Golf Glossary
Florida Scramble
In short
The Florida scramble is a team format in golf and a variation of the scramble. The team always plays on from the best ball. However, the player whose shot was chosen sits out the next shot. That way no single player can carry the hole alone, and every team member regularly has to produce a good shot.
Florida scramble in golf: the meaning explained
The Florida scramble builds on the ordinary scramble. In a scramble all players in a team tee off, the team chooses the best ball and everyone plays on from that spot. This repeats until the ball is holed. One shared score counts per hole.
The Florida scramble adds one rule: the player whose shot the team has chosen may not play the next shot. He or she sits out. The other team members hit from the chosen spot. The team then chooses the best ball again, and the player of that shot sits out the following shot.
It is usually played with teams of four, sometimes three. With four players, three people hit after the tee shot, with three players only two. Because the rule regularly takes the best player out of the game, the load is spread across everyone. That makes the format particularly appealing for teams of mixed ability.
In English the format is also called a step-aside scramble or drop-out scramble. All the names refer to the same principle of sitting out.
The procedure step by step
A hole in a Florida scramble is played like this:
- Tee shot: all players in the team tee off. Nobody sits out here.
- Selection: the team chooses the best ball. The player of that shot notes that he or she sits out the next shot.
- Second shot: the other players place their balls at the chosen spot and hit from there. How close the ball must be to the marked spot is set by the competition terms. A club length, no nearer the hole, is common.
- Repeat: after every shot a new choice is made. Whoever has just played and been chosen sits out the following shot.
- Entry: the team writes one shared score on the scorecard.
On the green the sit-out rule applies or not depending on the terms. In many events the player with the chosen putt sits out the next putt. Some organisers exempt putting from the rule. This is in the conditions of play and should be settled before the start.
The Rules of Golf themselves do not describe the Florida scramble. It is one of the formats the Committee sets out in its conditions of play.
Practical example: a par-4 hole
A team of four players, A, B, C and D, plays a par-4 hole of 380 metres.
- Tee shot: A hits 220 metres onto the fairway, B 240 metres into the rough, C 250 metres onto the fairway and D 200 metres onto the fairway. The team chooses C's ball. C sits out the next shot.
- Second shot: A, B and D hit from about 130 metres to the green. B finishes four metres from the flag. The team chooses this ball. B sits out.
- Third shot, first putt: A, C and D putt from four metres. D leaves the ball 30 centimetres from the hole. The team chooses this ball and D sits out.
- Fourth shot: A, B and C try the short putt. C holes it.
The team completed the hole in four strokes, a par. Note that the score is the number of chosen shots and not the number of balls played. On this hole thirteen balls were hit in total, but the team counts only four strokes.
Handicap and scoring in a Florida scramble
Because a team always plays from the best ball, results are much better than for an individual. The team handicap is therefore much smaller than the sum of the individual handicaps. The competition terms say how it is calculated.
The World Handicap System gives a recommendation in Appendix C for four-person scrambles. The player with the lowest handicap contributes 25 per cent, the second 20 per cent, the third 15 per cent and the one with the highest handicap 10 per cent. The values are added and rounded.
Example: the handicaps are 6, 14, 22 and 30. That gives 1.5 plus 2.8 plus 3.3 plus 3.0, together 10.6. The team plays off 11. Some events use simpler formulas, such as a fixed share of the total handicap, or score gross only.
A Florida scramble does not count for your personal handicap. In the World Handicap System only formats in which each player plays their own ball are accepted. In a scramble the team plays one shared ball, so no personal score results.
Many organisers also award special prizes, for example for the longest drive or the shot closest to the pin.
Florida scramble, Texas scramble and shamble compared
Several formats sound alike and are easily confused.
- Scramble: the umbrella term for playing on from the best ball.
- Texas scramble: the usual German name, often with a minimum number of drives per player. All players hit every shot.
- Florida scramble: whoever made the chosen shot sits out. Fewer players hit and the game becomes harder.
- Shamble: only the tee shot is chosen. After that everyone plays their own ball to the hole and the best individual scores count.
- Ambrose: the usual name in Australia and New Zealand for a scramble, mostly with a team handicap.
The big difference from the Texas scramble is the sit-out rule. A good player can take part in every shot of a Texas scramble. In a Florida scramble the team has to manage without that player after every good shot. Results are therefore usually slightly worse than in a Texas scramble.
Where the name Florida comes from is not documented. What matters is that the competition terms give the details, because organisers set their own local rules.
Tactics: how to play a good Florida scramble
The sit-out rule turns the choice of ball into a tactical decision.
- Do not simply choose the best ball. If the second best is almost as good, it can be wise to take it. That keeps the strongest player in the game for the next shot.
- Plan the putts. A reliable putter should not have to sit out too early. On short distances the last putt often decides.
- Share the roles. A long hitter goes first and a dependable player holes out at the end.
- Talk to each other. Before every shot the team agrees who plays which line. That way the shots complement each other.
- Watch the minimum number of drives if the terms demand one.
In a Florida scramble teams quickly learn that every player is needed. That makes the format popular for company events and fun competitions, because even weaker players regularly contribute decisive shots.
Etiquette and pace: what teams should watch
With several players hitting each shot, pace can slow down. A few habits save time.
- Prepare the next shot while the team is still choosing. The player who has to sit out can already study the lie.
- Play promptly once the ball is chosen. Whoever does not sit out hits straight away.
- Mark the chosen spot clearly, for example with a tee or ball marker. That way everyone places their ball in the right place.
- Rake bunkers and repair divots and pitch marks. Course care applies in a fun competition too.
- Be considerate to the group behind. Let them through if necessary.
A Florida scramble is a good format for experiencing golf in a three or a four without performance pressure. If you like, you can practise your first shots beforehand in a taster course.
Try it at Golf Lounge
Golf Lounge Resort Hamburg in Moorfleet offers several competition formats: the Resort Cup as its house competition, team competitions, fun competitions and ranking competitions. The ranking competitions count for handicap and are played on partner courses. The format of each team competition and how the team handicap is worked out are always set out in its competition terms. Read them carefully before entering, so you know, for example, whether a sit-out rule applies.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Florida scramble in golf?
A Florida scramble is a variation of the scramble for teams. Everyone tees off, the team chooses the best ball and plays on from it. The player whose shot was chosen sits out the next shot. That way each team member has to produce a good shot regularly. One shared score counts per hole.
What is the difference between a Florida scramble and a Texas scramble?
In a Texas scramble all players hit every shot. In a Florida scramble the player whose ball was chosen sits out the next shot. After every good shot the team therefore lacks the player of that shot. That makes the format harder and spreads the load across everyone.
How is the handicap worked out in a Florida scramble?
The competition terms set the calculation. The World Handicap System recommends 25, 20, 15 and 10 per cent of the handicaps for four-person scrambles, from lowest to highest. The values are added and rounded. Simpler formulas, such as a fixed share of the total handicap, are also common.
Does the sit-out rule apply to putting?
That depends on the competition terms. In many events the player with the chosen putt sits out the next putt. Other organisers exempt putting from the rule so that the best putter can always play. Settle it before the start.
Does a Florida scramble count for the handicap?
No. In the World Handicap System only rounds in which each player plays their own ball count. In a Florida scramble the team plays one shared ball. No personal score results, so it cannot be submitted for the handicap.
As of: October 2026