How do you play best ball?

[sillywilly]

What are the rules? Here are some questions??

1) If the best ball might be ok.. and a provisional is required, do both players hit a provisional?

2) Do you do best ball on the putts as well?? Second guy would get an amazing look at the putt.. that doesn't seem right

3) Do you have to duplicate your playing partners lie?

My friend andI played best ball but didn't know all the rules. I'm pretty sure we followed all of them as nothing strange happened where we didn't know what to do. We shot a 4-over 76 at glenmar Is that a good score for a 19 and 20 handicappers?

[jvincent]

Are you talking best ball or scramble?

Best ball is a form of play, it's actually defined in the rules, where each player on a team plays his own ball and then the best score of the two is recorded for the team.

A scramble, where both players hit and the best of those two shots is chosen after each stroke, is not really defined anywhere in the rules and applying the normal rules doesn't always makes sense.

Assuming it's a scramble you are asking about.

1. If both tee shots are in question then both play a provisional. If neither of the original balls is found, play the best of the provisionals lying three.

2. Yes. That's why scramble scores are so low.

3. Usually the rules of the event say that you must play the second ball within some distance, a club length or some other arbitrary distance, from the original location. They sometimes say that for a ball that is in the rough/hazard all shots must be played from the rough/hazard. Other times the rules for the competition don't say that and if the one club gets you into the fairway, that's fine.

4 over for a two man scramble isn't bad for that handicap.

[justsomeguy]

The rules for scrambles vary by event, but the rules for the Ottawa Sun Scramble are a pretty good template to use:

http://www.ottawasunscramble.com/ott...le-format.html

[Golfy Kid]

3. Usually the rules of the event say that you must play the second ball within some distance, a club length or some other arbitrary distance, from the original location. They sometimes say that for a ball that is in the rough/hazard all shots must be played from the rough/hazard. Other times the rules for the competition don't say that and if the one club gets you into the fairway, that's fine.
...

2 questions:

1. Can the first player put a tee beside his ball so that his partner knows the original ball location ?

2. Is there a specific way to place the second ball ?
Example: The first player hits his ball then his partner throws the second ball close to the original location and plays it from there. Good or no good ?

Dave

[jvincent]

1. Yes, that is usually the procedure in most scrambles. The chosen shot is marked and then the players play within the allowed distance.

2. Usually the rules aren't specific so most people will place it for the best lie.

As I said originally, scrambles are somewhat of a rules anomaly anyway so I wouldn't sweat it too much.

[Golfy Kid]

Great, Thanks!

1. Yes, that is usually the procedure in most scrambles. The chosen shot is marked and then the players play within the allowed distance.

2. Usually the rules aren't specific so most people will place it for the best lie.

As I said originally, scrambles are somewhat of a rules anomaly anyway so I wouldn't sweat it too much.

[rezadue]

The Ottawa sun scramble has a "lift, clean and place" rule in effect. Does this mean that if you are the first person in the group and you hit your shot and it lands in the rough and sits down in it. You could life the ball, give it a wipe (whether dirty or not) and replace at the same spot, but loosely, so that it sits on top of the rough instead of in it?

1. Yes, that is usually the procedure in most scrambles. The chosen shot is marked and then the players play within the allowed distance.

2. Usually the rules aren't specific so most people will place it for the best lie.

As I said originally, scrambles are somewhat of a rules anomaly anyway so I wouldn't sweat it too much.

[jvincent]

The Sun Scramble rule is as follows.

Lift, clean and place within 12 inches no closer to hole – everywhere except on green – if original ball is in a hazard or rough, ball must remain in same cut of rough or hazard

So yes, you can improve the lie of the original ball.

[Chambokl]

OK here is one...

1) We decide to take the ball from player A. It is in the water in a hazard. So player A hits the ball from the water and player B places his ball in the hazard but on grass... legal?

2) We decide to take the ball from player A. It is plug in a hazard. So player A hits the ball from the where it is plug and player B places his ball in the hazard but on grass... legal?

3) We decide to take the ball from player A. It is in the rough. So player B hits the ball from the rough and player A places his ball ... legal?


Note: Our scramble says that we have to hit the ball where it is (hazard, rough and bunker) and 2nd players places. We have lift, clean and place in the fairway only...

[jvincent]

Assuming the rules for your scramble are as you have defined them, then you are probably OK.

Again, scrambles aren't "REAL" golf so it's up to whoever defines the scrambles rules to do it as clearly as possible. If there is room for interpretation, then people will interpret them.

[mr.mover]

If player A uses a tee to mark his ball.
can player B use the tee

2 questions:

1. Can the first player put a tee beside his ball so that his partner knows the original ball location ?

2. Is there a specific way to place the second ball ?
Example: The first player hits his ball then his partner throws the second ball close to the original location and plays it from there. Good or no good ?

Dave

[Golfy Kid]

lol good one

If player A uses a tee to mark his ball.
can player B use the tee

[N.V.M.]

most best balls i've played there's a required minimum number of drives of each player that must be used.

[AAA]

I wish you guys would stop using the term 'best ball' for what is normally called a 'scramble'. It can get very confusing especially as true 'best ball' is played rarely on one side of the pond.

Best Ball is a defined form of play used in the Rules of Golf.

Forms of Match Play
Best-Ball: A match in which one player plays against the better ball of two other players or the best ball of three other players.

[shankedit]

This is how I play best ball.Hit 2 drives on each hole and play the best one..

[AAA]

Now that's a game I understand

[Kilroy]

Unfortunately it's pretty common here to refer to fun tournaments that are truly scrambles as "best ball". I always have to ask and it's usually a scramble. Also we usually call a 2 man pairs team competion where the best of the 2 players is counted for the match as a Best ball. It can be pretty confusing.

[AAA]

Unfortunately it's pretty common here to refer to fun tournaments that are truly scrambles as "best ball". I always have to ask and it's usually a scramble. Also we usually call a 2 man pairs team competion where the best of the 2 players is counted for the match as a Best ball. It can be pretty confusing.

It must be the American influence that has taken English off the golf course.

Better relates to two things - comparative - ____er
Best relates to more than two things - superlative - ____est

[Strangebrew]

My regular group occasionally plays 2 person best ball with the losing team buying the beer at the end of the round. Still after a few years, doing this at least a half dozen times per year, there's one guy that always asks if we mean a scramble, lol (not by name, but by describing the rules). On the bright side, he winds up buying my beer

[AAA]

I assume you mean 4BBB

[N.V.M.]

i'm in a best today at NorthView(remember the ACC?). gonna win a Pontiac if i ace a designated par 3, wOOt!

[AAA]

i'm in a best today

Really ?

Best-Ball: A match in which one player plays against the better ball of two other players or the best ball of three other players.

[Kilroy]

The only time I have ever seen a true best ball, as AAA describes, was a PGA Tour Pro-Am. The pro plays against the best ball of the 3 amatures. The 3 amatures all play thier own ball until they are no longer able to win or tie the pro, then they pick up.

I can't imagine too many groups playing that format other than a pro against amatures. Is it popular in the UK?

[AAA]

Pretty rare Dan. Usually seen at charity or corporate events.

We had one a couple of years ago. Our then Captain won a charity lottery where the prize was a round played on the winner's course with Mark James. James suggested the idea of the Best Ball. The Captain, the Vice Captain and the Club Champion v James. Because he had time they played 27 holes.
He was 1 up after 18 and then showed everyone how it should be done.
The difference between our champ (scratch player) and him was amazing.

[Kilroy]

The rarity of playing the true "best ball" format may be a factor in it's name being applied incorrectly to other formats. The true form is virtually unknown here, so the term is pretty commonly missused. On the plus side, in the last few years I have noticed a marked improvement in scrambles being promoted as scrambles.

[AAA]

My impression is that calling a scramble a best ball is confined to North America. Surprisingly because the two most common forms of scramble over here are called Florida or Texas Scrambles

http://mtdewvirus.com/archives/2004/...-vs-best-ball/

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=279608

[PapaPat]

I'm afraid AAA's efforts to properly explain "best ball" and also improve North American grammar is an uphill battle. However, they should not be abandoned. Now, if we could just get those hockey folks to pronounce their "g's". Speaking of hockey folks, I believe that Mike Weir played a true Best Ball for charity a few years back, against Gretzky, Brett Hull and a third player who I think was Jarome Iginla.

[Gary Madore]

Well, now, if that doesn't just beat the band! heh

Every "tournament" I've ever played in was 4BBB

and

I've always wondered what a Scramble was...

Who knew?

Cheers!

Gary

[LobWedge]

My impression is that calling a scramble a best ball is confined to North America. Surprisingly because the two most common forms of scramble over here are called Florida or Texas Scrambles

I love a good scramble, with some peppers and onions, a couple of slices of Texas toast, some fresh squeezed Florida orange juice, and a couple of slabs of back bacon (Canadian, eh). Mmmmmmmmm.

[mikec222]

the best ball where it is two teams of two and they play against eachother counting the best score of the team is called fourball in the ryder cup I believe. So that's probably the proper name. Usually its called best ball around here though.