String Scramble Rules: How the String Works and What to Put on the Sheet

In a string scramble, each team gets a length of string it can use to move the ball, say out of trouble or into the hole, and it cuts off whatever length it used. Once the string is used up, it's gone. A string is not a mulligan: you move the ball, you don't re-hit it, and your rules sheet decides how long the string is and where you can use it.

How to run string in your scramble (step by step)

1. Pick the length. The organiser decides. There's no standard length, so choose one and print it.
2. Decide who gets it. One string per team is the simple setup. One per player works too.
3. Say where it can be used. Only on the green, or anywhere on the course.
4. Rule on contest shots. The default is no string on contest shots.
5. Decide how teams get it. Included with entry, or sold at check-in. Print whichever you choose.
6. Sort out scissors. Every group needs a way to cut the string. Put a pair in each cart or tell teams to bring their own.
7. Demo it at the briefing. One quick show on the practice green saves a lot of arguing later.

What string is, and what it isn't

Think of the string as a tape measure you spend. Your ball is sitting just short of the hole. Stretch the string from the ball to the cup, cut off that bit, and the putt counts as holed. In most versions the move itself doesn't cost a stroke. That's the whole value of the string, so say it on the sheet so nobody argues.

Same idea off the green, if your sheet allows it. Ball tucked behind a tree? Measure out to a clear spot, cut, move it, play on.

What string isn't is a free re-hit. Players mix it up with mulligans all the time, especially at charity days where both get sold. Here's the difference.

If you're running mulligans as well, the scramble mulligan rules piece covers caps, pricing and the contest-hole ban. Keep the two rules in separate lines on the sheet so they don't blur together.

What to put on the rules sheet

String only works if every group plays the same version. These are the lines you need.

Drop these into your scramble tournament rules sheet under house rules, next to placement and gimmes.

The length

Don't go hunting for an official number. There isn't one. The organiser picks a length that suits the field and the course. Some events tie the length to handicap, so higher markers get a bit more, but that's a house choice, not a rule. Whatever you pick, print it and cut the strings before the day.

Green only or anywhere

Green only is the tidier version. The string turns a missed short putt into a make, and it doesn't slow anyone down. Anywhere on the course gives teams more options, like dragging a ball out from under a bush. It also means more stopping to measure, so think about your pace. The scramble pace of play piece has more on keeping groups moving.

Contest shots

Keep string off contest shots. If a team can stretch its ball closer on a nearest the pin hole, the contest means nothing. The default is no string on contest shots, and it's worth printing that line even if you think it's obvious. Mark the contest holes on the sheet. More on contest rules at scramble hole contests.

Selling string at check-in

At many charity days, string is sold at check-in as a fundraiser, alongside mulligans. It's a common approach, not a must. If you sell it, print the price, the length and any limit per team at the registration table and on the sheet. Keep it simple so the queue keeps moving. The registration and check-in piece covers setting up the desk, and the charity golf scramble organiser timeline shows when to decide on extras.

If string comes free with entry, say that instead. Either way, hand it over with the scorecard so no team forgets it.

Scoring a string scramble

The string doesn't change how you score the hole. The team still plays its best ball and records one team score.

The string is its own tally. Whatever's left in the team's pocket is what they've got for the rest of the round. If you want to check it was used fairly, glance at what's left when cards come in.

For the card itself, Scrambled Eggs keeps the team score for 1 to 4 players on one phone per group. The scorer taps whose shot got used, so you can see each player's shot contribution. It shows your score against par, handles penalty strokes, works out the Team Ambrose handicap for you, and saves the round to history. At the end, the group has a tidy scorecard. More on the golf scramble scoring app page.

How long should the string be in a string scramble?

There's no standard length. The organiser picks it and prints it on the rules sheet. Some events tie it to handicap, but check your own sheet rather than assuming.

Is a string the same as a mulligan?

No. A mulligan lets you hit a shot again. A string lets you move the ball, and you cut off the length you used. Once it's gone, it's gone.

Can you use string on contest holes?

Only if the rules sheet says so. The default is no string on contest shots, so a nearest the pin or long drive result stays one swing, one chance.

Does using the string cost a stroke?

In most versions it doesn't. That's the point of the string. It's still a house rule, so the sheet should say how a string move is scored.

Keep reading

• Golf Scramble Scoring App
• Scramble mulligan rules
• Scramble tournament rules sheet
• Scramble hole contests
• Scramble registration and check-in
• Scramble putting rules
• What is a golf scramble

Keep the team card tidy

One phone per group, one team score, and a record of whose shot got used. Your string stays in your pocket, and your card stays clean.

Download Scrambled Eggs on the App Store