Performance Data Behind A Scratch Golfer | Golf Monthly
We take a deep dive into the shot data supplied by Arccos and compare an 18 index handicapper with a scratch golfer. Using these statistics, you can learn how to tune your game with the goal of getting down to a scratch handicap.
Transcript
00:00 It's every golfer's dream to play off scratch, right?
00:03 But what are scratch golfers doing on the course right now
00:06 to play off that index?
00:07 And what are you not doing that you should be?
00:10 Well, I've got all the data and all the stats to explain more.
00:13 So in our deep data dive to get you down
00:20 to a scratch golfer, we're going to be comparing
00:22 a scratch golfer, a zero index handicapper,
00:24 to an 18 index to really see the differences
00:27 between these two.
00:29 Now, I'm not going to say every 18 index we're watching now
00:31 is suddenly going to play off scratch.
00:33 I'm looking at these stats.
00:35 But it's going to give us a great idea of key areas
00:38 that golfers, you know, between scratch and 18,
00:40 can work on to get down to that target,
00:42 if that is your goal.
00:45 So all the data we're referencing from this video
00:46 comes courtesy of Arcos Golf.
00:48 They have a vast bank of data,
00:50 over 750 million shots from real golfers
00:54 on real golf courses just like you.
00:57 So if you use Arcos right now,
00:59 your data has been plugged into this
01:01 and we're getting a real idea
01:02 of what's going on out there, basically.
01:04 And if you want to try Arcos for yourself,
01:05 I've put some handy links down in the description
01:08 that will find you the best price in your location
01:10 for a set of their smart sensors.
01:12 Now, the first area we're going to look at,
01:18 and probably the most obvious difference
01:19 between 18 indexes and scratch golfers
01:21 in that journey to get down to scratch, is scoring.
01:25 It's really obvious he's going to be different,
01:27 but let's just take a look at them anyway,
01:28 'cause it's interesting,
01:29 and we can see where the biggest differences lie, right?
01:32 So scratch players average 2.2 birdies per round,
01:35 10.5 pars, 4.6 bogeys, and just 0.7 doubles or worse.
01:40 I could only dream of such efficient golf.
01:43 So for me, this less than a double bogey per round
01:47 is the key stat, right?
01:49 When we look at 18 index golfers,
01:51 they're making 5.7 doubles or worse.
01:54 So there's five whole double bogeys or worse
01:57 between these two golfers.
01:59 The rest of the 18 index golfer,
02:00 they're making 0.4 birdies per round,
02:03 four pars, and 8.9 bogeys,
02:05 with that 5.7 double bogeys on the end there.
02:09 Listen, I'm not expecting golfers
02:11 to suddenly have a birdie fest next time they go out,
02:13 but the clear difference between that 18 index
02:15 and scratch golfer, and on your journey down
02:18 through that handicap index range,
02:20 is just to chip a few doubles off here and there.
02:22 Chip one, two, three off per round if you can.
02:25 They'll convert to pars, bogeys,
02:27 maybe a few birdies here and there, and that will help.
02:30 Now, you know, you've got to admire the quality
02:32 of a scratch golfer to not have that many double bogeys,
02:34 but in that scoring area,
02:36 let's really focus on bringing those down.
02:38 Now, I think around the green is somewhere
02:44 where there's going to be a big golfing class here,
02:45 and somewhere on that journey down to scratch,
02:48 we can all look to tighten up our game a little bit, right?
02:51 So, let's look at a scratch golfer's
02:53 up and down percentage, right?
02:54 Up and downs from around the green.
02:55 Let's start from zero 25 yards,
02:57 we'll place them somewhere in the rough near the green.
02:59 They get up and down 57% of the time,
03:02 and that's compared to an 18 index golfer
03:04 who achieves that just 26% of the time.
03:07 Again, sat back, admiring you scratch golfers out there
03:09 for getting up and down more than every other time.
03:12 It's pretty impressive.
03:13 If we move ourselves out a little bit, 25 to 50 yards,
03:17 in the fairway or in the rough, it doesn't really matter here
03:20 very similar results for the sort of efficiency
03:23 of a scratch golfer, basically.
03:25 They're getting up and down from this range 35% of the time,
03:28 whereas 18 indexes from 25 to 50 yards
03:31 are doing that just 12% of the time.
03:33 So, another golf there, really.
03:36 And while that golfing class is really clear,
03:37 and I know I'm not sort of breaking news with this,
03:40 we all know 18 indexes are worse,
03:43 I think that stat from 25 to 50 yards
03:46 where scratch golfers are getting up and down
03:47 a third of the time,
03:49 it's something we can all hold on to, I think.
03:50 It's not mad percentages, is it, really?
03:53 We can all sort of achieve that, I think,
03:55 if we work on our short game and our pitching.
03:57 So, for you 18 index golfers
03:59 or anyone who's on that journey down to scratch,
04:02 I think it's proved that incremental gains
04:04 and getting that up and down percentage up
04:06 from 25 to 50 yards and from inside 25 yards,
04:09 but especially that sort of mid-range,
04:11 is a real easy thing to work on
04:14 and to try and achieve out on the golf course
04:16 to get down to scratch.
04:17 (upbeat music)
04:19 So, a reason for these lack of up and downs
04:22 is probably down to putting, isn't it?
04:24 So, let's take a look at the putting stats
04:25 between an 18 index golfer and a scratch golfer.
04:29 Let's have a look on the green.
04:30 So, scratch golfers, some pretty good stats again.
04:32 Again, not breaking news here, but interesting.
04:35 They're averaging a whopping 5.21 putts per round,
04:39 11.5 two putts, and just 1.33 putts per round.
04:44 Pretty impressive, right?
04:46 Again, let's compare to that 18 index golfer
04:49 who is one putting, just 3.1 times per round,
04:52 two putting, 11.1 times, and another big gap here,
04:56 three putting, 3.7 times.
04:59 So, for me, this compares to those scoring stats
05:01 in that there's a lot more three putts
05:04 for 18 index golfers and a lot more double bogeys
05:07 when we looked at that scoring stats earlier.
05:09 Now, I think this is the biggest difference
05:10 between putting, between scratch and higher index golfers.
05:13 So, on your journey down to scratch,
05:15 let's try and chop out some of those three putts
05:18 and work on our putting.
05:19 Now, I don't have any stats for this,
05:20 but I imagine scratch golfers work on their putting
05:23 a little bit more than higher indexes.
05:26 And they don't just go to the range
05:27 and start blasting drivers,
05:28 but they're really dialing that short game.
05:30 Let's avoid a few three putts
05:31 and we can get up and down a bit more
05:32 and we can get to scratch.
05:34 Okay, let's move further back down the hole
05:39 and look at approach shots.
05:40 Compare this scratch golfer and 18 indexer
05:43 on that journey down to scratch.
05:45 How do you have to get better?
05:46 Now, there's quite a big difference here
05:48 and we're going to look at green in regulation percentage.
05:50 So, a scratch golfer hits a green in regulation
05:52 56% of the time.
05:54 And that translates into 10 out of 18 greens
05:57 over the course of a round.
05:58 Again, impressive work.
06:00 You know, that might not sound like a lot.
06:02 I think it does, but it might not sound like a lot.
06:04 But compare that to the 23% of greens in regulation
06:08 that an 18 index golfer hits
06:09 and we can see the big difference.
06:10 Now, not breaking news there,
06:12 but something really interesting I found
06:15 when working our way through this data
06:17 is that when an 18 index handicapper
06:19 does hit the green in regulation,
06:21 their proximity to the hole
06:23 isn't that much different to that of a scratch golfer.
06:26 Let me explain that.
06:27 So, when a scratch golfer hits the green,
06:29 their average proximity to the hole is 26 foot,
06:32 which again, I'm not saying it's very close,
06:34 it's very good golf.
06:35 But when an 18 index handicapper does do it,
06:38 only 23% of the time.
06:39 But when they do do it,
06:41 that proximity to the hole is 35 foot.
06:45 There's only nine foot difference there.
06:48 So, what I'm saying is anyone between scratch and 18
06:51 watching this now,
06:52 when you do hit that green in reg
06:54 and that percentage obviously differs a lot,
06:56 you're very close to the hole as a scratch golfer would be.
06:59 It's not that much different.
07:00 And then if we even look at an eight index golfer,
07:02 so something sort of in the middle of these two,
07:04 when they hit a green in regulation,
07:07 they're 30 foot away from the pin, from the hole.
07:09 So, it shows the value of hitting that green in regulation.
07:13 And I think on your journey down to scratch,
07:15 if you really value a high green in regulation percentage,
07:19 you should be able to start chipping off
07:21 shots on your handicap.
07:21 Now, I can't tell you how to do that,
07:23 but maybe identify a few areas as to why
07:26 your percentage, green in regulation percentage,
07:28 isn't that high.
07:29 Are your drives putting you out of position?
07:31 Are your iron shots poor?
07:34 Work out which one of those it is,
07:36 go and work on that,
07:37 and hopefully you see that green in regulation percentage
07:39 skyrocket.
07:40 (upbeat music)
07:42 Finally then, back to the tee box.
07:45 Now, it's not going to be any great surprise
07:47 that scratch golfers hit the ball a lot further
07:49 than 18 handicap golfers.
07:51 So, a scratch golfer averages 251 yards off the tee,
07:54 compared to an 18 indexer's 217 yards.
07:58 Now, to some, and I know a lot of mid to high handicap,
08:01 as you might hit it a bit further than 251,
08:03 that might not feel like a long way away,
08:06 but that accuracy is where we need to look at.
08:09 So, scratch golfers hit the fairway 51% of the time,
08:11 so more than half, which I think is a very good effort,
08:14 compared to 18 index golfers who hit the fairway
08:18 at 42% of the time.
08:20 Now, that's actually quite a close number again, isn't it?
08:22 We looked at proximity to the hole in greens
08:24 in regulations a minute ago.
08:26 They weren't that far off, nine feet, 11 feet.
08:30 This is only 9% difference in fairways.
08:32 Obviously, that chunk of distance is important,
08:36 but I think it shows on your journey down to scratch,
08:38 or a lower handicap, accuracy isn't that important
08:41 in the grand scheme of things.
08:42 I'm going to leave you with that little line there.
08:43 Accuracy isn't that important.
08:45 May work on a bit of distance.
08:46 I think distance does work,
08:48 'cause 217 yards, 251 is a big golf.
08:50 But listen, wherever you are on the handicap index,
08:53 even scratch golfers are missing
08:54 every other fairway pretty much.
08:56 So, you don't need to value accuracy,
08:57 maybe let's value a bit more distance.
09:00 So, there you have it, the stats and the data
09:02 that should give you a path, or some sort of guiding light
09:05 to becoming a scratch golfer.
09:07 Now, which ones do I think are most important?
09:09 Now, I want you to go away with the accuracy.
09:12 I think you don't need to be that accurate
09:13 to be a scratch golfer.
09:15 It helps, but not that accurate.
09:17 And proximity to the hole on greens in regulation hits.
09:21 Rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?
09:22 But if you remember that one somehow,
09:24 you'll think how valuable greens in regulation are,
09:28 'cause the proximity isn't that different
09:29 from a scratch golfer.
09:31 Now, I know you watching at home
09:32 will be on different parts of the handicap spectrum,
09:34 but I hope that comparison from an 18 index
09:37 to a scratch golfer gives you some idea
09:40 of what parts of the game you can go away and work on.
09:43 Start your journey down to scratch.
09:46 If there's any more videos you want to see just like this,
09:47 of deep data dives,
09:49 we've got all this R-Class information to go off,
09:51 let me know down in the description.
09:52 I'd love to hear from you, and put this data to good use.
09:55 I want to hear what you guys want to see.
09:58 But for now, thank you so much for joining me.
10:00 I'll see you next time.
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