Scramble Strategy

[KotOD]

Out of the Scramble thread about hurting or helping your game there has been some conversation about where to put the ringer in the lineup. I thought a new thread might be interesting.

In the groups that I normally put together, we go with a strategy that stacks up like this:

Off of the tee we lead off with the guy that is hitting the ball straight. Normally, in my groups, that's me. I'm 230-250 with 81% fairways this year so it gets a ball in play almost every time. I'll normally put the weakest guy off of the tee next because if your leadoff guy strokes it - #2 can do whatever he wants. If leadoff misses it, it doesn't matter if #2 misses because there are two more behind. We try to put our biggest hitter #3 and our most creative player #4. With a ball in play #3 can rip it. If we need a save at the end (which should be rare in this setup) the creative player doesn't necessarily have to hit driver and can just get one in the fairway.

On fairway play and approaches, we leadoff with our most consistent distance irons player. We want the guy that hits his 5 Iron 195 every time so that we can all club off of him to get a better reading on the yardage. #2 is again our weakest irons player. We try to reserve #4 for someone in the group that hits higher approaches, just to allow them to see the balls in play and go straight for the pin.

In the short game, the only thing that we make sure of is that our most creative guy is last so that he gets a look at lines and speed and if possible, go for the cup.

On the green, our best putter always leads off. He's going to see the line the best and he's going to be able to get the tempo closer than anyone else. We keep going first to worst, closing with our worst putter and allowing him the benefit of seeing the putts before him. We're not big believers in the "let me see a line" theory for good putters. It's a waste of a putt to "get one close" for the benefit of the group. They normally see the line immediately and can try to hole out. If not, each weaker putter behind can glean information from the collection of putts in front of him.

[JavaNut]

That does sound like a good strategy.

On some holes you will have a decision to make whether to lay up or go for it. In that case I would take the shorter hitters as #1 and #2 and with a ball safe layed up, then have the longer hitters left to go for it. As it often does not matter that much when you lay up if you are 150 or 170 to the green, it does not matter that much if the not so precise or consistent players make a so-so lay up a bit short, you still have the opportunity to go for it if it is just a decent lay up they have made.

[tuq]

KotOD,

It sounds like you have some sort of barnstorming scramble team, traveling the nation in a Winnebago to compete in hit-and-giggles all over the country. Sort of like a golf version of the Globetrotters. Starring Straight Guy, Weakest Guy, Big Hitter, and Creative Player.

[RacersEdge]

[ QUOTE ]
KotOD,

It sounds like you have some sort of barnstorming scramble team, traveling the nation in a Winnebago to compete in hit-and-giggles all over the country. Sort of like a golf version of the Globetrotters. Starring Straight Guy, Weakest Guy, Big Hitter, and Creative Player.

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lol, that was my impression as well - a highly specialized team. I've only played a few scrambles, and it's usually a couple guys who shoot in the 80's - and a couple guys who are pretty bad at all aspects of the game.

[JTrout]

I think it's good to mix it up a bit- especially on the green.
If the first few guys make a few in a row, the last one or two may go an hour or more without hitting a meaningful putt.
Also, I want the guy that WANTS to putt last to do so most of the time. Some people putt better when they have a security blanket behind them, and some putt better when they know it's the last putt.

[KotOD]

[ QUOTE ]
KotOD,

It sounds like you have some sort of barnstorming scramble team, traveling the nation in a Winnebago to compete in hit-and-giggles all over the country. Sort of like a golf version of the Globetrotters. Starring Straight Guy, Weakest Guy, Big Hitter, and Creative Player.

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Heh, well kind of. I play in about 10 scrambles a year and the rest of the team is always made up of a pool of the same 8 guys.

[Butcho22]

You keep track of your exact fairways hit percentage?

[KotOD]

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You keep track of your exact fairways hit percentage?

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http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showfl...=0#Post10865906

[Sluss]

I actually have a pretty standard group. Two of the guys are god awful, but a blast to hang out with. Our fourth rotates, most of the time it is a not very good golfer, but sometimes they are pretty good. You have to understand though I work for a radio station and most of these are charity events we play in for free for promoting the event.


Normally I go last. My sister-in-law's boyfriend hits the ball over 300 all of the time. If we were playing with him I'd want him to go last. I think the best strategy is for the longest hitter to go last. The most accurate guy should go first. Of course this is assuming everybody is at the same skill level. The worst players should always hit the ball first off of the tee and if your playing as "the ringer," you should always go last. This also gives the secondary advantage of the poorer players feeling like their shot matters, which is always more fun.

The approach shot is always a bit different. On par fives I always like the first guy to lay up. Sounds strange, but I feel better about a full wedge rather than an akward chip. Then the next three guys can try and get it home in two. If there are good players all together each one can make their own choice by their own shot.

Par fours I like to go last. If all three miss, I'll try and figure if somebody has missed in a good spot. If they have, I'll pin hunt (which doesn't always turn out good) if they are not, I'll play the more conservative shot, whether it be to the center of the green or being sure not to short side myself on a miss.

On the green I just want to see some putts and follow the break. The whole group should be on the read and the best reader has the most say. I can judge if they hit it too fast or too slow and judge the break difference.

I think having fun is the most important thing to do and play within yourself. As long as everybody is having a good time it doesn't matter how bad or good you play.

[tuq]

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On par fives I always like the first guy to lay up.

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This may be a hard sell though, because every player no matter how bad feels that deep inside of them is that 280 yard 3-wood shot just dying to bust out.

A year or two ago in my annual Palm Desert event (final day 9-hole scramble before we leave town, $150 per man to the winning team), there was a short par-4 with water in front of it. Usually around 270-280 as the crow flies, but all carry and sometimes requiring a big fade around trees right next to the tee. It's a classic "hero" shot.

Well for whatever reason even though there was money on the line and we were running hot, each of the dumb ass players in front of me decides to go for it. It was set up A-B-C-D to give everyone a shot, so the field was level. Well the first two guys rush up to the tee and hit it into the water without any discussion of strategy, which left our D player, who simply didn't have the game to reach the green. I tried to talk him out of it but we were drinking and he couldn't be reasoned with so he too proceeds to drop it in the pond also.

This put me on tilt because maybe one of the three had the length to even get there, I clearly did and have driven the green before. But now as the A player I was forced to take out like a 6-iron and hit it to about 100 yards. I think we got our birdie though so it was more or less forgiven.