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The format you choose for your charity golf outing does more work than you think. It sets the tone, controls pace, and determines whether your casual golfers feel like participants or witnesses. Get it wrong and you'll spend the back nine watching half your field mentally check out.
In a scramble, every player on the team hits from the tee, the group selects the best shot, and everyone plays from that spot. Repeat until the ball is in the hole.
This format solves three problems at once:
As soon as golfers have to each it their own shot, you're adding time looking for lost balls, poor play, and golfers who have lost the motivation to keep trying. Nothing says "never coming back" like finishing a round of golf in 6 hours and dinner starting at 8 p.m.
The scramble also means no single bad shot tanks the team. That matters more than it sounds, because the person most likely to hit a bad shot is also the person your event most needs to feel good about the day.
If your field is a mix of skill levels, if you can't guarantee your marshals will actively manage pace, or if you're running your first or second outing — use the scramble. It is the correct answer for the majority of charity events, and there's no shame in the obvious choice when the obvious choice is right.
In best ball (sometimes called four-ball), each player plays their own ball the entire round, and only the lowest score on the team counts per hole. It's a real round of golf with a team scoring mechanic layered on top.
This format rewards skill, which is the point. If your field is competitive and golfer-heavy, best ball gives everyone something to prove. But be clear-eyed about the tradeoff: when a casual player's shots stop counting three holes in, they stop caring. That's fine at a club championship. It's a problem when that casual player makes up most of your field.
Best ball is the format most likely to run long. Teams play more shots per hole, and without marshals actively moving groups, a five-hour round is not an outlier. If you're running best ball, budget for pace management the same way you budget for prizes.
The shamble doesn't get enough credit. Everyone tees off, the team selects the best drive, and then each player plays their own ball from that spot into the hole. It blends the inclusivity of the scramble tee shot with more individual play on the approach and green.
It works well when your field skews toward experienced amateurs (say, players in the 4–12 handicap range) who want more ownership over their round than a scramble allows. It's faster than best ball and more engaging than a pure scramble for skilled players.
If you find yourself outgrowing the scramble in year two or three, the shamble is the natural next step.
Your choice of format sends a signal before anyone tees off.
If your event is trying to grow its donor base or reach new sponsors, the scramble's inclusive atmosphere is a fundraising asset, not just a convenience.
Chapman (Pinehurst):
Both partners tee off, each plays the other's ball for the second shot, then the team selects the best ball and alternates shots into the hole. It's a fun format that rewards coordination, but the rules explanation alone can eat ten minutes on the first tee. Save this for your dedicate group of friends who enjoy convoluted games.
Bingo Bango Bongo:
A points-based format where players earn points for being first on the green, closest to the hole once everyone is on, and first in the cup. It creates competition across skill levels because sequencing matters as much as score. The catch is that it requires active scorekeeping on every hole and a field that actually understands the rules. It is not something to attempt with a group of first-timers.
Both formats are worth having in your back pocket. Neither is worth deploying until you've run a few events smoothly and your regulars are actively bored with the standard options.
If you're still deciding, ask yourself two questions: What does my field look like, and can I guarantee pace management? A mixed-skill field without dedicated marshals has one correct answer. A competitive field with a well-staffed course operation has more options.
The format should feel like an obvious fit for your field, not something you chose because it sounded interesting. If it's right, most players won't even notice it. If it's wrong, most will have drown their lack-of-fun sorrows courtesy of the beer cart and as a result will be more inclined to let you know about their displeasure.