Team formats · 2 per team players
Shamble: how to play
Also known as Bramble
Pick the best drive, then everyone plays their own ball to the hole.
A shamble is half scramble, half better ball. Both partners tee off and the team picks the better drive, but from there each player plays their own ball until it is holed. The team's score on the hole is the better of the two.
You get the scramble's comfort of a good drive on every hole with the individual challenge of finishing it yourself. Golf Daddy records both players' scores and counts the better ball automatically.
Score Shamble in Golf Daddy
Pick Shamble on the first tee and the app applies the strokes, keeps the live leaderboard and settles the points for the whole group. Free on iPhone and Android.
Shamble rules
- 1.Both partners tee off on every hole.
- 2.The team chooses the better drive; both players play their next shot from that spot.
- 3.From there each player plays their own ball until holed.
- 4.The team's score is the better of the two scores on the hole.
- 5.Lowest team total wins, gross or net.
How handicaps work
Golf Daddy applies the better-ball allowances: 85% of course handicap for stroke play and Stableford, 90% for match play. Individual scores are recorded, but shamble rounds do not count towards your handicap because you did not play your own tee shot.
Worked example
Your drive finds the trees, your partner's is in the fairway, so you both play from the fairway. You make 4, your partner 5: the team scores 4.
Tips and variations
- The player with the better drive usually plays second so the other can test the approach first.
- A shamble is a good step up for a group that finds scrambles too easy but Four Ball too hard.
- Play it as Stableford for a quicker round: pick up once you cannot beat your partner's score.
Shamble FAQs
What is the difference between a shamble and a scramble?
In a scramble the team picks the best ball after every shot. In a shamble only the drive is shared; after that each player plays their own ball.
How is a shamble scored?
Better ball: the lower score of the two partners counts on each hole, gross or net.
Does a shamble count towards my handicap?
No, because you do not always play your own tee shot. Golf Daddy still keeps your stats for the round.
Related formats
Scramble
2 to 4 per team players
Four Ball (Better Ball)
4 (two pairs) players
Greensomes
2 per team players
Play Shamble this weekend
Download Golf Daddy and let the app do the maths while you do the talking. Guests who haven't got the app can play too.