What can be learned from scrambles?

[Eracer]

I played in a fun scramble today. Four friends who had no illusions of winning. I'm a 16 handicap, and was the best golfer in the group. The others were a 20 capper, a guy who hasn't played in 4 years, and another who hasn't played in nearly 20 years.

We ended up having a great time and shooting 8 under. One of the guys who hadn't played for a long time sunk a 60 ft. putt for eagle. He'll remember that for a long time. After the round I was thinking about what I could learn from the experience. Thought I'd start a thread and ask whether anyone else had any thoughts about this.

The first thing is that driving the ball a long way is relatively unimportant. I know that's not a revelation, but the fact is that we kept the ball in play and had a lot of putts for birdie. Sure, it helps that we got four tries at getting a GIR, and four putts. But the fact is, I didn't drive the ball all that well, the other guys weren't much help, and yet we managed our way round.

Iron play and putting are more important - much more important - than driving the ball well.

The other thing I think is that having fun on the course, relaxing and playing the game, really helps make a couple of strokes difference. When you're in a relaxed situation like a scramble, tension really isn't part of the equation, and you make a few shots that might not have been so good had you been in a pressure-packed tournament.

More thoughts?

 

[Clugnut]

Unfortunately, I've never been able to translate the tension free, low pressure scramble golf into my own game.

Actually, the last scramble I played in, I was the best golfer by a mile. It got to the point where if I missed a green, I could feel them looking at me like WTF? Pissed me off. We shot like 2 under, and I easy would have been 75-76 on my own ball.

 

[RCI]

There is an old saying... "fairways and greens." What it means is hit fairways and greens in regulation and the game gets easier, which we all know. The other thing one learns in a scramble is how nice it is to step up to putt after someone has already putted on the line. You have a better idea of the "read" and all you have to do is stroke with confidence and get the ball to the hole. To me this suggests that being able to read greens and roll the ball confidently dramatically improves your game. The only way to get that feeling is to practice putting under all kinds of breaking conditions.

Having said all this, I don't much like scrambles just because one tends to try "hero" shots a bit too much. I sometimes get into overswinging in a scramble and you are right... a few extra yards may not be that important. I get asked to play in several scrambles because of my driving distance, but invariably I will hit a couple of terrible drives just because my "scramble job" is to hit it hard. If I play the next day, I have to force myself to tone it down and think "just make normal swings and hit it flush."

I do enjoy the company and the fun people have when your team does well. It is a blast when your high handicapper sinks a critical putt or hits a hero shot and becomes excited about the game.

 

[Eracer]

Very good point about the putting.

 

[gwlee7]

I'll be playing in a big one at my home course this upcoming weekend where I'll be the "A" player on my team.

Approach shots are the key to going low in a scramble. Almost every team can hit the GIR but you have to hit them close if you want to make birdies.

 

[Esox]

My scramble history is one of trying way too hard to pound the ball after way too many beers and/or cocktails.

Scrambles = Drunken Me = Angry Wife.

I prefer to play my own ball with my wits about me, but will play the format if that's the deal. It does, after all, put me on the golf course.

Kevin

New shirt, new hat, new glove. I was looking good today.

 

[Wi-Golfer]

The first thing is that driving the ball a long way is relatively unimportant.


The other thing I think is that having fun on the course, relaxing and playing the game, really helps make a couple of strokes difference.

I would agree with distance being unimportant to a point, if you are keeping it in the fairway & have 30-40 yards more distance than your playing partners, it certainly makes your approach shots a lot easier.

+1 million on the being relaxed is key. I know if I get tensed up from having someone play up my ass or for whatever reason, it really shows in how poor my shots are.

 

[Eracer]

I would agree with distance being unimportant to a point, if you are keeping it in the fairway & have 30-40 yards more distance than your playing partners, it certainly makes your approach shots a lot easier.

+1 million on the being relaxed is key. I know if I get tensed up from having someone play up my ass or for whatever reason, it really shows in how poor my shots are.

Distance is absolutely an advantage. I'd much rather be hitting into a green with a 7-iron than a 3-iron.

Good iron play combined with good putting can overcome poor driving.
Good driving can't help poor iron play nearly as much.

 

[mont86]

Distance is absolutely an advantage. I'd much rather be hitting into a green with a 7-iron than a 3-iron.
quote]

I bought a set of clubs from you Eracer the sweet spot on the 3 iron had hardly been used.....

 

[The Salt Vampire]

Distance is absolutely an advantage. I'd much rather be hitting into a green with a 7-iron than a 3-iron.

Good iron play combined with good putting can overcome poor driving.
Good driving can't help poor iron play nearly as much.

Agreed. What did the winning team shoot? I'm guessing 16 under or better if the field was full. In a scramble, distance gets you shorter clubs in, but always makes almost every par-5 reachable and short, tight, par-4s driveable. I play in a few of these things every year and the winning team often make two or three eagles by reaching par-5s and 4s.

As for what do I learn from scrambles? What not to do. They are a fun diversion. I find they hurt my game as I try to make every chip and putt and try too many risky shots. I have learned how to manage my beer consumption and remain upright, however.

 

[Youngun5]

i'll be playing in a company scramble here on the 20th. i've played in one scramble before this and that was easily 6 or 6 years ago.

i don't know anyone that i'm playing with so it should be interesting..i'm only really going for networking...playing with a bunch of old guys...from what i've been told they aren't that good so i have a good chance of carrying the group possibly, so i'm looking forward to it.

 

[nixdad]

"What can be learned from scrambles?<!-- google_ad_section_end --> "

Hmmmmm, let's see. Ah! I know. PATIENCE.

 

[Eracer]

Agreed. What did the winning team shoot? I'm guessing 16 under or better if the field was full.

The winning score was -20. Normally, I'd call BS, but I could easily see four single-digits tearing that course up. We were -8 for heaven's sake! All the par 5's were well under 500 yards (one of them was 430 yards!) so yeah, they probably eagled all four of them.

 

[eclark53520]

I learned basically what you learned eracer, even a team with two people who havent even been on a golf course and one with three rounds under his belt and another guy who is a 20ish capper can shoot quite well in this particular format.

Takes a whole different strategy than stroke play and lets you hit some of those really low percentage shots that youwould never otherwise hit for fear of screwing up a good round.

Good friends, good alcohol, legal operation of a vehicle while intoxicated, good times.

 

[Pa Jayhawk]

We play in alot of scrambles. Lessons I have learned are to not try and go after the ball to much, because it seems to take a long time to get your tempo back afterwards. While I will hit driver on alot of holes that I normally won't once a ball is in play, I don't try and murder the ball. Also seems to give me alot better chance at the longest drives because I usually keep the ball in the fairway as opposed to the people who try and kill the ball and we play a tighter course. Any time I try and murder the ball now, it usually just results in a duck hook anyways. My normal, good tee shot is usually good enough to be the one we use anyways. So if I am already using driver, I will just get one in play and let the others have that fun. Many times on our par 5's I may hit last, because I am longer and more accurate off the fairway than many I play with, although again, in stroke play I usually only lay up to a distance I am comfortable with and if others prefer to pitch I will go for it then.

I also tend to believe I may be one of the better putters, although I usually try not to give advice on how much of a break I see, but instead just say a little or a lot. Mainly because I just try and die the ball in the hole, so my read is usually more break than a normal putter. Also really don't care to putt last for the same reason, seeing 3 other people putt really won't affect my read more than just seeing 1. Although many times I will because some of the people don't like the pressure of knowing they have to make the putt or lose a stroke. I usually putt better under pressure because I focus more, nor does it bother me if I miss when considering everyone else missed as well. But if someone else gets more out of being the last putter, by all means let them go last.