Great American Scramble

The four-man scramble is one of the most enjoyable formats for team competition in golf. After all, finding one decent shot out of four is a welcome proposition to many golfers. Beginning this spring, golf clubs across the country will be able to compete in The Great American Scramble and vie for the coveted title of National Champions in Las Vegas.

After the longstanding Buick/Oldsmobile Scramble shut down in 2005, golfers were left without a national scramble competition. PGA Professional Wayne Stone decided to change that. Stone created an event aimed at bringing excitement, camaraderie and team-building experiences back to golfers through the scramble format.

Stone, who is the director of Golf at Windermere Country Club in Windermere, Fla., decided there was enough interest to create a national scramble just by gauging the response of his members to the loss of the Buick event. Encouraged by the feedback, Stone set out to create the national tournament that was currently missing from the golf world.

All golf clubs in the United States with at least one PGA golf professional employed are eligible to host a local qualifying event for the Great American Scramble. It’s simple to sign up. Interested parties should contact their PGA Professional who will register the club online and start the process of hosting a qualifying event. The top finishing teams of four amateurs from each local site will then advance directly to Las Vegas to compete for the National Championship. Teams may attempt to qualify at more than one site.

The Great American Scramble, created by Great American Golf, LLC in partnership with Stone, will begin with local qualifiers this spring. PGA Professionals will host local events of at least eight teams of four. Teams will have to conform to USGA handicap guidelines as well as Great American Scramble requirements to ensure fair and equitable play. All local tournaments will be run by PGA Professionals to maintain the integrity of the Great American Scramble. The PGA Professionals will them accompany their qualifying team to Las Vegas. To compete in Las Vegas, teams only need to qualify at their local site. There’s no “middle” or “sectional” stage added to the competition.

Interested amateur golfers with a valid USGA handicap index should ask their PGA Professional to register for the tournament at www.greatamericanscramble.com. This user-friendly Web site is designed with golfers in mind.

The National Championship will be contested at Primm Valley Golf Club and The Revere Golf Club in Las Vegas and the awards party will be held at the host hotel, New York, New York, Hotel and Casino.

“This inaugural season of the Great American Scramble is lining up to be the next big golf event for amateurs across the country,” said Stone.

PGA Professionals are sure to be pleased with the tournament professionalism and assistance in planning a great event. Golfers will enjoy the excitement of this national competition.

Great American Golf, LLC has teamed up with several tournament sponsors: TaylorMade, Bushnell, Page & Tuttle and Bolle.