Okay, so last weekend, I tried out this golf format called a “Shamble,” and let me tell you, it was a blast! I’d heard about it before, but never actually played it. So, I got my usual foursome together – me, Mark, Lisa, and Tom – and we decided to give it a whirl.
Getting Started
First thing we did was hit the driving range. Gotta loosen up those muscles, you know? We spent about 30 minutes just warming up, hitting some practice shots. Nothing fancy, just getting the feel of our clubs.
Then, we headed to the first tee. Now, here’s where the Shamble is different from a regular round. Everyone tees off like normal. We all took our best swings – some better than others, haha!
The “Best Ball” Part
After everyone teed off, we walked down the fairway and looked at where all four balls landed. We then picked the best tee shot of the group. In our case, Lisa crushed it – her ball was way down the middle, nice and long.
This is the key to the Shamble. We all picked up our balls and moved them to where Lisa’s ball was. So, we were all playing from the same, advantageous spot.
Playing Your Own Ball
From that point on, it’s like a regular round of golf. We each played our own ball from that spot, all the way into the hole. So, I had my second shot, Mark had his, and so on. We each kept track of our own scores, just like normal.
Throughout the Course
- We did this on every hole. Tee off, pick the best drive, and then play our own balls from there.
- It made for some interesting strategy. Sometimes, even if your drive wasn’t the absolute best, it might have been in a better position for your particular game.
- It really sped up the pace of play, too. No more hunting for balls in the rough after a bad tee shot!
The End Result
At the end of the round, we tallied up our individual scores. The Shamble format can be used for individual scores, or you can combine the team’s best scores on each hole for a team score. We just did individual scores this time around. To be fair, the shamble format make us feel better about ourselves.
Honestly, it was one of the most fun rounds of golf I’ve played in a while. It took some of the pressure off, especially on the tee box. I’d definitely recommend giving the Shamble format a try if you’re looking for something a little different!
