Scratch Skills Handicap System (SSHS)
The Scratch Skills Handicap System (SSHS) is proprietary database system designed by Scratch management to allow for the capture of performance data, and then the viewing of that data. The main objectives of SSHS are as follows:
Objective Feedback
- A lesson at the driving range does not provide objective feedback relative to the flight of the ball. One has only a subjective assessment of what occurred with the ball striking in the lesson. The parent of a junior taking a lesson never really knows what happened at the lesson.
- When you return for a second, third, etc. lesson, one does not have data on what happened last time with the shots taken. There is nothing to build on in this situation other than one’s memory of the last lesson. The student has nothing objective to look at.
- SSHS provides that data to the instructor and the Scratch team.
Performance Data
- When performance is measured and viewed, performance improves. When a student sees their performance data in golf, they can objectively find opportunities to improve.
- Seeing performance data in small pieces that make up the game of golf (ie. putts made from 3 feet, chip shots inside the 3 ft circle, # of shots out of the bunker, accuracy with a 7 iron, etc.) provides a simpler roadmap to improvement. Feedback is obtained during the training session which does not occur so readily in a driving range lesson.
- Juniors want to perform and improve, and having the objective data allows for this to happen. Thus improvement can occur at a faster pace.
Instructor Opportunities
- SSHS provides the instructor with tangible and objective data in order to view the performance and progress of the junior. This allows for more meaningful adjustments to their training vs. a single view at the driving range lesson today.
- Instructors as a group can review the information in SSHS, and together as group design solutions to advance the progress of the junior.
- The instruction/training performance of the instructors can be monitored, and improvement provided to them as well.
Improvement/Success Evidence
- SSHS provides the parent and junior with tangible evidence as to the results of the Scratch training. The data is in a profile for them to access at their convenience. When one decides to choose an instructor for a traditional range lesson or change to another instructor, it is entirely a subjective decision.
- Data in all three areas of golf training (putting, short game and swing) are collected in SSHS and easily viewed by parents and juniors, so one can easily ascertain if there are certain areas needing more attention. Traditional range lessons primarily focus on just the swing, and not the short game or putting.
- Very simply, SSHS allows one to objectively determine if they are getting their “money’s worth” from the training at Scratch. No other method for golf training or lessons has anything similar or as meaningful.
