One term that you may have heard while watching or reading about golf is the term Scratch Golfer. You may scratch your head, trying to understand what the term could relate to in golf. Does it actually include scratching or not, and where does the term come from?
A scratch golfer is a golfer who can play a round of golf with a final course handicap of 0 on most of all rated golf courses. In other words, they are expected to play at Par, which means their skills are advanced enough to finish the golf course with a final score equal to the course’s Par Score.
In this article, we will learn more about what a scratch golfer is, how it’s different from professional golfers, how to become one, including tips to improve your game.
Why the Term “Scratch”?
The term “scratch” in Scratch Golfer originates from another sport, specifically athletic running. In this sport, the competition is made fairer to people of difference skills by putting faster runners behind a “scratch” marked on the ground behind the starter line. The other runners would start from this line.
This makes the race more interesting to watch as it’s more competitive amongst all the racers. This concept is also applied to golf, where lower players have higher handicap and can still compete against scratch golfers with a lower handicap.
How Good is a Scratch Golfer?
A scratch golfer can be considered exceptionally good in golf, as they can hit exactly the number of strokes that the golf course was designed for. And they consistently do this as they have masted their golf game and can navigate each hole with accurate shots.
In comparison, a PGA Golfer is expected to consistently hit below the par of a golf course, so a scratch player is not far behind. Both types of players rarely hit a bad shot.
Difference between a Scratch Golfer and Pro?
A Pro PGA Golfer and Scratch Golfer are close in their skill, but PGA professional golfers are expected to hit below par consistently. This means that PGA Golfers are considered better than Scratch Golfers.
In a nuthshell, PGA Golfers usually hit below 4-5 strokes below Par, whilst Scratch Golfers consistently hit to the Par of the Golf Course.
What’s Required to Become a Scratch Golfer?
Becoming a scratch golfer is no easy feat and requires a blend of dedication, technical skill, and mental resilience. You’d need to master several aspects of golf, including perfecting the golf swing, gripping the club, posture, and stance. All of this would help you master the foundations to build on.
Along with this, you’d need to build your physical fitness to help you enhance your swing power and control. You’d also need to understand course management to help you navigate diverse play conditions like an expert.
Ultimately, the journey to become a scatch golfer requires a commitment and dedication to continuously improve every aspect of your golfing game. Most importantly, is to remember to always have fun, as this will keep you motivated to continue improving and practicing.
Tips to Help You Become a Scratch Golfer
Becoming a scratch golfer is not quick and easy thing and takes a lot of patience, time, and many practices. Below are some tips we put together to help you achieve the feat of playing scratch golf.
Hit Accurate Distances
Learning to navigate each hole and hitting the ball accurately is important to improve your golf game and get closer to become a scratch golfer. If you can hit the ball exactly to where you aimed, it means you are more likely to get the ball into the putting green and into the hole in fewer shots too.
Grip the Club like an Expert
The grip is the direct connection we have with our golf club, so it’s important to hold it correctly. Being able to grip it like an expert means you will hit longer and more accurate golf shots. It’s recommended to keep the grip as neutral as possible, but depending on the type of shots, you also need to grip it using a strong or a weak grip.
Take Golf Lessons
Learning by playing regularly is a great way to improve your game, but you’d only know about techniques you can do to improve that you didn’t know about, by learning from a professional. This is where taking golf lessons really helps.
The teachers teach you ways that you can improve your game from their experience playing golf, and you can learn how to improve your overall golf game using techniques you never knew about.
Practice Regularly
Consistency is key to becoming a scratch golfer, and the best way to get consistently good scores is also by practicing regularly. Learn from the mistakes you had in your previous round and apply them in your practice to remove the error.
Or better yet, practice what you learned from your golf lessons at the driving range to master the technique or remove bad habits such as hitting slices.
Learn to hit Long Distances
To reduce your overall score, it’s important to learn how to get closer to the green in lesser shots. One of the most effective ways to do this is to learn how to hit longer shots, especially on the tee shot.
As you can get the ball onto the green in lesser shots, it means you are likelier to get the ball in with a birdie or a par, improving your overall golf score.
Learn all the Shots Around a Green
Each golf hole requires different shots to reach the hole, as every hole has a different design. This means mastering different shots, such as a draw shot, is important to help you navigate the hole to get to the putting green in lesser shots.
Final Thoughts
A scratch golfer is a golfer who can play a round of golf with a final course handicap of 0 on most of all rated golf courses. In other words, they are expected to play at Par, which means their skills are advanced enough to finish the golf course with a final score equal to the course’s Par Score.
In the end, practising consistently and playing regularly will help you get closer to becoming a scratch golfer. What also helps is having the right gear and guides to help you improve your golf game, which is exactly what we offer here at Golfers Approach. We have several guides that explains more about golf and gear guides to help you pick the best gear to improve your game.
