Cool thoughts! Typically! I like stroke play and best ball as everyone gets to participate. Brambles are quite fun as it provides a breeding ground for teamwork! 

Heres formats that I've played in that may work for you: 

1. Magic Yard - Each foursome receives a paper strip equal to a yard. This acts as a magical gimme. For example, your group reaches a Par 5 in two shots. All members of the group attempt the Eagle putt but unsuccessfully holing out. If the putt is anywhere within range of the Magic Yard, say 16 inches, the group would tear off 16 inches of the Magic Yard, discards this portion in the hole or trash, and then it awarded the Eagle score for the hole. Now the team has 20 inches of Magic Yard remaining for round until the team no longer has any Magic Yard remaining or the round ends. . It is used strategically for scoring purposes and some fun scenarios. 

2. Ryder Cup - I'm sure you know how his works. You can have two teams of a desired number of players and play the format in six hole increments for group best ball, alternate shot, and match play.

3. Golf Simulator Outting with contests and prizes. Social gathering of like-minded people. 

4. Nine, Wine, & Dine - Play 9 holes, wine tatting afterwards, then have dinner afterwards. 

5. Group Lesson or Clinic with Local Course or Golf Professional

Hope this helps spark some ideas! 

I've never heard of the Magic Yard before, but that sounds really interesting!

There is a place down the road a bit that has a couple golf simulators and that is something I hope to do. It seems like the ability for everyone to be together rather than scattered throughout a course would provide a nice social dynamic.

Thanks for the great ideas!

I too have never heard of the magic yard, but I really like the idea.  I am going to bring that up to our tournament committee.

Jim

With regards to the scramble format, one thing I think helps to make sure everyone is involved is the requirement that the team must use every players drive at least once or twice per nine holes.  This also brings a little strategy into play, particularly if there are beginning golfers who may not drive as well as other players.

I have to admit, I hate the one drive requirement.  It just doesn't make sense.  I've played with people who are money from about 120 and in.  But they were terrible drivers.  We used a lot of there shots, but were still forced to use a bad drive.  All it did was put more focus on this person's lack of driving ability.  At the end of the round, instead of feeling like they really helped the team with all of their approach shots and putts, they felt like they let the team down with a poor drive that cost us strokes.

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The shamble tournaments I've played take the lowest two scores and add them together.  Slightly different, but can mix things up a little.

I have to admit, I hate the one drive requirement.  It just doesn't make sense.  I've played with people who are money from about 120 and in.  But they were terrible drivers.  We used a lot of there shots, but were still forced to use a bad drive.  All it did was put more focus on this person's lack of driving ability.  At the end of the round, instead of feeling like they really helped the team with all of their approach shots and putts, they felt like they let the team down with a poor drive that cost us strokes.

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I like the one drive requirement from a strategy perspective, but I'd have to agree that it could really create a lot of anxiety for someone who doesn't drive the ball well.

I have to admit, I hate the one drive requirement.  It just doesn't make sense.  I've played with people who are money from about 120 and in.  But they were terrible drivers.  We used a lot of there shots, but were still forced to use a bad drive.  All it did was put more focus on this person's lack of driving ability.  At the end of the round, instead of feeling like they really helped the team with all of their approach shots and putts, they felt like they let the team down with a poor drive that cost us strokes.

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I like the one drive requirement from a strategy perspective, but I'd have to agree that it could really create a lot of anxiety for someone who doesn't drive the ball well.

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I understand why tourneys do it and I don't think it's bad.  I just would prefer to see something like, you have to use everyone's shot at least twice instead of one drive from everyone.

A great one for something you are doing where you want to get people who may not know each other to play and fellowship together may be a blind draw, those are always fun.  If you have a smaller group you can always to a wheel as well where you have a foursome so A, B, C and D but within that foursome you have teams AB, BC, CD, AC, AD, BD, so more ways to win, in that format it would be best ball of course.  Lots of great things out there that you can do to keep it fresh.

I've actually given that scenario some thought. I've seen on some golf vlogs where guys will change partners every few holes and thought that might be one possibility as well. I really appreciate the responses from everyone. It's very helpful since I don't have a ton of experience with group formats - I usually play by myself because it's the easiest way to fit it into my schedule.

We have my father's memorial tournament every summer. It is a scramble format (best ball). You can buy mulligans prior to the round, and have a longest drive and closest to the pin contests on designated holes. After the round, there is a raffle of golf and sports equipment, tools, clothing, etc. that has been donated from various local companies, as well as a silent auction of autographed sports memorabilia. 

I have to say that the Magic Yard and Nine, Wine and Dine ideas are very interesting as well! 

Hope some of these ideas help! Good luck! 

Wolf is a game for a group of four golfers.

Players rotate being the "Wolf." The player designated as the "Wolf" on a hole gets to choose whether to play the hole 1-vs.-3 (himself against the other three players in the group) or 2-vs.-2. And if the Wolf chooses to play 2-on-2, he must choose his partner immediately following that players drive.

For instance, Player A is the Wolf. Player B hits a bad drive. Player C hits a pretty good drive. If the Wolf wants C as a partner, he must claim his partner before Player D tees off.

The side with the lowest better ball score wins the hole. If it's 2-on-2, then the winning side wins the hole. If it's 1-on-3, the Wolf wins double or loses double.

There's also Lone Wolf, in which the Wolf announces before anyone tees off - including himself - that he's going it alone, 1-on-3. On a Lone Wolf hole, the Wolf wins triple or loses triple.

Keep track of the number of holes won by each person. See who wins the most at the end. There can be some exciting play, especially as you get to the last few holes and certain players need "wins" to make up some ground.