Team formats · 2 to 4 per team players
Scramble: how to play
Also known as Team scramble, Ambrose, Captain's choice
Everyone hits, the team picks the best ball and plays from there.
A scramble is the most forgiving way to play golf, which is why charity days and corporate outings love it. Every player hits a tee shot, the team picks the best one, and everyone plays their next shot from that spot. Repeat until the ball is in the hole. One team score per hole.
Because the team always plays from its best position, scores are low and nobody has to grind out a double bogey alone. Golf Daddy scores scrambles with a proper team handicap, and the round stays off your personal handicap record.
Score Scramble in Golf Daddy
Pick Scramble on the first tee and the app applies the strokes, keeps the live leaderboard and settles the points for the whole group. Free on iPhone and Android.
Scramble rules
- 1.Every player tees off on each hole.
- 2.The team chooses the best ball; everyone plays their next shot from within a club length of that spot, no nearer the hole.
- 3.Repeat until the ball is holed. The team records one score per hole.
- 4.In a bunker or on the green the ball must be placed in the same condition (in the sand, or on the green).
- 5.Lowest team total wins, gross or net.
How handicaps work
Golf Daddy uses the World Handicap System team allowance for a two-player scramble: 35% of the lower course handicap plus 15% of the higher. The team's net score is its gross score minus that team handicap. Scramble rounds do not count towards your individual handicap.
Worked example
Partners off 10 and 20. Team handicap is 35% of 10 (3.5) plus 15% of 20 (3) = 6.5, rounded to 7. A gross 68 is a net 61.
Tips and variations
- Let the shorter, straighter hitter go first on the tee so the long hitter can swing freely.
- Putting order matters: the best putter goes last once the others have shown the line.
- Texas Scramble adds a minimum number of drives per player, which stops one golfer carrying the team.
Scramble FAQs
What is a scramble in golf?
A team format where every player hits, the team picks the best shot, and all play from there until the ball is holed. The team records one score per hole.
What is the handicap for a scramble?
For pairs, 35% of the lower course handicap plus 15% of the higher, which is the WHS allowance Golf Daddy uses.
Does a scramble count for handicap?
No. Only individual rounds where you play your own ball count. Golf Daddy records the scramble result but leaves your index alone.
Related formats
All golf formats and games →Play Scramble this weekend
Download Golf Daddy and let the app do the maths while you do the talking. Guests who haven't got the app can play too.