Opinion & Analysis

The five types of caddies you’ll find at the golf course

Published

8 years ago

Feb 9, 2016

Next time you’re out for a game and considering using the services of a caddy, there are a few things to keep in mind. Remember, this decision could make or break your round.

Caddies have been around since the game first began. They range from the humble bag carrier to the higher end of the food chain — tour caddies, or “yardage and wind consultants” as they prefer to be called. They come in all shapes and sizes, from all sorts of backgrounds and display a wide array of talents. But what makes a good caddy and how should you choose yours?

Well, I guess that depends on who is answering. From a caddy’s perspective, a good caddy has the ability to land a “top bag,” one that pays a premium price, and gets around quickly while doing the least amount of work and putting up with the minimum amount of hassle. And from the player’s point of view, it really depends on the balance of what you want versus what you actually need. Golfers are a fickle bunch so perception often beats reality.

“Tim”

A low-digit player looking to shoot a decent score will benefit from a knowledgeable and experienced caddy like Tim. Tim is as close to a pro tour looper as you are likely to get. He is enthusiastic without overstepping the mark and will give you accurate yardages to the pin, good reads on the green, local knowledge and course management advice all day long. He is dressed like a pro with a tour hat and wraparound shades and he knows every blade of grass on the course. He’ll tell you that he just missed out on landing Jordan Spieth’s bag but is still hopeful at looping on the PGA Tour next year. He is pretty confident that he could beat you with one arm tied behind his back and he has no respect for hackers whatsoever.

“Bob”

If you are an occasional golfer with low expectations and you are playing a fun game with friends on a prestigious course, then you will probably want Bob. He’s one of those older veteran loopers, and if he actually turns up, you are in for an experience.

Bob is one of life’s colorful characters. Yes, he may have a slight drinking problem, but he’ll navigate your round and give you and your partners something to laugh about and remember. He’ll regale you with stories and tales, tell you fascinating and mostly fantasized insights into the history of the course, mock your lack of ability, high five your better plays and at the end, you’ll tip him well and shake his hand. But you’ll make sure to wash your hands afterwards.

“Bruce”

If you are out with important clients then you’ll want Bruce. He reads situations very well and knows when to shut up and back off. He is incredibly efficient and courteous and will keep you and your fourball on track. He will carry tees, pencils, a rangefinder and will know today’s weather forecast. He will clean your clubs and call you sir all day long. He wants to please and appreciates that a good round may land you some business. He may actually commit murder for you; you only have to ask. So treat him well.

“Jim”

If you are a regular then you will probably get Jim. Jim is like your wife; he’ll tell you what to do and is not afraid to speak his mind. Don’t question his club selection or reads or he’ll walk off on you. And don’t get on the wrong side of Jim; you are lucky that he decided to loop for you at all. Jim is a lifer and looping is his chosen career. He doesn’t put up with any nonsense and will tell you that he is the best jock on the ranch. He knows his worth and will probably demand a tip at the end. Just hand him your wallet and let him decide how much he takes out.

“Lenny”

If you don’t care or you are a newbie, then you will probably get someone like Lenny. Lenny is a bag carrier and he also works down at the factory or is out of school for the summer. He cares less about you and your game and can normally be found at least 20 yards behind you throughout your round. His expectations are low, so yours should be as well. If you ask him if a 5 iron will be enough club, Lenny will give you a vacant, soulless stare that confirms that you are on your own. Just make sure you count your clubs afterwards as he may have left a few in a bunker on No. 16. But if you just want a servile and semi-mute bag carrier, Lenny’s your man. You’ll probably feel sorry for him afterwards and tip him so he can buy a burger to put on some weight.

A tip in helping you choose

Build a relationship with the caddymaster. Don’t underestimate the importance of his role. He is the recruitment consultant in this process. Yes, it turns out you are an employer for the day. Tipping him in advance to give you a good caddy will make a world of difference. Get on his wrong side and he has a host of Lennys to offer.

Remember that a good caddy is like a good waiter or landscaper. Choose wisely, treat them well and they will look after you. Treat them like garbage and they’ll give you the service you deserve.

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Mark Donaghy

Mark Donaghy is a writer and author from Northern Ireland, living in the picturesque seaside town of Portstewart. He is married to Christine and they have three boys. Mark is a "golf nut," and is lucky to be a member of a classic links, Portstewart Golf Club. At college he played for the Irish Universities golf team, and today he still deludes himself that he can play to that standard. He recently released Caddy Attitudes: 'Looping' for the Rich and Famous in New York. It recounts the life experiences of two young Irish lads working as caddies at the prestigious Shinnecock Hills course in the Hamptons. Mark has a unique writing style, with humorous observations of golfers and their caddies, navigating both the golf course and their respective attitudes. Toss in the personal experiences of a virtually broke couple of young men trying to make a few bucks and their adventures in a culture and society somewhat unknown to them... and you have Caddy Attitudes. From scintillating sex in a sand trap to the comparison of societal status with caddy shack status, the book will grab the attention of anyone who plays the game. Caddy Attitudes is available on Amazon/Kindle and to date it has had excellent reviews.

18 Comments

DB

Mar 1, 2016 at 9:29 am

I am a caddie, currently. I have worked as a caddie only as an adult, from 22 until 33 currently. I worked at Whistling Straits, a private club in Naples, FL, back and forth between those two for 7 years, then to a private club in NJ, on NY harbor, then a private club on the north shore of Long Island, and now at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens. I am very much a professional, I can be the “tour” caddie that a low single digit player wants, with as much or as little knowledge and advice as you want, I can be the scramble format fun gun drinking and telling jokes all day, I know when to shut up and when to laugh and have fun. I will openly admit that I don’t get every single read correct all the time, however there are WAY more d-bag players that want to blame a read for a poorly struck putt. Many many times those missed putts are the players fault, not the read they were given. That is maybe the only frustrating aspect of this business. I love my job, and love helping average golfers play their best rounds on the courses I’ve worked. I have had countless “best round of my life thanks to you” comments from satisfied guests/members. That makes it all worth while. I have seen 12 holes in one. I personally called the club for the player on 8 of them. There is a lot of pride in being a great caddie, knowing the course, knowing ball flights and how wind and elevation will affect shots, and syncing with a player and dropping putt after putt. There are 3 lines to make any putt on, the die line, the firm line, and the “normal pace” line. Knowing which style putter you are makes me a better caddie. If I say a ball out firm, and you die it, its gonna break across the hole and miss low EVERY SINGLE TIME. Same with a cup and half outside dying, if you firm it on that line, there is no chance it will move a cup and a half. Very few players will acknowledge this, those that do earn my utmost respect.
End of rant haha 🙂

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Caddy K

Feb 11, 2016 at 9:17 am

Since you were a Shinny boy, its sounds like you wrote about Norm, Ray, and Alaskan Bob. As a long time looper on the East End of Long Island, remember to tip your starter, if you do, you will not just get a bag humper that is useless. Also, choose your guests wisely. The fast track to getting a terrible bottom of the barrel looper is to bring out a d-bag. Based upon this article, I guess that I’m a cross between Tim, Bruce, and Jim. It truly is the greatest summer gig that you can have as a youngster. You come across so many characters that it is a summer full of cash, craziness, and laughs.

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Scooter McGavin

Feb 9, 2016 at 10:41 pm

Caddies still exist?

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Sean

Feb 9, 2016 at 8:36 pm

I’ve never been on a course that has caddies, so I will have to take your word for it. 🙂

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Andy

Feb 9, 2016 at 4:50 pm

Personally I tend to hate caddies at high end public courses. Almost every one of them thinks they know a players game before the round even starts, especially the younger guys. Many of them are just plain arrogant and have no problem saying…”you pushed that one a bit” when they totally miss a read. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had some decent ones but they tend to be retired guys who want to get outside and work a little. At my home course we use forecaddies all the time and sometimes walking caddies. I prefer the high school/college kids that work hard to find balls, rake traps, and repair ballmarks over the high end course types that try to read putts and tell me what club to hit. I also hate when members treat the caddies like garbage by ignoring them or getting mad about a lost ball. If you play at a course where younger kids caddie make it a point every few holes to talk to them, find out about them, and make them feel included in the group just a little bit. It takes one walk to the fairway from the tee every four holes to show a kid some general respect. If they are making mistakes during the round try to help them by giving them a little feedback in a nice way so they can get better.

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- BRS
  
  Feb 15, 2016 at 9:40 pm
  
  +1000
  
  Reply Report comment
Matto

Feb 9, 2016 at 3:10 pm

What about “Steve”
Carries your bag and your 2 mobile phones; one for business, one for the ladies.
Later on, pretends he knows nothing of this. Type A personality.
May get a little racist amongst his piers or write a book about you.

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Tim

Feb 9, 2016 at 2:14 pm

This seems to be the 4 types of good caddies you get and the 1 bad caddie. You could identify the 5 types of terrible caddies in a separate article: Four-Eyes, Walter, Josh, and Bennie (who wont shut up about giving you his line right as you are standing over a putt and already know he’s wrong cause he blew the read on one)

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Allen

Feb 9, 2016 at 1:53 pm

What about Jill, Karen and Mary? Not all caddies are men.

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- Tom
  
  Feb 9, 2016 at 4:11 pm
  
  BRILLIANT!
  
  Reply Report comment
- BRS
  
  Feb 15, 2016 at 9:38 pm
  
  Yeah….you don’t want to forget about the beverage cart girls.
  
  Reply Report comment
alexdub

Feb 9, 2016 at 12:22 pm

Caddying was my first job. Started when I was 11 years old. I wish everyone who golfed had the opportunity to caddy. It teaches you to care—care about where you’re standing, care about being polite, and care about taking care of the course. It fine tunes your ability to be considerate. Wish these things were more common in the game of golf today.

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Double Mocha Man

Feb 9, 2016 at 11:54 am

Caddy story: Two days at Bandon Dunes Resort… same caddy. Day one was sunny, perfect. He gave good clubbing advice and could read the greens like Brandt Snedeker. Shared my flask of single-malt scotch with him. He still wouldn’t let me walk 5 feet into a sensitive ecological area to retrieve my brand new Titleist. Forgave him.

Next day winds are 30 mph and the rain is coming down sideways at Pacific Dunes. Only 7 golfers venture onto the course, only one finishes. Caddy wanted to quit after 15 holes and walk in. Chastised him and said I would carry my own bag. He stuck it out. It was the Christmas season… tipped him $100.

Reply Report comment
- Tom
  
  Feb 9, 2016 at 12:54 pm
  
  BRILLIANT!
  
  Reply Report comment
- dan
  
  Feb 10, 2016 at 9:48 pm
  
  $100 on top of the his regular pay i hope?! Cuz if it was”christmas season” that means the windchill was what? Somewhere near freezing?
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Double Mocha Man
    
    Feb 11, 2016 at 9:20 am
    
    Yes, on top of. And in addition to the tip from the day before. Surprisingly, with all the rain and wind it was quite mild… in the 40’s, I’d guess.
    
    Reply Report comment
Former Pro Jock

Feb 9, 2016 at 11:36 am

I started Caddying when I was 11 and did it all the way through college. I cannot put into enough emphasis on how awesome those experiences were and how they influenced my life. I would love to be faced with more options to even GET a Caddie- Unfortunately these are as rare as US Ryder Cup victory these days. Can we get an Article or the catalyst of a movement to bring Caddying back!? yes I know too much revenue passed up by the courses etc. but the upsides far out weigh the negatives. Please take a caddie when ever you can! Someone has to pay for “Bob’s” vice!

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Tom

Feb 9, 2016 at 11:28 am

I always seem to get a hybrid between Lenny and Bruce

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Opinion & Analysis

The Wedge Guy: What really makes a wedge work? Part 1

Published

10 hours ago

Apr 18, 2024

Terry Koehler

Of all the clubs in our bags, wedges are almost always the simplest in construction and, therefore, the easiest to analyze what might make one work differently from another if you know what to look for.

Wedges are a lot less mysterious than drivers, of course, as the major brands are working with a lot of “pixie dust” inside these modern marvels. That’s carrying over more to irons now, with so many new models featuring internal multi-material technologies, and almost all of them having a “badge” or insert in the back to allow more complex graphics while hiding the actual distribution of mass.

But when it comes to wedges, most on the market today are still single pieces of molded steel, either cast or forged into that shape. So, if you look closely at where the mass is distributed, it’s pretty clear how that wedge is going to perform.

To start, because of their wider soles, the majority of the mass of almost any wedge is along the bottom third of the clubhead. So, the best wedge shots are always those hit between the 2nd and 5th grooves so that more mass is directly behind that impact. Elite tour professionals practice incessantly to learn to do that consistently, wearing out a spot about the size of a penny right there. If impact moves higher than that, the face is dramatically thinner, so smash factor is compromised significantly, which reduces the overall distance the ball will fly.

Every one of us, tour players included, knows that maddening shot that we feel a bit high on the face and it doesn’t go anywhere, it’s not your fault.

If your wedges show a wear pattern the size of a silver dollar, and centered above the 3rd or 4th groove, you are not getting anywhere near the same performance from shot to shot. Robot testing proves impact even two to three grooves higher in the face can cause distance loss of up to 35 to 55 feet with modern ‘tour design’ wedges.

In addition, as impact moves above the center of mass, the golf club principle of gear effect causes the ball to fly higher with less spin. Think of modern drivers for a minute. The “holy grail” of driving is high launch and low spin, and the driver engineers are pulling out all stops to get the mass as low in the clubhead as possible to optimize this combination.

Where is all the mass in your wedges? Low. So, disregarding the higher lofts, wedges “want” to launch the ball high with low spin – exactly the opposite of what good wedge play requires penetrating ball flight with high spin.

While almost all major brand wedges have begun putting a tiny bit more thickness in the top portion of the clubhead, conventional and modern ‘tour design’ wedges perform pretty much like they always have. Elite players learn to hit those crisp, spinny penetrating wedge shots by spending lots of practice time learning to consistently make contact low in the face.

So, what about grooves and face texture?

Grooves on any club can only do so much, and no one has any material advantage here. The USGA tightly defines what we manufacturers can do with grooves and face texture, and modern manufacturing techniques allow all of us to push those limits ever closer. And we all do. End of story.

Then there’s the topic of bounce and grinds, the most complex and confusing part of the wedge formula. Many top brands offer a complex array of sole configurations, all of them admittedly specialized to a particular kind of lie or turf conditions, and/or a particular divot pattern.

But if you don’t play the same turf all the time, and make the same size divot on every swing, how would you ever figure this out?

The only way is to take any wedge you are considering and play it a few rounds, hitting all the shots you face and observing the results. There’s simply no other way.

So, hopefully this will inspire a lively conversation in our comments section, and I’ll chime in to answer any questions you might have.

And next week, I’ll dive into the rest of the wedge formula. Yes, shafts, grips and specifications are essential, too.

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Golf's Perfect Imperfections

Golf’s Perfect Imperfections: Amazing Session with Performance Coach Savannah Meyer-Clement

Published

10 hours ago

Apr 18, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

In this week’s episode, we spent some time with performance coach Savannah Meyer-Clement who provides many useful insights that you’ll be able to implement on the golf course.

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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s 2024 RBC Heritage betting preview: Patrick Cantlay ready to get back inside winner’s circle

Published

3 days ago

Apr 15, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

Just a two-hour drive from Augusta National, the PGA TOUR heads to Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, S.C. Hilton Head Island is a golfer’s paradise and Harbour Town is one of the most beautiful and scenic courses on the PGA TOUR.

Harbour Town Golf Links is a par-71 that measures 7,121 yards and features Bermuda grass greens. A Pete Dye design, the course is heavily tree lined and features small greens and many dog legs, protecting it from “bomb-and-gauge” type golfers.

The field is loaded this week with 69 golfers with no cut. Last year was quite possibly the best field in RBC Heritage history and the event this week is yet another designated event, meaning there is a $20 million prize pool.

Most of the big names on the PGA Tour will be in attendance this week with the exceptions of Hideki Matsuyama and Viktor Hovland. Additionally, Webb Simpson, Shane Lowry, Gary Woodland and Kevin Kisner have been granted sponsors exemptions.

Past Winners at Harbour Town

2023: Matt Fitzpatrick (-17)
2022: Jordan Spieth (-13)
2021: Stewart Cink (-19)
2020: Webb Simpson (-22)
2019: CT Pan (-12)
2018: Sotoshi Kodaira (-12)
2017: Wesley Bryan (-13)
2016: Branden Grace (-9)
2015: Jim Furyk (-18)

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 Harbour Town

Let’s take a look at key metrics for Harbour Town Golf Links to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their past 24 rounds.

Strokes Gained: Approach

Strokes Gained: Approach is exceedingly important this week. The greens at Harbour Town are about half the size of PGA TOUR average and feature the second-smallest greens on the tour. Typical of a Pete Dye design, golfers will pay the price for missed greens.

Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds

Scottie Scheffler (+1.27)
Tom Hoge (+1.27)
Corey Conners (+1.16)
Austin Eckroat (+0.95)
Cameron Young (+0.93)

Good Drive %

The fairways at Harbour Town are tree lined and feature many dog legs. Bombers tend to struggle at the course because it forces layups and doesn’t allow long drivers to overpower it. Accuracy is far more important than power.

Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds

Brice Garnett (88.8%)
Shane Lowry (+87.2%)
Akshay Bhatia (+86.0%)
Si Woo Kim (+85.8%)
Sepp Straka (+85.1%)

Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye Designs

Pete Dye specialists tend to play very well at Harbour Town. Si Woo Kim, Matt Kuchar, Jim Furyk and Webb Simpson are all Pete Dye specialists who have had great success here. It is likely we see some more specialists near the top of the leaderboard this week.

SG: TOT Pete Dye per round over past 36 rounds:

Xander Schauffele (+2.27)
Scottie Scheffler (+2.24)
Ludvig Aberg (+2.11)
Brian Harman (+1.89)
Sungjae Im (+1.58)

4. Strokes Gained: Short Game (Bermuda)

Strokes Gained: Short Game factors in both around the green and putting. With many green-side bunkers and tricky green complexes, both statistics will be important. Past winners — such as Jim Furyk, Wes Bryan and Webb Simpson — highlight how crucial the short game skill set is around Harbour Town.

SG: SG Over Past 24 Rounds

Jordan Spieth (+1.11)
Taylor Moore (+1.02)
Wyndham Clark (+0.98)
Mackenzie Hughes (+0.86)
Andrew Putnam (+0.83)

5. Greens in Regulation %

The recipe for success at Harbour Town Golf Links is hitting fairways and greens. Missing either will prove to be consequential — golfers must be in total control of the ball to win.

Greens in Regulation % over past 24 rounds:

Brice Garnett (+75.0%)
Scottie Scheffler (+69.9%)
Corey Conners (+69.0%)
Shane Lowry (+68.3%)
Patrick Rodgers (+67.6%)

6. Course History

Harbour Town is a course where players who have strong past results at the course always tend to pop up.

Course History over past 24 rounds:

Patrick Cantlay (+2.34)
Cam Davis (+2.05)
J.T. Poston (+1.69)
Justin Rose (+1.68)
Tommy Fleetwood (+1.59)

The RBC Heritage Model Rankings

Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (24%), Good Drives (20%), SG: SG (14%), SG: Pete Dye (14%), GIR (14%), and Course History (14%)

Shane Lowry
Russell Henley
Scottie Scheffler
Xander Schauffele
Corey Conners
Wyndham Clark
Christiaan Bezuidenhout
Matt Fitzpatrick
Cameron Young
Ludvig Aberg

2024 RBC Heritage Picks

Patrick Cantlay +2000 (FanDuel)

With the exception of Scottie Scheffler, the PGA Tour has yet to have any of their star players show peak form during the 2024 season. Last week, Patrick Cantlay, who I believe is a top-5 players on the PGA Tour, took one step closer to regaining the form that’s helped him win eight events on Tour since 2017.

Cantlay limped into the Masters in poor form, but figured it out at Augusta National, finishing in a tie for 20th and ranking 17th for the week in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. The former FedEx Cup champion will now head to one of his favorite golf courses in Harbour Town, where he’s had immaculate results over the years. In his six trips to the course, he’s only finished worse than 7th one time. The other finishes include three third places (2017, 2019, 2023) and one runner-up finish (2022). In his past 36 rounds at Harbour Town, Cantlay ranks 1st in Strokes Gained: Total per round at the course by a wide margin (+2.36).

Cantlay is winless since the 2022 BMW Championship, which is far too long for a player of his caliber. With signs pointing to the 32-year-old returning to form, a “signature event” at Harbour Town is just what he needs to get back on the winning track.

Tommy Fleetwood +3000 (FanDuel)

I truly believe Tommy Fleetwood will figure out a way to win on American soil in 2024. It’s certainly been a bugaboo for him throughout his career, but he is simply too talented to go another season without winning a PGA Tour event.

At last week’s Masters Tournament, Fleetwood made a Sunday charge and ended up finishing T3 in the event, which was his best ever finish at The Masters. For the week, the Englishman ranked 8th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 10th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking and 16th in Strokes Gained: Putting.

Harbour Town is a perfect layout for Fleetwood, and he’s had relative success at this Pete Dye design in the past. In his four trips to the course, he’s finished inside of the top 25 three times, with his best finish, T10, coming in 2022. The course is pretty short and can’t be overpowered, which gives an advantage to more accurate players such as Fleetwood. Tommy ranks 8th in the field in Good Drive % and should be able to plot his way along this golf course.

The win is coming for Tommy lad. I believe there’s a chance this treasure of a golf course may be the perfect one for him to finally break through on Tour.

Cameron Young +3300 (FanDuel)

Cameron Young had a solid Masters Tournament last week, which is exactly what I’m looking for in players who I anticipate playing well this week at the RBC Heritage. He finished in a tie for 9th, but never felt the pressure of contending in the event. For the week, Young ranked 6th in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 6th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.

Despite being one of the longest players off the tee on the PGA Tour, Young has actually played some really good golf on shorter tracks. He finished T3 at Harbour Town in 2023 and ranks 20th in the field in Good Drive% and 16th in Greens in Regulation in his past 24 rounds. He also has strong finishes at other shorter courses that can take driver out of a players hand such as Copperhead and PGA National.

Young is simply one of the best players on the PGA Tour in 2024, and I strongly believe has what it takes to win a PGA Tour event in the very near future.

Corey Conners +5500 (FanDuel)

Corey Conners has had a disappointing year thus far on the PGA Tour, but absolutely loves Harbour Town.

At last week’s Masters Tournament, the Canadian finished T30 but ranked 20th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach. In his past 24 rounds, Conners ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 3rd in Greens in Regulation % and 24th in Good Drive %.

In Conners’ last four trips to Harbour Town, his worst finish was T31, last season. He finished T4 in 2021, T12 in 2022 and ranks 8th in Strokes Gained: Total at the course over his past 36 rounds.

Conners hasn’t been contending, but his recent finishes have been encouraging as he has finished in the top-25 in each of his past three starts prior to The Masters, including an impressive T13 at The PLAYERS. His recent improvement in ball striking as well as his suitability for Harbour Town makes Conners a high upside bet this week.

Shane Lowry (+7500) (FanDuel)

When these odds were posted after Lowry was announced in the field, I have to admit I was pretty stunned. Despite not offering much win equity on the PGA Tour over the last handful of years, Shane Lowry is still a top caliber player who has the ability to rise to the top of a signature event.

Lowry struggled to score at The Masters last week, but he actually hit the ball really well. The Irishman ranked 1st for Strokes Gained: Approach on the week and 7th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. As usual, it was the putter that let him down, as he ranked 60th in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting.

Harbour Town is most definitely one of Lowry’s favorite courses on the PGA Tour. In his six starts there, he’s finished in the top 10 three times, including third twice. Lowry is sensational at Pete Dye designs and ranks 7th in Strokes Gained: Total in his past 36 rounds on Dye tracks.

Lowry is perfect for Harbour Town. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 5th in Strokes Gained: Approach, 2nd in Good Drive% and 5th in Green in Regulation %. If he figures it out on the greens, Shane could have his first win in America since 2015.

Lucas Glover +12000 (FanDuel)

This is one of my weekly “bet the number” plays as I strongly believe the odds are just too long for a player of Glover’s caliber. The odds have been too long on Glover for a few weeks now, but this is the first event that I can get behind the veteran being able to actually contend at.

Glover is quietly playing good golf and returning to the form he had after the understandable regression after his two massive victories at the end of 2023. He finished T20 at The Masters, which was his best ever finish at Augusta National. For the week, Lucas ranked 18th for Strokes Gained: Approach and 20th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.

Over his past 24 rounds, Glover ranks 9th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 13th in Good Drive %. Harbour Town is a short course that the 44-year-old will be able to keep up with the top players on Tour off the tee. He’s played the course more than 20 times, with mixed results. His best finishes at Harbour Town include a T7 in 2008, but recently has a finish of T21 in 2020.

Glover has proven he can contend with the stars of the Tour on any given week, and this number is flat out disrespectful.

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