The Makings of a Great Scramble Team

There’s something you cannot quite explain when it comes to a great scramble team. If playing in the same group, this is the team that seems to coast through the day with birdies. Sometimes your team is simply better (on paper) than the other group, but they somehow find a way to come up with a great score. Elite teams with four scratch (or plus+ handicap) players are no secret, but here we’ll dive into a few different handicaps sure to be around your local club. It could be that your group is just missing that one simple piece of greatness, and it might be as simple as attitude or the flat stick.

The Clown

This is the fun teammate to play golf with. They’ll have a cocktail early on, maybe bring a cigar or two for the group, and tell jokes throughout the day. Golf is mainly an excuse just to be out having fun, and they’ll maybe snake-in a long putt or come up with a great approach shot during the day.

Here’s the value of the clown though: the team vibe. The clown isn’t a stressed out teammate nor an angry one. This is not to say that this teammate is out at the course goofing off and genuinely not caring about doing well. On the contrary, though being happy is easy for them to spread into the group, this person can play a quality game. Sometimes it’s just that work gets in the way, or maybe it’s being a full-time parent that keeps them off the course.

Whatever the case may be for not getting time to play, this is a teammate that knows what they’re doing. Having more time to play/practice would be nice for them, but golf is just a fun icing on the cake deal. If good team morale is maybe something your group seems to be lacking, then consider adding someone you really enjoy being around. Keeping the group positive and carefree will be the specialty, and often times this translates to a couple extra birdies for the day.

The Stud

Whether it’s a lady that used to play in college or maybe a head club pro, the anchor player is crucial. Good quality golf is the norm for this player. Very simply, they’ve hit many more golf shots than most, and hit the majority of them well. The confidence is ingrained and it is a fun opportunity for this player to be thought-of/relied-upon as the clutch player. This would be the scratch or plus handicap player, as mentioned above.

For scrambles, most of the time we’re talking about playing events/courses near your home. Take a look at your local course tournaments or nearby State events, as there will be several good players that compete well. Most of the good players will be part of teams year after year, but be on the lookout for opportunities to either join them or invite them.

With a good team organized, getting along is important if some partners are meeting for the first time. But, everyone will get along famously when the group plays well. Focus on playing your game well, and you’ll have something positive the elite player may want to be part of in future events. If you can, yes, get one on your team.

Photo via Flickr

The Putter

Quick question: who is the best putter you personally know? It’d be great if we all knew a Tour player, or former Tour player, to call up for the weekend. If not, then look to have this great putter in your group. The answer above is a quick one for most golfers. It’s usually a name of a regular playing companion, or a couple/few names of golfers known.

The answer comes fast because we admire this person’s craft, and are always impressed by the putts they make. In Tom Kite’s World Golf Hall of Fame speech, he noted that Harvey Penick told him to go have dinner with some really good putters while out on Tour. Good advice. Being around better players, and better putters, will elevate your game. The positive satisfaction of that will then take you into your own next-level of golf.

The great putter teammate will of-course not make every putt, but it looks like they will most times. This teammate can be the one to manufacture a hot-streak, or a “steal” of a birdie. Another way to look at this teammate would be through a psychological sense, in that you’ll feel like your with that positive person to lift your game. The birdies are one thing, but the presence is more of the bigger picture here.

The Long Ball

Wind + Rain + Cold = advantage long ball! The scramble days where it’s just uncomfortably cold and windy are the days you’ll gain multiple strokes on the field with the bomber. On regular warm days, it’s a nice luxury, as the real scoring happens on the greens. But on these cold days, you might be the only group able to reach the par five(s) in two…or maybe drive a par four if the wind is with you.

The norm always seems to be letting the shorter, fairway, hitters go first for safety. This can be a good strategy if everyone is doing exactly what they should on every tee box. But, it’s important too for the long ball player to keep confident throughout the day. When a long ball player gets some good momentum vibes rolling, even letting them rip a driver first in the group can be huge for the team.

When everyone in the group feels like they contribute, this usually means a good day is in the works. For the long ball player, just like the other specific strength players, it’s important to keep them in the game all day. If your long drive partner can putt well also, then get used to being in the winner’s circle!

The Consistency

There’s the usual jokes about “Mr. Fairway,” or “do you ever get tired of hitting it straight?” But, when it comes down to it, any team would love to have Fred Funk in the group. The lead-off player sets the rest of the team up to be aggressive, both off the tee and for approach shots. Just like in baseball, the lead-off gets on base and the sluggers send him home.

Just think of it: the long ball teammate can then go for it on driveable par four (and that risky par five approach), the team can be aggressive knowing a quality lag putt is cozy, and with her/him already on the green to fifteen feet, it’s a green light to that corner pin position. Or, as mentioned above, they can take a safety anchor role if the bomber player wanted to let fly first on the box.

The consistent player, for example, might be your retired aunt or uncle (and might be able to play from the forward tees too), or your up-and-coming junior player. The point is, you’ll always be in good shape with this partner, as this partner is a good player…solid length, solid putter, hits lots of greens. It’s kind-of like U.S. Open style golf with them (if you were to describe them in individual stroke play), just a lot of pars and maybe a birdie or two. One is good, two even better, and three combined with a great putter or long ball is a winning team.

In closing, it really depends what you’re after for the team game. If there’s only a goal to have a fun Saturday, then four clowns will do the trick (just drink responsibly, and keep up the pace of play). Some of the trick to finding that solid formula though, if winning is the quest, will be a bit of trial and error.

Looking at yourself is a good first step: what partner strengths help your game during this format, who do you like being around, and what type of player is needed for the course.? Having a positive group is a personal favorite, so it comes down to finding that good-player clown. The long ball is very important too, as those cold Spring/Fall Midwest days come up often, and distance helps for eagle looks. The anchor is a must, as this girl or guy will save the team lots and can carry the score too. And putting, well, if you’re lucky enough to make friends with a great putter then definitely keep them nearby.

It’s almost like an NFL quarterback treating his offensive linemen well, as you’ll want to make certain this person likes you/your team. Putting will keep a group rolling well, and can spark a run of multiple birdies out of nowhere…the great putter is a huge plus in a scramble. They’ll putt well, and just being around that confidence will lift up the group to roll in a few birdies too.