Playing off scratch is often seen as the holy grail. It’s a level so many of us aspire to get to, but rarely accomplish. You’ve probably wondered – what makes a scratch golfer so special? How did they get down to the elusive zero handicap?
Of course a robust technique in all areas plays a part, but much of it comes down to how scratch golfers think about each and every shot. We’ve had a look at the data from Shot Scope and there are a surprising number of simple ways you can alter your strategy to make it more like how a scratch golfer approaches their round, which we’ve highlighted below. It might not be as far fetched as you initially thought…
WATCH: We showcase the 6 things all scratch golfers do on the course
1. Know Their Numbers
Scratch golfers have an intimate understanding of how far they hit each club — not just their best shots, but their averages across all conditions. They know how far each club carries as well as total distance, they know how their distances change with draws and fades and they know what the maximum is they can get out of each club
Shot Scope data reveals that scratch players have a 20-yard gap between their total average distance and their performance average (p-avg), which removes mishits and chips out from the trees. By contrast, a 15-handicap golfer has a 27-yard gap, meaning they have less control and more variability in their shot outcomes.
This consistency allows scratch golfers to make more confident club selections and avoid coming up short — a leading cause of missed greens for higher handicaps. Obviously we all want to strike our irons better and that will lead to a tighter gap between our average and our performance average, but knowing how far you hit the ball on average, regardless of your ability level, is important because you can create a plan that takes trouble out of play.
2. Pick Smart Targets Into Greens
Knowing your numbers feeds into smarter target selection. Scratch golfers don’t chase every pin — they calculate where the ball is likely to finish, not just where they want it to go. Scratch golfers hit 7 more greens per round than the average 15 hcp (10.6 vs 3.6). They do this in three ways…
Firstly, they focus mostly on the cover number – which is the distance they need to carry the ball in order…
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