Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose scramble when a team wants collaborative shot selection, a forgiving team score and an agreed handicap arrangement for a social round. Choose Snake when three or four players want a putting side bet settled by three-putts, with stakes and payout rules agreed beforehand.
scramble in brief
A team selects the best shot, then everyone plays from that spot until the ball is holed.
Snake in brief
A putting side bet where the last player to three-putt loses the pot.
Table
| Comparison | scramble | Snake |
|---|---|---|
| One line | A team selects the best shot, then everyone plays from that spot until the ball is holed. | A putting side bet where the last player to three-putt loses the pot. |
| Players | 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. | Minimum 2 players; ideal 3-4 players in an individual field. It can run alongside a head-to-head match, but Snake itself is not a match-play competition. |
| Scoring unit | 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. | Three-putts on completed holes. The first three-putt starts the snake, each later three-putt transfers it, and the player holding it after the agreed round is the loser. |
| Handicap method | 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. | No standard WHS handicap allowance applies to Snake because it is an informal putting side bet, not a WHS competition format. If it accompanies an underlying handicap competition, use that competition's Committee-specified allowance; do not invent a Snake percentage. |
| Money settles how | 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. | Agree a fixed dollar amount per three-putt before play. Add that amount to the pot each time, then have the final snake holder pay the pot to the other players; agree in advance whether the amount doubles, how unfinished rounds are handled and how any tie is resolved. |
| Pace | 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. | Usually the same as ordinary stroke play when everyone holes out in turn, but it can be slower if players debate whether a putt counts or add a separate token-and-settlement routine. |
| Best for | 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. | Three or four players who want a simple putting-focused side bet alongside their normal round or another agreed game, with clear stakes and no gimmes unless the group agrees otherwise. |
| Weakness | 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. | The final loss can depend on one late three-putt rather than overall scoring, and informal conventions differ on putts from the fringe, conceded putts, doubling and the payout. |
Worked example
Illustrative inputs and selected terms, not historical results. 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. Under a chosen last-three-putt Snake rule, Alex holds the Snake at the end and pays $2 to each of Ben, Chris and Dana: net −$6 for Alex and +$2 for each other player. Agree the trigger before play.
Sources: www.usga.org , www.usga.org , www.usga.org , www.golfdigest.com , www.randa.org
Common questions
How do scramble and Snake score differently?
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. For Snake: Three-putts on completed holes. The first three-putt starts the snake, each later three-putt transfers it, and the player holding it after the agreed round is the loser.
How do handicaps apply in scramble vs Snake?
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. Snake: No standard WHS handicap allowance applies to Snake because it is an informal putting side bet, not a WHS competition format. If it accompanies an underlying handicap competition, use that competition's Committee-specified allowance; do not invent a Snake percentage.
When should I choose scramble instead of Snake?
Choose scramble when a team wants collaborative shot selection, a forgiving team score and an agreed handicap arrangement for a social round. Choose Snake when three or four players want a putting side bet settled by three-putts, with stakes and payout rules agreed beforehand.