Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose Ambrose when a larger team wants shared shot selection and a forgiving round-long stroke-play result, with scramble Terms agreed in advance. Choose greensomes when two-player pairs want both partners teeing off, one tee shot selected, and alternate-shot play thereafter.
Ambrose in brief
A team scramble where partners choose the best shot and continue from it.
greensomes in brief
A pair chooses one of two tee shots, then plays that ball in alternate shots.
Table
| Comparison | Ambrose | greensomes |
|---|---|---|
| One line | A team scramble where partners choose the best shot and continue from it. | A pair chooses one of two tee shots, then plays that ball in alternate shots. |
| Players | Minimum 2 players; ideal 4 players per team in a conventional event. This is a team-versus-field stroke-play arrangement, not a head-to-head match by definition; event Terms may set another team size. | Minimum 2 players as one pair; ideal 4 players as two pairs in head-to-head match play or a two-pair stroke-play field. Larger fields can run multiple pairs under the Committee's terms. |
| Scoring unit | Strokes: the team records one gross score for each hole and ranks total gross or net strokes over the round, according to the event Terms. | Strokes per hole, normally totalled as gross or net stroke play; the same pair-versus-pair structure can be used for match play if the competition terms say so. |
| Handicap method | Ambrose has no single universal handicap convention. For a four-player scramble, WHS Appendix C recommends 25% of the lowest Course Handicap plus 20% of the next, 15% of the next and 10% of the highest; for three players it recommends 30%/20%/10%, and for two players 35%/15%. Apply the allowance to unrounded Course Handicaps as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap, and have the Committee state the allowance and rounding in the Terms. These scramble recommendations are guidance for organised competitions, not proof that every Ambrose event uses them. | For a team handicap, apply the recommended WHS allowance of 60% of the lower player's unrounded Course Handicap plus 40% of the higher player's unrounded Course Handicap, then follow the applicable Playing Handicap and competition terms. In match play, the lowest team Playing Handicap generally plays off zero and the other team receives the difference, but the Committee sets the allowance and terms. |
| Money settles how | No money settlement is inherent. If players agree stakes, settle after the round from the agreed gross or net team ranking, or use a separately stated side game; record the amount, tie-break and payment rule before tee-off. | Only by prior agreement: settle a match stake at the end of the match, or settle a stroke-play pool after the final net scores. Greensomes itself does not prescribe money, stakes, or a payout method. |
| Pace | Usually slower than ordinary individual stroke play when comparing the same number of players, because each team plays multiple shots from each position and then discusses which ball to select. Actual pace depends on team size, course traffic and the event's selection rules; this is an editorial tendency, not a measured fact. | Usually slower than ordinary four-ball stroke play because each hole starts with two tee shots and the chosen ball is then played alternately; this is an editorial tendency, not a measured timing claim. |
| Best for | Club days, charity events and social team competitions where players want shared decisions and a forgiving team result. Four-person teams are a practical choice when the organiser wants broad participation, but the event should publish its drive minimums, shot-selection procedure, handicaps, ties and any local conditions. | Pairs who want shared decisions and alternate-shot pressure while keeping both players involved from every tee. It suits a four-player head-to-head match or a small pairs competition with clear Committee terms. |
| Weakness | The name does not settle the important local details: team size, minimum drives, whether every player must contribute a selected shot, handicap formula, limits on repeated selections and tie-breaks can vary. Without written Terms, teams can apply different versions of Ambrose and dispute both fairness and pace. | A poor tee-shot choice can leave the partner an awkward second shot, and alternate play means one mistake can affect the whole pair. Minimum tee-shot quotas, tie procedures, and whether the event is stroke play or match play must be settled in advance. |
Worked example
Illustrative inputs and selected terms, not historical results. In this explicitly selected Ambrose event, Alex's side selects a shot at each stage and records 4; Ben's side records 5. The team sizes, selected-shot procedures and gross or net contest are event terms. Alex and Ben both tee off, select Alex's drive, and Ben plays the second shot before alternate play finishes in 4. Chris and Dana finish in 5, so the first side wins this defined scratch hole.
Rule reference: WHS Appendix C (recommended scramble and greensomes allowances, unrounded Course Handicap basis and Committee Terms); Rules of Golf Rule 3 (team/stroke-play framework); greensomes procedure is governed by competition Terms rather than a standalone Rules of Golf format.
Sources: www.usga.org , www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.usga.org , englandigolf.co.uk
Common questions
How do Ambrose and greensomes score differently?
For Ambrose: Strokes: the team records one gross score for each hole and ranks total gross or net strokes over the round, according to the event Terms. For greensomes: Strokes per hole, normally totalled as gross or net stroke play; the same pair-versus-pair structure can be used for match play if the competition terms say so.
How do handicaps apply in Ambrose vs greensomes?
Ambrose: Ambrose has no single universal handicap convention. For a four-player scramble, WHS Appendix C recommends 25% of the lowest Course Handicap plus 20% of the next, 15% of the next and 10% of the highest; for three players it recommends 30%/20%/10%, and for two players 35%/15%. Apply the allowance to unrounded Course Handicaps as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap, and have the Committee state the allowance and rounding in the Terms. These scramble recommendations are guidance for organised competitions, not proof that every Ambrose event uses them. greensomes: For a team handicap, apply the recommended WHS allowance of 60% of the lower player's unrounded Course Handicap plus 40% of the higher player's unrounded Course Handicap, then follow the applicable Playing Handicap and competition terms. In match play, the lowest team Playing Handicap generally plays off zero and the other team receives the difference, but the Committee sets the allowance and terms.
When should I choose Ambrose instead of greensomes?
Choose Ambrose when a larger team wants shared shot selection and a forgiving round-long stroke-play result, with scramble Terms agreed in advance. Choose greensomes when two-player pairs want both partners teeing off, one tee shot selected, and alternate-shot play thereafter.