Golf Lessons: What Is a Scratch Golfer?

Golf. It is a game that is only getting more popular across the globe every year. 

Currently, there are over 25 million Americans alone that play golf. 

So, what is the goal when playing golf? Of course, you want to have fun with it. 

However, those that are more serious about the sport want to continue to get better at it. Eventually, they could become good enough to be a scratch golfer. 

What does it take to become a scratch golfer? Well, one thing that you will need is golf lessons. On top of this, you would need to put in a lot of practice and hard work. 

This guide will define what a scratch golfer is, how good you have to be to get there, and what work you have to put in to achieve that status. 

What Is a Scratch Golfer? 

Before we can talk about getting to scratch golfer status and how special it is, you must first understand what this means. A scratch golfer is an elite golfer. 

They are elite because when you play scratch golf, you are shooting at or below par. People that are not scratch golfers tend to play with a handicap. 

Well, if you are shooting par or below, you do not need this handicap. Scratch status essentially recognizes that you do not need any extra help to put up a low score. 

How do you know if you are a scratch golfer? Well, the first thing that you need to do is know what the par score is for the course you are playing on. 

In this case, let's say that it is 72. So, if you are consistently shooting a 72 on an 18-hole golf course, this could mean that you are a scratch golfer. 

Now, in the golf world, you have to remember that doing this once or twice is not good enough. To understand this, you should have an idea of how people determine their handicaps. 

Essentially, they take about 8-10 of their best scores out of their last 20 rounds and come up with a median score from there. The same applies to determining if you are a scratch golfer. 

You can take the eight best rounds that you have played out of your last 20. After you determine what those eight rounds are, add them up and divide them to see if your score matches the general par score or not. 

If it does, then you know you are a scratch golfer. If it is lower, then you could even need a plus handicap. 

Are They Professionals? 

While it is a very difficult achievement to reach scratch golfer status, this alone does not make you a professional golfer. You may be surprised at just how great professional golfers are. 

On average, they shoot about five strokes under par. The best professional golfers may even shoot 8-10 strokes under par. 

This may not sound like a big difference on the surface. But to a professional, it could be the difference between making a cut and having a payday in a tournament. 

What this means for you is that while you are on the right track if you become a scratch golfer, you still have a long way to go if you have dreams of becoming a professional. 

Do not beat yourself up about it because very few professionals are out there playing golf. In the United States, there are just over 7,400 professional golfers. 

How to Get Better 

Now that you have an idea of what a scratch golfer is, you may be a golfer that is ambitious to get there. If you are, just know that you have to work hard to achieve what you want. Here are a couple of things that you can do to get closer to your goals. 

Strong Mentality 

Golf is a unique sport in that you are really playing against yourself. You do not have a direct opponent, and you control every aspect of your game. 

What this means is that in golf, you have to make sure that you do not beat yourself. Do not panic if you hit a bad shot into the water or miss an easy putt. At the same time, do not get arrogant if you get a birdie or have a great tee shot. 

Control your emotions and have a strong mindset when golfing. 

Balance Your Game 

The next thing that you need to keep in mind is that you need to practice all aspects of your game. Some people may spend the majority of their time on the driving range just to make sure that they can hit a tee shot well. 

This is an important part of your game, but it is not the only part. Your putting needs to be on point as well. The reason is that if you are not a good putter, you could cost yourself a stroke or two on every hole. 

That can add up to double digit strokes. So, make sure you are spending time on both the driving range and the putting range. 

Take Golf Lessons 

Finally, if you are serious about golf, you may want to sign up for golf lessons. It can be beneficial for you to learn from an experienced coach that can point out flaws in your game that you need to fix. They can also show you new golfing techniques. 

Once you do this, you could get that much closer to reaching scratch golfer status. 

Are you ready to get started? Message us here to begin your lessons today.