Ambrose Handicapping for a 3 player team in a 2 player event

[TheRobster]

OK, so I have read and used Denis Toohey's fairer handicapping system for Ambrose events ... however this does not address the situation where you have an odd number of players in an event and 1 team is a different number of players to the rest of the event ... specifically a 3 player team in a 2 player event. Has anyone used a fair system of accounting for this?? (I have traditionally totalled the 3 player handicaps and divided by 9 rather than 6 and required 6 tee shots per player, but invariably the 3 player team wins more often than it should) ... Thx for thoughts!

[Dotty]

Ambrose is the work of the devil, and best avoided.

Ditch the entrant with the highest handicap and let him/her drive the drinks cart.

[3Puttpete]

Something’s not right. If it’s a 2 player event, why are there 3? If there are 3, it’s not a 2 player event.

[markTHEblake]

My club doesnt allow a 3rd player in 2 player event.
Randoms just play as a single.

[PerryGroves]

Agree the three are often the winners, have been going 30 years to a two ball ambrose event. One way to make it harder for the 3 is to increase the amount of drives that each need to take, the answer is 5.

[Toxic]

OK, so I have read and used Denis Toohey's fairer handicapping system for Ambrose events ... however this does not address the situation where you have an odd number of players in an event and 1 team is a different number of players to the rest of the event ... specifically a 3 player team in a 2 player event. Has anyone used a fair system of accounting for this?? (I have traditionally totalled the 3 player handicaps and divided by 9 rather than 6 and required 6 tee shots per player, but invariably the 3 player team wins more often than it should) ... Thx for thoughts!

Just have the lowest marker of the three play with both - 2 pairs.Play two different balls etc

[LeftyHoges]

Just have the lowest marker of the three play with both - 2 pairs.Play two different balls etc

That doesn't work in an Ambrose though, only a 4B where you're solely playing your own ball.

Imagine you have a 10 foot putt with one ball and a 9 foot putt with the other ball, both on the same line. Incredible advantage to see what it does the first time to make it the second time. (And yes, I know that obviously you kind of get to see the line in Ambrose's with other peoples balls anyway, but only you know how you stroked the thing. The amount of putts I make the second time compared to the first is phenomenal...).

At the end of the day, sorry bud, you didn't arrange a partner, you can't play, or you play as a single.

[TheRobster]

Thanks Toxic,

This is the answer! Will have the extra player play in 2 teams ... only hit 1 drive every hole (counting for the 2 teams), and 1 shot for his second shot for 2 teams if his drive is used. Much easier and fairer than trying to account for a 3 man team. Cheers!

[AndyP]

Our club has the singles play in a separate stableford comp.

[markTHEblake]

Thanks Toxic,

This is the answer! Will have the extra player play in 2 teams ... only hit 1 drive every hole (counting for the 2 teams), and 1 shot for his second shot for 2 teams if his drive is used. Much easier and fairer than trying to account for a 3 man team. Cheers!

thats really not the answer. The answer you need is quite simple, no 3 man team whatsoever.
is it the same 3 man team that always wins?

[LeftyHoges]

Thanks Toxic,

This is the answer! Will have the extra player play in 2 teams ... only hit 1 drive every hole (counting for the 2 teams), and 1 shot for his second shot for 2 teams if his drive is used. Much easier and fairer than trying to account for a 3 man team. Cheers!

And if you take his second shot? How do you decide which side "putts first"? Another unfair advantage.

This is just daft.

"Sorry mate, there's no partner for you because you didn't arrange one. Try that for next time, and enjoy your stableford comp today."

[goughy]

^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^