What is a Shamble in golf? All you need to know

Golf is one of the world's oldest professional sports, with its roots dating back to the 15th century. The gentleman's game also has an advantage over other sports where one can play in several formats including match-play, stroke-play and scrambles.

However, another format that is often played socially is called a Shamble. A Shamble is similar to a Scramble format where each player in a team of 4 tees off individually, chooses the best ball and hits their second shot from that spot. The cycle keeps repeating until each hole is completed for a team score.

A Shamble has a similar concept where players tee off individually. However, when they select their second shot, the format changes into regular stroke play. This subtle change makes the format difficult yet interesting for casual play.

A Shamble is an example of individual performance as well as team collaboration. The team score is determined by the score of each hole by individual performers. Additionally, the golfers also have the chance to place the ball within one club length without changing the lie.

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A Shamble Golf format is mainly considered for charity events

Stroke-play and match-play formats are among the most popular formats in professional golf. On the other hand, a Shamble and a Scramble are often reserved for fun events including a charitable venture or something similar.

A Shamble format is also used for social team-building purposes and can be seen in action at several Pro-Am contests. For example, a PGA Tour event, the RSM Classic may sometimes include a Pro-Am feature where professionals team up with amateurs in a Shamble or Scramble type event.

Additionally, the Masters Tournament sometimes invites amateurs to play in a Shamble format as a precursor to the main event. Many golf YouTubers also use the format for educational videos.

In essence, a Shamble format is a fun yet under-rated format that isn't often used in competitive tournaments. However, many professionals utilize the format to hone their skills before a competition.