According to the USGA, a scratch golfer is a player who can play to a Course Handicap of zero on any and all graded golf courses.'. A course handicap is the number of strokes a player receives on a particular course based on their handicap index and course rating. The par on a scorecard has little to do with determining a golfer's handicap index. A golfer's handicap index is calculated by comparing a golfer's best 10 scores against each course rating, and it indicates a golfer's projected average score on a good day.

Good bogey golfer, a scratch golfer, The best golfer is a sub-par player. In terms of statistics, the vast majority of golfers fall outside of these three groups. On any course, a scratch golfer requires 0 strokes to score the Course Rating.

A 'scratch golfer' is a player who can play all graded golf courses with a Course Handicap of zero. At sea level, a male scratch golfer can hit tee shots an average of 250 yards and reach a 470-yard hole in two shots for rating purposes. At sea level, a female scratch golfer can hit tee shots an average of 210 yards and reach a 400-yard hole in two shots for rating purposes.