GALLUP THE LAND OF SCRAMBLES.... conclusion.

The "Gallup, Land of Scrambles" posting a few weeks ago, had more comments than usual, many of these people were curious about my view on how scrambles affect one's game. Many of them teased me that while I am "against scrambles", that I do play in "many" of these. This last statement is a false perception, once in a while, I will play a scramble if there is no other choice and from time to time (more often than the former), I'll play in a group that will have one or two 2-Man teams playing a scramble while I play my own ball. Here is the conclusion: 1.- I believe that scrambles do nothing good to your game or to your rules of golf knowledge. Scrambles are only one of the ways to get people involved in golf; but, if you are already involved in the game, I suggest that you don't play a scramble as your regular game. If there was a way to regulate and rule scrambles, don't you think that the USGA would have already done it. 2. - A scramble does not allow a player see his true potential (point in case my example in "Part 1" in which a player thinks he "would have shot 74" had he played his ball). In a scramble, if your ball is out of play, you have no idea what you would have scored from that point because it will never be played; if you make a reasonable straight 8 foot putt, but were the 4th player to try it, you can't possibly say that you would have made it if the other three players hadn't gone in front of you to show you the line and speed. Point in fact: mostly, you are allowed to improve your lie everywhere! So, even if they used your tee shot, which ended in the rough in a bad lie, you are allowed to "nudge" the ball and have a nice even lie. Might as well go to the driving range and do the same... you can do it 60 times for about $6.00 and get more practice out of it!! 3.- The rules of golf are not truly observed in scrambles. In golf by the rules, in team play (where you are playing "best ball", individual or "alternate" shots), you play the ball as you find it. In scrambles, the original intent was for the team to play their next shot from the best position... not necessarily the closest shot to the green. And even here, I see teams trying to take advantage in the following manner: say a ball is 100 yards to the hole, but in a bush in the rough or against a boundary fence (there is no free drop from a boundary fence); the same team has a ball in the fairway 160 yards away. Now, if you were playing your own ball, I seriously doubt if you would rather be in the bush or against the fence where you will certainly lose a shot due to an unplayable lie situation, yet, players try to select the unplayable ball with the pretense that "you can drop within one club-length"... that is true, but only if the ball is in play! (See picture above, don't take advantage, and as in the picture, use the ball in play!) If you do not believe me -if you have not experienced such type of argument in the golf course-, I have the following stats: if a scramble tournament calls for teams to go out in single groups, the scoring average of the top 25% of the field is 2.8 strokes better than if they go in groups of two teams together. How to remedy this? First, I think scrambles are here to stay; so, to avoid many of these doubts, it is good to have two teams to a tee; Second, respect the spirit of the game and yourself; don't be afraid to question when someone is about to take advantage, nor try to take advantage yourself... in the end, ask yourself: if it was my ball and I had a choice, which would I select to save a shot on this hole? and last, but not least, in regular days, that you are not playing a fundraiser, play games that make you play your own ball. Keep an individual score. If you prefer team games, you can play "best ball" in "Nassau", "Wolf" or "Round Robin" formats; if you play individual games, you can play a "Nassau" with each of the member of your group, or play "Skins", "Cats & Dogs" (yes there is a game named like that), "Chicago", "Quota" or plain stroke play. in groups of three, you can also play "Monkey Business" (yes, there is a game called like that as well). To end,if you really want to find out your potential, keep score for 20 consecutive rounds, then we will figure out a handicap using USGA rules... and if you must play a scramble, try this (and if you break 40 in nine holes, I'll buy you and your partner dinner): play a "backwards scramble" for two, in this one you have to use the worst shot every time.... those three footers become really, really tough!!