# texas scramble tactics



## skippy1

Hi, playing in a foursome Texas Scramble on Saturday, never played this format before and was wondering if there are any specific tactics to use? I play off 18 and other play of 9, 12, & 17.Cheers


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## BrianMcG

"Texas Scramble is a competition format that is a basic scramble with a slight twist.
Scrambles involve 4-person teams playing four balls, but with each shot coming from the same spot (the best of the four drives is chosen and all four team members then hit from that spot, and so on). 

The variation in a Texas Scramble is that at least four drives of each member of the team must be used during the course of the round: At least four drives hit by Player A, four by Player B, and so on. In a regular scramble, a great driver might have his tee ball used on every hole. A Texas Scramble eliminates that possibility and allows even the weakest driver on the team to get into."

This is the definition of a Texas Scramble that I know. I am not really sure what you mean when you say you are going off 18 another off 9,12,and 17.

The definition above just means that if you have a really good driver of the ball they effectively become neutralized and its more about having a solid all around team.


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## skippy1

thanks Brian, the numbers i refer to are our individual handicaps. In terms of tactics, is it best that the lower handicap goes first or last? or am i overcomplicating things here?


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## BrianMcG

skippy1 said:


> thanks Brian, the numbers i refer to are our individual handicaps. In terms of tactics, is it best that the lower handicap goes first or last? or am i overcomplicating things here?


Oh, I thought you were talking about the holes.

In scrambles that I play in general you would want the better golfer to tee off last. If the three people ahead of him dump it in the water or O.B. its good to have the lower handicap player able to at least get the ball in play. However, if we have a few bad holes its always good to mix up the tee-ing order a bit. 

It is sort of a superstition, but if you birdie the first four holes with a certain rotation you don't want to mess with it, but if you through in a bogey in there I like to change it up.

Here is the thing about the Texas scramble, with your higher handicap players that may not drive the ball well, its best to get his shots out of the way even if they are not the best drives. As long as they are in the fairway and you have a good shot at the hole your good to go.

As far as putting goes, its best to have the best putter last so that they can see the line and speed of the puts a few times, unless its a tap in.

If we are playing particularly poorly and we don't think that we are going to be in the money, we hound the cart girls and get really drunk. That way everyone is a winner.:laugh:


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## ministock47

when I've played Texas Scramble before, we found having the weakest player drive first is best so that if they hit something decent which can be used for the next shot, the better players can "open up" and go for something special without worrying too much. Make sure you use the weaker players tee shots as soon as possible as it's easy to leave them and be forced to take whatever they play towards teh end of the round. 

Also, get a ball in play - I once played a 3 ball scramble and all 3 put the tee shot OB - not good!


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## fitz-uk

In this sort of format, like Brian said, its nice to have your solid golfer last so that there is no pressure on a higher handicap.

Having said that, personally I would have a split so you had a strong golfer at 1 and 4 letting the weaker two play in the middle.

This helps when chipping and playing approach shots, putting etc. Its always nice to get the first shot close as this takes the pressure off your partners.


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## BrianMcG

ministock47 said:


> Also, get a ball in play - I once played a 3 ball scramble and all 3 put the tee shot OB - not good!



Yeah, thats the worst. I have played in a few two man scrambles. 

We always try to have the first hitter just get something in the fairway. 

Its a sickening feeling being the second hitter and your partner is in the drink or O.B. Talk about pressure.


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## BrianMcG

fitz-uk said:


> In this sort of format, like Brian said, its nice to have your solid golfer last so that there is no pressure on a higher handicap.
> 
> Having said that, personally I would have a split so you had a strong golfer at 1 and 4 letting the weaker two play in the middle.
> 
> This helps when chipping and playing approach shots, putting etc. Its always nice to get the first shot close as this takes the pressure off your partners.


Or better yet, just make sure your partners are all scratch golfers. You never have to leave the cart. You just have to make sure the beers never get warm. :laugh:


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## 65nlovenit

The only variation I have seen is, they sometimes set a Minimum handicap value (four players handicaps added together) = 25-35, just prevents loading the team with scratch golfers.


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## Doby45

fitz-uk said:


> In this sort of format, like Brian said, its nice to have your solid golfer last so that there is no pressure on a higher handicap.
> 
> Having said that, personally I would have a split so you had a strong golfer at 1 and 4 letting the weaker two play in the middle.
> 
> This helps when chipping and playing approach shots, putting etc. Its always nice to get the first shot close as this takes the pressure off your partners.


I agree with fitz, have a better golfer on the front and the back of the rotation. If your better golf that hits first hits a good shot it can relieve some of the pressure off your higher handicap golfers and they might actually hit better. I know I would hit better if my team already had a ball laying 275 in the center of the fairway. I will be more relaxed and more likely to hit a good solid shot and even if it is short of the first shot you can still use that higher handicappers shot and be in good shape.


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## 373

ministock47 said:


> Also, get a ball in play - I once played a 3 ball scramble and all 3 put the tee shot OB - not good!


Are we related? I had a team do exactly that too. The worst part of it was, the hole was probably the LAST one you would expect to have trouble getting a drive to stay in bounds. All of us hit right to left tee shots all day long, but all three of us hit terrible pushes OB on this hole instead. I think God is still laughing about that one.


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## ministock47

I guess we must have been the yang to your yin, we all hooked ours left with plenty of room on the right!


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## marto97

Bomb it and make lots of birdies, get one in the fairway and everyone else let er rip. Scrambles are fun but slow expect to be out there for 5 to 6 hours. Enjoy :thumbsup:


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