How to Become a Scratch Golfer: 12 Proven Tips That Actually Work

Once you improve at golf, it’s easy to forget what used to hold you back. Shooting in the 90s or 80s might feel like a different lifetime, but the gap between a 10 handicap and a scratch golfer isn’t always as big as it seems.

In fact, the difference often comes down to a few small but meaningful changes in how you approach the game.

Whether you’re shooting 90 or 75, the tips below can help you take the next step toward scratch golf.

How to Become a Scratch Golfer (Key Takeaways)

If you don’t have time to read the entire guide, here are a few of the most important takeaways to help you understand what it takes to become a scratch golfer.

• Scratch golfers are more detail-oriented than higher handicap players; they think about all aspects of the game that will make a difference in their final score.
• To become a scratch golfer, you should learn from other great players, including professionals.
• Course management, the mental game, and control of the golf club will become increasingly important as you lower your scores.
• Becoming a scratch golfer takes a lot of muscle memory and some mental toughness.
• If becoming a scratch golfer is a priority, you must invest in your game and spend both time and money to reach this goal.

12 Key Tips to Become a Scratch Golfer

Becoming a scratch golfer is a process, so don’t hesitate to implement these strategies into your routine starting today.

Track this entire process so that you feel confident in the progress you are making. Sometimes, to see how far we have come, we have to look back at where we started.

Start Tracking Everything

I’m not telling you that you will always have to track every single stat about your round of golf.

However, when you first start this process of learning to become a scratch golfer, you should track everything.

The best data you can collect is strokes gained.

Using a strokes gained app will help you identify the areas of your game that require the most practice and what is holding you back from becoming a scratch golfer. Without this data, you are just going to prolong the process.

Greens in regulation, fairways hit, putts, and bunker saves are all important, but strokes gained give you more detailed information about specific performance from various locations on the course.

The more data you have, the easier it is to improve.

Learn the Role of the Wrists in Your Golf Swing

Wrist position plays a critical role in your golf swing.

Scratch golfers and pros typically show very little wrist extension at impact. Instead, they have slight flexion, which helps control the clubface and compress the ball.

To improve your swing, it’s essential to understand your wrist angles at setup, the top of the backswing, and impact.

That’s where HackMotion comes in.

HackMotion gives you real-time data on your wrist positions and helps identify exactly where things break down.

After analyzing over a million swings, we know great players add minimal extension going to the top and reduce it in the downswing, ending up with less extension at impact than they had at address.

If you’re aiming to become more detail-oriented like a scratch golfer, HackMotion is the tool that can take you there.

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Level 1

Release drill Train your release before working on other aspects of your swing

Level 2

Dynamic transition drill Train your sequencing and pivot, as well as punch shots or your wedge game

Level 3

Impact full swing challenge Train your maximum power swing

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Get Accurate Distances

Accurate yardages are essential if you want to play like a scratch golfer. Without them, you’re guessing, and guessing doesn’t lead to consistent scoring.

Scratch players control their distances and know exactly how far each club goes. But that only works if you also know the precise distance to your target.

A combination of GPS and rangefinder technology works best. GPS gives you yardages to the front, middle, and back of the green. The rangefinder locks onto the pin for precise distance. Together, they help you choose the right club and the right shot.

If you don’t want to carry both, consider using a GPS app in conjunction with a quality rangefinder for a simple and effective setup.

Know How to Control the Clubface

Scratch golfers know how to control their clubface.

There is no wondering or guessing what the clubface is doing in the backswing or at impact. Instead, scratch golfers have complete confidence in the position of their clubhead.

How do you learn how to control the clubface?

There are two ways: the first is practice, and the second is technology.

The more you practice, the easier it will be to feel what the clubface is doing. To learn your issues with clubface control and to identify them, use the diagnostic tools in the HackMotion app.

Become a Grip Expert

Your grip is the only connection you have to the golf club, and even small changes in hand position can lead to big differences in ball flight.

A neutral grip is ideal for most players, but consistency is just as important. If your hand position shifts from swing to swing without you realizing it, you’ll struggle with control and direction.

HackMotion helps monitor those subtle grip changes by tracking wrist angles from setup through impact.

If your wrist angles at address vary, it could be a sign that your grip is changing without you noticing.

Make hand position part of your pre-shot routine. Use HackMotion to ensure you’re starting in a repeatable position, round after round, swing after swing.

Plan Your Round Ahead of Time

Scratch golfers have a plan for the course.

The night before your round of golf, try to do a mental play-by-play of the round to determine your course of action for your round of golf that day. This could take just five minutes of your time, but it’s important.

Being smart about the club you choose off the tee, which golf holes are birdie holes and safe par holes, is part of becoming a scratch golfer.

As a scratch golfer, you will make bogeys from time to time, but when you make a triple, it’s harder to stay a scratch golfer.

Learn a Variety of Shots Around the Green

It’s great that you can hit a high lofted shot with your 56-degree wedge that ends up pretty close to the pin. However, this is not always the best shot to hit. The best players have a bag full of shots that they can choose from when around the greens.

You should have both high and low lofted shots to choose from. In addition, play around with bounce and grind options on your wedges.

Incorporate more than one shot type around the green. Sometimes a 9 iron is the right club, and other times it’s a lob wedge. Don’t get too stuck on one club being the solution.

Schedule Your Practice

Life gets busy, so if you want to improve, schedule your golf practice like you would a meeting or appointment.

Make time for a mix of skills: short game, long game, and trouble shots like low punches or thick rough escapes. These shots often save pars.

Use tools like HackMotion to track your progress and identify what’s working. When you’re playing well, you’ll have data to back up your practice habits.

Most importantly, focus on targeted drills. Don’t just hit balls – train with purpose. Structured drills help you build consistency, reinforce good habits, and maximize the effectiveness of every session.

Pay Attention to the Detail

Scratch golfers are always learning. Do you know what wrist extension is? Can you explain and demonstrate the difference between a slice and a hook? What is smash factor?

Learning more and more about the game will only make you a stronger player and give you a greater chance of consistently shooting in the 70s.

Pay attention to how weather factors into the game, course conditions, equipment, clothing, and even nutrition.

Distance Does Matter

When an amateur golfer can drive the ball at least 250 yards, the game of golf gets easier.

If you can’t hit the ball all that far, the approach shots you have to the green become more difficult.

Golfers hitting a 4 iron into the green have a smaller percentage of getting it close to the hole than the golfers hitting a 9 iron into the green.

Don’t let people tell you that distance doesn’t matter; it does.

Play with golf equipment that helps you increase your total distances. In addition, make sure that you are working on your physical fitness to become stronger, more balanced, and able to hit the ball further.

Distance matters and it matters even more when you want to become a scratch golfer.

Putting Stroke Needs to be Repeatable

To become a scratch golfer, you need a putting stroke that you can repeat. Find a grip you love and learn how to put your hands on the club the same way every time.

Use the HackMotion to measure your wrist angles in putting and see if you can keep them consistent from one stroke to the next.

The greens and conditions will vary from one day to the next; make sure your stroke does not.

With Smart Golf, You Can Recover from a Bad Hole

Smart golf is all about decision-making. A great example came from Wyndham Clark, who recently found his ball in a hazard near the green. It looked playable, but the lie was buried, and his stance was awkward.

Rather than risk a blow-up trying to save par, he took the penalty, got up and down, and walked away with a bogey. Trying the hero shot could’ve led to a double or triple, much harder to recover from.

The lesson? Sometimes the smart play is the safe play. Take your medicine, make a solid bogey, and stay in the round. Don’t let one bad shot turn into a disaster.

FAQs

Here are a few of the most commonly asked questions about how to become a scratch golfer.

How long does it take to become a scratch golfer?

It can take anywhere from 2 years to a lifetime to become a scratch golfer. The athletic ability a player has and the amount of time they put into their golf practice will be the major indication of whether scratch golf is possible.

How hard is it to get to scratch golf?

Scratch golf is hard because it requires golfers to pay attention to so many aspects of the game. You must become proficient in driving, chipping, putting, approach shots, and other skills. Scratch golf can be incredibly challenging and frustrating, yet rewarding at the same time.

Can you become a scratch golfer without lessons?

Becoming a scratch golfer without lessons is highly possible. You will need strong discipline and access to technology, such as video and the HackMotion wrist measuring device.

How many scratch golfers are there in the world?

There are very few scratch golfers in the world; less than one percent of all golfers are scratch players.

Is a scratch golfer a pro?

A scratch golfer is not a pro. Professional golfers have handicaps that are considerably lower than scratch golfers. Those handicaps would be positive handicaps indicating that the player shoots under par when they play.

Final Thoughts

Being a scratch golfer takes a commitment, but it’s a goal that is well worth achieving.

Don’t make this process harder on yourself, seek professional help if necessary, invest in technology like HackMotion that can get you there faster, and don’t lose sight of your goal!