Introduction to Golf Betting
Golf is unique in that more than 100 players typically compete in every tournament, providing many variables. Golfers also only play for themselves, except when a unique team event like the Ryder Cup comes along.
Golf’s majors, the Masters, the Open Championship, the PGA Championship, and the US Open, are the sport’s big highlights. The high volume of golf events across the PGA Tour, European Tour, LIV Tour, and others leads to an extensive betting experience.
Popular Golf Betting Markets
Golf betting markets are widely varied, but popular ones stand out among leading sportsbooks.
Outright Winner
This is the most common option, which predicts which player will win a tournament outright. In a field of 100+ players, however, that can be a tricky call and lead to high prices on contenders.
Top 5, Top 10, Top 20 Finishes
Positional finishes are a popular alternative to the outright winner market. With this, a player can be backed to just finish within the top 5 or top 10, providing a range of finishing spots.
Match Bets
Head-to-head matches, when two players from the field are pitted against each other on a betting platform, are two-way markets, where you select which player will score lower in the tournament or a specific round.
First Round Leader
The first round leader market allows bettors to focus on a golfer to come racing out of the blocks to lead at the end of day one, regardless of how they perform across the rest of the tournament.
Each-Way Betting
An each-way bet covers a win and a place finish and provides coverage if you think a player may get close to winning. If the player only places (usually 5 to 10 places), the win part is lost, and the place part is settled as a win, but at a fraction of the original bet’s odds.
Live (In-Play) Betting
Live betting markets cover everything from the outright winner to the round winner and even a player’s score on their current or next hole. The advantage of placing live bets is seeing how well a player handles the course and conditions before betting.
Effective Golf Betting Strategies
One golf tournament is nothing like the next, so a solid betting strategy is essential to getting the most out of the experience.
Research and Player Form
Current form is very important but needs to be paired with research into course features for a specific tournament. It’s a good idea to look at previous winners on the course to see what the standout metrics produced. Check relevant stats like driving accuracy, greens in regulation, strokes gained, and scrambling.
Course History and Layout
Look at how a player has performed in previous visits to a course. If it’s been a run of five top-10 finishes in seven previous visits, it’s a good player to consider, as opposed to someone who has yet to make the top 20 in six previous attempts.
Weather Conditions and Tee Times
Rain and wind are problems for golfers, as players have less control over bounce and spin on slick surfaces. Note when bad weather is predicted, as players who avoid it because of tee times can have a significant advantage.
Betting on Major Tournaments
Look for players who consistently perform well in the majors with regular top-10 finishes, at the very least.
Mental toughness and handling pressure situations like winning the US Open are typically only gained through experience, so look for players with previous good experience in a particular major. They’ll be adept at handling the pressure.
Bankroll Management
As well as picking out golf bets, carefully plan your bankroll. Know exactly how much you are going to stake for a particular bet. Controlling your budget reduces the urge to make unplanned wagers, like unlikely long-odd options based on a gut feeling.
Advanced Golf Betting Strategies
More advanced betting strategies for golf can further push the betting experience forward. Here are some great examples.
Value Betting
Value bets are selections priced at longer odds than you estimate they should be. Learn to accurately self-assess the odds you would back a player at, and if the player is priced longer by a bookmaker, that’s an opportunity to back them at value.
Strokes Gained Data
Strokes gained is a measure of a player’s skill compared to the rest of the field in areas like tee shots and green approaches. It is a complicated analytical model, but because it applies to many areas, it can produce a good overall view of a player’s performance level.
In-Play Strategy
Momentum in golf can shift from one hole to the next. Laying an early leader on a betting exchange can be a good in-play strategy. Another is to wait until the player you were thinking of backing in the outright market plays a few holes before placing the bet. That way, you can gauge whether it may be worth considering an alternative like an each-way option or positional finish instead.
Key Factors to Consider in Golf Betting
Beyond player performance skills and current world rankings, there are other factors to consider when betting on golf.
Current Form vs. Course Form
Current player form is how well a player has performed in recent events. Course form is a player’s proven track record at a certain venue, like Augusta National. Combine both for golf bets.
Cut Line
To make the cut, players must be below a specific score, depending on the field’s performance, to continue into the weekend. If they don’t, they are out. Individual players can be backed to either miss or make the cut.
Injuries and Fatigue
Checking the timing of schedules and when a player should peak. Fatigue and injury problems by players who push themselves further, perhaps due to the motivation of picking up points to qualify for a future tournament, can naturally knock a player’s performance levels.
Conclusion
Planning a golf betting strategy will keep your betting focused and bankroll in check. Among the most important strategic factors is researching ‘winning’ stats from previous results at a course and then finding in-form players who meet those same metrics.
Golf tournaments are long; one badly played hole out of the 72 can ruin a player’s championship bid. Live in-play strategies can help, and plenty of good markets can be found at leading sportsbooks for the next big golf tournament.