A scratch golfer is...

M

Mowem down

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
These 2 games are always getting compaired. Who is an example of a scratch golfer in a pool player.. 9 ball and 1 pocket (on 9fters)

not looking to ruin anybodys action so a known example would be best
 
I would say an A or A+ player, assuming that A level does not mean pro.

At which point someone with a +1 - 3 handicap would be a shortstop, +4 or above would be pro.

JMHO FWIW with limited knoweledge of golf handicaps.
 
That's a very good question and I think you will get many different opinions. Here's mine. A scratch golfer is one that can shoot par, or better and carries a 0 handicap. How does that equate to pool? I don't know, but my guess would be a semipro. Just because you are a scratch golfer, or a semipro at pool does not mean you can compete with the pro's. I'm not about to name names.
 
Scratch at golf would be someone who will bet 100 a set they can beat the nine or ten ball ghost IMO. Average pool table, average difficulty golf course.

Pros usually will beat it on an easy table, have a hard time on a table that is set up or breaking tough.

Pool is a lot easier to gauge in my opinion. Tables vary, but not as much as golf courses. Michael Jordan is supposedly a 6 handicap or thereabouts and some people think the over/under is over 110 when he tries to play Bethpage in NY for the 2009 US Open in golf.
 
Thanks for the replys. I think I have a handle on how the ratings equal out, I was looking for a person so I could be able to say that much skill = this level of play. There was like 375 to 400 players at the DCC not all those players are pro speed. There has got to be sombody that plays in the public eye enough for it not to be a earth shattering deal to say this person is a good player. If not oh well I can ask some other people ln person that will know.. Thanks again

p.s. It would be nice if all the pool org.'s gould get on the same page and have one set of standard of levels. Ever scence I raced bikes it was always, novice, C, B, A, Open, Pro. In all the games I played. Somtimes they would have a D, level.. Except golf and bowling, those games you can get a good number to work from
 
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Imo...

that would be an A or "10" rated player here in Arizona. There are lots of places you can see taped matches between these players on line. Check out Lenny's site ontherailtv.com for some of the recorded ones.

td
 
this has been answered on here before (by John Scmidt), I think it's really tough to relate the two. Golf handicaps are a bit screwy; only counting the 10 best out of your last 20 rounds, and then hitting that average with some type of formula that has to include course slope rating etc...

I have shot under par a handful of times in the last 6-7 years (even broke 70 twice w/a 68 and 69 - though both were 3 under par, and on different courses), and yet I've never been under a 2 handicap. One weekend I shot 82 on Sat. and shot 71 on Sunday. That 82 was never reflected in my handicap.... If you did that type of thing in pool (more what the player is CAPABLE of), instead of all tourney or league results, I'd think some players would move into a rank they couldn't hang in.

I dunno, I'm not good enough playing pool to equate to my current 3ish handicap in golf. I may be able to place at a local (pool) tourney if handicapped, but I'm a threat to place in local golf tourneys without. ???

BTW, at least 3 of the 15 other guys I play w/on weekends are legit scratch golfers, but our money game is really pretty fair (skins, greenies, team (4 man count 2 best balls) games, etc.) due to the fact that us 1-5 handicappers do make as many birdies and eagles as the scratch guys - we just make more bogies... :)
 
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cool question! I carry an 8 golf handicap pretty easily, but getting to scratch would take me VERY much effort and practice. Playing pool I would say a scratch player would be able to run 100, but maybe not every day....also should beat the 10 or 12 ball ghost.

I have shot par 3 times in my life, once over 2 different 9's at Merion Cricket Club on caddy day.....my biggest golf accomplishment.......that would be like running 100 at the 14.1 worlds IMO.......on Mike Sigel :)

IMO Golf is MUCH harder to play at a Pro level compared to pool....sorry guys....just my opinion. On a similar note...I carried a 212 average on my schools bowling league with 3 300 games, which is close to being Pro.....that was probably the easiest of the 3 IMO.
 
Big C said:
That's a very good question and I think you will get many different opinions. Here's mine. A scratch golfer is one that can shoot par, or better and carries a 0 handicap. How does that equate to pool? I don't know, but my guess would be a semipro. Just because you are a scratch golfer, or a semipro at pool does not mean you can compete with the pro's. I'm not about to name names.
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Completely depends on the course. A scratch golfer at the club I play at goes to other courses and is closer to a 5 handicap. A scratch golfer at Augusta is probably pretty darn good. :)

With that said, there are hundreds of scratch golfers. I would equate it to a A+ to semi-pro. Pro is a whole nother level that 99% of the Semi-Pros will never get to.

Case in point... Probably the best golfer out of Ottawa is a fellow named Brad Fritsch. He has tried to get onto the PGA tour via Q-School and also playing Monday Qualifiers. In our Region, he would be a +4 handicap or better. He is simply a terrific player. He still can't crack the PGA Tour. He also has had limited success on the Canadian Tour or the Nationwide Tour.

Another quick example. Eagle Creek in Ottawa held a tournament for the Canadian Tour. The winning score was around -23 for four rounds. A scratch golfer shooting par wouldn't even of made the weekend. Now, compare these 'pros'.. not a single one of the pro's in the tournament ever played on the PGA Tour.

There is a whole other level out there. :)
 
Gerry said:
cool question! I carry an 8 golf handicap pretty easily, but getting to scratch would take me VERY much effort and practice. Playing pool I would say a scratch player would be able to run 100, but maybe not every day....also should beat the 10 or 12 ball ghost.

I have shot par 3 times in my life, once over 2 different 9's at Merion Cricket Club on caddy day.....my biggest golf accomplishment.......that would be like running 100 at the 14.1 worlds IMO.......on Mike Sigel :)

IMO Golf is MUCH harder to play at a Pro level compared to pool....sorry guys....just my opinion. On a similar note...I carried a 212 average on my schools bowling league with 3 300 games, which is close to being Pro.....that was probably the easiest of the 3 IMO.
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it's funny how much harder it is to drop strokes on your handicap once you are in the single digits, huh? 10 to an 8...not too hard. 6 to a 4 is pretty tough, but 2 to 0 or scratch....yikes!! :eek: I play 3-4 times a week (and have for the last 10 or so years) and the lowest undex I've ever had was a 2.2, and I play with a buncha guys that hover within a point or two of their current indexes too (the best right now being a +0.8). He's just much more consistant shooting 70-74 (with the 2 or 3 times a year round of 67-69). I've heard Tiger's index on his home course (in Orlando) was/is like a +8.....CRAZY!!
 
trustyrusty said:
it's funny how much harder it is to drop strokes on your handicap once you are in the single digits, huh? 10 to an 8...not too hard. 6 to a 4 is pretty tough, but 2 to 0 or scratch....yikes!! :eek: I play 3-4 times a week (and have for the last 10 or so years) and the lowest undex I've ever had was a 2.2, and I play with a buncha guys that hover within a point or two of their current indexes too (the best right now being a +0.8). He's just much more consistant shooting 70-74 (with the 2 or 3 times a year round of 67-69). I've heard Tiger's index on his home course (in Orlando) was/is like a +8.....CRAZY!!
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Totally right Rusty!....and I still play with my Vokeys, zing putter, and top flite muscle backs!:)

I was a 10 or 12 by about 14, and playing every day while caddying the best I played was to a solid 6. there are just a couple FRIGGIN 3 yanks a round that stop me from really scoring well.

how can ANYONE EVER play to a +8? thats sick!......but thats El Tigre!

G.
 
Snorks said:
Completely depends on the course. A scratch golfer at the club I play at goes to other courses and is closer to a 5 handicap. A scratch golfer at Augusta is probably pretty darn good. :)

With that said, there are hundreds of scratch golfers. I would equate it to a A+ to semi-pro. Pro is a whole nother level that 99% of the Semi-Pros will never get to.

Case in point... Probably the best golfer out of Ottawa is a fellow named Brad Fritsch. He has tried to get onto the PGA tour via Q-School and also playing Monday Qualifiers. In our Region, he would be a +4 handicap or better. He is simply a terrific player. He still can't crack the PGA Tour. He also has had limited success on the Canadian Tour or the Nationwide Tour.

Another quick example. Eagle Creek in Ottawa held a tournament for the Canadian Tour. The winning score was around -23 for four rounds. A scratch golfer shooting par wouldn't even of made the weekend. Now, compare these 'pros'.. not a single one of the pro's in the tournament ever played on the PGA Tour.

There is a whole other level out there. :)
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course does have ALOT to do with it too, you're right. The one I play most is 6909 y, 73.1 course rating, and 128 slope rating. It'd be like a pitch and putt to most touring pros. I've played Sawgrass' Stadium course from the tips and know the difference....ouch! (did still break 80 though - BTW, 17 was the easiest of the par 3s :p ).
 
Anyone here actually think Jordan will break 100 at Bethpage (2009 US Open course)?

All the play for bogey, play safe, stuff doesn't matter on a course that long with rough as brutal as that.
 
bud green said:
Anyone here actually think Jordan will break 100 at Bethpage (2009 US Open course)?

All the play for bogey, play safe, stuff doesn't matter on a course that long with rough as brutal as that.
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As an avid golfer from Michael's hometown of Wilmington, NC, with ties to Lainey High School... My 2 cents - and not worth a penny more - of experience comes from being an equity member of the Country Club of Landfall, and as I was a couple years a +2 handicap and perennial club runnerup and with 1st hand experience of his play at my club... My money is on the "no".

His swing is too loose. Perhaps similar to his batting swing? Could he break 100 at Bethpage given motivation of a goal? THAT, I would not bet against! He loves golf, but he has some balance in life and can't build Rome every month.
 
My plan worked, ask a pool ? to get a boat full of info on golf. LOL

I really think golf is a great game. I once said "its obvious I should have been a golfer check out the cloths".
I dont play (even though I got a good set of clubs) Im just to busy in the summer. But once a year I go to the range in the middle of the day when the old timers are there to hit the driver. I used to play semi-pro level racquetball, my abdominal shift is vicious, beleave me when I tell you I can hit it a mile. they love to sit and watch I go through a large bucket in about 15 min swingen like a crazy man
 
I wouldn't say a scratch pool player would be an A or higher. I'd view a scratch pool player as a B+ player. They won't break and run or have their opponent break dead and they run out every time just like a scratch golfer won't play par or better every outing. Even a pro golfer won't hit par every outing.
 
Scratch Golfer is...

A Scratch Golfer is equal to a shortstop in pool IMO. A shortstop is just under world class speed. He can beat a world class player once is a while in a race to 9 but will lose in the long run (race to 50). A world class player is player who can beat any other player at any given time. It takes a world class player or another shortstop to beat a shortstop.
 
TWOFORPOOL said:
A Scratch Golfer is equal to a shortstop in pool IMO. A shortstop is just under world class speed. He can beat a world class player once is a while in a race to 9 but will lose in the long run (race to 50). A world class player is player who can beat any other player at any given time. It takes a world class player or another shortstop to beat a shortstop.
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I'm gonna have to disagree w/ya on that one. There's a local boy (D.A. Points) who just made it thru Q-school (to play on the PGA tour again). He's won a few on the Nationwide Tour (golf's AAA if related to baseball), and can/will make it thru Q-school again, but can't win enough money to stay on the PGA level (top 125 in the money, or a WIN). If PGA = World Class, and he can't stay there.... He's MUCH MUCH better than any "scratch" golfer that I know (and better than +2 or +3 handicaps that are in this area). Could he shoot a better score than Vijay Singh on a given day?? Sure. Could he be #1 on the PGA Tour in money earned for a season - NO WAY!!!! I'd say D.A. would be considered a shortstop in the pool vs. golf comparison. He'd have to give a scratch golfer the breaks and the last 3 or 4 - whatever that would be equal to.... :p ;)
 
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Well I have learned one thing, I did not know that Golf handicaps went to the + side. I thought scratch ment 0 and better than that was pro.

Befor this golf thread gets kicked over to the npr section could you(s) answer this..Is Glen Atwell a pro or scratch level player...
 
a scratch golfer is the equivalent to a pool player that can beat the 9 ball ghost consistently. there are plenty of people with 0 handicaps that are not on the pga tour...just like their are plenty of people that can run out that can still get the 7 from pros. jmo.
 
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