You speak Golf?
The more you get into golf competitions and golf tournaments, the more you start to realise that golf has a language all of it’s own.
Ever wondered what a “texas scramble” is, or a “shotgun start”? Here’s a few things that you might come across - I hope the explanations make it clearer!
There are many variations on the basic game of golf. They are however, only variations of stroke play and match play. Stroke play allows you to compete against everyone else on the course that day while match play is a hole by hole contest between two players (or pairs).
Shotgun Start
Everybody tees of at the same time but on a different hole on the course. This obviously saves lots of waiting time at the beginning of a competition. The disadvantage is that you might have to walk a long way to your first tee. It is called a shotgun start because many years ago they used to fire a shotgun to signal when everybody starts. These days it is usually a fog horn, or the much quieter option - a designated time!
Stroke Play – From 2-4 players can play this variation of the game. This is the most commonly played game where the number of strokes for each player at the end of the round are counted and this becomes the gross score. The net score is then calculated after your handicap is deducted. The winner is determined as having the lowest net score for each round.
Match Play – A variation of the game when 2 players play against each other or 2 players play against 2 other players. Each hole is played and the winner of the hole will go 1up. Each hole won counts towards the final total after 18 holes. The winner is determined by the number of holes won rather that the total score, therefore play continues until one golfer or team wins enough holes that the opposing player or team has not got enough holes left to win overall. For instance if a player or team wins all of the first 10 holes then they win 10 & 8.
Stableford – This variation of the game is based on a points system where points are determined by the score on each hole ie, 4 points for an eagle, 3 points for a birdie, 2 points for a par, and 1 point for a bogie. If you get a double bogey or worse this counts as 0 pts. If the stroke index on a particular hole is lower or the same amount as your handicap then you receive an extra point on this hole. This is commonly known as a shot on the hole. In this variation of the game it is polite for players to pick up their ball if the player has no chance of gaining any points on a particular hole.
Foursomes - A competition format in which there are two players in each team. Players alternate hitting the same ball. The first player tees off, the second player hits the second shot, the first player hits the third shot, and so on until the ball is holed. Players from each team alternate hitting tee shots so that the same player doesn’t hit every drive. This is a really fun type of game play.
Greensomes - A competition format that is a variation of foursomes (two teams of two, each team playing one ball). In Greensomes both players on a team tee off, the best shot of the two shots of each team is selected. The player who’s ball has not been chosen then picks up the ball which becomes out of the game. The skill of Greensomes is for each team to discuss and then decide whose shot is the best and then that ball is then played alternately until the first team holes out. The winning team is decided by either the lowest net score or by who wins the most holes.
Texas Scramble – The advantage of this team game is that you don’t have to be an excellent golfer to win a hole. A team of four starts off with four balls on the first tee. The player who hits the best shot off the tee leaves his ball in position and the other members of the team pick up their balls and drop them next to his. Players then take their second shot, and again the best ball position is chosen for all players the teams so on until all the balls are holed. The variation in a Texas Scramble is that at least four drives of each member of the team must be used during the course of the round: At least four drives hit by Player A, four by Player B, and so on. The team with the least number of strokes is usually the winner.