Golf Glossary
Shamble
In short
Shamble is a team format in golf. All players of a team tee off, the team chooses the best drive, and from there each player plays their own ball into the hole. Depending on the terms, the best score or the best two scores count for the team. Shamble sits between scramble and better-ball.
What is a shamble in golf?
Shamble is a team format that combines two well-known formats. The start resembles a scramble: all players of a team tee off and the team chooses the best drive. After that it resembles better-ball: each player plays their own ball into the hole, and the best scores of the team count.
Shamble is usually played in teams of two to four, above all at company days, charity events and club competitions. It is easier than normal stroke play because nobody has to carry the tee shot alone. At the same time it is more demanding than a pure scramble because everybody must play the rest of the hole themselves.
The Rules of Golf have no separate rule for the shamble. It is a format set by the committee in the terms of the competition, so details such as the number of scores counted or how the ball is placed can differ from event to event.
Shamble rules: the routine on every hole
On each hole a shamble runs in four steps.
- Step 1: all players of the team tee off.
- Step 2: the team chooses the best drive. The other balls are picked up.
- Step 3: all players play their next shot from the spot of the chosen drive, each with their own ball. Many terms require the ball to be placed within one club-length of the chosen spot, not nearer the hole and in the same area of the course.
- Step 4: from then on each player plays their own ball to the hole, as in normal golf. Everybody holes out and notes their strokes.
At the end of the hole the team score is formed from the individual scores. Usually the best score counts. Some events count the best two scores, in teams of four sometimes three. Stableford points can also be added. The terms say which applies.
Usually everyone plays the hole out so that the scores are settled. Whether a player may pick up once their score can no longer count for the team is set by the terms.
Practical example: a par 4 for a team of four
A team of four plays a 360-metre par 4. The four drives end at 180 metres in the rough, at 195 metres in the middle of the fairway, at 210 metres in a bunker and at 170 metres on the edge of the fairway. The team chooses the drive at 195 metres because it lies best.
All four place their ball near that spot and play the second shot. The first reaches the green and takes two putts, four strokes. The second finishes just short of the green and needs five. The third also takes five, the fourth six.
If the best two scores count, the team scores 4 plus 5, which is 9 for the hole. If only the best score counts, it is 4, a par. In Stableford with the best score, the par earns two points.
The example shows the benefit: even a player with a poor drive plays the second shot from a good position. The pressure on the tee is lower, but the hole is still a real hole with your own ball.
Scoring and handicaps in a shamble
How many scores count per hole is set by the terms. Common options are:
- Best score: only the best score of the team counts. This is closest to a scramble.
- Best two scores: two scores are added. That raises the challenge and rewards teams in which several players play well.
- All scores or Stableford points: for groups of mixed ability all points are sometimes added.
There is no fixed handicap rule in the rulebook. As a guide, some competitions use 85 per cent of each player’s course handicap, based on the recommendation for four-ball stroke play. The terms are binding, though. Example: a player with a course handicap of 20 plays off 17.
A shamble does not count for your personal handicap. Only rounds in which every player makes all strokes with their own ball count for handicap. In Germany these are individual results, for example from individual stroke play or Stableford. That is not the case here because the drive is chosen jointly. The format is about fun and teamwork.
Strengths and tips for your team
Shamble has strengths that make it attractive for many events.
- The pressure on the tee drops because only the best drive counts.
- Everyone has to play the rest of the hole, so the game stays demanding.
- It is a good middle way for mixed teams of beginners and experienced players.
- A round usually takes longer than a scramble because everyone plays their own ball.
Tips for your team:
- Choose the drive by lie for the second shot, not by distance. A ball on the fairway is better than a longer one in a bunker.
- Let the safest player go first if the team wants to secure a good second shot.
- Play quickly. With four balls per hole, queues build up fast.
- Agree before the start how the ball is placed and which scores count.
As an organiser, allow more time than for a scramble, especially for teams of four.
Origin of the term shamble
How the format got its name is not clearly documented. The word resembles scramble and was probably coined with it in mind, because both formats begin by choosing the best drive. There is no reliable history.
What is certain is that shamble has become established in tournament and event practice as an intermediate form between scramble and better-ball. It is played in English-speaking countries and in the German-speaking world. There is no official definition, so rules differ slightly from organiser to organiser.
It is therefore always worth reading the terms. They say how many scores count, how the ball is placed and whether handicaps are applied.
How it differs from scramble, better-ball and Florida scramble
The formats are easiest to tell apart by when each player plays their own ball.
- Scramble: all players hit before every shot and the team picks the best ball, which is played to the hole.
- Shamble: only the drive is chosen. After that each player plays their own ball.
- Better-ball: each player plays their own ball from the tee, and the best score counts. In four-ball better-ball two partners play together.
- Florida scramble: a scramble in which the player whose ball was chosen sits out the next shot.
- Texas scramble: a scramble with a minimum number of drives per player.
So shamble is a scramble for the drive and a better-ball for the rest of the hole. If you want to see how a team works together, it is a good choice.
Try it at Golf Lounge
Besides the Resort Cup and fun tournaments, Golf Lounge Resort Hamburg in Moorfleet also runs team tournaments. The format and scoring are stated in the notice for each event. Read it carefully before you register and you will know whether formats such as shamble or scramble are played. For team practice the 9-hole Black course is a good choice with the DGV Platzreife, with up to four players per tee time.
Frequently asked questions
What is a shamble in golf?
Shamble is a team format. All players tee off, the team chooses the best drive, and after that each player plays their own ball into the hole. Depending on the terms, the best score or the best two scores count for the team. It is a mix of scramble and better-ball.
What is the difference between shamble and scramble?
In a scramble the team chooses the best ball before every shot and everyone plays on from there. In a shamble only the drive is chosen. After that each player plays their own ball to the hole. Shamble is more demanding because everyone has to play the rest of the hole. The pressure on the tee is lower, though, because only the best drive counts.
How are shamble scores counted?
The terms decide. Common options are the best score per hole, the best two scores or all Stableford points of the team. In handicap events some competitions use 85 per cent of each player’s course handicap as a guide. Read the terms carefully before you start.
Does a shamble count for your handicap?
No. Only rounds in which every player makes all strokes with their own ball count for handicap, but in a shamble the drive is chosen jointly. The round therefore does not change your personal handicap.
As of: October 2026