12 Handicap vs Scratch - How Do The Stats Compare?

We've previously looked at scratch handicap golf stats and how zero digit index players compile their rounds, but how do they compare to 12 handicappers?

Thanks to data from Arccos Golf, gleaned from 750 million golf shots, we can see - and the numbers are fascinating.

The base numbers show where the differences lie in each department of the game, from off the tee to approach, around the greens and putting.

Where does the scratch handicapper excel the most? Many may think it is around the greens, but in actual fact it is hitting into them with their approach games.

Differences between the Typical 12 index player and a scratch player

• 40% of the stroke difference is approach play
• 28% is off the tee
• 16% is around the green
• 16% is putting

Scratch vs 12 handicap - approach

The numbers show clear superiorities in every department of the game, but approach play seems to be where the scratch players are truly elevating themselves above 12 handicappers, so let's take a deeper look.

A scratch player, based on Arccos Golf's numbers, hits 56% of greens in regulation (10.08) compared to 31% (5.58) from a 12 handicapper. That's consistently four or five extra greens per round.

When hitting into greens, scratch players unsurprisingly get the ball closer, too.

With a standard Green in Regulation, scratch golfers hit it to 26ft, which is 6ft closer than the 32ft that 12 handicappers hit it to. The gap is wider on 'All approaches' too, with scratch players averaging 44ft compared to 12 handicappers' 69ft.

Scratch vs 12 handicap - driving

Aside from being more technically skilled, scratch handicappers do have an advantage when hitting into greens. That's because they're on average 31 yards further down the hole and find 6% more fairways than 12 handicappers.

The average scratch player averages 259 yards (total) off the tee, compared to 228 yards for 12 handicappers.

For those who think those numbers aren't very high, remember the drives take into account poor strikes, drives into wind and also drives throughout the year, like in the colder, wetter winter months where the ball doesn't travel as far and doesn't run out much either.

Scratch players are also unsurprisingly more accurate off the tee too, finding 51% of fairways vs 45% for 12 handicappers. 

Conclusion - scratch players are longer and straighter than 12 handicappers.

Scratch vs 12 handicap - putting

Scratch players are better putters than 12 handicappers, you guessed it.

As well as being longer and straighter off the tee and better with their approach shots, scratch players have fewer putts than golfers who play off of 12 (as well as every other handicap higher than 0).

They average 3.3 fewer putts per round than 12 handicappers, with an average of 30.7 per round vs 34.

That's made up of 5.2 one-putts, 11.5 two-putts and 1.3 three-putts or worse. Interestingly, 12 handicappers also average 11.5 2-putts per round, but fewer one-putts and over double the amount of three-putts.

When both a scratch and a 12-handicapper find a green in regulation, the 12-handicapper averages over par with 2.2 putts per GIR compared to the scratch's 1.9. Throughout the round, the 12-handicapper averages 0.2 more putts per hole.

Scratch vs 12 handicap - short game

Thanks to their superior putting, as well as solid chipping actions, the average scratch player manages to make more up-and-downs than 12 handicappers.

From within 25 yards of the pin, scratch players get the ball up-and-down over half the time, with 12 handicappers getting it up-and-down just over a third of the time.

Scratch golfers average 12ft with their chips, with an up-and-down average of 57%. The average 12 handicapper averages 17ft with their chips for an up-and-down average of 34%.

From 25-50 yards, the chance of a scratch player getting it up-and-down is over twice as likely as a 12 handicapper.

Scratch players average 20ft from the 25-50 yard range, getting it down in two 35% of the time. For 12 indexes, it's 26ft for an up-and-down percentage of just 16%.

Scratch vs 12 handicap - scoring

Now we've seen how scratch and 12 handicappers compare throughout the main parts of the game, how does that translate to scoring?

Obviously scratch handicappers average around 12 fewer strokes per round but it is the bogeys and worse than cost the 12 handicapper, not their lack of birdies.

The average 12 handicap makes 0.6 birdies per round, just 1.6 fewer than a scratch player but makes five times the number of doubles or worse per round.

Scratch players average just 0.7 doubles or worse each round compared to 3.5 for 12 handicappers, who also make 8.1 bogeys per round compared to a scratch player's 4.6.

Play off 12, or similar, and want to shoot lower scores? Avoiding doubles, triples and worse is the key.

Like this article? Check out more data insights:

• Scratch handicap stats
• Scratch vs PGA Tour pro
• Scratch vs 10 vs 20 handicapper
• How far do male golfers hit their drives?
• How far do female golfers hit their drives?