Best Ball vs Scramble: Golf Team Formats

Split image comparing best ball, where four players each play their own ball to the green, with a scramble, where all four play from the best shot

In a scramble, every player hits, the team picks the best shot, and everyone plays the next shot from there, so the team records one score. In best ball, each player plays their own ball and the team counts the lowest score. Best ball is closer to normal golf, and two-person best ball (four-ball) scores can count for handicap.

This guide explains how each format works, how they compare with shambles and alternate shot, and how handicaps are applied in each. It also shows how to run either one with a live team leaderboard on TheGrint.

If you're organizing a trip or a club match, Teams Cup on TheGrint runs multi-session team events with formats like Four-Ball, Scramble and Alternate Shot.

How does a scramble work in golf?

In a scramble, all players on the team hit a tee shot, the team chooses the best one, and every player hits their next shot from that spot. The team repeats this until the ball is holed, and records one score for the hole.

Team size: usually two or four players, sometimes three.
Placing the ball: each player places a ball near the chosen spot, often within one club-length and no closer to the hole. The event's rules set the exact distance.
Drive requirements: many events require a minimum number of each player's drives to be used, so one long hitter can't carry the team.
Putting: every player can putt from the chosen spot until someone holes it.

Because the team gets the best of several shots every time, scramble scores are well under what any one player would shoot. That makes it the most popular format for charity outings and mixed-ability groups.

What is best ball in golf?

Best ball is a team format where each golfer plays their own ball for the whole hole and the team's score is the lowest score among its players. In two-person teams it is called four-ball, the format used in team matches under the Rules of Golf.

Two-person best ball (four-ball): two partners each play their own ball, and the better score counts on each hole.
Larger teams: some events count the best one, two or three scores out of four players on each hole.
Net or gross: best ball is often played net, with handicap strokes applied to each player's own score.

Best ball rewards a partner who can make a birdie while the other plays safe, and it still makes every player hit every shot.

What's the difference between best ball and a scramble?

The main difference is the ball: in a scramble the team plays one ball from the best shot each time, while in best ball every player plays their own ball and only the scores are combined. Here is how the common team formats compare:

Format	How it's played	What counts on each hole	USGA^® recommended handicap allowance	Can scores be posted for handicap?
Scramble	Everyone tees off; the team picks the best shot and all play from there	One team score	2 players: 35% low + 15% high. 4 players: 25/20/15/10%	No
Shamble	Everyone tees off, the team picks the best drive, then each plays their own ball in	Best one or more scores, set by the event	Set by the event	No
Best ball (four-ball stroke play)	Each player plays their own ball the whole hole	Lower score of the two partners	85% of each Course Handicap^™	Yes
Four-ball match play	Each player plays their own ball; pairs play a match	Lower score of the two partners wins or halves the hole	90%, off the lowest player	Yes
Alternate shot (foursomes)	Partners take turns hitting one ball	One team score	50% of the combined team handicap	No

Allowances are the USGA^® recommendations in Appendix C of the Rules of Handicapping, and an event can set its own. Posting is based on the authorized formats of play in Rule 2.1a: four-ball stroke play and four-ball match play are on the list, and scrambles, shambles and alternate shot are not. Source: USGA, Rule 2.1a.

Which format should your group play?

Pick a scramble when you want a relaxed, social round with a wide range of abilities, and pick best ball when you want something closer to a real round, where every player's own score matters.

Charity outing or new golfers: scramble. Weaker players contribute without the pressure of their own score.
Regular group or club match: best ball, played net. It keeps everyone playing their own ball and works well with handicaps.
Something in between: a shamble, which keeps the best-drive start of a scramble but has everyone finish the hole with their own ball.
Team golf trip: mix them. Many golf trips play a session of four-ball, a session of alternate shot and a scramble day.

How do handicaps work in a scramble and in best ball?

In a scramble, the team gets one combined handicap, made from a percentage of each player's Course Handicap^™. In best ball, each player keeps their own handicap, reduced by an allowance, and their strokes apply to their own score.

2-person scramble: 35% of the lower Course Handicap plus 15% of the higher one. Partners on 8 and 20 make 2.8 + 3.0 = 5.8, so the team plays off 6.
4-person scramble: 25%, 20%, 15% and 10%, from the lowest Course Handicap to the highest.
Four-ball stroke play: each player gets 85% of their own Course Handicap.
Four-ball match play: 90%, with strokes based on the difference from the lowest player in the match.

For worked examples of every format, see our guide to golf handicap allowances.

How do you play best ball or a scramble on TheGrint?

TheGrint can score both formats live. Best Ball is one of the six games every member gets for free, and a Teams Leaderboard runs a scramble or a team best ball for any size of event, even a single foursome.

Best Ball in a normal round: set up the Best Ball game in round setup, and TheGrint keeps the team score as you enter scores. Pro members also get the 2nd Ball Tiebreaker and Longest Yard versions, and can run several games at once.
Scramble, or best ball as a team: a scramble can't be set up from a normal round. Tap Play, then Play on a Leaderboard, then Teams Leaderboard, and choose Scramble as the competition type. It works for one foursome or for several groups, and you can set up a team best ball the same way. Leaderboards are free for every member. See how to set up a leaderboard.
Team events over several rounds: Teams Cup supports up to 8 sessions, each with its own course and format, and sets default team handicaps for Four-Ball, Alternate Shot and 2-person Scramble that you can edit.

See every format on golf games on TheGrint.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is best ball the same as a scramble?

No. In a scramble, the team picks the best shot and everyone plays from that spot, so the team plays one ball. In best ball, every player plays their own ball for the whole hole, and the team counts the lowest score. Scrambles produce much lower scores than best ball.

Is best ball the same as four-ball?

Two-person best ball is four-ball: two partners each play their own ball, and the better score on each hole counts for the team. "Best ball" is also used for larger teams that count the best one, two or three scores out of four players.

Do scramble scores count toward a handicap?

No. A scramble is not an authorized format of play under Rule 2.1a of the Rules of Handicapping, so scramble scores can't be posted for handicap purposes. Four-ball stroke play and four-ball match play are authorized, so best ball scores in those formats can be posted.

What is a shamble in golf?

A shamble starts like a scramble: every player tees off and the team picks the best drive. From there, each player plays their own ball into the hole, and the event decides how many scores count. It sits between a scramble and best ball in difficulty.

How do you handicap a 2-person scramble?

The USGA recommends 35% of the lower Course Handicap plus 15% of the higher one. For partners on 8 and 20, that is 2.8 plus 3.0, or 5.8, so the team plays off 6. On TheGrint, Teams Cup uses this split as the default 2-person scramble handicap.

Run your next team game on TheGrint

Set up Best Ball in round setup, or start a Teams Leaderboard for a scramble, even with one foursome, and TheGrint keeps the live team score with free GPS distances for everyone. Get TheGrint.