Scratch vs 10 vs 20 Handicap - How The Stats Compare

How do the stats compare between golfers that regularly shoot in the low 70s (scratch players) to those who shoot in the low 80s (10 indexes) and those in the low 90s (20 handicappers)?

In this piece we take a look at the stats and numbers on how the different abilities compare and contrast in all areas of the game - and there's some really interesting findings. The numbers are from Arccos Golf, with data gleaned from more than 750 million shots around the world.

We'll start with the vital scoring data and then work from the tee all the way up to the green to see how each of these different abilities of golfers fare.

Obviously scratch players shoot lower scores, make more birdies and fewer bogeys, but just what do those numbers actually look like?

Scratch golfers who use Arccos to track their stats make on average 2.2 birdies per round, which is a whopping 1.5 more than 10 handicappers and a huge 1.9 more than 20 handicappers.

Zero index golfers make an average of 4.6 bogeys per round, which is 3.1 fewer than 10 handicappers and almost half the number that 20 handicappers make, who bogey half the holes they play on average.

There's even bigger differences when it comes to doubles or worse, with scratch golfers making just 0.7 per round, compared to 2.9 for 10 handicappers and 6.6 for 20 handicaps.

Want to shoot lower scores? Avoid doubles!

But how do scratch golfers shoot those lower numbers? Let's take a look at the data from drives, approaches, short game and putting.

Driving isn't always considered the most important part of the game but hitting it long and straight definitely helps, as these numbers show.

Scratch players average 259 yards off the tee with 51% of fairways found, while 20 handicappers are 46 yards shorter on average and hit 10% fewer fairways. The 10 handicap numbers are in the middle of those, as you'd expect, with a 233 yard average and 46% of fairways found.

Scratch golfers' ability to hit longer, straighter drives then translates into more greens in regulation, closer approaches and therefore more birdies.

The average scratch golfer hits 56% of greens in regulation, which equates to 10 per round. That number drops down to 36% for 10 handicappers, around 6.5, and even further to 20% for 20 handicappers, which equals 3.6 greens in reg per round on average.

That means scratch golfers hit more than six greens per round on average versus 20 handicappers.

And on the eight occasions when scratch golfers miss the green in regulation in each round, they can rely on sharp short games to get them up-and-down to save pars.

From within 25 yards, on grass, scratch players get it up-and-down a very impressive 57% of the time, compared to 37% for 10 handicappers and just 23% for 20 handicappers.

From bunker shots inside 25 yards, scratch golfers make sand saves 39% of the time compared to just 21% for 10 handicappers and 13% for 20 handicaps. That means a scratch player is three times more likely to get it up-and-down from a greenside bunker than a 20 index golfer.

Scratch players are also more likely to get it up-and-down from a 25-50 yard bunker shot than 20 handicappers are on chips within 25 yards!

When it comes to the greens, this is where the scratch player really excels. As important as every aspect of the game is, it's the putting green where the birdies are made and the pars are saved.

Most scratch golfers will also devote more of their practice to short game and putting than just beating balls on the driving range - one of the biggest golf practice mistakes made by higher handicappers.

Thanks to the practice, and skills, scratch players rarely three-putt. They three-putt just 1.3 times per round to be precise, which is half the amount that 20 handicappers have - 2.6.

Over an average 18-hole round, scratch players have just 30.7 putts compared to 33.5 for 10 handicappers and 36.2 for 20 handicappers. That means that scratch players save 5.5 shots every single round on the greens compared to the average 20 handicapper.

Play off of 20 and want to shoot lower scores? Work on your putting!

Hopefully this data has been helpful to illustrate just where the differences lie between these three different abilities of golfer.

If you want more stats, take a look at our PGA Tour pro vs scratch, scratch vs 18 handicapper and how to break 80 stats articles, or if you want to improve your game head to our golf tips section for expert instruction and drills to help you shoot lower scores.