PGA Tour players are on another level but there are some out there in the golfing realms who will argue that a ‘scratch golfer’ is not too far away from the professionals.
Being a scratch golfer effectively means you play off a zero handicap and on the surface, it means that you are more than capable with a golf club in your hand.
However, what it doesn’t mean is that a scratch player will consistently go round a course in level par and it most certainly doesn’t mean that they’ll do the same on a PGA Tour course set up.
Over time, we’ve heard all the arguments on how the pros have it easy with spotters and pristine conditions.
But there are also other factors to take into account and PGA Tour winner Michael Kim has now taken to social media to mock those who suggest things are weighted towards TOUR players.
Michael Kim responds to suggestions scratch golfers are close to PGA Tour level
PGA Tour players are world class golfers. It is that simple.
For all the good amateurs out there and those who get to scratch – which is a good achievement – there is something completely different about a PGA or DP World Tour player’s level.
Indeed, despite suggestions over time that a scratch player might be close, golf stats expert Lou Stagner has shared on X just how far away things really are with some key metrics.
“In the first set of numbers below, a tour pro from 200 yards in the fairway is going to average the same number of shots to hole out as a scratch player from 156 yards in the fairway and a 10 index from 57 yards in the fairway. ——————- Tour pro from 200 yards is equal to a Scratch from 156 yards
10 index from 57 yards ——————- Tour pro from 160 yards is equal to a Scratch from 99 yards
10 index from 33 yards —————— Tour pro from 120 yards is equal to a Scratch from 60 yard
10 index from 26 yards —————– Tour pro from 80 yards is equal to a Scratch from 40 yards”
Responding to those numbers and Stagner’s comments, Michael Kim then sarcastically brought up all the things that TOUR players get thrown at them.
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The handicaps of PGA Tour golfers
Most PGA Tour players won’t measure their actual handicap as the amateurs do but that doesn’t mean they don’t still hold one.
However, Scottie Scheffler revealed he played off plus seven with his friends, while other top players also have seriously impressive handicaps.
Looking back at some data from 2020, it’s clear to see just how good the PGA Tour players are.
Rickie Fowler topped that list in 2020 with an 8.4 handicap, while the entire top 13 on that list were all 8 or better.
For current world number two Rory McIlroy, a recent number crunch from Golf Monthly put McIlroy around the 7.1 mark from his eight best rounds over 20 measured.
Put simply, the pros are frighteningly good and any scratch player who feels they can consistently hang with them is kidding themselves.
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