Team golf
Shamble Golf Format: Rules and Team Scoring
In a shamble, the team selects a drive and each player continues with their own ball from that position. The shared decision is the starting drive; the remaining shots are not repeatedly selected as they would be in a scramble.
Competitive Play · Updated October 22, 2026
From shared drive to team total
Fictional gross example. Each player finishes with their own ball after the chosen drive. The event decides how many scores count, placement, handicaps and any drive minimums.
The short version
- Choose one team drive, then each player finishes with their own ball.
- Every player counts the shared drive as their first stroke in the example.
- The event decides counting scores, placement, drive requirements and handicaps.
Watch the team branch into four balls
Ava, Ben, Cara and Devon each hit a drive. The team selects Ava's position. In this fictional example, all four players now play their second shots from the event-authorized position and finish their own balls.
| Player | Strokes after the selected drive | Selected-drive stroke | Individual gross score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ava | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Ben | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| Cara | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| Devon | 3 | 1 | 4 |
The selected drive counts as the first stroke in each illustrated score. Finishing from the chosen position does not make the next shot stroke one.
Then follow the scoring terms
If the event counts one score: the team's counting gross score on this hole is 4.
If it counts two scores: Ava's 4 and Devon's 4 produce a combined 8. These are two different players' scores. Ben and Cara still complete their own balls under the event's conditions; the diagram does not merge everyone back into one shared ball after the approach.
These are separate organizer choices, not two scores simultaneously posted for the same event. The example uses gross scores so that the selected-score arithmetic is visible.
Shamble, scramble and best ball
| Format | What happens after a drive? |
|---|---|
| Shamble | Select a team drive, then finish with individual balls |
| Scramble | Continue selecting a shot and playing from the selected position |
| Four-ball/best-ball context | Players normally play their own balls throughout; the event counts the specified partner score |
Use the existing formats guide for the broader comparison. This article follows the shamble task rather than reproducing every format's full rules.
Five questions for the organizer
- How many scores count on each hole?
- What handicap method is stated, if any?
- Does every player's drive need to be selected a minimum number of times?
- What position and placement procedure is permitted after selecting the drive?
- Are par 3s played differently, and how do local conditions handle an unavailable or penalized selected position?
Do not infer a standard percentage or placement distance from the word shamble. Record the published terms beside the team card. For preparation on the day, use Tournament Prep.
Your next move
Read the published source
Check the stated version and conditions before using the worked example.
Read the published source(Official source), opens in a new tab