Becoming a scratch golfer is the pinnacle of golfing achievements for most handicap players. Many golfers will think that scratch handicaps become so good because of how far they hit the ball, which they do so by striking it out of the middle consistently with good technique.
Scratch players will have fantastic all-round games but long hitting distances are certainly part of that. This video and article explain exactly how far amateurs hit the ball and what advantage that offers the scratch handicapper.
According to statistics from Arccos Golf, a 25-year-old male scratch player drives it, on average, 38 yards longer than a 15 handicapper of the same age.
With women, a 30-year-old scratch player averages 210 yards with their drives - which is an incredible 65 yards longer than a 30-year-old 20 handicap.
It's the same through the ages, with the gap only increasing as golfers get older. A male 45-year-old scratch handicap averages 260 yards, which is a total of 59 yards longer than a 30 handicapper of the same age. A 40-year-old female scratch player hits their drives 206 yards on average, a massive 74 yards longer than a 40-year-old 30 handicap.
Check out the video above and data below for how far male and female scratch players hit their drives to see how you compare, and if you're interested in what it takes to become a zero index, check out the stats behind a scratch golfer.
How Far Do Scratch Golfers Hit Their Drives? - Men
Age 25: 271 yards
Age 35: 267 yards
Age 45: 260 yards
Age 55: 251 yards
Age 65: 238 yards
Related: How far do male golfers hit their drives?
How Far Do Scratch Golfers Hit Their Drives? - Women
Age 30: 210 yards
Age 40: 206 yards
Age 50: 182 yards
Age 60: 164 yards
Related: How far do female golfers hit their drives?
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