Well now, let me tell ya about this golf thing, this “shamble” they call it. Don’t rightly know why they gotta give it such a fancy name, sounds like somethin’ you’d do with your feet after a long day in the fields, but anyways, it’s about golf.
What is this “Shamble” Anyways?
So, this shamble golf, it ain’t like regular golf where you’re just smackin’ your ball all over the place by yourself. This here is a team effort, you see. You got yourself a bunch of fellas, maybe two, maybe four, dependin’ on how they set it up. And all you fellas, you go and whack that little white ball off the tee, just like you always do. But here’s where it gets different. You all look at where your balls landed, and then you pick the best one. Yep, the best one. Don’t matter who hit it, could be ol’ Joe with his wonky swing, if it’s the best, it’s the best.
- Everyone hits a tee shot.
- Team picks the best shot.
- Then everyone plays their own ball from that best spot.
See? Simple as pie. Now, from that best spot, everyone hits their own ball again. And you keep hittin’ your own ball ’til you get it in that little hole. That’s the gist of it.
Why Do They Call It “Shamble”? I Ain’t Shamblin’ Anywhere.
Now, I still don’t get the name, but they say it’s kinda like a mix of two other golf games, a “scramble” and a “best ball.” In a scramble, everyone hits, then everyone hits again from the best spot, all the way to the hole. In best ball, everyone plays their own ball the whole time, and you just take the best score on each hole. This shamble, it’s like a little bit of both. You pick the best drive, then you’re on your own.
How Do You Win This Thing?
Well, it ain’t about who gets their ball in the hole first on each shot, not after that first drive anyway. After you pick the best drive, you’re playing your own ball. Some places count all the scores, some just take the best one or two scores on each hole from your team. It all depends on how they set up the rules that day. But at the end, the team with the lowest score, they’re the winners. Just like regular golf, but with a little twist.
Some Fancy Stuff They Do.
Now, some folks get real serious about this shamble thing. They start talkin’ about “strategies” and “team composition.” Sounds like a bunch of hogwash to me, but I guess some folks like to make things complicated. They talk about making sure you got someone who can hit the ball a long way, someone who’s good at those little short shots, and someone who can putt like a champ. Me? I just figure you hit the ball and hope for the best. That’s always been my strategy.
And they got different ways of playing this shamble too. Sometimes they let you move the ball a little bit after you pick the best drive, like maybe a club length or so. Sometimes they don’t. Sometimes they let you pick two spots on the green for putts, sometimes they don’t. Just depends on what the folks running the game decide.
Is it Fun? Well…
Now, is this shamble game fun? I reckon it can be. It takes some of the pressure off, you know? If you have a bad shot, you got your teammates to back you up. And it’s kinda nice to work together for a change, instead of just tryin’ to beat everyone else all the time. But it can also be a bit slow, all that waitin’ around for everyone to hit. And if you got a real bad teammate, well, that can be a bit of a drag too.
So, There You Have It.
So, that’s the story on this shamble golf. It ain’t rocket science, that’s for sure. You hit the ball, you pick the best one, you hit it again, and you try to get the lowest score. Simple as that. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I gotta go find my putter. I think I left it out by the shed.
A Few More Things I Reckon.
One more thing about this shamble game, sometimes they let you put the ball on a tee after you pick the best drive, even if you’re in the fairway. That makes it a might easier, especially for us old folks who don’t swing as hard as we used to. And you know, sometimes they have little prizes for hitting the ball closest to the pin on certain holes, or for making the longest putt. That’s always fun.
And another thing, they say you gotta be careful not to take too long pickin’ the best drive. Some fellas, they just stand there and stare at the balls forever, tryin’ to decide which one is best. Just pick one and get on with it, I say. Ain’t nothin’ worse than standin’ around waitin’ for someone to make up their mind.
So, there you have it, the whole kit and caboodle about this shamble golf. Now you go on and try it for yourself, see if you like it. And if you don’t, well, that’s alright too. There’s plenty of other ways to whack a golf ball around.
Tags: [Golf, Shamble Format, Golf Rules, Team Golf, Golf Strategy]
