2-man scramble...

Spud

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Playing in a 2-man scramble tournament this weekend (2 day tourney), and needed some advice on strategy. Any strategies you guys use when playing in these? Since it's 2 days and flights won't be made until day 2, I imagine there will be a good bit of sandbagging going on. There are 60 teams and 6 flights. Would you play very relaxed on day 1 so not to get in the best flight possible? Only strategy I'm set on is I'll putt before my partner since he's a much better putter than I am. Thanks for any advice.
 
Have the better person go second. Always have the first person take the riskier shot and in case they miss the second can play a "safe" shot.

Same applies to putting. Whomever is the better putter go second.
 
I always say just play, let things happen. Sometimes people can get so caught up in strategies, hit first putt first, risk reward its gets in the way of the game. That being said having your 1st ball in play makes it much easier
 
I played in a few 2 man scrambles this year with a buddy who is a single digit handicap as opposed to my 21. Our strategy was for me to go first and try to give us a safe shot and then he could be more aggressive with his shots. As far as the putting goes we both are pretty good and it just came down to communicating the line to each other and we had no real system for who went first. As far as the sandbagging goes I would say go out and play your game on day one. I'm not one for sandbagging, it makes no real sense to me because I like to challenge myself.
 
Funny enough, I'm headed down to Austin this weekend to play in a little 2 man scramble myself! Only strategy you need is fairway, green and make putt! I know, not much help but that's about it. Have the weaker player go first on each shot, off the tee, approach shots to greens, chipping, putting, etc. and it doesn't have to be the same order for each. If you are better off the tee then you go last. If your partner is better on the greens then you go first. And most importantly......

HAVE FUN!!!!
 
I would never sandbag on Saturday to get into a better flight on Sunday. Every time I step on the course I am trying to shoot the best score I can.
 
Pick an order and stick with it. Every time.
 
The only real stategy I use when playing a 2 man is the better driver of the golf ball go first. You need a ball in the fairway if you going to compete.
 
Get one in play so 2nd man can unleash. Get one on the green so 2nd can plow hunt. Hot putter goes 2nd.
1st guy in trouble 2nd will have to play safe but aggressive
 
We always have this format in our 2-man member member. My partner and I actually change it up and have me (the better player) go first. This typically takes the stress off of him and helps him execute shots better. We have always had the mind set that in scrambles who really cares about the safe play. You have to have an aggresive mind set or you will just play safe shots all day and have no realistic birdie chances. Most people think we are crazy doing it this way but we have won it the last few years using this format. IMO it makes the better player play better because he is in his normal frame of mind and isnt changing it up just for a scramble.
 
Played in one of these a few Saturday's ago....Our strategy was to go out and have fun and whatever happened, happened. We ended up taking second place. Was a good time. But ours only had about 20 teams in it. I'd say better player goes second and always make sure you don't tap the ball in on a putt if the second person still has to putt. Some people are REAAAALLY strict about that and you don't want to have that penalize you. And always play your best. Sandbaggers will be sandbaggers. A neat thing a lot of the scrambles do around us is that they give prizes to the 1st, 4th, 8th, 12th and 16th place teams. Kind of a nice way to keep it interesting for all.
 
Get one in play so 2nd man can unleash. Get one on the green so 2nd can pin hunt. Hot putter goes 2nd.
1st guy in trouble 2nd will have to play safe but aggressive

Pretty much this. I play in a member guest that does this format once a year. Always the same partner. He's more accurate in general but I hit the ball a good bit farther off the tee. So he goes first off the tee, and I play my ball according to his result. Everywhere else I go first. Whoever has the better putter always gets a read off the other guy.
 
Get one in play so 2nd man can unleash. Get one on the green so 2nd can plow hunt. Hot putter goes 2nd.
1st guy in trouble 2nd will have to play safe but aggressive

This is what I would go with as well. Longer hitter goes second off the tee. Most accurate player goes 2nd in the fairway. Hot putter goes 2nd on the green.
 
Pretty much this. I play in a member guest that does this format once a year. Always the same partner. He's more accurate in general but I hit the ball a good bit farther off the tee. So he goes first off the tee, and I play my ball according to his result. Everywhere else I go first. Whoever has the better putter always gets a read off the other guy.

This is what I would go with as well. Longer hitter goes second off the tee. Most accurate player goes 2nd in the fairway. Hot putter goes 2nd on the green.

We used this method in the Morgan Cup and Gauntlet. I had a low capper at MC and mid at Gauntlet. This formula produced two
Victories.
If both players are equal, use the range and 1st hole figure out who is on FIRE. If you both struggle, drink and have fun
 
We used this method in the Morgan Cup and Gauntlet. I had a low capper at MC and mid at Gauntlet. This formula produced two
Victories.
If both players are equal, use the range and 1st hole figure out who is on FIRE. If you both struggle, drink and have fun

Well now Freddie, let's be fair.....I think any order you 2 would have gone in would have produced the same results. Ha! #2Studs1Team
 
This is what I would go with as well. Longer hitter goes second off the tee. Most accurate player goes 2nd in the fairway. Hot putter goes 2nd on the green.

This! It usually works the best in these events. Once you have one in play, bombs away! Second guy goes pin hunting if first is on the green, then give me a look at the line and watch it drop!

Don't play down the 1st day, but don't over think it either. I've found that if you overthink Day 1, then Day 2 comes and you might not think you are, but usually you're a bit drained, mentally. Have fun on Day 1, play well and stay aggressive so Day 2 you can really go low.
 
We used this method in the Morgan Cup and Gauntlet. I had a low capper at MC and mid at Gauntlet. This formula produced two
Victories.
If both players are equal, use the range and 1st hole figure out who is on FIRE. If you both struggle, drink and have fun

My thoughts exactly.
 
I've only done a 2-man scramble once, and that was at the THP Bridgestone Invitational with RoundersRob. As far as getting into the lower flights, I don't know. I'd probably go out there and try to get a feel for how it's going on the first day. The thing is, you won't really know what's going on with all the teams and even if you bag it a little, you could end up lower in the flight you end up in than you want. So I'd probably just play as well as possible the first day without stressing about it too much.

I skimmed, but I'm guessing most people gave the same strategy tips. Have the better player go second on most shots. With Rob, if I put a 3-wood in the fairway, it was a green light for him to get after it with his driver. If I hit the green on the approach, he was going for the pin, and so on. Definitely have the stronger putter go second and make sure the first gives him a good read. Good luck!
 
Appreciate the tips, fellas. We'll definitely have the beer drinking part down.
 
play your own game, make adjustments after you hit. do not let your head get in the way of your golf!!!!!
 
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