Playing in scrambles - help or hurt your game?

[TripleH68]

Playing in scrambles has always been one extreme or the other for me. Either great fun or painfully boring.

But outings have always helped my game. Playing in them once in awhile really frees up my swing. I guess it is the whole not having to worry about the results of the shot so much. I also feel more comfortable experimenting a little on the course.

OTOH, some guys I know have had their games destroyed by playing scrambles. I guess this is from overswinging and screwing up their tempo.

What about 2+2 golfers? Or is there some other format you rather play in outings?

[KotOD]

Playing in a scramble doesn't really do anything to my swing. Scrambles really do help my putting by seeing how other people read greens and getting a better understanding of putting in general by seeing up to four of the same exact putt. When four different people, with four different putting styles all stroke the same putt - it shows how the ball is affected by the face, a push or a pull, tempo, and speed.

I love scrambles for this alone.

[Butcho22]

I think it can help you mentally by having so many birdie putts and shooting really low scores.

If your swing is ruined by playing in scrambles, it probably wasn't that great to begin with.

[RacersEdge]

I never really overswing much in scrambles - maybe swinging a little harder , but not losing balance or anything.

I think the main issue if you played in a lot of scrambles would be not getting practice from hitting from the rough, sandtraps, and not hitting non-standard shots like punch shots/flop shots, etc.

[Sluss]

I always lose a ton of balls in scrambles. Cutting off doglegs and hitting drivers off the deck are bad plays for a reason.

If you have a fun group scrambles are great. Of course I don't pay for the majority of scrambles I'm in so I have no problem not going super low and just finding a heavy partying group that has a good time.

[tuq]

I think it hurts because the "go for broke" mentality can result in some pretty heinous overswinging.

Tip for "A" players in scrambles that I recently started using: go FIRST. Another good player taught me that one. It's way less stressful, particularly if you're carrying three C-D players on your back, it gives you a chance to get something out there for them to look at, and gives one of the guys behind you a chance to be a hero and hit it better/closer than you.

The worst golf experiences for me are scrambles where I carry crappy teams. I put way too much pressure on myself (often I am invited as the ringer, and that doesn't help), and it results in frayed nerves and trying to hit every shot perfect. By going first, or at the very least mixing up the order, this is mitigated a bit.

[irishiain]

Scrambles give people the chance to hit one good shot and really help their team out, in this regard their great.

For a good player they can be kind of a drag if your stuck with crap players but normally you wont pay anyways.

I'm normally in favor of it.

[KotOD]

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The worst golf experiences for me are scrambles where I carry crappy teams. I put way too much pressure on myself (often I am invited as the ringer, and that doesn't help), and it results in frayed nerves and trying to hit every shot perfect.

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Handle pressure better.

[TripleH68]

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Tip for "A" players in scrambles that I recently started using: go FIRST. Another good player taught me that one.

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Years ago I was playing in a scramble at a classic country club. A very tight, traditional course. Our A player was going first and hammering 275-yard drives. There was no limit on drives used per player so we were using his drive every hole.

At the time I was about an 18 handicap, it was hot as blazes and my game was awful. After one of his bombs I announced I was just going to skip hitting a tee shot. The group insisted I play, so I teed it up and knocked it off the tee about four inches. I thought it was funny, but these guys were so serious about winning an umbrella or something they were pissed at me.

That was one of my worst scramble experiences.

[knicknut]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Tip for "A" players in scrambles that I recently started using: go FIRST. Another good player taught me that one.

[/ QUOTE ]

Years ago I was playing in a scramble at a classic country club. A very tight, traditional course. Our A player was going first and hammering 275-yard drives. There was no limit on drives used per player so we were using his drive every hole.

At the time I was about an 18 handicap, it was hot as blazes and my game was awful. After one of his bombs I announced I was just going to skip hitting a tee shot. The group insisted I play, so I teed it up and knocked it off the tee about four inches. I thought it was funny, but these guys were so serious about winning an umbrella or something they were pissed at me.

That was one of my worst scramble experiences.

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They expected you to hit it 280 past him? LOL

Going first is a good point. I've always gone last as the longest and usually best player in the group, and I end up hitting the same shot either way, just with more pressure when everyone misses in front of me. If I go first and screw up, let them play it safe after me.