What Is A Scratch Golfer Explained For Everyone

Golf is one game that is characterized by lots of technical terms that can be quite daunting for amateurs. A scratch golfer is one of the terms you have heard of in golf. In fact, it is unlikely to meet many scratch golfers, but many golfers new or experienced aim to reach this level. Read on to get all information you need to know about scratch players.

Scratch Golfer

A scratch golfer is a player who can possibly par every hoe on any standard golf course and on any day. This simply means that a scratch golfer is a player that has a zero handicap, scratch golfers spend many years practicing and perfecting the golf game before they boast such an honor.  However, they are not perfect golfers because even the very best will make mistakes just like we see pro players do all the time.

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What Makes Scratch Golfers Stand Out?

When it comes to golf, no player is ever perfect. Every individual makes mistakes and this includes even the pro golfers. It is quite interesting to analyze the number deduced from the game of some of the best scratch golfers. Some of the scratch golfers’ statistics include the following:

  • For 2/3 of the time, scratch players can hit the green in regulation
  • Scratch golfers average approximately 1.67 putts for every hole
  • They hit the fairway with just half of their envisioned shots
  • Approximately 250 yards is the average drive for scratch players
  • Scratch golfers will save from sand approximately 60 percent of the time.

When you research more about scratch players, these are some of the statistics you will uncover. From this numbers we can deduce that when it comes to golf perfection is not easy to achieve. The statistics just show consistency and being consistent is what makes scratch golfers.

Can You Become a Scratch Player?

Most people set out intending to become the best scratch players. However, the chances are that you will consistently lower your handicap but not attain the magical zero when you practice golf a lot and pay close attention to what the professionals recommend. Keep in mind that very, very few golfers become scratch players. Being a scratch golfer is having mastered all the necessary skills to become a top-level golfer and believing in your abilities to the ultimate degree.

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Scratch golfers believe in themselves and this allows them to recover easily from any mistakes they make. Most golfers tend to dwell on their mistakes and as a result, they end up creating more mistakes on the course.

It is rare to see top-level pro golfers make the same mistakes twice. Scratch players believe in themselves and they know that one mistake on the course will not affect the hole. What separates scratch golfers from the rest is the knowledge that they are good enough to recover from a pitfall.

Getting to the highest level in golf is quite a challenge and not many golfers will achieve this. Every golfer strives to become a scratch player but it takes a lot to achieve this. These include the skills that you learn over the years, plenty of practice on the golf course, and believing in your abilities as a golfer.

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How can You Attain Scratch Level in Golf?

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Attaining scratch level is very difficult. According to the US Golf Association, only 2% of golfers can attain a handicap of zero and below. This simply means that only two out of every 100 players are scratch golfers. Nevertheless, these statistics do not mean that you cannot achieve scratch level and be among the 2% of the best golf players.

A majority of players engage in golf for the fun of it and wish to attain the highest level possible.  Therefore, you can still use the strategies that many scratch golfers have used in your game. To attain the scratch level in golf, there are several things that must be done. These include:

  • Lots of practice on the course. For you to attain scratch level, you need lots of practicing and this means playing golf on a daily basis. Golf should take the biggest portion of your life beyond the family.
  • You need to change your attitude and get rid of your temper. When playing golf, it is easy to get frustrated, annoyed, and angry when things do not go as planned. However, you cannot allow this to happen since it will affect your belief in yourself and your abilities, your concentration, and finally your game.
  • Play lots of golf. You need to understand the difference between play and practice since they are not the same. During a round of golf, you should be taking note of your weaknesses and areas that need more improvement. During practice, you need to address these weaknesses so that you can excel whenever you play.
  • Ball striking is a crucial thing in golf. To achieve the scratch level you must strive on getting unswerving drives off the tee.
  • Manage Risks. In golf, you should never try being clever with your golf shots. However, it is best that you choose those that offer you the easiest route. The best golfers purpose to keep the golf ball in play at all times. This is because it helps you attain your goals, which are, the green.
  • Elude having more than two putts on the green. Putting is usually where games are largely won or lost. Furthermore, if you face any troubles or challenges on the green, then it means you are already in trouble.

There are a lot of things that should be done for you to achieve scratch level in golf. When you put all the above into practice, you will be different from the average golf player. You should follow what other scratch players do so that you can attain the achievements they have accomplished over the years.

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Is Attaining Scratch Level a Reasonable Goal?

According to statistics, only 2% of all golfers have dedicated themselves enough to attain a zero handicap and become scratch golfers. For most people playing golf is mainly for enjoyment and having fun with friends or colleagues. Before you strive to become a scratch golfer, you should determine whether the frustrations of failing to attain this level will affect your enjoyment of golf.

Most people usually become frustrated and angry when they are not progressing quickly enough in the game or keep making the same mistakes that they have been making for months. The amount of time you dedicate to golf should also be a major factor to consider. This is because you will need to practice or play every day if you want to become a zero handicap player.

You need to know whether you have that much effort and time that you can dedicate to golf instead of other life commitments. Most golfers do not have the time and they believe that all this hard work and time commitments will significantly affect other areas of their lives.

Attaining scratch level is not something that happens overnight, but it takes years and years of practice and play. Most golfers tend to give up on their goal and opt to just play golf for the fun of it. However, if you want to become a scratch player, you must learn consistently and strive to improve your game. With lots of practice and play, you can achieve the scratch level and be part of the 2% of golfers who are great in their play.

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