Blue Tees Scramble — PGA Centenary Course. Saturday 15th August.
The Draw is Out. The Gloves Are Off. And Nobody is Playing Off the Whites.
Let us be absolutely clear from the outset: this is the PGA Centenary Course, and we are emphatically NOT playing off the white tees. Those who were quietly hoping to channel their inner Rory McIlroy from the tips can stand down immediately. The blue tees await, and frankly, given what the PGA Centenary does to a scorecard even from there, that is mercy enough.
Now, to the business at hand.
The Format: Organised Chaos with a Scorecard
For the uninitiated, the scramble is golf's most gloriously democratic format. Every player hits. The team picks the best ball. Everyone trudges over, drops within a handspan of the chosen spot, and the process repeats until someone holes out. One team score. Maximum camaraderie. Minimum excuses.
The small print: each player's drive must be used a minimum of three times over the 18 holes. This is not a suggestion. This is not a guideline. It is the rule that prevents the longest hitter in the group from simply teeing it up on every hole while their teammates admire the Perthshire scenery.
Scramble Play
Tee Shots: Each player on the team tees off on each hole.
Selection: After all tee shots, the team selects the best shot (regardless of whether it's in the fairway, rough, or even off the green). The spot should be marked with a tee or marker.
Placement: All team members then place their ball within one club length (no closer to the hole) of the selected spot. On the green, balls are placed within one putter-head length of the selected spot.
Playing the Shot: All team members then play their second shot from the selected spot.
Repeat: This process is repeated until the ball is holed.
Minimum Drives: Each player's tee shot must be used at least three times during the round. Mark on the scorecard whose drive is being used.
On the Green
Placement: Once on the green, the spot of the selected ball should be marked, and all other team members place their ball within one putter-head length of that spot, no closer to the hole.
Putting Order: The team can decide the putting order for each putt.
Completion: Once the ball is holed by any team member, the hole is complete.
The Draw: A Field of Intrigue
Eleven three-ball teams take to the PGA Centenary from 7:30am. Let us assess the contenders.
7:30AM — McColgan, Bruce & Collier The early birds. David McColgan, David Bruce and Michael Collier have the honour of setting the early benchmark on fresh greens with no footprints. A solid, experienced-looking trio. Never underestimate a team that willingly sets an alarm for this hour.
7:40AM — Cantlay (A), Law & StewartAlistair Cantlay — son of our Vice Captain Mike, and presumably carrying the family's considerable organisational genes — leads Doug Law and Tony Stewart. Whether paternal wisdom has been passed down the Cantlay line in time for Saturday remains to be seen. Dark horses.
7:50AM — Logie, Simpson & McLearyDavid Logie — Club Champion 2025, no less — anchors this group and immediately makes it one of the most dangerous in the field. Logie's ball-striking gives this team a significant advantage in a format where the best drive is everything. Rob Simpson and Robert McLeary will be feeding off that quality all day. Strong contenders.
8:00AM — Cooper, Dickson & Ali Now then. Your correspondent, Tariq Ali, lines up alongside the sole Englishman in the field, Jon Cooper, and Jonathan Dickson. Cooper is no stranger to competitive golf and will be eager to remind the Scottish contingent that the scramble format respects no border. As for this correspondent — filing copy and hitting fairways simultaneously is a considerable challenge, but one embraced with full enthusiasm. Wildcard entry.
8:10AM — Higham, Grant & McCulloch A quietly dangerous combination. Mark Higham is a steady presence, Sandy Grant brings fresh links nous from the Panmure match, and Thomas McCulloch — who posted a fine 73 on Queen's in the Gordon Lockhart — is in decent form. This group could easily sneak under the radar. Sleepers.
8:20AM — Aitchison, MacKenzie & McNeill Oh my. Dr Tom MacKenzie — fresh from his Gordon Lockhart Trophy triumph with a stunning net 69 on King's — lines up alongside the irrepressible Billy Z. McNeill, one of the celebrated Sombrero triumvirate from last year's Gala. MacKenzie's form is simply undeniable, and in a scramble format, having a player of his calibre selecting the best ball is a formidable advantage. Iain Aitchison captains the group and will be doing so with a quiet smile. Joint favourites.
8:30AM — Longmuir, Beattie & WadsworthRyan Longmuir leads Kevin Beattie and Paul Wadsworth — the latter having completed both rounds of the Gordon Lockhart with commendable resilience. A group that will work hard for every shot and could easily surprise. Capable outsiders.
8:40AM — Lothian, Johnson & Dickson (K)Andy Lothian marshals Frank Johnson and Kevin Dickson in a solid, workmanlike combination. This is precisely the sort of quietly determined group that grinds out a score while everyone else is watching the favourites. Steady contenders.
8:50AM — Crockart, Black & AbercrombieRob Crockart leads Alan Black and David Abercrombie in a group with genuine under-the-radar potential. Don't be fooled by the later tee time — this trio could post something very tidy indeed. Worth watching.
9:00AM — Nicolson, Lewis & FletcherMark Nicolson heads Paul Lewis and Jonathan Fletcher in a group that benefits from a later start — greens running true, course fully awake. A composed, capable combination. Steady.
9:10AM — Penman, Mitchell & Wallace The final group out. Alan Penman leads David Mitchell and Allister Wallace in what could prove a tactically astute position — they will know exactly what score they need to beat as they make the turn. Tactical advantage.
The Verdict: Who Wins?
This correspondent's selections — filed, it must be noted, with full awareness that this correspondent is also a participant and therefore entirely conflicted:
🏆 Favourites: Aitchison, MacKenzie & McNeill — A Gordon Lockhart Trophy winner in red-hot form, with the irrepressible Billy Z alongside. Formidable.
🥈 Each-Way: Logie, Simpson & McLeary — A Club Champion in a scramble is simply unfair on the rest of the field.
🎯 Dark Horse: Higham, Grant & McCulloch — Quietly capable, potentially devastating.
🎪 Sentimental Pick: Cooper, Dickson & Ali — Your correspondent is backing himself. Journalistic integrity be damned.
One final thought. The PGA Centenary Course was designed by Jack Nicklaus and has hosted the Ryder Cup. It will not be kind to anyone who arrives underprepared, regardless of which tees they play from.
But it will reward the bold, the accurate, and the team that picks the right ball at the right moment.
Good luck to all. May your drives find the fairway, your approaches find the green, and your putts find the bottom of the cup.
Taz
Any issues/complaints should be directed to my assistant!