Hitting the Course with a Shamble
So, we got out on the course the other day. Decided to switch things up from the usual routine. Heard about this game called a shamble, figured we’d give it a whirl. Just me and a couple of buddies looking to have some fun, not take it too seriously, you know?
It kicked off like any round, really. Everyone stepped up to the first tee. Took their swings. Some good, some… well, let’s just say not everyone found the fairway. That’s golf, right?
Picking the Best Drive (Mostly Dave’s)
Here’s where it got interesting. After everyone hit their tee shot, we all wandered down the fairway. Or into the rough, in some cases. We looked at all the balls and picked the best one. Usually, that meant finding where Dave smacked his. The guy hits it a mile.
Once we picked that best drive, that spot became our starting point for the next shot. This part felt a bit like a scramble, using the best position off the tee.
Playing Your Own Game
But here’s the kicker, the main difference. From that chosen spot, everyone played their own ball for the rest of the hole. This wasn’t like a scramble where you play the best shot every time. Nope. After that one great drive we all shared, it was back to reality. Your ball, your shots, your problem all the way to the cup.
It felt a bit strange at first. You get this boost from a potentially great drive, maybe 50 yards further than you’d normally hit it. Then, bam, the pressure’s right back on you for that second shot. Can’t hide behind your teammates’ shots anymore.
We had some moments, for sure. I remember on the 5th hole, we used Sarah’s drive which was perfectly placed. Then I proceeded to chunk my approach shot. So much for the advantage, right? But then Mike, from the same spot, hit a beauty right onto the green. That’s the shamble for you.
How Scoring Worked Out
Scoring was pretty straightforward. On each hole, we just took the lowest individual score from our group.
- If I got a 4, Dave got a 5, and Sarah got a 6, we wrote down a 4 for the team.
- Sometimes two people tied for the low score, didn’t matter, just took that number.
It kept things competitive but still relaxed. You wanted to play well for yourself, but also help the team score.
Final Thoughts on the Shamble
So, what did I think? It was pretty good fun. Definitely different.
Pros: Takes some pressure off the tee shot, especially if you’re not a long hitter. You still get to play most of the hole yourself.
Cons: You can still mess up badly even from a great spot! No hiding after that first shot.
It’s a nice middle ground. Not as much pressure as playing your own ball the whole way, but more individual play than a standard scramble. We finished up, had a few laughs about the bad shots, high-fived the good ones. Yeah, I’d play a shamble again. Good way to mix it up with friends.
