Each month I play in a 4 man scramble. One of the guys hits a titlist extreme off the tee but changes it to a pro v for his approach shots. Is this common practice in scrambles?
Mike
Each month I play in a 4 man scramble. One of the guys hits a titlist extreme off the tee but changes it to a pro v for his approach shots. Is this common practice in scrambles?
Mike
No. I would think that, technically, it's against the rules. Even in a 4 ball, best ball Iwould think that everyone should play their own ball from tee through the green unless it was damaged during the play of that hole.
Even in a scramble, the ball you tee of with is the ball you finish the hole with unless you lose it or physically can not hit that ball.
I don't see him changing to a better ball for the approach a problem. That type of format the rules are broken from the start.
I've been in charity tournaments where you can buy $5 mulligans. So you have 4 guys who can't make a 10' birdie putt then they use their mulligan and then one guy drains the putt for the birdie. Why would I care if someone is changing balls on their second shot.
For or the record....we are talking about the tourneys where you take the best shot and everyone hits from there right?
We call them "captain and crew" where I'm from.
1996 ProCraft 185 DC Pro, Mercury EFI 150
I always assumed in "Best ball" that is was okay to play a different ball since you're picking up 3 out of 4 balls anyway. But on a side note, my Father in law putts with a different ball than what he tee's with and it has always bugged me.
I'm guilty, I do it when I play in a scramble. I've never seen an official rule about it. You also can place the ball on that little piece of grass to give yourself a better lie, so why not take any advantage that you can.
08 Triton 17 Explorer/08 90 Merc
I do it.
I play quite a few scrambles each year. I go to have a good time, I also understand that rules are are going to be ignored. No big deal to me. Heck, I have seen the same four man team tee off 3 times on a par 3....all in good fun. I was jabbing them about it and suggested they just drive up to the green and drop it where they wanted it.
What we cannot obtain from intelligence, we can learn from experience.
If I could change balls after my tee shot I sure wouldn't be teeing off with a proV unless it was a par 3 hole.
But unless the rules for the event say otherwise, you can't change balls unless a ball is lost or deemed unplayable due to damage.
There are so many broken "rules" in best ball tournaments I assumed it was acceptable. Does the USGA have a set of best ball format rules?
No, you break a bunch of the rules of golf when playing in a scramble. There is no reason why you couldn't switch balls on your approach shot.Originally Posted by T Dub
Why can't you change balls? I have NEVER seen a scramble rule book.
Well, I don't know of a scramble rule book either. I assume even in a best ball scramble you try and stay as close to USGA rules as possible. I guess if one wanted to be a stickler, say it's a 4 player best ball. Player 1 hits a Callaway, #2 hits a Top Flight, 3 hits a Titleist and 4 hits a Srixon. They choose to use player #2's shot. Does that mean that since that was hit using a Top Flight that now all the players must hit their 2nd shot with a Top Flight? Beats me? There has to be some kind of rules in the tournaments or things would get way out of hand.
I personally don't care one way or the other.
Best ball tourneys are already way out of hand
I don't think the USGA govern's scrambles so unless the tournament has specific rules forbidding it...no blood no foul is how I look at it so switch balls, play with 15 clubs or 13 clubs just don't play with a pencil that has an eraser!!
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