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Part 2: What constitutes a truly professional club fitting analysis?

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Editor’s Note: In Part 1, Tom covered the basics of a professional club fitting analysis. It discussed a number of the boxes in the overall schematics chart shown below. In this story, Tom finishes discussing all of the various inputs that professional clubfitters need to know. 

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Now that you understand the goals of a professional club fitting — if you haven’t already, please read Part 1 — let’s dive into the specifics of how truly professional clubfitters help you find the best clubs for you.

Key Fitting Specifications

  1. Length
  2. Loft
  3. Face Angle
  4. Lie Angle
  5. Clubhead design
  6. Set Make Up
  7. Grip Size/Style
  8. Total Weight
  9. Swingweight/Club MOI
  10. Shaft Weight
  11. Shaft Flex
  12. Shaft Bend Profile

Within the clubhead design, there is also a subset of key head design elements that the club fitter must consider when offering a valid head model recommendation for the golfer – size, shape, sole design, offset, topline thickness, CG, MOI, face design, loft and face angle options/availability. These are the 12 key fitting specifications that each need to be determined for each club in the bag for each golfer.

Everything in the fitting analysis is done to give the club fitter the most information possible from which he can determine what each of these 12 key fitting specs should be for each club being fit to the golfer. Anything less than this approach falls short in offering the golfer the opportunity for the most game-improvement through proper fitting. Now let’s take a look at some of the information needed to conduct a professional fitting analysis, starting with the orange box on the left side of the chart (above) for the Technical Data Required.

Technical Data Required

  1. Shaft Weight Listings
  2. Shaft Clubhead Speed Ranges
  3. Shaft Bend Profile Measurements
  4. Hand/Finger Measurement Grip Size Chart
  5. Wrist-to-Floor vs. Length Chart
  6. Optimum Launch Parameter Chart

These elements represent the reference materials/information the club fitter may need to consult to combine with the golfer measurements, current equipment measurements and swing analysis to determine the 12 key fitting specifications for each club being fit.

Most shaft and component company catalogs reveal the weight of each of the shafts they sell. Some offer a swing speed range recommendation for the shafts they offer as well. Very few provide empirical bend profile stiffness design data to allow the club fitter to know precisely how any of the shafts definitively compare in their stiffness design that he may be considering for the golfer.

From whatever reliable sources possible, the club fitter should have a database of the weight, swing speed range and the comparative bend profile stiffness measurements for all shafts the clubfitter may consider in fitting the golfer. Such information is important to be able to predict shaft performance and shaft bending feel to offer a better overall shaft fitting result than simply a “here-try-this” approach to shaft fitting.

  • Hand/Finger Measurement Grip Size Chart, Wrist-to-Floor Measurement for Length Chart

While the golfer has to have the final word on the right grip style and size based on his/her preference and comfort, the fitter can use a hand/middle finger measurement to offer a starting point only for the best grip size. Likewise, while specific golfer swing characteristics and golfer ability contribute the final determination of the proper club lengths, the clubfitter also needs a competent wrist-to-floor measurement chart to use as a starting point in the determination of club lengths for the golfer.

  • Optimum Launch Parameter Chart

Once the clubfitter obtains the golfer’s launch angle, ball speed, clubhead speed and angle of attack with test clubs of known lofts and face angles, he will need reliable reference information that reveals what the optimum launch angle, ball speed and spin rate should be to determine the golfer’s best driver loft and the best shaft bend profile to result in the most optimal ball flight shape for best overall combination of carry and roll after landing.

Golfer Improvement Goals

  1. More Distance
  2. Better Accuracy
  3. Better Consistency
  4. Improved Trajectory
  5. Improved Feel

Changes in clubfitting specifications of golf clubs can only have a possible effect on game improvement in these five areas of performance. Knowledgeable clubfitters know which of the 12 key fitting specs have more of an effect on distance, accuracy, consistency, trajectory and the different aspects of the feel of the golf clubs. While all golfers may likely say they want to achieve all five of these game improvement goals from a professional fitting analysis, common sense and practicality says that the clubfitter has to interview the golfer and observe the golfer’s shot tendencies to determine which area of game improvement will bring the most benefit to the golfer’s overall performance and enjoyment. Once determined, this helps the club fitter focus on the specific fitting changes that can help achieve the most valuable game improvement.

Golfer and Equipment Analysis — Measurement and Observations

  1. Wrist-to-Floor Measurement
  2. Clubhead speed (Driver or 5 iron/6 iron)
  3. Hand/Middle Finger Dimensions
  4. Ball Speed/Launch Angle/Spin Rate
  5. Angle of Attack (real or calculated)
  6. Transition, Tempo, Release Evaluation
  7. Current Club Lofts, Lengths, Swing Weight, MOI, Face Angles, Shaft Weight
  8. Dynamic Lie Test
  9. Misdirection Tendency
  10. Average Shot Shape and Trajectory

There are a number of measurements and swing observations the fitter should perform to obtain certain key points of information, which will be combined with test club hitting analysis to determine the golfer’s best fitting specifications.

  • Wrist-to-Floor Measurement, Hand and Finger Measurements

As stated, these measurements are simply to establish a starting point only for the eventual determination of the golfer’s best lengths and grip size. The final determination of these fitting elements requires more input from swing analysis and input from any acquired preferences the golfer may have.

  • Clubhead Speed with the Driver/Middle iron. Ball Speed, Launch Angle, Spin Rate Observations

The golfer’s average clubhead speeds with the driver and a middle iron must be accurately measured to contribute information for helping to determine the driver loft, shaft swing speed ratings, loft gapping between wood, hybrid and iron heads. The most predominant launch angle, ball speed and spin rate need to be obtained from having the golfer hit shots with a driver/iron of absolute known loft at the actual point of impact on the face. To look at launch monitor outputs without knowing precisely the loft at the point of impact for the club used to reveal launch angle and spin renders upcoming fitting decisions to be less accurate.

  • Dynamic Lie test with an iron of known loft and length

More recently, clubfitters will perform the dynamic lie test as the last procedure in the fitting after test clubs with each of the golfer’s final determined fitting specs are built. This way, the dynamic lie is added to what everything else being what it will be for the golfer’s final fitting specs. In addition, performing the dynamic lie test using the ink line on the back of the ball method has shown to offer more reliable lie fitting results than the impact tape on the sole method.

  • Current Specific club Lofts, Lengths, Swing weight/MOI, Shaft Weight, Shaft Bend Profile, Etc

It can be helpful to know some of the key specs for a number of the golfer’s existing clubs so the club fitter can observe launch monitor outputs for the golfer with his existing clubs to form a baseline for performance observations. In other words, knowing the golfer’s results from specs that are absolutely known on his present clubs can help the club fitter know what specs may be OK and what needs to be different. This helps the club fitter apply a more specific focus on the investigation of the new specs required by the golfer.

  • Misdirection, Mis-Hit Tendencies, Average Shot Shape and Trajectory

Both by interviewing the golfer as well as by observing his shot pattern during the warm-up ball striking phase of the fitting, the clubfitter has to learn what the golfer’s most predominant misdirection and miss hit tendencies are – low, high, fade, slice, straight, draw, thin, toe, heel, etc. Each predominant mishit or misdirection tendency begins to tell the experienced clubfitter what specs may or may not be correct for the golfer on his present equipment as well as what specs to focus on in the fitting to come up with the most improvement.

Paying close attention to the most predominant ball flight is a much better way to evaluate whether a golfer has a definite spin problem that may or may not be able to be addressed by fitting changes than to simply focus on the spin numbers coming off the launch monitor. In other words, if the golfer’s ball flight shape and trajectory with the driver is fine but the monitor reads the spin at 3000+, the clubfitter knows to ignore the spin number because the shot shape and trajectory is the key element.

Looking for more info? I thought you might be. Starting in January 2015, I will begin a 12-part series that outlines what goes into making the decision for each of the 12 key fitting specifications. Study the inputs in the Blue Boxes in the chart and early next month I’ll start explaining how the club fitter uses the inputs and other information to start making the decisions for each one of the 12 key fitting specs for the golfer.

Related

Part 1: What constitutes a truly professional club fitting analysis?

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Tom Wishon is a 40-year veteran of the golf equipment industry specializing in club head design, shaft performance analysis and club fitting research and development. He has been responsible for more than 50 different club head design firsts in his design career, including the first adjustable hosel device, as well as the first 0.830 COR fairway woods, hybrids and irons. GolfWRX Writer of the Month: February 2014 Tom served as a member of the Golf Digest Technical Advisory Panel, and has written several books on golf equipment including "The Search for the Perfect Golf Club" and "The Search for the Perfect Driver," which were selected as back-to-back winners of the 2006 and 2007 Golf Book of the Year by the International Network of Golf (ING), the largest organization of golf industry media professionals in the USA. He continues to teach and share his wealth of knowledge in custom club fitting through his latest book, "Common Sense Clubfitting: The Wishon Method," written for golf professionals and club makers to learn the latest techniques in accurate custom club fitting. Tom currently heads his own company, Tom Wishon Golf Technology, which specializes in the design of original, high-end custom golf equipment designs and club fitting research for independent custom club makers worldwide Click here to visit his site, wishongolf.com

47 Comments

47 Comments

  1. Hank

    Jan 6, 2015 at 3:14 am

    I find it funny that you talk about all these little factors. I know at the Nike Oven and TaylorMade Kingdom the technicians use very little technology and are able to fit the tour players without even using trackman, the trackman is just a visual to show the players numbers. Yes the TaylorMade Kingdom has a MAT-T to measure all the fine specs but that is geared more towards the average players.

  2. Ben

    Jan 5, 2015 at 9:30 pm

    I went out to Titleist in Oceanside,CA and did the full fitting and it was well worth it. I got instant results, the ball flies dead straight with a perfect arc and my handicap went down to single digits. Of course you should get a fitting for clubs + lots of practice.

  3. Tom Wishon

    Jan 5, 2015 at 1:59 pm

    Are all people who give lessons and teach the golf swing at the same level of knowledge, expertise and skill to identify the swing problems and get the golfer into the right direction of swing improvement? No they aren’t.

    Same with clubfitters. I’ve written many times about this, warning golfers that if they want to go get custom fit, they need to do a good bit of investigation to find who in their area is competent and who isn’t. No different than finding a good mechanic for your car, good tradesperson for re-modeling or repairs around your house, good accountant for your business, etc.

    I do the work I do to research Nth degree fitting technology in an effort to TEACH those who are in the field how to do it better. There has to be some place for those interested in being better clubfitters to gain the knowledge to improve their skills. That’s one of my roles within this side of the industry.

    But as the old saying goes, “you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink,” it’s the same way with what I research and write about. It’s there for those who want to learn and get more competent. Some have and do take advantage of what I teach and when they go put it into practice, they do become better fitters. But some who call themselves clubfitters do not. Hence the reason for golfers to perform adequate due diligence when seeking a competent fitter with whom to work.

    Really good fitters who follow this methodology in their fitting analysis do exist and those golfers who have found them most certainly are pleased with the result. Sorry there are not more of them. But until the day comes when someone with my knowledge can open a school that offers the prospective fitter a 3-4 to month training curriculum, golfers are just going to have to do some real investigation to find a good fitter with whom to work.

    No different than with a teaching pro when you want to take lessons.

  4. leftright

    Dec 31, 2014 at 11:09 pm

    I saw a Wishon driver once cut open and the Ping was beside it cut open. If I cut open every manufacturers drivers people would play nothing but PING. I don’t even use a Ping driver but they have “by far” the best quality in the business. Titleist is okay but what do you expect for a set of irons costing 1100.00 that should sell for 700.00. Pings have more accurate lies and lofts, swing weights but Titleist insists on having it’s corporate headquarters in Massasshutes where the cost of living is high and Wally has to make millions a year. Titliest is perpetuating a fraud on the public and their drivers are the shortest in the business. Looking nice don’t cut it nowdays when a KMart special will go farther than a Titleist. Manufacturers, all except Ping sell the public junk, then the public goes out an buys a 400 dollar shaft that isn’t as long as the 5.00 chinese made special that they advertise as real when it isn’t. I challenge all manufacturers to show their stuff is as good as PGA tour stuff. Show it is accurate, well made and of good quality. Taylormade pretty much proved it selling heads for 400.00 because they were “tour” heads. Is it different Titanium, maybe the weight is golf plated or the CEO touched it? What a fraud, what a farce. Golf manufacturers have corrupted the game and sold the public a pig advertised as a princess.

    • Fred

      Jan 3, 2015 at 2:05 am

      Kudos to your rant. 100% agree. I appreciate Tom’s lengthy comments in the forums. But, I wish I could block his articles, so I never see them again.

      Side note- what type of driver do you use?

  5. leftright

    Dec 31, 2014 at 10:56 pm

    The computers lie. Trackman, Flightscope or whatever fraud they are using this week all lie. Take a demo out and hit it. In 5 swings you can tell if it is for you or not. Disregard the professional fitting BS, it is all a lie and has been proven a like by most. Tom is trying to help out fitters, pro’s, golf shop owners but don’t try that BS on me. The trackman has cost golfers’ many thousands of dollars and is not an accurate measurement of performance on the golf course. These guys are starting to sound like Congress and Obama, nothing but lies. Tom, I challenge you anytime, anyplace and will prove you wrong in multiple instances of the fitting process. Variables are just that and golf swings are not predictable, no more than the weather is. I recommend WRX tell Tom to go take a hike. Tom you have my email, I will bet your “any” amount of money I can prove you wrong. The trackman and it’s equivalents are the biggest fraud in golf, bar none.

    • Tom WIshon

      Jan 6, 2015 at 1:00 pm

      Have at it then, prove me wrong that proper fitting can’t help a very high percentage of golfers play to the best of their given ability. Don’t know how you plan to do that, but you must feel you have the proof to come charging at me like that. Ball’s in your court.

      With regard to what you say about cutting driver heads open, I take it that you have actual experience in driver head design and production so that you really know what you are looking at and talking about? Somehow I wonder if you are looking at the inside of an investment cast titanium driver vs a 4-piece construction head and thinking that the 4-pc is deficient in some way?

      Interesting that the vast, vast majority of driver heads today are being manufactured in the 4 pc construction. Been that way since the early 2000s. Cast titanium drivers are going by the wayside for several reasons not the least of which involve being able to do many more performance related things in the design with a 4pc than with a casting. Happy to outline them all if you want to know.

      Don’t know why you want to bust my chops so much. All I do here is offer information that you can’t get anywhere else in the face of all the poor, misleading information that is out there concerning golf club performance for golfers who are as different as can be in their size, strength, athletic ability and swing characteristics.

      • simon

        Jan 19, 2015 at 6:11 pm

        do you think 4 piece construction is as good as a 2 piece construction on a driver?
        bombtech golf claims 2 piece has more benefits than 4 piece with their grenade driver.
        thanks for your thoughts.

        • simon

          Jan 21, 2015 at 8:51 pm

          hi Tom
          still waiting for your insight to my above question ..thanks

    • Charles

      Jan 19, 2015 at 11:15 am

      leftright, I’m sorry to tell you that you are humongously wrong. Launch monitors are for golf the same as microscopes were for Biology. Launch monitors are very accurate and what you get indoors will likely get on the course. And by the way, club fitting is just like a tailored suit. Do you like bets? I bet that you hit a 2 hybrid with graphite R- flex shaft way better than a 2 iron forged blade with steel X-flex shaft. That’s club fitting. To find what makes you strike the ball better. If you play golf and buy clubs that is not fit for you, I bet you are having a hard time on the course. Open your mind, go find a skilled club fitter and get a set of clubs that fit your game, you will have much more fun on the course and play faster, the groups behind you will not have to wait you find your ball in the woods. In the end, you will thank me.

  6. John

    Dec 28, 2014 at 8:20 pm

    Wow a lot of thoughts plus and minus. I play to a six handicap and am 53. I have had that 6 for about 35 years give or take a shot or two. I played a variety clubs over the years and here is what I know for me. I believe some simple fitting will take care of 90% of the golfers. I play 10.5 driver with a stiff shaft shortened to 44.5 inches. My irons are standard length bent 1 degree flat and (2 flat for Titleist). When it is time for new clubs, I demo them outside and pick what looks good to my eye, feels good, and looks right in the air. I also choose a ball and stick with it for the entire season.

  7. Justin

    Dec 28, 2014 at 10:22 am

    I’ve seen both ends of the spectrum. I’ve seen people play to par with clubs bought off-the-rack, I’ve seen players play to par with fitted clubs. I’ve seen the opposites, as well.

    The people I play with, the majority aren’t out there to maximize some ideal of their potential… they’re there to have fun. I catch myself thinking the same thing: how does one “optimize” their driver when hitting indoors, into a net, in a controlled climate, when golf’s played outdoors with uncontrollable climates? The swing you bring to the fitting may not be the one you have next week, or six months from now. Even the slightest change, be it ball position or tee height, has rendered that “optimized” ideal to moot.

    Former USGA Tech Director Frank Thomas has a very interesting book, “Just Hit It”. In it, he states that “The Silver Scot” Tommy Armour had 12 sets of irons shipped to his local course; 6 were “R” flex shafts, the other 6 were “S” flex shafts. People would come to him asking about a proper set. He’d play a round with the person and at the end he’d “special order” a set just for them. He’d tell the person behind the counter to call the individual in a week to pick up his new set- even though it was already sitting in the back!

    I guess the point is, there’s something to say about the psychology of golf. People see a $1000 shaft and think it’s the best thing since itself, or spend $1000 on a fitting and think they’re getting something extra special. I don’t want to make it sound like this is all snake oil, because it isn’t. I know from personal experience it isn’t. But is there a point of taking it too far?

  8. Shaun

    Dec 28, 2014 at 9:14 am

    I flew out to Durango to be custom fit by a Wishon specialist earlier this year and have one word to describe my experience, “disappointing”. I believe there are a lot of aspects to custom fitting, however, I do not believe all fitters, even those who are allegedly the ‘top fitters’ and ‘approved fitters’ take into account all of the aspects outlined in these articles. Its one thing to write about something in theory, its another to actually practice what you preach. Not all golfers are naive. The concepts make sense in theory, but in my experience working with the Wishon brand and those who are suppose to be the best at fittings, these articles are dust in the wind when you actually spend the money to participate in one of those fittings.

    • Tom WIshon

      Jan 6, 2015 at 1:03 pm

      I’m sorry to hear that your experience with Don Greenwood at our R&D center was so disappointing to you. Did you voice that to him or to us when you realized your disappointment? I’d be interested to hear what was not up to your expectations because in all honesty, this would be the very first time that anyone who was fit at our facility was not happy with the outcome.

  9. Rich

    Dec 28, 2014 at 8:42 am

    I’m not saying that custom fitting doesn’t matter but has anyone seen Mark Crossfields video on does shaft flex matter (in terms of the shot data)? He does a video with a friend of his that has a high swing speed compared to his (120mph vs 100mph speed from memory) and the numbers both of them get with the same driver head and both using an A flex shaft and then an x flex shaft. I think a few of you will be surprised. The numbers are very similar. It all comes down to feel and confidence really. Custom fitting can be useful to a point but I think like a lot of things in this day and age it is just made much more complicated than it really needs to be by people who want to keep themselves relevant or in a job. I’m not saying Crossfield is all knowing either but just take a look at the numbers. Cheers

    • Justin

      Dec 28, 2014 at 10:00 am

      Barney Adams, in a different WRX article, states that the old (and well-loved) PING Eye2’s all had X-flex shafts.

      • Rich

        Dec 29, 2014 at 9:32 am

        And as you say, we’re well loved by many. Custom fitting has it’s place but I don’t think it’s the be all and end all.

      • leftright

        Dec 31, 2014 at 11:13 pm

        Ping Eye 2’s came in 3 flexes with the ZZ lite shaft. You could also get them in the KT shaft which was heavier. These shafts were lightweight steel. Your comment is generic in that not all Ping Eye 2’s had x flex. I had a set of + Eye 2’s in ZZ lite and they were like a board but that was in 85 when I could swing 115 with the driver. I personally think the KT was the best shaft they ever made but it was pretty stiff.

    • mookie

      Dec 30, 2014 at 8:54 am

      well done rich,
      i too saw that video by mark crossfield and really opened my eyes about shaft flex and
      fitting in general

    • don granger

      Dec 31, 2014 at 1:46 pm

      My experience with Wishon fitting has been very beneficial Lowered my handicap 5 strokes..New irons and new driver..irons are terrific with feel and distance..Driver took more work went back for another fitting and ended up going down in loft with 1 degree closed face made all the difference…It is a rare drive that I slice and when I do it is not more than 25 yards off center..As I speak I am traveling to Palm Springs are for winter and another fitting to fine tune..used Marc Holcutt golf..he is patient and very willing to work with you on getting things right…

      • Rich

        Dec 31, 2014 at 10:13 pm

        Fair enough Don. I’m sure there are many out there who have had good experiences with Tom Wishon fitting and product and indeed other brands. I guess all I’m saying is that I think people are taking the fitting thing a little too far now and there’s a point at which it can paralyse your game with so much detail. As the saying goes, paralysis by analysis. Good golfing. Cheers.

  10. Joe Johnson

    Dec 28, 2014 at 1:13 am

    Recommendations on a fitter in the Ann Arbor, MI area? Is miles of golf or Carl’s golf land up to par or best to look elsewhere? Thanks.

    • Alfredo Ospina

      Dec 31, 2014 at 3:06 pm

      Gary Cottrell at Golfers Advantage in Fenton is fantastic. Much better than a big box shop doing the fitting. Love the clubs he put together for me and learned a lot about clubs from him.

  11. tarheel25661

    Dec 27, 2014 at 11:17 am

    I just went through a fitting like this, I found a golf digest top 100 club fitter in Waverly Oh , MCgolf custom Jim is great took his time collected the data and as we made changes you could see my patterns getting better and better if you have the extra cash its something that can add a great deal of confidence that you have the best equipment for you!

  12. Largechris

    Dec 27, 2014 at 5:39 am

    I think fitting can benefit lots of handicap levels – good example is when I was watching a keen 25 year old at the range, obviously practicing properly, working hard at his game, but to my eye his clubs were clearly an inch short. He wasn’t unusually tall, that’s just how it was for him. With fitted clubs he would be doing ten times better.

    For me, I’m lucky to have very ‘average’ measurements, height, arm length etc. so off the rack is pretty good. Most people are not average.

  13. Taylor59

    Dec 26, 2014 at 10:32 pm

    Practice, who needs that? Just get some custom clubs.

  14. HBL

    Dec 26, 2014 at 6:08 pm

    Tom – I enjoyed your article but, as others have mentioned, I’m not aware of a fitter that goes through what you talk about. I go to, what I believe to be, an accomplished fitter and even he does not go through all of your steps.

    • Fred

      Dec 26, 2014 at 10:33 pm

      Oh, but then you need to go to a Wishon certified fitter… Who sells his clubs… Hence, the duality of motives you will find in a Wishon article

      • HBL

        Dec 28, 2014 at 5:43 pm

        Let me tell you, the local Wishon “fitter” doesn’t go through a third of what the article discusses.

    • SB

      Dec 27, 2014 at 8:34 am

      A professional club fitter does not need to go through in detail all the steps that Tom lists. Someone who works as a professional club fitter needs to understand technology and physics of the golf swing. Someone who fits on an everyday basis can go through the process without the customer knowing what info he is recording and analyzing during the process. As a the customer, you need to answer questions honestly and simply hit balls.
      If you go into the fitting with a negative attitude, chances are you won’t allow the fitter to do his job.

    • Shaun

      Dec 28, 2014 at 9:17 am

      The experience talked about does not happen.

  15. chris

    Dec 26, 2014 at 1:55 pm

    So sticking and old white board x in my new Grenade and launching it 250 meters over our range fence on a cold day gets better with fitting…nah, golf is trial and error. Find what works and stick with it. I have a full closet of custom fit TM’s that I can’t hit out of my shadow. Complete and utter waste of money…

    • enrique

      Dec 26, 2014 at 3:14 pm

      I totally agree. While you want clubs that fits you in lie angle and flex, custom fitting to the “nth degree” has become an industry in an of itself. Eventually you have to get out there and golf your ball. I play best with off the rack clubs and I always have. Custom fitting takes a snapshot of a moment in time but quite often I adapt to my clubs. And play great golf this way.

      It’s all voodoo – You don’t see GHIN indexes getting lower in the last 20 years with all this BS.

      • SB

        Dec 27, 2014 at 8:40 am

        Keep buying off the rack and THAT is the reason your handicap stays where it is. Saying it doesn’t matter what clubs they are and you will adapt to them is insane. That’s like saying a sprinter can adapt to a shoe that is 2 sizes too small. Most people who get properly fitted clubs combined with instruction are the ones whose handicaps go down.

        People on these forums are so narrow-minded. Handicaps have stayed the same because less than 20% of all golfers take lessons. The problem is the cost of instruction as to why the 80% don’t bother visiting a PGA professional.

        • enrique

          Dec 27, 2014 at 12:40 pm

          30 years oaf golf nd my handicap is low single digit, son. I don’t buy clubs that are misfit like a sprinter buying shoes 2 sizes too small. Keep buying the PURE’ing and all the other BS the fitters like Tom WIshon sell you.

          • Justin

            Dec 28, 2014 at 10:05 am

            There’s arguments for and against it. How many rec-league softball players, for instance, do better with a bat that’s supposed to be “just right” for them? How many just go out, use whatever’s available, and have a good time?

    • Alvaro

      Dec 26, 2014 at 4:47 pm

      “Waste of money” You couldnt be more wrong. It actually saves you money in the long run. Now trial and error thats how good money gets wasted. How much have you spent on the equipment merry go round(maybe a closets full)? You may have found your needle in a hay stack, but that doesnt mean others should follow in your foot steps. Fitting may not be for everyone but a waste of money. I dont see it.

      • Charlie

        Dec 26, 2014 at 5:02 pm

        Hey Tom, how do I measure MOI on an OEM club in comparison to another OEM club? Each may claim high MOI, but which is better?

        • Tom Wishon

          Jan 5, 2015 at 1:48 pm

          The MOI you are referring to is the MOI of the head on its own, it’s ability to reduce twisting when impact occurs off center. This MOI can only be measured with the head off the shaft, using a very sophisticated piece of equipment to do that. Something that only a head designer or company engaged in their own design work or head production factory would have. Bottom line though is that when most all driver heads today range in volume from 440-460cc and when they are all in a narrow range of headweight to each other which they are, the difference in MOI is not that much.

          Hence the only thing that tends to make one driver head stand out ahead of another in off center hit performance comes from the design of the face more than from the MOI of the head on its own. And here again, the consumer can’t know that in any way other than to go out and hit test the different heads over enough time that he experiences the off center hit feel and performance.

      • Randy

        Dec 31, 2014 at 2:33 pm

        Maybe trial and error means demoing the clubs. I have demoed clubs I thought I would like only to find they didn’t feel good or fly well. My last set of irons I bought were compared on a monitor against 5 others. I choose what felt and flew the best. My local Golf Galaxy also has lots of used drivers that can be demoed on the course so you can see if you like it. Basic fittings can make sense but most swings aren’t good enough for such a indepth approach.

    • Greg

      Dec 26, 2014 at 5:03 pm

      Everyone on here who is an advocate of fitting has not ever had a true fitting as Tom outlines. Even Club Champion, Cool Clubs, etc is not this thorough! It begs the question… What are you paying for?

      • Kelly

        Dec 26, 2014 at 8:25 pm

        I agree and I now play Wishon irons but I don’t really know where anyone can actually get a fitting like Tom describes.

    • Gorden

      Dec 26, 2014 at 5:44 pm

      100% Agree with Cris…Amature golfers over 10 handicap will NOT need anymore then a basic club fitting (Free is the most you should pay for a club fitting) Find a model you like (Ping, Wilson what ever) get a genral fitting and go out and play. If your a 10 or under, less then 20 years old and have money to spend on lots of lessons go ahead and pay a couple hundred to get fit and hope your instructors do not change your swing. My thoughts amature swings to the fitting, pro, top amature gets fit for the swing.

    • Brian

      Dec 27, 2014 at 10:46 am

      Most likely a result of being poorly fit. There are many people that make the claim of being a fitter but don’t have any actually fitting experience other than the fitting certificate that the OEM’s had out like candy after taking a 10 question test. When you interview a fitter you should look for the principles that Tom preaches up above. Make sure you find one that understands club performance and not what is one spiff that month.

  16. Chuck

    Dec 26, 2014 at 1:22 pm

    Tom, this is a bit off topic but your writing at GolfWRX has inspired me to spend the cold season building myself a 43.50″ driver (an $89 ! Jetspeed head with a 106g Dynamic Gold SL shaft). This is my idea of fun in golf equipment. A $100 fairway-finding driver.

    • Tom

      Dec 31, 2014 at 3:55 pm

      Chuck, who cares? seriously…

    • Tom WIshon

      Jan 6, 2015 at 3:33 pm

      And that is one of the fun things about tinkering with clubs to be able to experiment anyway you want. It’s what got me started way back when !!

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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open betting preview

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As the Florida swing comes to an end, the PGA Tour makes its way to Houston to play the Texas Children’s Houston Open at Memorial Park Golf Course.

This will be the fourth year that Memorial Park Golf Course will serve as the tournament host. The event did not take place in 2023, but the course hosted the event in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Memorial Park is a par-70 layout measuring 7,432 yards and features Bermudagrass greens. Historically, the main defense for the course has been thick rough along the fairways and tightly mown runoff areas around the greens. Memorial Park has a unique setup that features three Par 5’s and five Par 3’s.

The field will consist of 132 players, with the top 65 and ties making the cut. There are some big names making the trip to Houston, including Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark, Tony Finau, Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala.

Past Winners at Memorial Park

  • 2022: Tony Finau (-16)
  • 2021: Jason Kokrak (-10)
  • 2020: Carlos Ortiz (-13)

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 Memorial Park

Let’s take a look at several metrics for Memorial Park to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their last 24 rounds:

Strokes Gained: Approach

Memorial Park is a pretty tough golf course. Golfers are penalized for missing greens and face some difficult up and downs to save par. Approach will be key.

Total Strokes Gained: Approach per round in past 24 rounds:

  1. Tom Hoge (+1.30)
  2. Scottie Scheffler (+1.26)
  3. Keith Mitchell (+0.97) 
  4. Tony Finau (+0.92)
  5. Jake Knapp (+0.84)

Strokes Gained: Off the Tee

Memorial Park is a long golf course with rough that can be penal. Therefore, a combination of distance and accuracy is the best metric.

Total Strokes Gained: Off the Tee per round in past 24 rounds:

  1. Scottie Scheffler (+0.94)
  2. Kevin Dougherty (+0.93)
  3. Cameron Champ (+0.86)
  4. Rafael Campos (+0.84)
  5. Si Woo Kim (+0.70)

Strokes Gained Putting: Bermudagrass + Fast

The Bermudagrass greens played fairly fast the past few years in Houston. Jason Kokrak gained 8.7 strokes putting on his way to victory in 2021 and Tony Finau gained in 7.8 in 2022.

Total Strokes Gained Putting (Bermudagrass) per round past 24 rounds (min. 8 rounds):

  1. Adam Svensson (+1.27)
  2. Harry Hall (+1.01)
  3. Martin Trainer (+0.94)
  4. Taylor Montgomery (+0.88)
  5. S.H. Kim (+0.86)

Strokes Gained: Around the Green

With firm and undulating putting surfaces, holding the green on approach shots may prove to be a challenge. Memorial Park has many tightly mowed runoff areas, so golfers will have challenging up-and-down’s around the greens. Carlos Ortiz gained 5.7 strokes around the green on the way to victory in 2020.

Total Strokes Gained: Around the Green per round in past 24 rounds:

  1. Mackenzie Hughes (+0.76)
  2. S.H. Kim (+0.68)
  3. Scottie Scheffler (+0.64)
  4. Jorge Campillo (+0.62)
  5. Jason Day (+0.60)

Strokes Gained: Long and Difficult

Memorial Park is a long and difficult golf course. This statistic will incorporate players who’ve had success on these types of tracks in the past. 

Total Strokes Gained: Long and Difficult in past 24 rounds:

  1. Scottie Scheffler (+2.45)
  2. Ben Griffin (+1.75)
  3. Will Zalatoris (+1.73)
  4. Ben Taylor (+1.53)
  5. Tony Finau (+1.42)

Course History

Here are the players who have performed the most consistently at Memorial Park. 

Strokes Gained Total at Memorial Park past 12 rounds:

  1. Tyson Alexander (+3.65)
  2. Ben Taylor (+3.40)
  3. Tony Finau (+2.37)
  4. Joel Dahmen (+2.25)
  5. Patton Kizzire (+2.16)

Statistical Model

Below, I’ve reported overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed.

These rankings are comprised of SG: App (24%) SG: OTT (24%); SG: Putting Bermudagrass/Fast (13%); SG: Long and Difficult (13%); SG: ARG (13%) and Course History (13%)

  1. Scottie Scheffler
  2. Wyndham Clark
  3. Tony Finau
  4. Joel Dahmen
  5. Stephan Jaeger 
  6. Aaron Rai
  7. Sahith Theegala
  8. Keith Mitchell 
  9. Jhonnatan Vegas
  10. Jason Day
  11. Kurt Kitayama
  12. Alex Noren
  13. Will Zalatoris
  14. Si Woo Kim
  15. Adam Long

2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open Picks

Will Zalatoris +2000 (Caesars)

Scottie Scheffler will undoubtedly be difficult to beat this week, so I’m starting my card with someone who I believe has the talent to beat him if he doesn’t have his best stuff.

Will Zalatoris missed the cut at the PLAYERS, but still managed to gain strokes on approach while doing so. In an unpredictable event with extreme variance, I don’t believe it would be wise to discount Zalatoris based on that performance. Prior to The PLAYERS, the 27-year-old finished T13, T2 and T4 in his previous three starts.

Zalatoris plays his best golf on long and difficult golf courses. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 3rd in the category, but the eye test also tells a similar story. He’s contended at major championships and elevated events in the best of fields with tough scoring conditions.  The Texas resident should be a perfect fit at Memorial Park Golf Club.

Alex Noren +4500 (FanDuel)

Alex Noren has been quietly playing some of his best golf of the last half decade this season. The 41-year-old is coming off back-to-back top-20 finishes in Florida including a T9 at The PLAYERS in his most recent start.

In his past 24 rounds, Noren ranks 21st in the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, 30th in Strokes Gained: Around the Green, 25th in Strokes Gained: Total on long and difficult courses and 21st in Strokes Gained: Putting on fast Bermudagrass greens.

In addition to his strong recent play, the Swede also has played well at Memorial Park. In 2022, Noren finished T4 at the event, gaining 2.2 strokes off the tee and 7.0 strokes on approach for the week. In his two starts at the course, he’s gained an average of .6 strokes per round on the field, indicating he is comfortable on these greens.

Noren has been due for a win for what feels like an eternity, but Memorial Park may be the course that suits him well enough for him to finally get his elusive first PGA Tour victory.

Mackenzie Hughes +8000 (FanDuel)

Mackenzie Hughes found himself deep into contention at last week’s Valspar Championship before faltering late and finishing in a tie for 3rd place. While he would have loved to win the event, it’s hard to see the performance as anything other than an overwhelming positive sign for the Canadian.

Hughes has played great golf at Memorial Park in the past. He finished T7 in 2020, T29 in 2021 and T16 in 2022. The course fit seems to be quite strong for Hughes. He’s added distance off the tee in the past year or and ranks 8th in the field for apex height, which will be a key factor when hitting into Memorial Park’s elevated greens with steep run-off areas.

In his past 24 rounds, Hughes is the best player in the field in Strokes Gained: Around the Greens. The ability to scramble at this course will be extremely important. I believe Hughes can build off of his strong finish last week and contend once again to cement himself as a President’s Cup consideration.

Akshay Bhatia +8000 (FanDuel)

Akshay Bhatia played well last week at the Valspar and seemed to be in total control of his golf ball. He finished in a tie for 17th and shot an impressive -3 on a difficult Sunday. After struggling Thursday, Akshay shot 68-70-68 in his next three rounds.

Thus far, Bhatia has played better at easier courses, but his success at Copperhead may be due to his game maturing. The 22-year-old has enormous potential and the raw talent to be one of the best players in the world when he figures it all out.

Bhatia is a high upside play with superstar qualities and may just take the leap forward to the next stage of his career in the coming months.

Cameron Champ +12000 (FanDuel)

Cameron Champ is a player I often target in the outright betting market due to his “boom-or-bust” nature. It’s hard to think of a player in recent history with three PGA Tour wins who’s been as inconsistent as Champ has over the course of his career.

Despite the erratic play, Cam Champ simply knows how to win. He’s won in 2018, 2019 and 2021, so I feel he’s due for a win at some point this season. The former Texas A&M product should be comfortable in Texas and last week he showed us that his game is in a pretty decent spot.

Over his past 24 rounds, Champ ranks 3rd in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 30th in Strokes Gained: Total on long and difficult courses. Given his ability to spike at any given time, Memorial Park is a good golf course to target Champ on at triple digit odds.

Robert MacIntyre +12000 (FanDuel)

The challenge this week is finding players who can possibly beat Scottie Scheffler while also not dumping an enormous amount of money into an event that has a player at the top that looks extremely dangerous. Enter McIntyre, who’s another boom-or-bust type player who has the ceiling to compete with anyone when his game is clicking on all cylinders.

In his past 24 rounds, MacIntyre ranks 16th in the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, 17th in Strokes Gained: Around the Green and 10th in Strokes Gained: Total on long and difficult courses.

MacIntyre’s PGA Tour season has gotten off to a slow start, but he finished T6 in Mexico, which is a course where players will hit driver on the majority of their tee shots, which is what we will see at Memorial Park. Texas can also get quite windy, which should suit MacIntyre. Last July, the Scot went toe to toe with Rory McIlroy at the Scottish Open before a narrow defeat. It would take a similar heroic effort to compete with Scheffler this year in Houston.

Ryan Moore +15000 (FanDuel)

Ryan Moore’s iron play has been absolutely unconscious over his past few starts. At The PLAYERS Championship in a loaded field, he gained 6.1 strokes on approach and last week at Copperhead, he gained 9.0 strokes on approach.

It’s been a rough handful of years on Tour for the 41-year-old, but he is still a five-time winner on the PGA Tour who’s young enough for a career resurgence. Moore has chronic deterioration in a costovertebral joint that connects the rib to the spine, but has been getting more consistent of late, which is hopefully a sign that he is getting healthy.

Veterans have been contending in 2024 and I believe taking a flier on a proven Tour play who’s shown signs of life is a wise move at Memorial Park.

 

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Opinion & Analysis

Ryan: Why the race to get better at golf might be doing more harm than good

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B.F. Skinner was one of the most important psychologists of the 20th century, developing the foundation of the development of reinforcement, and in doing so, creating the concept of behaviorism. In simple terms, this means that we are conditioned by our habits. In practical terms, it explains the divide between the few and far between elite instructors and college coaches.

To understand the application, let’s quickly review one of B.F. Skinner’s most important experiments; superstitions in the formation of behavior by pigeons. In this experiment, food was dispensed to pigeons at random intervals. Soon, according to Skinner, the pigeons began to associate whatever action they were doing at the time of the food being dispensed. According to Skinner, this conditioned that response and soon, they simply haphazardly repeated the action, failing to distinguish between cause and correlation (and in the meantime, looking really funny!).

Now, this is simply the best way to describe the actions of most every women’s college golf coach and too many instructors in America. They see something work, get positive feedback and then become conditioned to give the feedback, more and more, regardless of if it works (this is also why tips from your buddies never work!).

Go to a college event, particularly a women’s one, and you will see coaches running all over the place. Like the pigeons in the experiment, they have been conditioned into a codependent relationship with their players in which they believe their words and actions, can transform a round of golf. It is simply hilarious while being equally perturbing

In junior golf, it’s everywhere. Junior golf academies make a living selling parents that a hysterical coach and over-coaching are essential ingredients in your child’s success.

Let’s be clear, no one of any intellect has any real interest in golf — because it’s not that interesting. The people left, including most coaches and instructors, carve out a small fiefdom, usually on the corner of the range, where they use the illusion of competency to pray on people. In simple terms, they baffle people with the bullshit of pseudo-science that they can make you better, after just one more lesson.

The reality is that life is an impromptu game. The world of golf, business, and school have a message that the goal is being right. This, of course, is bad advice, being right in your own mind is easy, trying to push your ideas on others is hard. As a result, it is not surprising that the divorce rate among golf professionals and their instructors is 100 percent. The transfer rate among college players continues to soar, and too many courses have a guy peddling nefarious science to good people. In fact, we do at my course!

The question is, what impact does all this have on college-age and younger kids? At this point, we honestly don’t know. However, I am going to go out on a limb and say it isn’t good.

Soren Kierkegaard once quipped “I saw it for what it is, and I laughed.” The actions of most coaches and instructors in America are laughable. The problem is that I am not laughing because they are doing damage to kids, as well as driving good people away from this game.

The fact is that golfers don’t need more tips, secrets, or lessons. They need to be presented with a better understanding of the key elements of golf. With this understanding, they can then start to frame which information makes sense and what doesn’t. This will emancipate them and allow them to take charge of their own development.

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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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