Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose greensomes when two partners should alternate shots after selecting one tee shot, rewarding coordinated shot planning and a compact two-player side. Choose Texas scramble when a four-person team event should let every player contribute repeated tee shots and continue from selected balls, accepting committee-set minimums and other conditions.
greensomes in brief
A pair chooses one of two tee shots, then plays that ball in alternate shots.
Texas scramble in brief
A four-person scramble where each player contributes a set number of tee shots.
Table
| Comparison | greensomes | Texas scramble |
|---|---|---|
| One line | A pair chooses one of two tee shots, then plays that ball in alternate shots. | A four-person scramble where each player contributes a set number of tee shots. |
| 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: 4 for the standard Texas scramble; ideal: a four-player team, with multiple teams in the field. It is a team stroke-play arrangement rather than an individual or inherently head-to-head format. |
| 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. | Team strokes per hole and total strokes for the round, normally ranked as gross or net scores under the competition terms. |
| 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, WHS Appendix C recommends 25% of the lowest Course Handicap, 20% of the second, 15% of the third and 10% of the highest, applied to unrounded Course Handicaps as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap. Texas-specific terms may set a different allowance, and the committee should publish it; do not substitute Handicap Indexes directly. |
| 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. | There is no built-in stake. If players agree to money, settle it at the end of the round from the final team result or from a separately stated side game; record the amount and tie-break terms 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 slower than ordinary individual stroke play for the same number of golfers because every team member hits each shot and the team must select and mark the chosen ball, although the shared continuation ball can reduce walking and searching. |
| 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. | Club charity days, social team competitions and groups wanting repeated chances to contribute a drive, approach or putt while still producing one team score. |
| 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 name does not fix the operational rules: drive minimums, tee and ball-placement limits, handicap allowance, and tie-break method vary by Terms of the Competition, so an unclear brief can create disputes. |
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 Texas 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 Appendix C; R&A Official Guide, Committee Procedures Section 9C; R&A Rules of Golf Rule 3
Sources: www.usga.org , www.usga.org , www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.randa.org , englandigolf.co.uk
Common questions
How do greensomes and Texas 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 Texas scramble: Team strokes per hole and total strokes for the round, normally ranked as gross or net scores under the competition terms.
How do handicaps apply in greensomes vs Texas 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. Texas scramble: For a four-player scramble, WHS Appendix C recommends 25% of the lowest Course Handicap, 20% of the second, 15% of the third and 10% of the highest, applied to unrounded Course Handicaps as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap. Texas-specific terms may set a different allowance, and the committee should publish it; do not substitute Handicap Indexes directly.
When should I choose greensomes instead of Texas scramble?
Choose greensomes when two partners should alternate shots after selecting one tee shot, rewarding coordinated shot planning and a compact two-player side. Choose Texas scramble when a four-person team event should let every player contribute repeated tee shots and continue from selected balls, accepting committee-set minimums and other conditions.