Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose greensomes when two partners want head-to-head play built around one selected tee shot and alternating shots, with the WHS 60%-low-plus-40%-high recommendation. Choose scramble when a social team wants everyone contributing to selected shots and one shared team score.
greensomes in brief
A pair chooses one of two tee shots, then plays that ball in alternate shots.
scramble in brief
A team selects the best shot, then everyone plays from that spot until the ball is holed.
Table
| Comparison | greensomes | scramble |
|---|---|---|
| One line | A pair chooses one of two tee shots, then plays that ball in alternate shots. | A team selects the best shot, then everyone plays from that spot until the ball is holed. |
| Players | 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. | Minimum 2 players in a team; ideal 4 for the standard team version. This is a team-against-field format, not inherently head-to-head, although teams can be paired for a match or side bet. |
| Scoring unit | 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. | Strokes: the team records one gross score for each hole, adds the holes for a gross round total, then subtracts the agreed team handicap for a net result. |
| Handicap method | 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. | For a four-player scramble, the WHS recommended allowance is 25% of the lowest Course Handicap, 20% of the second, 15% of the third and 10% of the highest, applied to unrounded Course Handicaps before the team Playing Handicap is rounded. For three players the recommendation is 30%/20%/10%; for two players, 35% low/15% high. The Committee or event Terms of Competition should specify the allowance, and a club may set a different approved arrangement. |
| Money settles how | 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. | Only by prior agreement: commonly one team-versus-team or pooled end-of-round settlement based on net totals. A scramble has no inherent betting or payout rule; record the stake, tie treatment and payment method before play. |
| Pace | 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. | Usually faster than ordinary individual stroke play for a team, because one selected ball is continued after each shot; it can be slower than a casual individual round when teams debate every selection or apply minimum-drive and placement conditions. This is an editorial tendency, not a measured claim. |
| Best for | 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. | Four-player social or charity days where collaboration, a forgiving team score and a clear end-of-round ranking matter more than individual score ownership. |
| Weakness | 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. | The strongest shot-maker can dominate selections, while local variations such as minimum drives or a restriction on who plays the next shot can make the format harder to explain and compare. |
Worked example
Illustrative inputs and selected terms, not historical results. 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. In this explicitly selected scramble 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.
Rule reference: WHS Rules of Handicapping 2024, Appendix C; Rules of Golf 2023, Rule 3 and Committee Procedures Section 9C where applicable
Sources: www.usga.org , www.randa.org , www.englandgolf.org , www.usga.org , www.usga.org , www.randa.org
Common questions
How do greensomes and scramble score differently?
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. For scramble: Strokes: the team records one gross score for each hole, adds the holes for a gross round total, then subtracts the agreed team handicap for a net result.
How do handicaps apply in greensomes vs scramble?
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. scramble: For a four-player scramble, the WHS recommended allowance is 25% of the lowest Course Handicap, 20% of the second, 15% of the third and 10% of the highest, applied to unrounded Course Handicaps before the team Playing Handicap is rounded. For three players the recommendation is 30%/20%/10%; for two players, 35% low/15% high. The Committee or event Terms of Competition should specify the allowance, and a club may set a different approved arrangement.
When should I choose greensomes instead of scramble?
Choose greensomes when two partners want head-to-head play built around one selected tee shot and alternating shots, with the WHS 60%-low-plus-40%-high recommendation. Choose scramble when a social team wants everyone contributing to selected shots and one shared team score.