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What Your Golf Bag Says About You

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There’s one thing that’s an absolute constant for golfers. While they change outfits, shoes, gloves, hats and golf balls between rounds (and maybe even golf clubs), rarely do you see golfers change their golf bags more than every other season… if that.

As such, the golf bag is possibly the most telling accessory for golfers. Looking at them, you can tell how often that person plays golf, whether they take carts or prefer to walk, and in some rare cases you can even tell their handicap.

If you don’t think you’re giving away information about your game with your golf bag, you’re wrong! See what your golf bag says about you below.

Staff Bag

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If you’re looking to induce eye rolls and general hatred toward yourself before even teeing it up, then trot out there with a staff bag… preferably with your name on it. In his bag, this guy has 50 pounds of Pro V1s, freshly spit-shined forged blade irons and no regard for caddies or cart boys.

Shoots around: 82, but it would have been lower if the greens were more consistent. Or you shoot 64 and take every dollar from your playing partners. Either/or.

Pull-Cart Bag

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You’re in phenomenal shape after walking and playing 18 holes almost every day for at least the past year (that includes playing through snow storms, hurricanes, heat waves and even Super Bowl Sunday).

You have a passion for the game unlike anyone else, and you aren’t afraid of what people think about your golfing addiction. You take the game very seriously and have contemplated trying to make it to the PGA Tour or Champions Tour (depending on your age).

Before you even finish 18 holes you ask your playing partners, “Anyone else up for another round?”

Shoots around: Par

Cart Bag (All-Black)

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You’re a simple man. You don’t do anything to stand out from the crowd, and you generally play golf every two weeks. Every time you play it’s usually with a business partner, and you’re more focused on making “the big sale” than improving your golf swing.

What people don’t know is that you’re wearing shoes that are more expensive than your playing partners entire set of clubs, and you’ve been playing golf since birth at your father’s country club.

Shoots around: 70… if you were keeping score.

Stand Bag with College Logo

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You’re a Division I stud… or at least you used to be. Walking into the pro shop you look like a normal guy, but on the range everyone is staring at you. They’re fascinated by your ridiculously high swing speed and 300-yard drives.

Shoots around: 75 (from the tips)… but it would have been lower if you didn’t stay out so late last night.

Sunday Bag

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You’re probably missing a few irons, but it doesn’t hurt your game because you’re constantly on the practice green working on lag putting. A common line: “Nothing better than a gorgeous day out on the course.”

Shoots around: 78, but with only 25 putts.

Cart Bag (Neon)

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You’re flashy. A little too flashy. You’re probably wearing shoes like these, and a flat brim hat. For some reason, you’re a huge Rickie Fowler fan, but you just picked up golf a few months ago.

On the first tee you explain that “you’re working on this new move,” and after the first shot you proclaim, “Wow, it usually it doesn’t slice that much.”

Shoots around: 99+, but you throw that scorecard away before anyone else can see it.

“Vintage” 1950s Bag

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You haven’t played golf in years. The only reason you’re out on the course is because you found a 7-year-old rain check and wanted to see if it still worked. After your approach shot to the first hole, you can be heard muttering, “Is my shaft supposed to be bent like this?”

Shoots around: 55 for 9 holes, but then you get another rain check. See you in 7 years!

Loudmouth Shagadelic Stand Bag

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You’re a huge John Daly fan who not only dresses like him, but  embraces Long John’s lifestyle. Every Saturday you call the pro shop to load your cart up with beer before you get to the course. By the fourth hole, you’re ready to go to Hooters and “keep this party goin!”

Shoots around: 97, but you broke 80 that one time… “remember?”

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Joe is studying business at the University of Georgia. He loves golf and occasionally writes for WRX when he's not studying, hanging out in downtown Athens, playing the university course, or leading his start up, LocalComfortsUSA.com. Local Comforts creates clothing for all cities around the US. Find your cities t-shirt today.

42 Comments

42 Comments

  1. Pingback: Best Golf Travel Bag Under $100 - Tee Off Goals

  2. Peter

    Apr 15, 2017 at 3:29 am

    Interesting differences in culture. Here in Northern Europe I would say 70-80% use a pull cart and thus a typical cart bag. The color (or some of them) might give a hint if the bag belongs to a woman or man, but thats all. Then there is maybe 25% who use a stand bag because they carry. Again, the bag itself doesn’t tell too much. Then there is one or two who still have the ancient and ugly kinbag, which tells they’ve been golfing for tens of years. The only one having a staff bag is the pro, and thats the only thing the bag tells, but everyone knows that already…

    I’d say the clubs tells a lot more:
    – a half set = beginner
    – only latest models = wannabe golfer, knows all the tips but not in practice
    – worn forged irons, 1-2 new clubs = skilled active golfer
    – worn irons, no new clubs = has been serious golfer, now less active, retired
    – new and old clubs mixed = active golfer of any age
    – scotty cameron putter = wants to show social status, putting average >2

    I could go on with more specifics…

  3. Nath

    Apr 2, 2017 at 7:30 am

    Not bad work there joe

  4. BubbaJonesIzzaDick

    Apr 1, 2017 at 6:30 pm

    +1 Chopper.

  5. Tom

    Apr 1, 2017 at 5:43 pm

    I’m a former D2 player. I have my alma mater garb because I loved my career college day’s. I wear the team jersey, ball cap and have a banner in my front yard I go to sporting events yearly and am a booster. When I die I want my ashes spread over the campus from 5K feet. I don’t drink alcohol and I do enjoy talkin bout the good ol days at reunions. This hasbeen Love his country and served with pride after college. Married and settled in Seattle area. We raised two sons one a Marine and the other a fire fighter. I still have a full head of hair and all my teeth, walk the course(s) with my grandchild and wife of twenty eight years.

  6. Tom

    Apr 1, 2017 at 5:21 pm

    LOl over 500 shanks. pegged a lot of wrxer’s with the definitions.

  7. Jeffrey Purtell

    Apr 1, 2017 at 4:38 am

    What about my Callaway Razr staff bag (few years back now) that was priced at $400 reduced to $240. I had $150 in vouchers from winning Club champion and A grade Champion (2 different social clubs) so I only had to shell out $90 of my own money. Cant argue with that.

  8. aether

    Mar 31, 2017 at 7:49 pm

    Judging books by their cover…sad that people get profiled by the type of golf bag they’re carrying, just plain silly.

    • Tom

      Apr 1, 2017 at 5:23 pm

      aww yes a predisposition society we are. Same thing with clothes, cars, homes , girlfriends etc…..

  9. Dave R

    Mar 31, 2017 at 6:01 pm

    Good article hit the nail on the head for the loud mouth bag played with a dude that acted exactly the way you put it. Keep it up the college was right on also.

  10. golfraven

    Mar 31, 2017 at 3:25 pm

    Interesting and kind of huts the nerve. I can see me in type 3 before I moved to type 2 (carry bag on cart – although I had a cart bag all in black before).

  11. DD 214

    Mar 31, 2017 at 10:16 am

    ….Obviously, you’ve never seen the looks on Caddies faces when knobs with CART BAGS decide to walk occasionally, or show up at a pro-am with one and want to walk with the pro. Own a carry/stand bag as well. If you fly a couple times a year – even a club glove can’t protect your stand bag from a good crunch, and you aren’t walking 95% of resort or ‘winter golf destination’ courses, so after seeing countless standbags and drivers / graphite shafts crushed or broken, take some professional advice and travel with a sturdy bag with an internal cylinder like a cart bag or traditional style ‘staff’ bag – with or without logos

    Certainly many survive the flight. You may have survived dozens. You may even get the Airline to cover the damage although most insist on a rigid travel case if they’re gonna pay (nice cases, lotsa luck trying to get one in a mid size rental car….

    Just think of the hassle arriving for a well planned 4 day 6 round sortie and your new favorite driver’s broken –

  12. Tyler

    Mar 30, 2017 at 3:27 pm

    I’ve been using a Titleist lightweight black stand bag for about 4 or 5 years now. It’s nice and faded , I love it.

    My guess it was made by Sun Mountain. I’ve thought about getting a new bag but just can’t bring myself to retire it yet. I can’t find another one anywhere. It’s a two way divider. Woods and putter on the top, irons on the bottom.

  13. 0101010

    Mar 30, 2017 at 2:43 pm

    that’s not a cart bag image #6… way to go!

  14. Chopper

    Mar 30, 2017 at 2:43 pm

    I hope that I am a nicer guy than you when I get to be your age.

  15. Tyson Rochambeau

    Mar 30, 2017 at 2:30 pm

    Joe Burnett def has a staff bag with his name on it.

  16. Joe's Fan Club

    Mar 30, 2017 at 1:15 pm

    Joe,

    Go to class and study hard so you dont have to blog the rest of your life. This doesn’t seem like a good fit.

    Your biggest fan,

    -Joe’s Fan Club

  17. Huh?

    Mar 30, 2017 at 9:50 am

    I have a question. Why is it currently deemed to be acceptable that the golfing consumer is all but forced to purchase shoes, bags, shirts and pants boldly emblazoned with those unfortunate manufacturer logos all over the place? What became of discretion in labeling? I think bold branding is perfectly fine for the working professional golfer – in fact, I think they would all look so much better out there on the course if their shirts had even bolder, flashier graphics like the ones that professional bowlers wear, but if you are the one actually paying for the stuff, shouldn’t there be an option to be able to opt out of being an unfortunate, willing sign-board carrier for Titleist or TaylorMade or YourFavoriteBrandNameHere? Think about it, when was the last time anyone asked you what “kind of” shoes or shirt or pants you are wearing simply because they liked the looks or style or functionality of them?

    • justinm

      Mar 30, 2017 at 7:05 pm

      Not to undermine your very well written and heavily pondered reply….. but there are a number of companies who offer bags with VERY few to no logos at all. Shoes can get wacky with colors but nearly every brand offers dozens of color-ways and options that even you would consider conservative (some even hide their logos on the bottom). Shirts occasionally have a large logo, but every apparel company on earth also offers shirts with single small logos and in plain colors. As far as pants go…… I don’t know any companies other than loudmouth that are hocking pants “boldly emblazoned with those unfortunate manufacturers logos”.. if you are angry with the quarter sized adidas logo on your buddy’s sleeve while he sits next to you in the cart, maybe you should re-sort your priorities.

      • Huh?

        Mar 31, 2017 at 1:13 pm

        Justin. My priority is to find the absolute best marketing strategy to get avid golfers to buy even more golf related products. And although I admit to having once pondered the deeply existential branding problem that faces all golfing amateurs when getting dressed to go play around of golf – which is : Do I look more ridiculous if all my logos match? Or do I look more ridiculous if they don’t? – I am wondering if the best answer would be to provide consumers the option of avoiding having to deal with that nagging existential doubt if at all possible. In all truth, it doesn’t bother or “anger” me (to use your words) to see various graphics and logos stuck on to my golfing buddies’ apparel. If they want to identify themselves as being the “branded” property of the Circle T Ranch (can you say : “moooo”) or if they just simply want to let everyone know that they just broke out of jail, I could really care less. But I always have to ask myself – ‘Do they actually want to identify themselves in that way? Or are they identifying themselves in that way simply because they can’t avoid it?’ And I think that was the point I was trying to make – I was just wanting to throw that out there since this article makes what I think is the flawed assumption that everyone who plays golf actually “identifies” with the branding and styling of their golf bag.

      • Grizz01

        Mar 31, 2017 at 9:20 pm

        Kinda agree with you. All that flash on a bag (to me) tell others to steal my bag. I never use the head covers that comes with the clubs. It just sreams steal me while he is in the bathroom or clubhouse.

        • Double Mocha Man

          Apr 1, 2017 at 8:05 pm

          Take your clubs with you when you have to tinkle. Seriously, I agree with you… I worry a bit when my clubs are out of my sight. And I replace the gaudy headcovers with simple one-size-fits-all headcovers… I do not want to advertise what is under that artificial leather.

          • Nomad Golfer

            Apr 21, 2017 at 11:32 pm

            Agree. Plain knitted covers and dull irons in a nondescript bag doesn’t give away any clues to the deadly weapons contained within, and take your bag with you to the toilet – better sure than sorry later.

  18. Jack

    Mar 30, 2017 at 2:39 am

    Those scores are too low lol. Basically if you see any of these bags they are shooting good scores except for the drunk John Daly fan. Time to get that loudmouth bag lol.

    • Jim

      Mar 31, 2017 at 2:50 pm

      Gotta tell ya, most of my – call ’em beer cart regulars, not drunks – JD fans are all in the 75-82 range, good gear (not necessarily the MOST current or expensive, but all good quality) and the bags – all over the place…stand, cart, staff….One of the better ‘sticks’ – with a $1200 driver – who does bomb it 8/11 times, has a 39.99 Dick’s house brand bag – because he actually honestly doesn’t give a crap about THAT….

      AND, (maybe not surprising) I played in a big-deal pro-am maybe 10yrs ago (?)…the second foursome waiting on our tee had a guy whose bag looked like it was 30 years old, dirty, torn and actually had safety pins on the cargo pocket. Clubs were all Ping – wood woods & Eye irons….
      I won’t write his name, but let’s just say his last gig was being in charge of the entire US monetary system….

      peeps are strange….

      as I understand it, the proshop at his club finally just gave him a new one….

  19. Ian

    Mar 30, 2017 at 2:12 am

    The BIG RED bag is so wrong, but I can’t stop looking at it.

  20. Mike Hollingsworth

    Mar 29, 2017 at 11:28 pm

    Terrible article, and the author’s “start up” on his bio is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard of.

  21. Teaj

    Mar 29, 2017 at 10:16 pm

    I kind of found it fun to read, why is everyone so serious or am I missing a joke.

  22. madeinguam81

    Mar 29, 2017 at 8:45 pm

    #9 Hybrid Stand/Cart Bag

    You ride 100% of the time but you also like the idea of walking, even though you NEVER will. No biggie, because remember that one time your old cart bag tipped over in the parking lot? Well, you will forever need a bag with a stand.

    Shoots around: Low 80s, but you should be penalized for not shutting up about how your bag is the “best of both worlds.”

  23. Sl

    Mar 29, 2017 at 5:47 pm

    Get back in your cave, Joe. You shouldn’t be writing anything at all.

  24. Bob Parsons

    Mar 29, 2017 at 4:00 pm

    You forgot the PXG Bag! The guy with the ugly swing, expensive clubs, and lack of score keeping.

    • Jim

      Mar 31, 2017 at 7:17 pm

      Dear Mr P, sorry to tell you the only guy I’ve yet to see with a PXG rig and an ugly swing is you! (we’ve sold about a hundred full sets if your clubs, and maybe 150 drivers – but sadly maybe only two dozen or so staff bags) In fact, several of our 10-18 hcp folks were so encouraged after their fitting/demo sessions and deciding to make the investment in your products, after reviewing their stats AND swings on High Speed video & 3D biometric analysis they agreed there were a couple of swing issues they could indeed improve upon, so they signed up for lesson packages with me as well – Thank You for helping inspire then. The Irons were built immediately – with slight ‘grow into’ shaft specs so we could work with the clubs over the winter…They agreed to wait til spring for a second Trackman & High Speed video fitting to compare the before and after stats as I was certain they’d change after the lessons. I’m happy to say all 8 guys and 1 lady were able to significantly increase both load on the shaft during transition, increase club head speed and all improved their release. All 9 people ended up with much better fitting shafts.

      Weather still sucking here, had our PGA Spring Meeting on
      LI this week but they were able to let carts on the course….

      SO, with all that monster improvement goin’ on, once they
      start playing and breaking old personal bests, I hope they’ll
      all come in and order customized PXG staff bags from us
      too!

      Thanks Mr P for making the best clubs for folks with pretty repetitive swings and a true love for the game, but still need very forging clubs – Hey, you know who we are – your number ONE account in N.East…Come by for a lesson so I can scrape some of the UGLY off your swing too 😉

      Regards…

  25. James

    Mar 29, 2017 at 1:49 pm

    #6 says Cart Bag, yet the picture is of a carry bag….

  26. Double Mocha Man

    Mar 29, 2017 at 1:39 pm

    I think you missed a few bags, but that’s okay. I’m the guy with the black (Titleist) bag that shoots in the mid to low 70’s. I like my bag to be neutral. I’d prefer to let my game scream (or not) than have my bag scream stuff.

    • Chopper

      Mar 30, 2017 at 2:47 pm

      I’m not always scratch, but when I am, I humble brag about it on golfwrx.

      • Double Mocha Man

        Mar 30, 2017 at 3:27 pm

        I wish I was scratch. Not there yet. And as for bragging about things on GolfWRX I do not hit 300 yard drives.

        • Everyone on golfwrx that reads the comments

          Mar 30, 2017 at 4:39 pm

          A lot of your posts got a lil brag to em

          • Double Mocha Man

            Mar 30, 2017 at 6:14 pm

            You must be one of those guys who easily drills your drives over 300 yards.

            • The Beau Show

              Mar 30, 2017 at 6:59 pm

              gotta have the last word, do ya brag boy?

      • Mocha man 4 pres

        Mar 30, 2017 at 3:37 pm

        Always look forward to mocha man’s classic comments.

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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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