drive in two scrambles. The first time the assistant pro was on the hole watching groups hit. The second time I just moved the marker to my spot on the fairway and against all odds my drive survived.

[LeoLeo99]

I've been on several winning teams and we didn't cheat. Here is our strategy. Have the most dependable guy first off the tee. Then, we have the second longest and longest hitters go. Then we have another dependable guy go last in case we need a ball in play. For putting, have 3rd worst putter go first to hopefully get one to tap in range and to show the rest of the team the line. Sometimes our worst putter is so bad that he gets nervous and blows it 20 feet past the hole and we don't learn anything.

 

You have to make some putts in order to win.

[DavePelz4]

Make sure your pencil has an eraser.

[wobgon]

I've been on several winning teams and we didn't cheat. Here is our strategy. Have the most dependable guy first off the tee. Then, we have the second longest and longest hitters go. Then we have another dependable guy go last in case we need a ball in play. For putting, have 3rd worst putter go first to hopefully get one to tap in range and to show the rest of the team the line. Sometimes our worst putter is so bad that he gets nervous and blows it 20 feet past the hole and we don't learn anything.

 

You have to make some putts in order to win.

I agree.....Many, many, many, times the winning team cheats, but not always the case.....I have been on quite a few winning teams with no cheating. We play some big money scrambles where you play in eightsomes to further eliminate funny business. All that being said, most charity scrambles will be won by some team that will shoot around 8 under and post 18 under....Not that hard though for a team with all near scratch players to legit shoot 17 under or better....We have done it many times.

[DK<80]

Thanks for all the input. Definitely won't be there to try and win. The win is not working on Friday and playing golf instead!

[ebrasmus21]

Thanks for all the input. Definitely won't be there to try and win. The win is not working on Friday and playing golf instead!

 

Bingo.

[Yepyukon]

Some strategies I have used. Have your worst putter go first and generally just aim at the hole. That will give you a good idea of the break for the next three to make it.

 

Have your biggest hitter go third and your most accurate go last. I know a lot of people say have your biggest hitter go last but if you don't have a ball in the Fairway or someone to put the ball in the Fairway after them, that usually does not work out.

 

Aim for comfort yardages off the tee. Trying to hit it as far as you can can leave some very tricky shots in especially for those golfers who don't routinely practice those shots.

 

If you are trying to win then finish your round without writing anything on the scorecard. Send one guy in to check out the scores then fill it out over a beer haha.

[Solidstrike]

Order is worst to best on every shot. Not just for score, it lets them play every shot without pressure and just focus on having fun. Plus the worst player can sometimes sink the long putts and that’s good times.

 

FWIW - I’m not usually the worst player but the shortest driver. It’s frustrating sometimes when the big driver nails one out +290 and there’s no reason for me to tee off.

[seven dewey]

where you play in eightsomes to further eliminate funny business.

 

^^^This^^^

[garf0404]

It doesn't really matter as no matter how well you score unless you are willing to cheat you will never win. It's sad but true. My advice is to have fun with your pops and uncle and enjoy the experience.

 

Spot on! Played this past weekend and the group with 5 eagles managed to win... all 10 plus handicappers.

[Benkross]

Steady hitter should lead off and try to hit the fairway first so everyone else can swing away. On putts the worst putter should putt first and the best should putt last. That way you'll see any crazy misreads and give the best putter multiple reads.

[byoshio82]

Fairway finder leads off and the best player goes last. Use your mulligans on putts.

[tocino]

It’s great when your fairway-finder goes first and gets the group in a safe spot so you get a chance to try something stupid

[8thehardway]

It will be a lot of fun. Basic strategy (straightest driver goes first, best putter goes last) embodies the two MUSTS in this format - keeping the ball in play (expect bogies to feel like triple bogies) and reducing pressure on the stronger player. Considering your group scores, and that the most rewarding outcome is when everyone feels they contributed during the round - for touch shots I'd have the weakest golfer in a situation going second so he gets some info on what's needed.

 

I've played this format a lot last year against another foursome of buddies (we're all high 70s to mid 80s) and scores hovered around par - (one under to four over). If you've played together before and kept the score card, total up the low score on each hole and expect to do a little better than that. Otherwise, figure your partners will lower your score by 3 to 6 strokes, depending on how their strengths match up with your weaknesses.

[ago33]

Any other strategy then drinking beers and having fun with your amigos is a recipe for disaster

[DK<80]

Just wanted to post the results!

 

-2 this year, one better than last year! Going last seemed to work, had a couple of holes where I had to get one in play with 3 other balls ob off the tee. But the beauty of this format is that everyone seems to contribute at some point. I'd love to play in one of these someday with some better players to see how low we could really go. Lots of fun though and looking forward to going back for a 3rd time next year.

[Ivyguy]

You know, my strength is putting. I hate going last.

 

I prefer to read my own putt and show others a line.

 

I don't like having a questionable putter go in front of my and leave a 20 foot putt 8 feet short.

 

I typically hit iron shots last. Not because I'm a good iron player, because I have been known to hit a lateral shot or two. I don't want guts to try and hit a golf shot when they just watched my skewer one.

[spartan6910]

Actual strategy thought:

 

Whenever I play in scrambles, we usually have the shortest (distance) player go first and put one in play, then let the longer players bomb away. Likewise, for non-tee shots, we have the weakest player go first and ascend to the "best". Same with putting, for the most part. This is especially apparent when the skill level of the 4 players varies widely.

[shortstop20]

Less accurate/powerful hitters go first. 3rd or 4th guy needs to be able to hit a reliable ball in the fairway when everyone else is OB.

Best putter goes last.

No telling each other "sorry" for bad shots, it's just golf and everyone WILL hit bad shots.

Have fun!

[bigmoneyp]

I try to follow 3 strategies for scrambles. Everyone has a different idea of what works for them but I like going this way:

 

1. Best player hits first off the tee. - I find that when someone is regularly hitting good tee shots and putting them in play, there is less pressure of the less skilled golfers and they tend to play better.

 

2. Best player putts last. - Best guy gets to see 3 lines ahead of his putt.

 

3. Drink a few gatorades in between your beers.