Of the 68 million golfers in the world, fewer than 1% are scratch. They aren’t superhuman. Golf Stat Pro’s LOU STAGNER provides scratch stats will shock you and reset your expectations.
They average 2.2 birdies per round.
That’s it. They aren’t scratch because they make a lot of birds.
They average about 260 yards with driver.
They are not carrying every tee shot 300+.
They hit about 50% of fairways.
They are not stripe machines that never miss a fairway.
They average about 10 greens in regulation per round.
They miss nearly half the greens!
From 110 yards in the fairway, they are getting it up and down about 1 out of 10 times.
They are not stuffing it close and making bird every time with a wedge!
From 122 yards in the fairway …
They are more likely to hit it outside 30 feet than inside 30 feet!
They do NOT have a scoring average of even par.
A scratch player …
Playing a par 72 …
With a 71.5 course rating …
And a 131 slope rating …
Will have a scoring average of about 75 over their last 20 rounds.
Average proximity from 90 yards in the fairway is ~26 feet.
They are not hitting everything inside 10 feet!
From 100 yards in the fairway they miss the green about 1 of every 4 attempts!
They make bogey or worse on 30% of the holes they play.
From 125 yards in the fairway on a par four, they make bogey or worse 19% of the time.
They three-putt ~22% of the time from 35 feet.
From 120 yards in the fairway, they average ~3.05 shots to hole out.
Average proximity from 150 yards in the fairway is about 37 feet.
They average four shots on the typical 308-yard par four.
They average 4.7 bogeys per round.
They make bogey on 1 out of 4 holes they play!
From 100-yards in the fairway they are more likely to make bogey (or worse) than they are to make birdie.
From 15 yards in the rough they leave 32% of their shots OUTSIDE 15 feet.
Nearly one out of three finishes outside 15 feet. From 15 yards.
From 130 yards in fairway.
Chances they hit it inside 20 feet: ~29%
Chances they miss the green: ~31%
They are more likely to miss the green than hit it inside 20 feet from 130 yards in fairway!!
From 80 yards in the fairway
“Middle” hole location (Hole is at least 10 yards from every edge)
30% of their shots finish OUTSIDE 30 feet
If you want to be a scratch player …
Or simply get better …
You do not need to be perfect.
Reduce the big numbers.
Make solid contact and just keep it in play.
– Lou Stagner posted this as an X thread
