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scratch

scratch

22 8.4
A golfer with a handicap of zero who plays at par level
  • noun
  • /skrætʃ/
  • Jargon
translation icon : hándicap cero
  • As a scratch golfer, she can play the course without any strokes over par.

Examples

  • But he he's a scratch handicap golfer, so he's at a lot of the clubs.

  • "The directors are a twenty-four handicapper in a scratch-event world.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • They practice, and see it in their mind... ...so by the time they get out, boom, they're scratch golfers.

  • His reputation as a scratch player is well-known at the local golf club.

  • After years of dedication, he finally achieved the status of scratch golfer.

Idioms

98 2.8

To make something using nothing already made

11 2.7

Not hurt or damaged after a dangerous event

Touch or rub your head to show you do not understand something

Good enough to meet a required standard

Leave a dangerous situation without getting hurt

To look below the surface to find the real reasons

To help when needed, especially in a difficult situation

A saying that some people who call themselves liberal may show authoritarian views when challenged

4.3

Satisfy a strong wish you cannot ignore

To do something that solves a problem you have

Compounds

chicken scratch
  • Informal
3 8.4

Messy handwriting that is hard to read

1 1.0

A small cut on the skin from a cat's claws

scratch test
  • Specialized
1 3.5

A simple test that finds allergies by putting small drops on tiny cuts in the skin

1 4.8

A line that shows where people start a race

1 2.3

A small pad of blank paper for quick notes and sketches

1 2.2

A piece of paper used for quick notes or rough calculations

cat scratch disease
  • Specialized
3.4

An infection from a cat scratch or bite that makes nearby glands swell and is usually mild

scratch awl
  • Specialized
7.9

A small tool with a sharp point that marks wood or metal before cutting

scratch race
  • Specialized
5.5

A race where all competitors start together with no handicaps

scratch sheet
  • Jargon
9.9

A paper that lists horses, race results and betting odds

scratch plough
  • Archaic
8.8

A simple light farm tool that loosens the top of the soil without turning it over

How Good

professional
16 3.5
scratch
  • Jargon
22 8.4
golf player
1 1.0
amateur
122 2.8
beginner
81 1.0

Surface Forms

scratch singular
scratches plural

Etymology

Scratch in golf comes from the older idea of the 'scratch' as a basic starting line or level, like a simple mark on the ground. So a 'scratch' player is measured from that base level, which is why scratch means a player at zero handicap.