A full charity golf day brings club golfers, first timers and one question from every team: how does ambrose work? Under ambrose golf rules, all players tee off, the best shot is chosen, and everyone plays their next shot from that spot. That repeats until the ball is holed, then one team score goes on the card and a team handicap comes off it.

Most rule sheets also require each player's drive to be used a set number of times, so every golfer's tee shots matter, beginners included. The six steps we suggest below take you from team sizes to player packs.

Quick Answer

• Every player in a team of two, three or four tees off on every hole.
• Each team picks its best shot, and everyone places a ball beside it, usually within one club length, no nearer the hole and on the same surface.
• Play carries on from each chosen spot until the ball is holed.
• Each player's drive must be used a set number of times.
• A team handicap comes off the gross score to give a net result.

What Do You Need Before the Draw?

Begin with the purpose of the day, the same first step our guide to corporate event ideas for NZ teams sets for any work event. A client day and a staff fundraiser need different prizes and packs. With the purpose set, gather these.

• An entry list with each player's name and handicap.
• Team names and a draw sheet for the tee times.
• A one page rule sheet that matches the scorecard.
• Scorecards with a column for whose drive was used.
• Balls, tees and a towel for every player.

Our custom golf balls range covers Titleist, Pinnacle and PGF balls, so one order can supply the field and the prize table.

If rain is forecast, have a few golf umbrellas on hand. A wide canopy and a long shaft are what suit them to a wet golf day, according to our guide to umbrella types.

6 Steps to Run an Ambrose Golf Tournament

Work through the steps in order, because your team size sets the drives rule and the handicap later on.

Step 1: Choose Two, Three or Four Players

The ambrose golf format comes in three common team sizes: two, three or four players. Four suits a mixed charity field, because a new golfer has three teammates to share the load. Pairs suit regular golfers, since each player's shots get chosen more often.

Ask for golf team names on the entry form, because one name is easier to follow on the draw sheet than four surnames. Only one score per team is posted, so nobody is singled out. That suits staff days, and our post on team building ideas people enjoy warns that scoreboards and public rankings can put people off a game.

Step 2: How to Play Ambrose Golf Hole by Hole

Here is how to play ambrose golf, so every group hears the same version at the briefing.

• Every player tees off.
• Players agree on the best drive and mark it.
• Everyone places a ball near the mark, no nearer the hole, and plays.
• Players pick the best of those shots and repeat until the ball is holed.
• One score goes on the card for the hole.

Placing never changes the surface: when the chosen ball sits in the rough or a bunker, every ball goes there too.

Placing distances vary, so print yours on the card. One club length is the usual rule, but Future Golf's 4-person rules allow only a handspan. On the green, Future Golf's 2-person rules and the Ruralco Golf Classic allow a card length, while Westlake Girls High School uses 15 cm.

Step 3: Set the Minimum Drives

Every ambrose needs a drives rule, or a group could use its longest hitter on all 18 tees. Westlake Girls High School asks for at least two drives from each player, while the 4-person ambrose format from Future Golf asks for three.

Rules for smaller teams can ask for more. Future Golf's 2-person format asks for five per player, and Movember's Mo Masters rules set five for teams of three. The Ruralco Golf Classic rules make the scorer record whose drive was used on every hole, so add a column for it on the card.

Step 4: Work Out Each Team Handicap

A handicap in golf lets players of different abilities compete on fair terms, which is the stated purpose of the Golf New Zealand DotGolf system. Collect each entrant's NZ golf handicap on the entry form, then apply one method to every team. Here is how four rule sheets set it.

Take a team with course handicaps of 10, 14, 20 and 28, a total of 72. Dividing by 8 gives 9 strokes and dividing by 10 gives 7.2, while the World Handicap System percentages give 11.1. With nearly four strokes at stake, follow the World Handicap System advice: state the allowance in the terms of the competition and print it on the entry form.

Step 5: Print the Ambrose Rules on the Card

Few players reread an email on the morning of an ambrose tournament, so the card has to carry the rules. Cover these five slips at the briefing, because each one changes a score.

• Placing a ball nearer the hole than the marked spot.
• Moving a ball from rough to fairway, or out of a bunker.
• Forgetting to track drives until the last few holes.
• Writing four scores on the card instead of one team score.
• Using a different handicap method from the entry form.

Add a pace rule as well. The Ruralco Golf Classic caps each hole at 3 over par, so a team that falls behind picks up and moves on. On the tee, Movember's Mo Masters rules let whoever is ready hit first.

Step 6: Fill the Player Packs

A player pack is what every guest takes home, so match it to the purpose you set at the start.

Keep the Titleist Pro V1 for prizes and client guests. It comes in a printed outer box of 12, with your logo in a 25mm circle on each 43mm ball. For the whole field, add our custom golf tees, which are maple wood and 55mm long, with a 30mm x 4mm print area.

Our branded golf towel is double folded 340gsm cotton, with an eyelet and clip that attach it to a golf bag or cart. Branding is by Colourflex Transfer or embroidery, with a 110mm x 55mm print area on the fret.

Is Ambrose the Same as Scramble Golf?

Almost. Ambrose is a scramble played with a team handicap, so teams are ranked on a net score rather than raw strokes. On the course nothing changes: all players tee off, the best shot is chosen and play carries on from there.

The ambrose vs scramble question matters most at the handicap stage. The World Handicap System lists its team allowances under the scramble name, for teams of two, three and four. So an ambrose entry form still needs one team handicap method, used the same way for every group.

Choosing Branded Packs for the Field

We design your artwork free of charge before you finalise an order, and rush service is listed as available on all three products above. If the budget stretches past balls, tees and towels, our golf accessories range adds ball markers and divot repairers.

Free samples on most products let a committee check quality before ordering for the field, and our Price Beat guarantee covers like for like New Zealand quotes.

An ambrose golf day pack quote is built around three details: your logo, the number of players and the event date.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ambrose golf?

Ambrose golf is a team format where every player tees off, the best shot is chosen, and everyone plays the next shot from that spot. It repeats until the ball is holed, so each team records one score per hole. A team handicap then comes off the gross total, which makes ambrose a scramble with net scoring.

How does the 4-person ambrose drop off work?

Under a drop off rule, the player whose shot is chosen sits out the very next shot, then rejoins for the one after. Ruralco Golf Classic rules use this for teams of four. Movember's Mo Masters rules use a similar drop off straight after the tee shot.

Can guests without a handicap play?

Yes, if your rules allow for it. Movember's Mo Masters rules state that an official NZ golf handicap is not needed. Ruralco Golf Classic rules cap golfers without one at 24 for men and 36 for women, a figure worth printing on your entry form.

What if a team turns up one player short?

Play them as a team of three and adjust the handicap. Ruralco Golf Classic rules divide a three-player team's combined handicaps by 6 instead of 8, and all three players play every shot. Westlake Girls High School uses 8 for teams of three, against 10 for teams of four.