Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
Free tool: Open the calculator →
When each fits
Choose Hammer when two golfers want head-to-head match play with a modest, pre-agreed stake and enjoy negotiating risk on each hole. Choose scramble when a social or charity team wants collaborative shot selection, a forgiving team score and a clear end-of-round ranking rather than individual score ownership.
Hammer in brief
A match-play side game where players can call a hammer to double the current hole’s agreed stake.
scramble in brief
A team selects the best shot, then everyone plays from that spot until the ball is holed.
Table
| Comparison | Hammer | scramble |
|---|---|---|
| One line | A match-play side game where players can call a hammer to double the current hole’s agreed stake. | A team selects the best shot, then everyone plays from that spot until the ball is holed. |
| Players | Minimum 2; ideal 2 head-to-head or 4 as two sides. A three-player version is a house arrangement, not covered here. | 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 | The hole, with a dollar stake attached; the hole winner receives the agreed current stake. A halved hole and carryover treatment must be agreed before play. | 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 | Hammer has no separate WHS allowance. If the underlying game is individual match play, WHS Appendix C recommends 100% of each player’s unrounded Course Handicap when calculating Playing Handicap; the lowest Playing Handicap normally plays off zero and others receive the difference. For four-ball match play, Appendix C recommends 90%. Confirm the Committee or group’s Terms because Hammer is an informal overlay. | 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 | Set a base stake before teeing off, such as $1 per hole. A valid hammer doubles the current stake; agree whether it is automatic or may be declined, whether halved-hole stakes carry forward, and whether the stake resets after a won hole. Settle net amounts at the end, not by treating a casual side game as an official Rules competition. | 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 the same as match play or slower than ordinary stroke play, as each hole still uses match-play scoring but calling, accepting and recording doubles adds decisions. 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 | Two golfers who want head-to-head match play with a negotiated money side game, or four golfers already comfortable with two-sided match play and clear pre-round limits. It suits players who enjoy risk decisions and can keep the stake modest. | 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 | The stake can escalate quickly, and unclear choices about acceptance, carryovers, timing, concessions or four-ball sides can create arguments. The group must agree a cap or stop rule if players do not want an unexpected liability. | 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. For an accepted single hammer on an agreed $2 hole stake, the stake becomes $4. If Alex wins the hole, Ben pays Alex $4 under that expressly chosen house rule. 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: Rules of Golf Rule 3.2 for the underlying Hammer match play; WHS Appendix C for recognised match-play and scramble handicap recommendations; scramble event conditions remain subject to the Committee's Terms of Competition.
Sources: www.golfdigest.com , www.usga.org , www.usga.org , www.randa.org , www.usga.org
Common questions
How do Hammer and scramble score differently?
For Hammer: The hole, with a dollar stake attached; the hole winner receives the agreed current stake. A halved hole and carryover treatment must be agreed before play. 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 Hammer vs scramble?
Hammer: Hammer has no separate WHS allowance. If the underlying game is individual match play, WHS Appendix C recommends 100% of each player’s unrounded Course Handicap when calculating Playing Handicap; the lowest Playing Handicap normally plays off zero and others receive the difference. For four-ball match play, Appendix C recommends 90%. Confirm the Committee or group’s Terms because Hammer is an informal overlay. 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 Hammer instead of scramble?
Choose Hammer when two golfers want head-to-head match play with a modest, pre-agreed stake and enjoy negotiating risk on each hole. Choose scramble when a social or charity team wants collaborative shot selection, a forgiving team score and a clear end-of-round ranking rather than individual score ownership.