Page type: Regional rules guide
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Regional conventions and their limits
In the UK, Texas Scramble is generally a four-player team version of scramble. The R&A says each player hits from the tee, the team selects one shot, and everyone plays the next shot from that place; it describes Texas Scramble as normally requiring a minimum number of tee shots from each team member. The exact minimum, placement restrictions and any “own ball” requirement on par threes should be written in the competition terms, because the R&A presents these as variations rather than one universal prescription. England Golf lists “Scramble/Texas Scramble” in its Playing Handicap Allowances material. For four players, the WHS recommended allowance is 25%, 20%, 15% and 10% of the players’ Course Handicaps, ordered from lowest to highest handicap. The allowance is applied to the unrounded Course Handicap as the final step in calculating Playing Handicap; the committee should specify the allowance and terms. This is usually a stroke-play team event, not match play, and a club or charity day may adopt additional house conditions. Do not assume a UK-wide drive quota or a single rounding rule without reading that event’s terms.
Table
| Item | Regional reference |
|---|---|
| Format | Texas scramble |
| Region | UK |
| Local name | Texas Scramble; England Golf groups the format with “Scramble/Texas Scramble” for handicap guidance. The R&A describes it as a four-person team scramble, so “Texas scramble” is best treated as a named variation rather than a separate UK Rules of Golf format. |
| Rules context | R&A Official Guide to the Rules of Golf, Committee Procedures, Section 9C (Other Forms of Play); WHS Rules of Handicapping, Appendix C |
Worked example
Illustrative only: Alex, Ben, Chris and Dana have Course Handicaps of 8, 14, 22 and 30. If the committee adopts the recommended four-player allowance, the team allowance calculation is 25%×8 + 20%×14 + 15%×22 + 10%×30 = 2.0 + 2.8 + 3.3 + 3.0 = 11.1 strokes before the competition’s specified rounding procedure; the published terms decide how that team Playing Handicap is recorded.
Rule reference: R&A Official Guide to the Rules of Golf, Committee Procedures, Section 9C (Other Forms of Play); WHS Rules of Handicapping, Appendix C
Sources: www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.englandgolf.org , www.usga.org
Common questions
Is Texas Scramble an official Rules of Golf format in the UK?
It is an established alternative team format described by the R&A, but it is not a standalone format with one universal set of conditions. The committee must state the event’s modifications, such as minimum drives and any par-three requirement.
What handicap allowance is recommended for a four-player UK Texas Scramble?
The WHS recommended scramble allowance is 25%, 20%, 15% and 10%, applied in order from the lowest to highest handicap. Check the competition terms because the committee specifies the allowance and conditions.
Does every player have to use the same number of drives?
Not automatically. The R&A says Texas Scramble normally requires a minimum number of tee shots from each member, but the number is an event condition. Read the club or organiser’s terms rather than assuming a national quota.