18 to Scratch

Easier than you thought

What differentiates an 18-handicap golfer and a scratch golfer? What stops you from breaking through the next level?

Are you set up to get below 85, or 80, or 75?    

Research conducted (by Golf Monthly), using the millions of data points acquired from Arccos Smart Sensors, reveals that closing the gap to

scratch becomes a whole lot easier if you focus on just 4 areas.

The Double Bogey Difference

On their scorecard, as you’d expect, 18-handicappers have more double-bogeys.

Don’t dismiss this difference of 5 shots per round as BETTER TECHNIQUE. Scratch golfers usually think their way around a golf course AVOIDING the chance of a double-bogey.

Those who play to an 18-handicap usually see every shot as a challenge. The better players see each hole as a challenge.

Those who play to an 18-handicap see the flag as the target. A scratch golfer rarely aims at the flag.

The smaller shots

The second significant difference between an 18-handicap golfer and scratch golfer is ‘performance from 50 – 25 metres in’.

From 25 metres, a scratch golfer gets up and down twice as often. Move out to 25 to 50 metres and we see the difference become larger.  

Keep a second scorecard

Every time you play, keep a scorecard for your shots from 50 metres in (when you’re NOT starting from a bunker or putting from the fringe).

Then at the end of the round calculate the average. Work on getting that average lower.

Polish your technique, and then put in a little regular practice. How many shots could you save? 

Does it surprise anyone that one of the four big differences between an 18-handicap golfer and scratch golfer is the number of 3-putts in a round? This isn’t the scratch golfer having shorter first putts.

The challenge here is SPEED CONTROL. There is a science to the backswing and follow-through that most golfers are unaware of. 

Distance matters

The fourth big difference between a scratch golfer and 18-handicap golfer is distance off the tee. Not accuracy. Not even fairways found. It’s how far the scratch golfer goes off the tee with the driver. 

The benefits are obvious. Playing your 2nd shot closer to the hole with a shorter club should always lead to a lower score.

Want to hit every club further? Take a photo of your downswing with your hands in the position as shown below. Where is your clubhead?

The difference in hand speed between an 18-handicap golfer and scratch golfer is not as great as you think. How the scratch golfer releases the clubhead is usually very different and generates much higher clubhead speed.

What's your TARGET?

What are you scoring and what would you like to score? How quickly could you be down at that score? Is that your maximum potential or could you get to or close to scratch?

Start your JOURNEY

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