[Kent]

scramble plans gone wrong

A golfing buddy and I showed up at a golf course without a tee time because this course only takes tee times for 4somes.
As it turns out, there was a scramble tourney going on, and one group was short 2 guys so they asked us if we would like to fill in.
I love scrambles, with the strategies, the 4 chances, and sheer fun of it.

I was about 5 or so hdcp I think, my buddy was still basically a beginner with maybe a 25. the other 2 guys were maybe a 15 and a 20.

This scramble had the usual rule for dealing with the situation of diverse handicaps, that being you must use each players drive at least 3 times (counting par 3's). That means we had 6 freebies.

My basic strategy is to use the 'poor' players drives as soon as possible and after that the best drive in the group. Usually my teams go with this strategy.

In this case, the guy with the 20 hdcp was a control freak and was bossing the team. Telling us what order we would tee up, putt and even selecting the drive to use.
I was by the far the better driver, but would not always have the best drive.

We came to the 14th and everyone has had their drive used except for Joe, my golf buddy.
On 14 he hit a decent drive and I wanted to use his, but Mr. Bossman wanted to use mine because it was much further. We argued about it and eventually I gave in. I had my doubts about Joe getting in another good drive.

In the hopes that Joe would get a drive we could use never happened.

We are the 18th tee, now required to use Joes drive no matter what.
As it happens, the 18th is a relatively easy par 3, with the only trouble being an OB where the parking lot is.

Since we were going to use Joes drive no matter we all hit to the green to give Joe an idea how far it was. All 3 of us were on the green, and my ball was only about 2 feet from the hole.

Joe is good at pressure, he has bowled 2 300 games, pitched a no hitter in hi-school, so I felt he could do it.

But for some reason, golf has its own brand of pressure. Trevino defined pressure as making a $100 bet that you can make a 20 foot putt when you have only $5 in your pocket.

Here is where the good news bad news happened.

Bad News: Joe shanks the ball into the parking lot a low screamer that looks like a freight train on its way to oblivian.
Good News: It hits a car and bounces back into play barely on the golf course.
Bad News: The ball is only halfway to the green and we have to get over a big tree.
Good News: I think I can get it over the tree. (the others try and can't).
Good News: I get it over the tree.
Bad News: I am short of the green about 20 feet from the pin.

We all do our best to chip in for a par and yet end up with a bogey, the only bogey of the day.

We end up with a 65 and lose the tourney by 1 shot. I hate losing especially when I felt we could have won.

Could we have won the tourney had we done it my way?
How do you stand up to guy who you feel will club you to death if he does not have control?
I look back on that 14th hole situation and feel I did all I could, after all it is only a game and also feel that I failed to meet the challenge on the 18th.

I think I would have felt better had we gotten the par on 18 than I would have convincing the other guy I was right.

I know Joe would have felt better had we parred the 18th.

All kinds of fun that even though we did not win.

Regards,

Kent

 

[white_tiger_137]

You were right. The worst golfer in a foursome has enough pressure put on him already without being required to hit a good drive on the last hole to win a tourney. If this control freak wasn't a friend of yours, tell him off. You might never even see him again, but he might have forgiven you anyway if you had won the tourney.

 

[Force Kin]

You were definitely right, but you're like me. I don't like to get too forceful in situations like that. I have encountered almost identical situations, and I have found that the best way is to pull this dude aside at some point, and speak to him like he's as good of player as you. In this case, I would have tried to find some time to get him alone and say "Listen, I'm worried that Joe might not get his drives in today. I play with him all the time and if he gets one out there we should take it." Also, I always insist to shoot last, if possible, and if Joe were to get one out there, I'd purposely skank one. I hate doing that, but if you've got a pushy guy you got to do what you got to do. I'm like you - I go into scrambles expecting to win, and strategy is everything.

Great story Kent.

 

[fitz-uk]

The last one we played in worked well.

We picked the best drives based on the current situation and not just whos hit it furthest, to try and get some of the weaker drivers up to their quota.

On approach shots we tried to sandwich the two weaker golfers between the two lower handicaps. The theory being that the first person chipping should be able to put it within or less than 10ft, so that the next three could really have a go at the hole.

The key to this was to make sure that the first person to chip was the strongest around the green.

On a side note, I find this format very enjoyable and makes a nice change from normal medal or stapleford.