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12 Things You Don’t Know About The Mini Tours

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Many people think playing professional golf at any level is glamorous, but I can tell you after more than four years of professional golf that’s often not the case. Don’t get me wrong. I had a lot of fun and learned a lot on the mini tours, but the life of a mini tour player barely resembles that of a PGA Tour player.

I believe it was Lee Janzen who said, “If you haven’t slept in your car then you’re not a professional golfer.” Lee might have a point, but my back and neck would disagree the next day. Mini tour players have to do what they’ve got to do to make ends meet, but low scores normally allow them to get them a hotel room. Maybe that’s why I don’t play anymore… that score thing kind of matters.

What I do know is that most recreational golfers and even some top-level amateurs don’t know a lot about the life of a mini tour player and what it takes to play golf for a living. Here’s 12 things you should know.

No. 12: Tour Players

Tour Players

The next time you look at a PGA tour leaderboard, remember most of them started their professional golf career on the mini tours. Here is a short list of players who have won on the PGA Tour and played on the NGA Hooters Tour: Keegan Bradley, Zach Johnson, Stewart Cink, Jim Furyk, Ben Curtis, Lee Janzen, Shaun Micheel, John Daly, Tom Lehman, Lucas Glover, Craig Perks, David Toms, Gary Woodland, Camilo Villegas, Mark Wilson and Bubba Watson.

No. 11: Driving

Driving

The mini tour player’s vehicle is their predominant mode of transportation. Driving for 8-to-10 hours between tournaments or Monday qualifiers is nothing new. Your vehicle will even double as your bed on some nights. One time I had to sleep in the back of my two-door Honda Civic in a hotel parking lot in Iowa because all the hotels were sold out. I guess the state fair was going on and there was a big flood in Iowa. It was in July, so it was really humid and hot. I was awakened by some people making out on the hood of my car at 3 a.m.

No. 10: Pro Ams

Pro Ams

Some mini tour events will have a pro-am the day before the tournament starts where players play in the same group with four amateurs. This is a great opportunity to see the course one last time before the tournament starts and have a fun time with your playing partners. The playing ability of your amateur partners might not be extremely high, so always be ready to give some pointers and duck. There was an amateur in my group who shanked the ball off the toe of his driver into the tee marker. If you thought it couldn’t get any worse, it did. The next person reverse shanked the ball off his driver between his legs and hit the other tee marker. I don’t know what’s more impressive: the winner shooting 25-under that week or those two shots in a row.

No. 9: The Off-Season

Off Season

Mini tour tournaments are held year-round in Florida, Arizona and Southern California for players to tee it up. A large percentage of players work in the off-season at golf courses in some capacity, either as a caddy or in the bag room or pro shop to make ends meet.

No. 8: Accommodations

Hotel

How cheap can you get the room and how many people can you fit in the room to split the bill? These are two common questions you will hear. Players will use websites like Kayak and Priceline to find the best room rate for the week. The whole goal is to keep costs down so you can play in more tournaments throughout the year. Another option is host housing, which is where a family will host a player for the week in their house for free. These are some of the nicest people you will ever meet and you’ll call them friends for the rest of your life.

No. 7: Sponsors

Sponsor

You don’t see big corporate sponsors on any players’ bags on the mini tours. There are a few options of how players typically afford a season playing professional golf. They fund it themselves, their family helps them or they have a group of investors/backers that put up the money. Former mini tour legend Zach Johnson had help from a group of members from his home course growing up help him play on the Hooters Tour.

No. 6: Cinnamon Rolls

Rolls

I’m talking about the cinnamon rolls at the Holiday Inn continental breakfast and they’re delicious. Here’s the deal, though: mini tour players normally stay at the Motel 8 or Quality Inn across the street for half the price, then casually walk across the street to enjoy a nice warm cinnamon roll. Sorry, Holiday Inn.

No. 5: Big Cities

Big City

Oh yeah, mini tour players tee it up in big cities all the time like Miami, Okla., Morganton, NC and Hawkinsville, Ga. But, you know what? Those small towns and the people who welcome the players with open arms are what make the tournament special. If it weren’t for them there wouldn’t be such a thing as mini tours.

No. 4: Equipment

Equipment

Receiving equipment varies from player to player between each club manufacturer. The majority of players order equipment at a discount price, while others receive it for free. The players who receive free equipment normally have some kind deal where they’re required to carry a certain number of clubs.

No. 3: Caddies

Caddy

Did you say caddy? No thanks, I will carry my clubs so I can eat dinner each night of the week. Around 90 percent of players carry their clubs using a carry bag or use a pushcart if the tournament allows. If a player does have a caddy for the week, it’s normally a relative or friend.

No. 2: Entry Fees

Entry Fees

The entry fees vary based on the tournament and tour you play, but range from $700-to-$1,000 per tournament. Most tours have a membership fee you have to pay at the beginning of the year, which is normally between $1,500 and $2,200.

No. 1: These Guys Are Good

These Guys are Good

You’ve probably seen the commercials from the PGA Tour with players like Bubba Watson and Bill Haas saying, “These guys are good.” Here’s the thing: players on the mini tours could be included in those commercial. Did you know the winning score each week is between 15 and 25-under par? That’s with pin locations three steps from the edge or next to a huge slope of every green.

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Josh is a retired professional golfer who won the Hooters Tour Touchstone Energy Open at age 21. He has played competitive golf all across the U.S. and holds four courses records. He now has his amateur status back, and works at a digital marketing agency in NYC. Josh is also the Co-Founder of My Golf Tutor, an online golf instructional website.

45 Comments

45 Comments

  1. Scott

    Apr 2, 2014 at 3:22 pm

    This is great insight!! Thanks Josh. It’s great to see these players pursuing their dreams. I hope we hear more about life and events on the mini-tours.

  2. joselo

    Apr 2, 2014 at 1:58 pm

    wow! didnt know must of the things here, impressive

  3. Matt

    Apr 2, 2014 at 12:11 pm

    I worked at Echo Farms in Wilmington, NC when a Hooters Tour event came through. Those guys are good. REALLY good. There were a couple of range rats in that group. Get up early and hit balls until they tee up in the afternoon or play in the morning and hit balls till dark. It helped me understand what it was gonna take to make it. That and the one guy that showed up in a 1972 Winnebago that his grandparents had given him. It was nearly worn out but it made life a little easier for the guy and his wife. All they asked us for was a place to plug in and get water. I can’t remember what the winning score was but the winner had won the week before in Myrtle Beach.

  4. FraBreezy

    Apr 2, 2014 at 11:59 am

    “I was awakened by some people making out on the hood of my car at 3 a.m.”

    Well, yeah. All the hotel rooms were sold out.

  5. James

    Apr 2, 2014 at 11:28 am

    There used to be a NGA Hooters Tour event held at my home club but when they lost the sponsor the tournament left too. Mostly it was young guys fresh out of college or even high school with the goal of making the PGA Tour. The course was always set up difficult and these players blistered it. The last year it was held the winner came in at -22. Was a great event and yes those guys are good.

  6. Jeff Pelizzaro

    Apr 1, 2014 at 10:30 pm

    Josh, I work with a few guys that are trying to make it on some of these tours and I would have to say that the general public doesn’t realize how hard some of them are working and how slim the margins are. While the life of a golf pro sounds pretty luxurious, I think you’re article sheds some light on the fact that it’s not all glitz and glamour like we see on the TV on Sundays.

    These guys are grinding it out week after week, shelling out cash hoping to make some of it back. I know a few of the other readers above eluded to the fact that these are all privileged kids floating on their parents bucks, but I think you and I both know that’s not the case for all of them.

    And I don’t know about the rest of the readers, but I don’t know how well I would handle that much stress week after week, not knowing if this gamble of a career path is going to pan out or not as you stand over a 4ft. putt.

    • Nagar

      Apr 9, 2014 at 7:34 am

      Have a friend who played on the Troppo Tour hear in Australia. In the late 80’s. He said it was the best time of his life. Frienships and competition was great. He said though it was extremely cut throat. 2 Missed puts inside feet said would take you from 8th to 33rd in 2 holes. Love hearing his stories.

  7. andy

    Apr 1, 2014 at 8:09 pm

    Spot on article! As a former professional who played for 8 years after college it is difficult. Don’t forget to mention PGA Qschool entry, and travel expenses! 5k entry, then caddie and travel expenses. Took me 3 years to pay off all of the debt I accumulated trying to make it! The check I made with a Web.com win (as a caddie) helped pay it off!

  8. Evan

    Apr 1, 2014 at 7:40 pm

    The only golfers I have known that have tried mini tours are college/ young adults who come from upper/ upper middle class families. Who else has $30000 to risk playing one year of small purse tournaments. That money for most people is needed to get an education or start a business, which has a much higher chance of payoff than a golf career. I think the “sleeping in a car” and “sharing hotel rooms” is somewhat misleading as one would think these individuals are poor or are roughing it. The opportunity for someone to be on the road for weeks at a time without working a “real job” is not available for most. How does working a part-time low-paying job in a pro shop pay for your food, rent, car all year? Many adults with full time jobs only make $30000 a year.

    To have individuals sponsor you is also limited to very few as you have to have relationships and ties with people who have thousands of dollars to risk. The chances of these people sponsoring someone who has a successful enough career to repay is very slim.

    Professional golf and the opportunity to attempt professional golf is reserved for only those who have had a privileged upbringing.

    • RG

      Apr 1, 2014 at 11:25 pm

      Well said. This article expresses the rift. Sleeping in a car and splitting hotel bills is not difficult. He thinks he’s had it tough.

    • GJR

      Apr 2, 2014 at 9:27 am

      Evan..it’s a shame you have such a short sided view of this. I hope you are happy in your life and have the courage to chase a dream every now and then. From the sounds of your post, intended or not, you are making some very blanket statements that make you sound like you’re choking on sour grapes because your struggle or someone else you know, was harder. We all make choices in life. Some guys come from normal middle to low middle class upbringing and say ‘screw it, I’m going for it’, no matter if it’s golf, minor league baseball, or starting a lawn care company. You come across with the attitude that only those with money in the bank can do things like this or get ahead. I hope that’s not what you meant. If it is, please, educate yourself. In more ways that just a degree. Good luck to you Evan. I sincerely mean that.

      • DRHolmes

        Apr 2, 2014 at 11:38 am

        I think you missed Evan’s point completely.

        Guys dont just say “I’m going for it” and then have $30,000 magically appear in their bank account. Golfers from lower class upbringings dont just say “I’m going for it” and the tournaments agree to let them compete for free. Guys find the money somewhere. But to fully pay for all of your life expenses as well as your tournament fees/expenses I cant imagine there are any guys at all that are doing that working the low wages they would in a golf shop in the off season.

        I know a couple of guys who have played mini tours for a season or two that worked at my local range in the winter. Those guys work ridiculously long hours for next to nothing, I’d be surprised if their work-wages covered their car payments and rent. Both of them had to have a group of sponsors footing the bill for their tournament fees. The math just doesnt add up, you cant work for a few months at minimum wage and save enough money to pay $1,500+/week in expenses during the golf season.

        • Daniel V

          Apr 2, 2014 at 12:36 pm

          I had the pleasure of having a “mini-tour” player caddie for me at Rio Secco. Man could he hit the ball. He worked several different golf related jobs so he could pursue his dream. He was as blue collar as golf allows.

        • Evan

          Apr 2, 2014 at 2:04 pm

          Thanks DRHolmes,

          I think my original statement was misunderstood. MOST if not ALL, middle to lower class individuals CANNOT even attempt a full year or two of tournament golf. It is not at all like team sports that make sure you at least have your room, meals and travel covered. If you make a minor league baseball team, you are essentially sponsored. Not making a lot of money, but not doing it on your own. They are apples and oranges…

          Most individuals from a middle to lower class family don’t have the support to use all of their part time money for travel and golf. My parents would have laughed me out of the house if I said I was going to take two year and all of my earnings to play a mini tour. How far behind in life does that put you? Unless of course your family can absorb a couple of fruitless years.

          This reminds me of a economic study on Minor League sports, baseball in particular. Chasing a dream too long and risking too much to become a pro athlete is usually disastrous. For every one who makes it, there are a thousand who have really damaged their adult lives.

      • Evan

        Apr 2, 2014 at 2:21 pm

        Yes, I am making a general statement. Your similarity between starting a local business (lawn company) and joining a mini tour are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Your return and chance of long term success with the lawn company are much greater than a pro golf life.

        Many people who come from middle to lower class families only get a chance or two to make something of themselves. If I took a couple years and $20k to $50k I might not ever fully recover from that sacrifice.

        Considering your response to what I wrote, I think you should educate yourself. Their have been studies on the risks and effects of chasing a dream in minor league sports. This is not only my own experience as someone who comes from a lower middle-class family, but as someone who has studied the risk and reward of playing pro sports.

    • benseattle

      Apr 2, 2014 at 6:31 pm

      This comment is perhaps the most off-base, most ill-informed piece of nonsense I’ve ever read. The stories of professional golfers (both on the PGA Tour level and the mini-tours) who come from humble beginners are legion. For every surgeon-father Charles Howell III, there are a dozen who scrape and work just for the opportunity to play golf. Even Phil Mickelson used to drive the range cart at the old Stardust in San Diego just to be able to hit balls.) What… you’re saying that Tiger Woods came from a “privileged” background? Just what do think the U.S. Army pays, anyway? Why not do a little research next time rather than simply display your ignorance?

      • Evan

        Apr 3, 2014 at 10:33 am

        Once again, you might want to do your homework… Earl Woods was an officer in the Army, a LT Col to be exact… 0-5 pay grade. Which is very good, especially in the era he grew up in. Yes, it’s not trust fund or CEO money… but by military standards, he was white collar. Pro Golf is a full-time sacrifice and career these days. Back in the Jones/ Hogan era, many of these men had jobs and lives away from golf, the tour wasn’t as demanding. I understand that everyone’s definition of “wealthy” or “well off” is different, especially in the golf community. If your household income is under $50000 a year (which much of the population is), you most likely will not have the opportunity to give pro golf a legitimate run, let’s say 2 years on mini tours.

        • Evan

          Apr 3, 2014 at 10:39 am

          Phil grew up in San Diego CA (one of the most expensive places in the country). His father was an airline pilot and naval aviator… I pity that he had to work part time at a golf course. BTW, Earl Woods was also a defense contractor after his Army officer career. I think you need to educate yourself… the examples you gave are completely contrary to the point you’re trying to make.

  9. Sean

    Apr 1, 2014 at 3:26 pm

    All you guys are great ball strikers. What separates the mini-tour players from let’s say the Web.com, or the PGA Tour?

    Thank you,

    Sean

    • Josh Thompson

      Apr 1, 2014 at 5:00 pm

      Hi Sean! I would say the putts gained stat you would see a slight difference. Every year there are a numerous mini tour players that go on to play the PGA and Web.com Tour. Thanks for the question and have a good one 🙂

  10. L

    Apr 1, 2014 at 11:41 am

    You forgot to mention how you could end up being real smelly for not taking a shower for a few days while you slept in the car!

  11. Golfraven

    Apr 1, 2014 at 7:13 am

    assuming you make the cut, how high on the leaderboard do you need to be on Sunday evening to at least cover your expenses for the week – entry, stay, food? Cheers

    • Josh Thompson

      Apr 1, 2014 at 10:14 am

      Hi Golfraven, it all depends on the entry fee, purse and your expenses for the week. Some tournaments you need to finish higher because the purse is small.

  12. Alex

    Apr 1, 2014 at 12:37 am

    Would be really interesting to know how the details work out.

    How do you get host families? Do the tournaments arrange it? Do you get any perks while at the courses, like meals? What about the equipment deals? Do they have tee up money on the mini tours like they do on the bigger ones? What about lessons and coaches? Do people get free lessons? Do they pay a reduced rate, etc?

    Really wondering how people can afford to play golf, afford the fees, the practice, the equipment and travel earning so little prize money.

    How much do you need to have set aside to start out?

    • Josh Thompson

      Apr 1, 2014 at 10:11 am

      Some great suggestions–Thanks Alex!

    • Richard L Cox III

      Apr 1, 2014 at 12:06 pm

      Alex,

      As a former hack pro myself I can answer each of your questions with 90% certainty.

      How do you get host families?
      *They’re only offered at some events.

      Do the tournaments arrange it?
      *They tell you it’s available. You either say, “I want in,” or not.

      Do you get any perks while at the courses, like meals?
      *You’re lucky to get a discounted practice round unless you’re playing a Hooters’ event.

      What about the equipment deals?
      *Josh has a great explanation here, but ‘equipment deals’ on mini-tours basically amount to getting free balls, hats, and gloves mailed to you every couple of months or a set of wedges if you made the cut last week.

      Do they have tee up money on the mini tours like they do on the bigger ones?
      *No. Not even close.

      What about lessons and coaches?
      *It’s player specific, but 90% of the guys have regular instructors, etc.

      Do people get free lessons? Do they pay a reduced rate, etc?
      *No. No. No.- not even Philly Mick gets free lessons.

      Really wondering how people can afford to play golf, afford the fees, the practice, the equipment and travel earning so little prize money.
      *You sir, have just figured out why playing mini-tours can drive a person to drink.

      How much do you need to have set aside to start out?
      *I’d say $30,000 would last you one year.

  13. terry

    Mar 31, 2014 at 11:27 pm

    I always loved the Waterloo Open in Iowa. I didn’t have a caddy one year. Some guy volunteered to carry my bag and refused payment at the end of the round. Had a beer with him and called it a night…not before I hit up Shag Nastys

  14. Kelly

    Mar 31, 2014 at 10:09 pm

    Nice article. I live in Morganton, NC and am a member at Mimosa Hills.

  15. Mat

    Mar 31, 2014 at 9:25 pm

    Great article, Josh. I can’t imagine…

    Maybe your next article can be about how to best interact and become involved… be better advocates. For example, how do you get to play in a pro-am? Should you tip your player?

    I always wondered if it was ethical for guys to sell “shares” of their career winnings for an investment… e.g., I pay $1,000 into a player for 0.2% of his winnings for 6 years, or something like that. I would imagine that there are a lot of guys who would take a chance on a guy if for nothing beyond the same thinking as fantasy football.

  16. Paul Kaster

    Mar 31, 2014 at 8:48 pm

    Nice job Josh! I have lots of great memories of my time playing minis but it’s definitely tough. Well worth trying for anyone who thinks they may have what it takes. Best of luck!

  17. Don

    Mar 31, 2014 at 8:46 pm

    Great article man! I wish the PGA and the big golf companies would pour more money into these mini tours. This is a great way to grow the game. I personally pull for the mini tour turned big time pros like Zach Johnson. Who by the way is one of the top five players on tour right now. “What an incredible Cinderella story”

    • Josh Thompson

      Mar 31, 2014 at 8:51 pm

      Thanks! I know what you mean Don. The tour now runs the Canadian and Latin America Tours – so who knows whats next.

    • Nagar

      Apr 9, 2014 at 7:42 am

      What an incwedable Cindawella Story. Ha Ha. Remember the Super in Caddy Shack had a r lisp!

  18. Gary

    Mar 31, 2014 at 8:22 pm

    That Hooters girl second from the left is gorgeous!

  19. Derrick

    Mar 31, 2014 at 8:14 pm

    Saw you mentioned Morganton, NC. Did you play at Mimosa Hills? One of my all time favs.

  20. Curt

    Mar 31, 2014 at 7:46 pm

    Great insight Josh, thanks for sharing! Good luck to you!

  21. Adam

    Mar 31, 2014 at 7:28 pm

    Great stuff man, cool to hear what those guys go through and prepare myself if i ever get a chance to play pro.

    • Josh Thompson

      Mar 31, 2014 at 7:36 pm

      Thanks Adam! Hope to provide more insights of the tour life to the Golf WRX community. Any thing you want to hear about in particular in future articles? Have a good one.

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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s 2024 Valspar Championship betting preview: Elite ballstrikers to thrive at Copperhead

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The PGA TOUR will stay in Florida this week for the 2024 Valspar Championship.

The Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort is a par 71 measuring 7,340 yards and features Bermudagrass greens overseeded with POA. Infamous for its difficulty, the track will be a tough test for golfers as trouble lurks all over the place. Holes 16, 17 and 18 — also known as the “Snake Pit” — make up one of the toughest three-hole stretches in golf and should lead to a captivating finish on Sunday.

The field is comprised of 156 golfers teeing it up. The field this week is solid and is a major improvement over last year’s field that felt the impact of players skipping due to a handful of “signature events” in a short span of time. 

Past Winners at Valspar Championship

  • 2023: Taylor Moore (-10)
  • 2022: Sam Burns (-17)
  • 2021: Sam Burns (-17)
  • 2019: Paul Casey (-8)
  • 2018: Paul Casey (-10)
  • 2017: Adam Hadwin (-14)
  • 2016: Charl Schwartzel (-7)
  • 2015: Jordan Spieth (-10)

In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value). 

Key Stats For Copperhead

1. Strokes Gained: Approach

Strokes Gained: Approach grades out as the most important statistic once again this week. Copperhead really can’t be overpowered and is a second-shot golf course.

Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds (per round)

  1. Tony Finau (+.90)
  2. Nick Taylor (+.81)
  3. Justin Thomas (+.77)
  4. Greyson Sigg (+.69)
  5. Christiaan Bezuidenhout (+.67)

2. Good Drive %

The long hitters can be a bit limited here due to the tree-lined fairways and penal rough. Playing from the fairways will be important, but laying back too far will cause some difficult approaches with firm greens that may not hold shots from long irons.

Golfers who have a good balance of distance and accuracy have the best chance this week.

Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Brice Garnett (+91.3%) 
  2. Zach Johnson (+91.1%)
  3. Sam Ryder (+90.5%)
  4. Ryan Moore (+90.4%)
  5. Aaron Rai (+89.7%)

3. Strokes Gained: Ball Striking

Adding ball-striking puts even more of a premium on tee-to-green prowess in the statistical model this week. Golfers who rank highly in ball-striking are in total control of the golf ball which is exceedingly important at Copperhead.

SG: Ball Striking Over Past 24 Rounds:

  1. Xander Schauffele (+1.32)
  2. Keith Mitchell (+1.29)
  3. Tony Finau (+1.24)
  4. Cameron Young (+1.17) 
  5. Doug Ghim (+.95)

4. Bogey Avoidance

With the conditions likely to be difficult, avoiding bogeys will be crucial this week. In a challenging event like the Valspar, oftentimes the golfer who is best at avoiding mistakes ends up on top.

Gritty golfers who can grind out difficult pars have a much better chance in an event like this than a low-scoring birdie-fest.

Bogey Avoidance Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Brice Garnett (+9.0)
  2. Xander Schauffele (+9.3)
  3. Austin Cook (+9.7) 
  4. Chesson Hadley (+10.0)
  5. Greyson Sigg (+10.2)

5. Strokes Gained: Total in Difficult Conditions

Conditions will be tough this week at Copperhead. I am looking for golfers who can rise to the occasion if the course plays as difficult as it has in the past.

Strokes Gained: Total in Difficult Conditions Over Past 24 rounds

  1. Xander Schauffele (+1,71) 
  2. Min Woo Lee (+1.39)
  3. Cameron Young (+1.27)
  4. Jordan Spieth (+1.08)
  5. Justin Suh (+.94)

6. Course History

That statistic will tell us which players have played well at Copperhead in the past.

Course History Over Past 24 rounds

  1. Patrick Cantlay (+3.75) 
  2. Sam Burns (+2.49)
  3. Davis Riley (+2.33)
  4. Matt NeSmith (+2.22)
  5. Jordan Spieth (+2.04)

The Valspar Championship Model Rankings

Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (27%), Good Drive % (15%), SG: BS (20%), Bogeys Avoided (13%), Course History (13%) Strokes Gained: Total in Difficult Conditions (12%).

  1. Xander Schauffele
  2. Doug Ghim
  3. Victor Perez
  4. Greyson Sigg
  5. Ryan Moore
  6. Tony Finau
  7. Justin Thomas
  8. Sam Ryder
  9. Sam Burns
  10. Lucas Glover

2024 Valspar Championship Picks

Justin Thomas +1400 (DraftKings)

Justin Thomas will be disappointed with his finish at last week’s PLAYERS Championship, as the past champion missed the cut despite being in some decent form heading into the event. Despite the missed cut, JT hit the ball really well. In his two rounds, the two-time major champion led the field in Strokes Gained: Approach per round.

Thomas has been up and down this season. He’s missed the cut in two “signature events” but also has finishes of T12 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, T12 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, T6 at the Pebble Beach AT&T Pro-Am and T3 at the American Express. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach and 6th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking in the field.

Thomas loves Copperhead. In his last three tries at the course, he’s finished T13, T3 and T10. Thomas would have loved to get a win at a big event early in the season, but avoidable mistakes and a balky putter have cost him dearly. I believe a trip to a course he loves in a field he should be able to capitalize on is the right recipe for JT to right the ship.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout +6000 (FanDuel)

Christiaan Bezuidenhout is playing spectacular golf in the 2024 season. He finished 2nd at the American Express, T20 at Pebble Beach and T24 at the Genesis Invitational before finishing T13 at last week’s PLAYERS Championship.

In his past 24 rounds, the South African ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach and 26th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. Bezuidenhout managed to work his way around TPC Sawgrass last week with minimal damage. He only made five bogeys in the entire week, which is a great sign heading into a difficult Copperhead this week.

Bezuidenhout is winless in his PGA Tour career, but certainly has the talent to win on Tour. His recent iron play tells me that this week could be a breakthrough for the 35-year-old who has eyes on the President’s Cup.

Doug Ghim +8000 (FanDuel)

Doug Ghim has finished in the top-16 of his past five starts. Most recently, Ghim finished T16 at The PLAYERS Championship in a loaded field.

In his past 24 rounds, Ghim ranks 8th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 5th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. In terms of his fit for Copperhead, the 27-year-old ranks 12th in Bogey Avoidance and 7th in Strokes Gained: Total in Difficult Conditions, making him a great fit for the course.

Ghim has yet to win on Tour, but at one point he was the top ranked Amateur golfer in the world and played in the 2017 Arnold Palmer Cup and 2017 Walker Cup. He then won the Ben Hogan award for the best male college golfer in 2018. He certainly has the talent, and there are signals aplenty that his talent in ready to take him to the winner’s circle on the PGA Tour.

Sepp Straka +8000 (BetRivers)

Sepp Straka is a player who’s shown he has the type of game that can translate to a difficult Florida golf course. The former Presidents Cup participant won the 2022 Honda Classic in tough conditions and should thrive with a similar test at Copperhead.

It’s been a slow 2024 for Straka, but his performance last week at the PLAYERS Championship surely provides some optimism. He gained 5.4 strokes on approach as well as 1.88 strokes off the tee. The tee-to-green game Straka showed on a course with plenty of danger demonstrates that he can stay in control of his golf ball this week.

It’s possible that the strong performance last week was an outlier, but I’m willing to bet on a proven winner in a weaker field at a great number.

Victor Perez +12000 (FanDuel)

Victor Perez is no stranger to success in professional golf. The Frenchman has three DP World Tour wins including a Rolex Series event. He won the 2019 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, as well as the 2023 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, which are some big events.

Perez earned his PGA Tour card this season and enters the week playing some fantastic golf. He finished in a tie for 16th in Florida at the Cognizant Classic and then tied for third in his most recent start at the Puerto Rico Open.

In his past 24 rounds in the field, Perez ranks 11th in Strokes Gained: Approach, 1oth in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking, 6th in Good Drive % and 15th in Bogey Avoidance.

Perez comes in as a perfect fit for Copperhead and offers serious value at triple-digit odds.

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Opinion & Analysis

Myrtle Beach, Explored: February in South Carolina

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As I gain in experience and age, and familiarity breeds neither contempt nor disdain, I understand why people return to a place. A destination like Myrtle Beach offers a sizable supply and diversity of restaurants, entertainment venues, and shops that are predicated on the tenets of the service industry. Greet your customers with a smile and a kind word, and they will find comfort and assurance. Provide them with a memorable experience and they will suggest your place of business to others.

My first tour of Myrtle Beach took place in the mid-1980s, and consisted of one course: Gator Hole. I don’t remember much from that day, and since Gator Hole closed a decade later, I cannot revisit it to recollect what I’d lost. Since then, I’ve come to the Grand Strand a few times, and been fortunate to never place a course more than once. I’ve seen the Strantz courses to the south and dipped my toe in the North Carolina courses of Calabash. I’ve been to many in the middle, including Dunes, Pine Lakes, Grande Dunes among them.

2024 brought a quartet of new courses, including two at the Barefoot Resort. I’d heard about the North Myrtle Beach four-pack of courses that highlight the Barefoot property, including layouts from Pete Dye, Tom Fazio, Davis Love III, and Greg Norman. I had the opportunity to play and shoot the Dye and Fazio tracks, which means that I’ll have to return to see the other two. Sandwiched between them were the TPC-Myrtle Beach course, also from Tom Fazio, and the Pawley’s Plantation trace, by the hand of Jack Nicklaus. I anticipated a bit of the heroic, and bit of the strategic, and plenty of eye candy. None of those architects would ever be considered a minimalist, so there would be plenty of in-play and out-of-play bunkers and mounds to tantalize the senses.

My nephew arrived a few days early, to screen a few more courses. As a result, you the reader will have an extra quarter of mini-reviews, bringing the total of courses in this piece to eight. It was inconceivable that CJR would play four courses that I had never played nor photographed, but that was the case. His words appear at the end of this piece. We hope that you enjoy the tour.

Main Feature: Two Barefoots, a TPC, and Pawley’s Plantation

Barefoot Dye

What Paul “Pete” Dye brought back from his trips to the United Kingdom, hearkened back to what C.B. MacDonal did, some 65 years prior. There is a way of finding bunkers and fairways, and even green sites, that does not require major industrial work. The Dye course at Barefoot Resorts takes you on a journey over the rumpled terrain of distant places. If there’s one element missing, it’s the creased and turbulent fairways, so often found in England and Ireland. The one tenet of playing a Dye course, is to always aim away from temptation, from where your eyes draw you. Find the safe side of the target, and you’ll probably find your ball. It then stands that you will have a shot for your next attempt. Cut the corner, and you might have need to reload. The Barefoot course begins gently, in terms of distance, but challenges with visual deception. After two brief 4s and a 3, the real work begins. The course is exposed enough, to allow the coastal winds to dance along the fairways. Be ready to keep the ball low and take an extra club or two.

TPC-Myrtle Beach

If memory serves, TPCMB is my first trek around a TPC-branded course. It had all the trappings of a tour course, from the welcome, through the clubhouse, to the practice facilities and, of course, the course. TPC-Myrtle Beach is a Tom Fazio design, and if you never visit Augusta National, you’ll now have an idea of what it is like. You play Augusta’s 16th hole twice at TPCMB, and you enjoy it both times. Fazio really likes the pond-left, green-angle-around par three hole, and his two iterations of it are memorable.

You’ll also see those Augusta bunkers, the ones with the manicured edges that drop into a modestly-circular form. What distinguishes these sand pits is the manner in which they rise from the surrounding ground. They are unique in that they don’t resemble the geometric bunkering of a Seth Raynor, nor the organic pits found in origin courses. They are built, make no mistake, and recovery from them is manageable for all levels of bunker wizardry.

Barefoot Fazio

If you have the opportunity to play the two Tom Fazio courses back to back, you’ll notice a marked difference in styling. Let me digress for a moment, then circle back with an explanation. It was written that the NLE World Woods course designed by Fazio, Pine Barrens, was an homage to Pine Valley, the legendary, New Jersey club where Fazio is both a member and the architect on retainer. The Pine Barrens course was plowed under in 2022, so the homage no longer exists. At least, I didn’t think that it existed, until I played his Barefoot Resort course in North Myrtle Beach.

Pine Valley might be described as an aesthetic of scrub and sand. There are mighty, forced carries to travers, along with sempiternal, sandy lairs to avoid. Barefoot Fazio is quite similar. If you’re not faced with a forced carry, you’ll certainly contend with a fairway border or greenside necklace of sand. When you reach the 13th tee, you’ll face a drive into a fairway, and you might see a distant green, with a notable absence: flagstick. The 13th is the icing on the homage cake, a callout of the 8th hole at Pine Valley. Numero Ocho at the OG has two greens, side by side, and they change the manner in which the hole plays (so they say.) At Barefoot Fazio, the right-side green is a traditional approach, with an unimpeded run of fairway to putting surface. The left-side green (the one that I was fortunate to play) demands a pitch shot over a wasteland. It’s a fitting tribute for the rest of us to play.

Be certain to parrot the starter, Leon’s, advice, and play up a deck of tees. Barefoot Fazio offers five par-three holes, so the fours and fives play that much longer. Remember, too, that you are on vacation. Why not treat yourself to some birdie looks?

Pawley’s Plantation

The Jack Nicklaus course at Pawley’s Plantation emerged from a period of hibernation in 2024. The greens were torn up and their original contours were restored. Work was overseen by Troy Vincent, a member of the Nicklaus Architecture team. In addition, the putting corridors were reseeded with a hardier, dwarf bermuda that has experienced great success, all along the Grand Strand that is Myrtle Beach.

My visit allowed me to see the inward half first, and I understand why the resort wishes to conclude your day on those holes. The front nine of Pawley’s Plantation works its way through familiar, low country trees and wetlands. The back nine begins in similar fashion, then makes its way east, toward the marsh that separates mainland from Pawley’s Island. Recalling the powerful sun of that Wednesday morning, any round beginning on the second nine would face collateral damage from the warming star. Much better to hit holes 11 to close when the sun is higher in the sky.

The marshland holes (12 through 17) are spectacular in their raw, unprotected nature. The winds off the Atlantic are unrelenting and unforgiving, and the twin, par-three holes will remain in your memory banks for time’s march. In typical Golden Bear fashion, a majority of his putting targets are smallish in nature, reflecting his appreciation for accurate approach shots. Be sure to find the forgiving side of each green, and err to that portion. You’ll be grateful.

Bonus Coverage: Myrtlewood, Beechwood, Arrowhead, and King’s North

Arrowhead (Raymond Floyd and Tom Jackson)

A course built in the middle of a community, water threatens on most every hole. The Cypress 9 provides a few holes forcing a carried drive then challenge you with water surrounding the green. On Waterway, a drivable 2nd hole will tempt most, so make sure the group ahead has cleared the green.

Myrtlewood (Edmund Alt and Arthur Hills) and Beechwood (Gene Hamm)

A middle of the winter New Englander’s paradise. Wide open fairways, zero blind shots and light rough allow for shaking off the rust and plenty of forgiveness. A plethora of dog legs cause one to be cautious with every tee shot. Won’t break the bank nor the scorecard.

King’s North @ Myrtle Beach National (Arnold Palmer)

A signature Arnold Palmer course, waste areas, island greens and daring tee shots. Highlighted by the 4th hole Par 5 Gambler hole, if you can hit the smaller fairway on the left you are rewarded with a short approach to get to the green in 2. The back 9 is highlighted by an island green par 3 and a finisher with over 40 bunkers spread throughout. A challenge for any golfer.
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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s 2024 Players Championship betting preview: Pete Dye specialists ready to pass tough TPC Sawgrass test

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The PGA Tour heads to TPC Sawgrass to play in one of the most prestigious and important events of the season: THE PLAYERS Championship. Often referred to as the fifth major, the importance of a PLAYERS victory to the legacy of a golfer can’t be overlooked.

TPC Sawgrass is a par-72 measuring 7,245 yards and featuring Bermudagrass greens. Golfers must be patient in attacking this Pete Dye course.

With trouble lurking at every turn, the strokes can add up quickly. With a par-5 16th that is a true risk-reward hole and the famous par-3 17th island green, the only safe bet at TPC Sawgrass is a bet on an exciting finish.

THE PLAYERS Championship field is often referred to as the strongest field of the year — and with good reason. There are 144 in the field, including 43 of the world’s top 50 players in the OWGR. Tiger Woods will not be playing in the event.

THE PLAYERS is an exceptionally volatile event that has never seen a back-to-back winner.

Past Winners at TPC Sawgrass

  • 2023: Scottie Scheffler (-17)
  • 2022: Cameron Smith (-13)
  • 2021: Justin Thomas (-14)
  • 2019: Rory McIlroy (-16)
  • 2018: Webb Simpson (-18)
  • 2017: Si-Woo Kim (-10)
  • 2016: Jason Day (-15)
  • 2015: Rickie Fowler (-12)In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value). 

5 Key Stats for TPC Sawgrass

Let’s take a look at five metrics key for TPC Sawgrass to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their last 24 rounds.

1. Strokes Gained: Approach

Strokes Gained: Approach has historically been far and away the most important and predictive stat at THE PLAYERS Championship. With water everywhere, golfers can’t afford to be wild with their iron shots. Not only is it essential to avoid the water, but it will also be as important to go after pins and make birdies because scores can get relatively low.

Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Tom Hoge (+1.37) 
  2. Scottie Scheffler (+1.20)
  3. Tony Finau (+0.99)
  4. Jake Knapp (+0.83)
  5. Shane Lowry (+0.80)

2. Total Driving

This statistic is perfect for TPC Sawgrass. Historically, driving distance hasn’t been a major factor, but since the date switch to March, it’s a bit more significant. During this time of year, the ball won’t carry quite as far, and the runout is also shorter.

Driving accuracy is also crucial due to all of the trouble golfers can get into off of the tee. Therefore, players who are gaining on the field with Total Driving will put themselves in an ideal spot this week.

Total Driving Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Rory McIlroy (22)
  2. Akshay Bhatia (25)
  3. Keith Mitchell (25) 
  4. Adam Hadwin (34)
  5. Sam Burns (+39)

3. Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye Designs

TPC Sawgrass may be Pete Dye’s most famous design, and for good reason. The course features Dye’s typical shaved runoff areas and tricky green complexes.  Pete Dye specialists love TPC Sawgrass and should have a major advantage this week.

SG: Total (Pete Dye) per round over past 36 rounds:

  1. Patrick Cantlay (+2.02)
  2. Scottie Scheffler (+1.90)
  3. Min Woo Lee (+1.77) 
  4. Sungjae Im (+1.72)
  5. Brian Harman (+1.62) 

4. Strokes Gained: Ball Striking

Prototypical ball-strikers have dominated TPC Sawgrass. With past winners like Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson, Webb Simpson, Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas, it’s evident that golfers must be striking it pure to contend at THE PLAYERS.

SG: Ball Striking Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Scottie Scheffler (+2.02)
  2. Tony Finau (+1.51)
  3. Tom Hoge (+1.48)
  4. Keith Mitchell (+1.38)
  5. Will Zalatoris (+1.18)

5. Par 5 Average

Par-5 average is extremely important at TPC Sawgrass. With all four of the Par-5s under 575 yards, and three of them under 540 yards, a good amount of the scoring needs to come from these holes collectively.

Par 5 Average Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Scottie Schefler (+4.31)
  2. Erik Van Rooyen (+4.35)
  3. Doug Ghim (+4.34)
  4. Wyndham Clark (+4.34)
  5. Matt Fitzpatrick (+4.31)

6. Strokes Gained: Florida

We’ve used this statistic over the past few weeks, and I’d like to incorporate some players who do well in Florida into this week’s model as well. 

Strokes Gained: Florida over past 30 rounds:

  1. Scottie Schefler (+2.43)
  2. Erik Van Rooyen (+1.78)
  3. Doug Ghim (+1.78)
  4. Wyndham Clark (+1.73)
  5. Matt Fitzpatrick (+1.69)

7. Strokes Gained: Total on Courses with High Water Danger

With water everywhere at TPC Sawgrass, the blow-up potential is high. It can’t hurt to factor in some players who’ve avoided the “eject” button most often in the past. 

Strokes Gained: Total on Courses with High Water Danger over past 30 rounds:

  1. Scottie Schefler (+2.08)
  2. Rory McIlroy (+1.82)
  3. Tony Finau (+1.62)
  4. Patrick Cantlay (+1.51)
  5. Will Zalatoris (+1.49)

THE PLAYERS Championship Model Rankings

Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (25%), Total Driving (20%), SG: Total Pete Dye (14%), SG: Ball-striking (15%) SG: Par 5 (8%), SG: Florida (10%) and SG: High Water (8%).

  1. Scottie Scheffler 
  2. Shane Lowry 
  3. Tony Finau 
  4. Corey Conners
  5. Keith Mitchell
  6. Justin Thomas
  7. Will Zalatoris
  8. Xander Schauffele
  9. Cameron Young
  10. Doug Ghim
  11. Sam Burns 
  12. Chris Kirk
  13. Collin Morikawa
  14. Si Woo Kim
  15. Wyndham Clark

2024 THE PLAYERS Championship Picks

(All odds at the time of writing)

Patrick Cantlay +2500 (DraftKings):

Patrick Cantlay is winless since the 2022 BMW Championship but is undoubtedly one of the most talented players on the PGA Tour. Since the win at Wilmington Country Club, the 31-year-old has twelve top-10 finishes on Tour and is starting to round into form for the 2024 season.

Cantlay has done well in the most recent “signature” events this season, finishing 4th at Riviera for the Genesis Invitational and 12th at Bay Hill for the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The former Tour Championship winner resides in Jupiter, Florida and has played some good golf in the state, including finishing in a tie for 4th at the 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational. His history at TPC Sawgrass has been up and down, but his best career start at The PLAYERS came last year when he finished in a tie for 19th.

Cantlay absolutely loves Pete Dye designed courses and ranks 1st in the field in Strokes Gained: Total on Dye tracks in his past 36 rounds. In recent years, he’s been excellent at both the RBC Heritage and the Travelers Championship. TPC Sawgrass is a place where players will have to be dialed in with their irons and distance off the tee won’t be quite as important. In his past 24, rounds, Cantlay ranks in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach.

Despite being winless in recent years, I still believe Cantlay is capable of winning big tournaments. As one of the only United States players to bring their best game to Marco Simone for the Ryder Cup, I have conviction that the former top amateur in the world can deliver when stakes are high.

Will Zalatoris +3000 (FanDuel):

In order to win at TPC Sawgrass, players will need to be in total control of their golf ball. At the moment, Will Zalatoris is hitting it as well as almost anyone and finally has the putter cooperating with his new switch to the broomstick style.

Zalatoris is coming off back-to-back starts where he absolutely striped the ball. He finished 2nd at the Genesis Invitational and 4th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational where his statistics were eye opening. For the week at Bay Hill, Zal gained 5.0 strokes on approach and 5.44 strokes off the tee.

Throughout the early part of his career, Zalatoris has established himself by playing his best golf in the strongest fields with the most difficult conditions. A tough test will allow him to separate himself this week and breakthrough for a PLAYERS Championship victory.

Shane Lowry +4000 (DraftKings):

History has shown us that players need to be in good form to win the PLAYERS Championship and it’s hard to find anyone not named Scottie Scheffler who’s in better form that Shane Lowry at the moment. He finished T4 at the Cognizant Classic followed by a solo third place finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The fact that the Irishman contended at Bay Hill is a great sign considering he’s really struggled there throughout his career. He will now head to a different style of course in Florida where he’s had a good deal of success. He finished 8th at TPC Sawgrass in 2021 and 13th in 2022. 

Lowry ranks 6th in the field in approach in his past 24 rounds, 7th in Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye designed courses in his last 30 rounds, 8th in par 5 scoring this season, and 4th in Strokes Gained: Total in Florida over his past 36 rounds.

Lowry is a player who’s capable of winning big events. He’s a major champion and won another premier event at Wentworth as well as a WGC at Firestone. He’s also a form player, when he wins it’s typically when he’s contended in recent starts. He’s been terrific thus far in Florida and he should get into contention once again this week.

Brian Harman +8000 (DraftKings):

(Note: Since writing this Harman’s odds have plummeted to 50-1. I would not advise betting the 50).

Brian Harman showed us last season that if the course isn’t extremely long, he has the accuracy both off the tee and with his irons to compete with anyone in the world. Last week at Bay Hill and was third in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, gaining 5.54 strokes on the field in the category.

In addition to the strong iron play, Harman also gained strokes off the tee in three of four rounds. He’s also had success at Pete Dye tracks recently. He finished 2nd at last year’s Travelers Championship and 7th at the RBC Heritage.

It would be a magnificent feat for Harman to win both the Open Championship and PLAYERS in a short time frame, but the reality is the PGA Tour isn’t quite as strong as it once was. Harman is a player who shows up for the biggest events and his odds seem way too long for his recent track record.

Tony Finau +6500 (FanDuel):

A few weeks ago, at the Genesis Invitational, I bet Hideki Matsuyama because I believed it to be a “bet the number” play at 80-1. I feel similarly about Finau this week. While he’s not having the season many people expected of him, he is playing better than these odds would indicate.

This season, Tony has a tied for 6th place finish at Torrey Pines, a tied for 19th at Riviera and tied for 13th at the Mexico Open. He’s also hitting the ball extremely well. In the field in his past 24 rounds, he ranks 3rd in Strokes Gained: Approach, 3rd in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking, 6th in Par 5 average and 15th in Total Driving.

Finau’s problem has been with the putter, which has been undeniably horrific. However, this week he will see a putting surface similar to the POA at TPC Scottsdale and PGA West, which he’s had a great deal of success on. It’s worth taking a stab at this price to see if he can have a mediocre week with the flat stick.

Sungjae Im +9000 (FanDuel):

It’s been a lackluster eighteen months for Sungjae, who once appeared to be a certain star. While his ceiling is absolutely still there, it’s been a while since we’ve seen Im play the type of golf expected of a player with his talent.

Despite the obvious concerns, the South Korean showed glimpses of a return to form last week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He tied for 18th place and gained strokes off the tee, on approach, around the green and with the putter. When at his best, Im is a perfect course fit for TPC Sawgrass. He has remarkable precision off the tee, can get dialed in with his irons on shorter courses and can get up and down with the best players on Tour.

This number has gotten to the point where I feel comfortable taking a shot on it.

Billy Horschel +20000 (FanDuel):

Billy Horschel is a great fit on paper for TPC Sawgrass. He can get dialed in with his irons and his lack of distance off the tee won’t be a major detriment at the course. “Bermuda Billy” does his best work putting on Bermudagrass greens and he appears to be rounding into form just in time to compete at The PLAYERS.

In his most recent start, Billy finished in a tie for 9th at the Cognizant Classic and hit the ball extremely well. The former Florida Gator gained 3.32 strokes on approach and 2.04 strokes off the tee. If Horschel brings that type of ball striking to TPC Sawgrass, he has the type of putter who can win a golf tournament.

Horschel has been great on Pete Dye designed courses, with four of his seven career PGA Tour wins coming on Dye tracks.

In a season that has seen multiple long shots win big events, the 37-year-old is worth a stab considering his knack for playing in Florida and winning big events.

 

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