Which spots are on your list of must-see golf destinations? St. Andrews is an easy one, same with Pebble Beach, Pinehurst, Bandon and Cabot. What about Florida? South Beach, anyone?
Sure, Miami doesn’t have the same cache as some of the aforementioned spots. But the namesake behind this week’s golf gambling game, the Miami Scramble, deserves at least a tip of the cap for birthing a unique twist on a timeless golf format. Here’s how you and your buddies can play.
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Let’s Review
The traditional scramble is a format used by golfers around the world, often in the case of large outings and events. In a scramble, all four golfers play the best ball of their foursome on each successive shot until the ball is in the hole.
As a result of each golfer playing the foursome’s best shot, a scramble generally sees improved scoring and pace of play. However, the nature of the format also lends itself to getting dominated by groups featuring one highly-skilled golfer.
The Big Picture
In a Miami Scramble, the rules of a traditional scramble are flipped on their head. As opposed to a single low-handicap golfer carrying his or her team, a Miami Scramble requires a team’s weakest players to perform well in order to be successful.
The Rules
- All four golfers tee off as they normally would in a scramble. As is customary, the group then chooses which tee shot it will play its next shot from.
- The golfer whose tee shot is selected is then deactivated — he or she may not hit another shot until the ball is safely on the green. It is now the responsibility of the remaining three players to land their approaches on the green.
- Once the team’s remaining players have landed their approaches on the green, the deactivated golfer may rejoin play. From here, all four golfers may now take turns putting from the spot of their best ball.
Why You Should Try It
A Miami Scramble requires a combination of ability and strategy from all four players. Teams who use their best player’s tee shot are forced to rely on their other three golfers to carry the remainder of the hole, while those who opt to rely on a tee shot from their lesser players risk losing birdie opportunities off the tee box.
In either case, teams who wish to score well in a Miami Scramble are only as good as their weakest link. If you’re ready to raise the stakes (and the temperature) in your next round, it’s time to try the Miami Scramble.
