How the Scramble/Ramble Golf Format Works

Scramble/Ramble is the name of a golf tournament format for 4-player teams (3-player is also possible). In this format, one golfer on each hole contributes half the team's score, while the other three players on the team play a scramble to produce the other half of the team score.

This format is also spelled "Scramble-Ramble" or just "Scramble Ramble," and we've rarely seen it written with the Ramble in front of the Scramble. It falls into the category of 4-player games that require one, specific golfer on each team and each hole to contribute his score — putting lots of pressure on that golfer to avoid having a bad hole. (Such games include In the Bucket and Man In the Box.) "Lone Ranger" is very common alternate name for this game, and Money Ball and Devil Ball can also be synonymous.

In the parlance of the game, on each hole three team members are scrambling and one is rambling. (With a 3-player team, on each hole two players scramble while one rambles.) The score of the rambler on each hole must count for half the team score. The other three golfers play the hole as a scramble, and their scramble score combines with the ramble score to produce the team's score.

The rotation for the rambler is the usual A-B-C-D: On Hole 1, Golfer A is the rambler. One Hole 2, Golfer B is the rambler, Golfer C on Hole 3 and then Golfer D on No. 4. On the fifth hole, it's back to Golfer A, and so on through the round. A couple examples of scoring:

• On Hole 1, Golfer A in the rambler. That means golfers B, C and D are playing a scramble on that hole. If Golfer A scores 5 and B-C-D score 4 in their scramble, the team's scores on Hole 1 is 9.
• On Hole 2, Golfer B is the rambler, and golfers A-C-D are the scramble team. If the scramblers produce a score of 3 and Golfer B, the rambler, scores 4, then the team score is 7.

And so on. The scramble that the other three team members are playing on each hole is just the standard scramble format. On Hole 1 B-C-D are the scrambles, so each plays a drive. They select the best of three shots, the other two balls are moved to the location (within one club-length, no nearer the hole) of the selected drive, and the second shots are played from there. Repeat for each stroke. Meanwhile, the rambler is playing her own ball in normal fashion.

Scramble/Ramble is easy to play either with gross scores, or using handicaps for net scores. If handicaps are used, they typically apply only to the rambler on each hole (assuming the rambler's course handicap warrants a handicap stroke on the given hole); the scramblers don't apply handicaps. But that sometimes depends on the tournament organizer, so be sure to read the fine print or ask for clarification on tournament day.

More formats:

• The Ambrose Scramble format explained
• How to play a Worst Ball Scramble
• The Fort Lauderdale format explained