Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose Ambrose when a group wants a collaborative scramble, shared shot selection and a team result ranked by strokes. Choose Vegas when four players want a head-to-head, points-based betting game with paired scores, agreed stakes and optional house-rule variations.
Ambrose in brief
A team scramble where partners choose the best shot and continue from it.
Vegas in brief
A two-team game pairing each side's hole scores into a two-digit number.
Table
| Comparison | Ambrose | Vegas |
|---|---|---|
| One line | A team scramble where partners choose the best shot and continue from it. | A two-team game pairing each side's hole scores into a two-digit number. |
| 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 4: two teams of two; ideal 4 in one foursome. It is a head-to-head team game, not an individual field format. |
| 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. | Points per hole, calculated as the difference between the two teams' paired two-digit scores; the agreed dollar value per point converts the running total to money. |
| 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. | Vegas has no demonstrated Vegas-specific WHS allowance. If the group uses net hole scores, state that house rule before play. A defensible option for a structured two-team match is the WHS four-ball match-play recommendation: apply 90% to the difference between each player's unrounded Course Handicap and the lowest player's unrounded Course Handicap, then round to Playing Handicaps. This is an adopted four-ball benchmark, not an official rule for the casual Vegas game. |
| 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. | Agree a value per point before teeing off. Add each hole's point difference to a running team total and settle the final difference at the end; presses, birdie or eagle multipliers and payment splits are optional house rules and must be agreed first. |
| 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. | Slower than ordinary stroke play in practice because each hole requires two-digit pairing, possible score flips and point arithmetic; this is an editorial tendency, not a measured statistic. |
| 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. | A balanced foursome that enjoys a volatile team betting game, accepts large swings and is willing to write down house rules before starting. |
| 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 single birdie flip or high score can create a very large swing, and different groups use different rules for handicaps, 10-plus scores, eagles and presses. |
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. Under a selected no-flip Vegas rule, Alex 4 and Ben 5 form 45; Chris 5 and Dana 6 form 56. At $1 per point per side, the 11-point difference pays $11 from the second side to the first. Agree caps and multi-digit-score handling.
Rule reference: WHS Appendix C (scramble recommendations and unrounded Course Handicap basis; four-ball match-play recommendation is not an official Vegas rule); Rules of Golf Rule 3 (team/stroke-play framework; Ambrose is not a named standalone format) and Rule 23 (four-ball context only; Vegas remains a house game)
Sources: www.usga.org , www.randa.org , www.randa.org
Common questions
How do Ambrose and Vegas 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 Vegas: Points per hole, calculated as the difference between the two teams' paired two-digit scores; the agreed dollar value per point converts the running total to money.
How do handicaps apply in Ambrose vs Vegas?
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. Vegas: Vegas has no demonstrated Vegas-specific WHS allowance. If the group uses net hole scores, state that house rule before play. A defensible option for a structured two-team match is the WHS four-ball match-play recommendation: apply 90% to the difference between each player's unrounded Course Handicap and the lowest player's unrounded Course Handicap, then round to Playing Handicaps. This is an adopted four-ball benchmark, not an official rule for the casual Vegas game.
When should I choose Ambrose instead of Vegas?
Choose Ambrose when a group wants a collaborative scramble, shared shot selection and a team result ranked by strokes. Choose Vegas when four players want a head-to-head, points-based betting game with paired scores, agreed stakes and optional house-rule variations.