Page type: Glossary / definition
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Meaning
Texas Scramble is a team format in which every player hits, the team selects one shot, and all players continue from that spot until the ball is holed. It is commonly played as a stroke-play competition, with one team score recorded for each hole.
How it matters in match play
Texas Scramble is not itself a separate match-play format in the Rules of Golf. A competition may use the scramble procedure in a match-play event, but the Committee must state the Terms of the Competition, including how teams win holes and whether handicaps apply. Many Texas Scrambles are instead team stroke-play events, where the lowest adjusted total wins.
Table
| Quick reference | Detail |
|---|---|
| Term | Texas Scramble |
| Category | general |
| Applicable rule | WHS Rules of Handicapping, Appendix C (Scramble); Rules of Golf (2023), Rules 3.1b and 24 |
| Related concepts | Scramble, Team Competition, Stroke Play, Handicap Competition, Course Handicap |
Worked example
Alex, Ben, Chris and Dana return a gross team score of 68. With Course Handicaps 8, 14, 22 and 30, the recommended four-player scramble allowances produce 2.0 + 2.8 + 3.3 + 3.0 = 11.1, rounded to a team Playing Handicap of 11, so the illustrative net score is 57.
Rule reference: WHS Rules of Handicapping, Appendix C (Scramble); Rules of Golf (2023), Rules 3.1b and 24
Sources: www.usga.org , www.usga.org , www.randa.org , www.golfmonthly.com
Common questions
Is Texas Scramble an official Rules of Golf format?
No separate Texas Scramble procedure is set out as a named format in the Rules of Golf. It is a locally organised scramble variant, so the Committee should publish the event conditions, selection procedure, scoring method and any drive requirements.
How many drives must each player take in a Texas Scramble?
There is no single universal number. A Committee may require a minimum, such as three counting tee shots in a four-player event, but that is an event condition rather than a general rule. Check the competition Terms before playing.
What handicap allowance is recommended for four-player Texas Scramble?
WHS Appendix C recommends 25%, 20%, 15% and 10% of the players’ Course Handicaps, from lowest to highest. The allowance is applied to the unrounded Course Handicap, and the Committee should specify the allowance in the Terms of the Competition.
Does every player play every shot in a Texas Scramble?
In the basic version, every player hits and the team chooses one ball for the next shot. Event conditions can add restrictions, such as requiring each player to contribute drives or preventing the player whose shot was selected from taking the next shot.
Can a Texas Scramble be played as match play?
It can be adapted for match play if the Committee sets that format and explains how each hole is won, halved or conceded. The usual Texas Scramble is a team stroke-play competition settled by the teams’ adjusted totals.
What happens after the team chooses a shot?
The other team members play their next strokes from the chosen ball’s location, subject to the event conditions and applicable Rules of Golf procedures. The team repeats the selection process until the hole is completed.