What is a Scratch Golfer?

If you've ever heard someone call themselves a 'scratch golfer' then hopefully they are playing on your team in wolf. It's also really important that you be aware of their skill level before placing any bets with them out on the golf course. You do have other responsibilities in addition to golf after all. At least we hope? A scratch golfer is someone that is capable of shooting par or better on most golf courses. On each hole, the par of the hole is the score that a scratch player would be expected to achieve on each hole with 2 strokes allotted for putting. Another way of understanding how to define scratch golfers is through every course's rating. The course rating is the overall expected outcome that a scratch golfer should achieve on each course. Another way of understanding scratch golfers is using GHIN. A scratch player is said to have a GHIN or Handicap Index of 0.0.

Why do they call it a scratch golfer?

It is alleged that the term scratch golfer originates from a handicap system that existed in foot races where the scratch line was the starting point for the fastest runners on the track. Slower runners were provided the advantage of starting in front of the scratch line to try and even the playing field among sprinters and racers. In the context of golf and GHIN, the scratch player would not receive any strokes or advantages when playing a scramble of mixed skill players. This is to ensure that players with a higher GHIN are given an opportunity to compete against scratch players on the hardest holes on the golf course. For example, a 5 handicap player competing against a scratch golfer would receive one stroke per hole on the top 5 most challenging holes on the golf course. If the 5 golfer makes a par on the hole, they would net a birdie because of the stroke provided. Scratch golfers are given no advantages in competition and must play the course as-is.

Let's discuss a few methods for choosing the right tees during your next round of golf.

What's the difference between a scratch golfer and a pro?

The difference between a scratch golfer and a professional golfer varies widely based on the level of professional golf being considered. The average teaching professional may hover around a 0.0 index, which is the same as a scratch golfer. PGA Tour professionals could be a +6.0 or better (and the best players are!), which means PGA Tour players would provide 6 strokes to a scratch golfer in a competitive match. In other words, the PGA Tour professional would have to beat the scratch golfer on more than one third of the holes in order to win the round. Considering the talent of scratch golfers and how effortless the game can look as compared to weekend golfers, PGA Tour professionals deserve a lot more credit and notoriety for their abilities because it is significantly better.

Another significant difference between a scratch golfer and PGA Tour players is the difference in shot outcomes at various lengths. Golf Digest's partnership with Arccos Golf resulted in an amazing report that shows the disparity between scratch golfers and PGA Tour pros from various distances, approaches, lies, and positions on the golf course. According to the report, some of the biggest differences where PGA Tour professionals perform significantly better than scratch golfers includes on the putting surface from 20-25 feet, approach shots from 200-225 yards away, and bunker play. To summarize, PGA Tour players sink more putts, land closer to the pin on approach shots, and have better bunker play.

How do I become a scratch golfer?

Golf is a game that requires consistency, discipline, coachability, and a steady stream of golf tips and instruction to ensure skills improve. Becoming a scratch golfer is dependent on a player's background, experience, athleticism, mental commitment, and access to fitness and training facilities. Here is a step-by-step suggestion for how to become a scratch golfer:

1. Start tracking everything - distances, rounds played, shots, practice routines....everything!
2. Know each club's distances and shot-making capabilities intimately
3. Find consistency through disciplined practice routines from tee to green
4. Monitor your progress on fairways hit, greens in regulation, number of putts, shots around the green, penalties taken, and other important scoring metrics.
5. Learn a variety of shots, moving as a fade, slice, draw, hook, and at a variety of trajectories. This will help you navigate the course seamlessly.
6. Never compromise on practicing your short game, but especially putting. Every practice should include putting.
7. Set scoring benchmarks and goals, and once you accomplish them, keep striving towards 0.0 GHIN

Now You Know All About Scratch Golfers

Whether you're aspiring to become a scratch golfer or just wondering how to define a scratch player, we hope this guide helped you gather information about your questions. Personally, and as a 6.7 GHIN, I would love nothing more than to become a scratch player, and that process is a lengthy one that'd require me to adhere to the tips for becoming a scratch golfer shared above. The time and commitment necessary to accomplish this feat in golf is significant, and it requires ongoing attention to detail, practice, discipline, and the will to get better. Planet Divot believes that there is a scratch golfer inside all of us waiting to be unleashed, but not before we do the work necessary to get there. Golf is a game that requires each of us to stay humble, and even the scratch golfer (or Tiger Woods at the 2024 Genesis Invitational) can have a poor shot. The difference between an average player and a golfer with scratch potential is that the latter golfer will continue to work, show up on the driving range, and stay accountable to the goals ahead of him, her, or them. Be the latter golfer, friends!