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Need someone to shead some light on the topic. Quick rundown:

Played a traditional 4 man scramble tourney Friday. 3 teams (including mine) were in the clubhouse at -8. Now my first reaction is... ok, in an event of a tie, they'll go to the #1 handicapped hole and lowest score on that hole would win. (If that was the case, the other 2 groups pared it and we birdied it.) But the club pro who did the scorecards did the tiebreaker in a totally different way, and stated that the group with the lowest back 9 was the winner, and that its a USGA ruling. It kind of sounds bush league, but the tourney is for a good cause so I didnt make much out of the ruling.

Does this ruling sound familiar to anyone???


Thanks



<3 my

Appendix I
Local Rules; Conditions of the Competition
11. How to Decide Ties

In both match play and stroke play, a tie can be an acceptable result. However, when it is desired to have a sole winner, the Committee has the authority, under Rule 33-6, to determine how and when a tie is decided. The decision should be published in advance.

The USGA recommends:

Match Play

A match that ends all square should be played off hole by hole until one Side wins a hole. The play-off should start on the hole where the match began. In a handicap match, handicap strokes should be allowed as in the stipulated round.

Stroke Play

(a) In the event of a tie in a scratch stroke-play competition, a play-off is recommended. The play-off may be over 18 holes or a smaller number of holes as specified by the Committee. If that is not feasible or there is still a tie, a hole-by-hole play-off is recommended.

(b) In the event of a tie in a handicap stroke-play competition, a play-off with handicaps is recommended. The play-off may be over 18 holes or a smaller number of holes as specified by the Committee. It is recommended that any such play-off consist of at least three holes.

In competitions where the handicap stroke allocation table is not relevant, if the play-off is less than 18 holes the percentage of 18 holes played should be applied to the players' handicaps to determine their play-off handicaps. Handicap stroke fractions of one-half stroke or more should count as a full stroke and any lesser fraction should be disregarded.

In competitions where the handicap stroke table is relevant, such as four-ball stroke play and bogey, par and Stableford competitions, handicap strokes should be taken as they were assigned for the competition using the players' respective stroke allocation table(s).

(c) If a play-off of any type is not feasible, matching score cards is recommended. The method of matching cards should be announced in advance and should also provide what will happen if this procedure does not produce a winner. An acceptable method of matching the cards is to determine the winner on the basis of the best score for the last nine holes. If the tying players have the same score for the last nine, determine the winner on the basis of the last six holes, last three holes and finally the 18th hole. If this method is used in a competition with a multiple tee start, it is recommended that the "last nine holes, last six holes, etc." is considered to be holes 10-18, 13-18, etc.

For competitions where the handicap stroke table is not relevant, such as individual stroke play, if the last nine, last six, last three holes scenario is used, one-half, one-third, one-sixth, etc. of the handicaps should be deducted from the score for those holes. In terms of the use of fractions in such deductions, the Committee should act in accordance with the recommendations of the relevant handicapping authority.

In competitions where the handicap stroke table is relevant, such as four-ball stroke play and bogey, par and Stableford competitions, handicap strokes should be taken as they were assigned for the competition, using the players' respective stroke allocation table(s).

Shade

what you stated - using back 9 match of cards is the typical method I have experienced.

Saying that it is a"USGA ruling" is ludicrous, since the Rules of Golf don't even contemplate the Scramble format. Any such resolution is solely up to the competition committee. There are lots of ways of resolving a tie, and some of them do involve matching cards. None of those are as palatable as a true playoff, but a playoff isn't always feasible on a regular course for such an event. Usually a course is already putting out casual golfers as soon as the tournament is over, so squeezing in any groups for a playoff just causes delays for those players who have already paid to play at that time. It's simply not fair to the others on the course.

My home course only allows playoffs in special circumstances in Men's club events, and then only in standard individual stroke play or match play tournaments. Any scrambles or other team events that we play in are settled by card playoffs for first place, and all other ties just share the combined money for those places equally.

Out here they used to (I don't know what they do now) put nine numbered ping pong balls in a hat before the tourney and draw them out one at a time to determine the order of the scorecard playoff on the last nine holes (we have a nine-hole track) How's that for fair? Talk about a crapshoot. Moral of the story...shoot one stroke better in regulation play.

Shade

I've even heard of simply tossing a coin.... heads I win, tails you lose.

I think a great playoff would be a chip and putt on the practice green. Stick a tee in the ground and each player gets to place a ball within 1 club length of it, and then each player holes out. Add up all the strokes for each team, and low score wins. You get a playoff, and you don't interfere with the players on the course.

thats actually pretty cool idea..

Here in the UK its usually Back 9, then 6, 3 & 1. If still tied Card Play-Off as Match-Play usually gets a winner.
Some Clubs are going on Front 9 but that is not very popular.

Actual Play-Offs are not a good idea for a full day Events as a party may have to wait several hours for the Play-Off. Take Qualifiers, first off, in clubhouse at 10am. By 5pm they are wanted for a Play-Off. Ugh!!!!!!!!