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PXG and the Rise of Luxury Golf Equipment

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Karl Benz is widely credited as being the creator of the first practical motorcar. While Mercedes-Benz would spawn from Karl Benz original company, it was Rolls-Royce that made luxury synonymous with automobiles. Parsons Xtreme Golf is doing the same thing with golf equipment. This is a story about the niche market of luxury goods and how the principle of luxury has found its way into the mainstream golf equipment industry.

By the end of 1903, Sir Henry Royce had designed and built his own gas-powered automobile that boasted a 10-horsepower engine. Charles Rolls met Royce in 1904 and vowed to sell as many of Royce’s cars as the man could make. Thus, Rolls-Royce was born. In an early advertisement, the company called the six-cylinder Rolls-Royce, “Not one of the best, but the Best Car in the World.”

Today, if you’re searching for a Rolls-Royce on the company website, you won’t find a price on any of its vehicles, not even its pre-owned cars. Similarly, you can’t find a price for any golf clubs (save for the putters) on the website for Parsons Xtreme Golf. You can’t find a price because if you’re a serious buyer, the price is extraneous. The saying, “If you have to ask, you can’t afford it,” comes to mind.

If you have time, you should check out the Rolls-Royce website. The homepage has this elaborate short film where Kate Winslet narrates the story of Rolls-Royce. The short film opens with a view of the camera gliding through a cloudy sky with a fade-in title, House of Rolls-Royce Presents. “It may surprise you to know,” Winslet says, “There is, in this world, a place where beauty is made.”

On the other end of the spectrum, when you log on to Ford’s website, you see “A vehicle for every lifestyle.” Where Ford wants everyone to own one of its cars, Rolls-Royce wants to sell to people who settle for nothing less than the Best Car in the World.

***

For a long time, the golf industry has operated much like Ford. Most of the manufacturers have produced similarly priced clubs at a similar level of quality all aiming for a share of the same market. Boutique golf equipment manufacturers such as Scratch and Fourteen have built fantastic forged irons, but their price points still pitted them against the behemoths of the golf world. Miura and Epon stand out as companies that have successfully built a bridge between luxury goods and golf equipment with higher price points, but PXG took it to the next level.

Bob Parsons has driven his proverbial Rolls-Royce down Main Street with claims placed gracefully on the PXG About Page. He says PXG makes “the world’s sexiest, most forgiving golf clubs that launch higher, go farther, feel softer and have a sweet spot the size of Texas.” His colloquial description is my favorite.

“Simply put, PXG clubs are the Duck’s Nuts.”

Since PXG released its first line of clubs, its most popular being thin-faced, forged irons filled with a material called thermoplastic elastomer, the discussion has focused disproportionately on the price of the clubs and not the quality. The question most golfers have asked is, “Is there any way PXG clubs can be twice as good as anything else on the market?” It’s a fair question, but it’s irrelevant. Is a Rolex watch 10 times better than a Citizen? It doesn’t matter. Because if you’re looking at the price, then you can’t afford the Rolex, so your opinion of quality doesn’t really apply to the Rolex, does it?

Every article about PXG clubs I’ve read has some comment that resembles the following, “The price of these clubs makes no sense. This is Parson’s pet project and the company won’t be around in two or three years.”

Maybe it is just a pet project for Parsons, a billionaire with an estimated net worth of $2.5 billion, but the truth is, Parsons is a bit of genius. He’s not a genius because he has invented the greatest set of clubs in the history of golf, although some golfers do say that about his clubs. It’s because he identified a hole in the market, and he has filled it with a thermoplastic elastomer.

Related: What makes PXG irons and wedges so different?

Another common tirade I’ve seen is something similar to the following: “The prices are laughable…You can only do so much with a technology…and there is only so much of a premium you can charge here today…”

The prices are laughable… for someone who can’t afford them. The observation about money running out is different because it shows the commenter doesn’t necessarily understand what Parsons is doing. Parsons has said over and over again, “I’m not competing with TaylorMade and Callaway because my target customers are major earners.” And that’s why he’s seeing success. In an interview with Michael Collins on The “Golf” Podcast, Parsons said the company is on track to reach $100 million in sales and will be profitable for 2017.

***

Bob Parsons, whatever your opinion of him is, is using the emotion of luxury to drive his success. In an article published in Psychology Today, Dr. Peter Noel Murray (Ph.D. in Psychology) discusses the emotion of luxury:

“…consumers also are rational beings; aware that they can buy products at mass market retailers which have aesthetics and features similar to luxury brands but are a lot cheaper…Is the rational mind more likely to choose mass market while our emotional mind yearns for luxury? Is it that simple?”

Dr. Murray goes on to say, “we can be emotionally drawn to good design, and then rationally decide whether the exceptional qualities of luxury design are worth the additional price versus the ‘good enough’ qualities of a mass market alternative.”

Golf is a brutal combination of the cerebral and the physical, and because of this players make club choices primarily on subjective and inherently emotional qualities. It’s why players can walk into a store, hit several models on a launch monitor providing all sorts of data and chose a club that might not produce the best data because it feels better.

“Purchase behavior is a direct result of how a consumer perceives that a brand delivers the emotional end-benefits of buying and owning,” Dr. Murray says. “The emotional end benefit is basically, ‘Who am I?’ And how does a brand help define who I am?”

People have an emotional connection to luxury brands. As Dr. Murray points out in his article, this connection typically occurs within the realm of people who have the financial means to purchase luxury brands. Rolls-Royce only wants those people. So too, does PXG.

When people who love cars watch Top Gear and see Jeremy Clarkson roll out in a brand new Ferrari, they don’t look at it and say, “The price on that car is ridiculous.” They say, “That car is amazing,” and then enjoy the test Clarkson puts the Ferrari through, watching in awe of its power and elegance. I know, I’m one of those car lovers.

***

So, why do we look at PXG and say things like, “Those clubs are ridiculous. There’s no way they could be that much better?” The comparative quality is irrelevant. Basic economics says that the market equilibrium lies where supply meets demand. Parsons doesn’t need the equilibrium because he’s not trying to scale; he’s trying to build clubs that people are willing to wait in line to get. That’s how luxury works.

As Dr. Murray puts it, “The luxury brands they [the consumers] treasure have the rare and intangible quality of truth…Luxury brand truth is a visceral connection between consumer and brand.” He goes on to say, “Truth is expressed in narrative and other communication which breathes life into the brand, evoking perceptions of authenticity and timelessness.”

Related: PXG’s new 0811X Drivers, 0341X Fairways and 0317X Hybrids

What Parsons has done so well is ensure that his marketing matches his personal feeling about the product he’s created. Because without those two living in harmony, there would be no authenticity; without authenticity, there is no truth. The narrative Parsons tells with his marketing and his clubs is something those who can afford them relish. This narrative, coupled with successful use of the clubs by LPGA and PGA Tour players such as Lydia Ko and Zach Johnson, has given PXG the platform to take luxury golf equipment mainstream and that’s the gap PXG is bridging. Thanks to brilliant marketing and truly revolutionary designs, luxury golf equipment is no longer a fringe niche.

Welcome to the era of Rolls-Royce, Porsche and Ferrari in golf equipment.

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Adam Crawford is a writer of many topics but golf has always been at the forefront. An avid player and student of the game, Adam seeks to understand both the analytical side of the game as well as the human aspect - which he finds the most important. You can find his books at his website, chandlercrawford.com, or on Amazon.

107 Comments

107 Comments

  1. jerseychris

    May 6, 2017 at 10:35 am

    Lemme know when the pros start paying for the clubs rather than getting payed to play them. Then I’ll take a look.

  2. Guia

    Apr 21, 2017 at 12:03 am

    Is a Mercedes any better than a Chevy? Probably not, they both get you to where you are going.

    The difference is what you can afford. Those that are well heeled usually want to drive something that doesn’t look like every other car on the road.

    Just because you have expensive clubs it does not make you a player. But having less expensive clubs doesn’t either. Play what you want.

  3. Joe

    Apr 18, 2017 at 9:57 pm

    I played with a friend the other day who bags PXG irons. He shot 107. I beat him by 29 strokes.

    I’m serious.

    Obviously I carry a lower handicap and play a lot more golf than he does. I’m not hating on expensive clubs (I play Miura irons). I’m just saying that you can’t buy a golf game.

    I’ve hit his clubs. They’re fine. They feel pretty soft. A bit large for my taste. Are they better than other clubs on the market? No. Not whatsoever.

  4. TeeBone

    Apr 18, 2017 at 4:35 pm

    Nothing new here. There’s a sucker born every minute. Single clubs have been selling for thousands of dollars in Japan for a long time. Why? Because people will pay it. Not because they’re worth it. Why do they pay it? Because if it costs so much, it must be better. Brilliant!

  5. Lowell

    Apr 17, 2017 at 1:16 pm

    I just think that you can only make the bow that much better with price when in fact the Indian needs some lessons.

  6. rich

    Apr 17, 2017 at 1:06 pm

    I will put my Apex Edge pro’s up against these any day. I bet they play no differently when I strike the ball in the middle of the face or high on the heel. If the PXG 7 iron goes 10 yards farther than my 7 Iron, I will pull out my 6 iron. I just don’t get it, no need to spend this much money on clubs. They don’t make you better, you should spend that extra money on lessons. I see the PXG’s in the classified section and laugh at the ball marks all over the toes of the clubs. Yeah, you hit those clubs well…lolll

  7. Caroline

    Apr 17, 2017 at 11:37 am

    Life is short play what you want and can afford period. Nothing is golf is more FUN then making the tee time…getting up and going to the course…after that the pressure builds and the fun leeks away. Having a bag full of sticks you are proud to call your own and playing the ball you adore just make the game so much more enjoyable…less then 5% of golfers are playing at any sort of top level golf where every little variable in equipment makes a difference between getting that second shot close enough to make eagle on the 600 yard par 5 or just a birdie putt. owning PXG equipment is just another example of having fun with the game, for me I am happy as heck when I pull that Ping 9 iron out on the short par 3.

  8. Mr Muira

    Apr 17, 2017 at 8:14 am

    Shank Shank Shanketty Shank Shank.

  9. PGA

    Apr 16, 2017 at 12:23 am

    Play Golf America! :-p

  10. Martin T

    Apr 15, 2017 at 4:06 pm

    I own PXG irons for more than a year. All I can say is that I look forward to PXG smaller iron heads as even 311T are too big and have a fat sole. I think this is what PXG will do soon, smaller heads as they have to know currenlty that for some better players their clubs may feel clunky. It is the same why so many best golfers decide to play real blades with small MOI and not heads that are visibly game improvement stuff.

  11. Mark Walgren

    Apr 15, 2017 at 2:24 pm

    People are idiots for spending that much on irons, lol… $3000 for a set of irons?! I get collecting fashionable watches, high-end watches and cars but these are golf clubs… they go into the dirt and poop… these are not fashion items nor are they collectable.

    • ooffa

      Apr 16, 2017 at 6:33 am

      I feel badly for you.

    • Tom

      Apr 16, 2017 at 2:43 pm

      Mark the same thing can be said about Cameron putters.

      • Jim

        Apr 16, 2017 at 10:45 pm

        ….especially when they don’t perform better on off center hits….

  12. Patrick norm

    Apr 15, 2017 at 1:53 pm

    I get where Bob Parsons is coming from. Americans don’t have a premium golf brand like a Miura or other high end Japanese manufacturers. Clearly he has the resources to withstand the start up costs and build up of his brand. Clearly the PXG clubs perform at least as well if not fractionally better than the top mainstream brands. And b cause the price is a premium he’s not aiming for the masses. Just the demographic that won’t flinch at $300.00 for an iron or $800.00 for a driver.
    Here in Canada the Callaway Epic Driver retails for $695.00 Canadian dollars at Golf Town or about $520.00 USD. That’s a lot of money regardless but Goof Town is selling many of these new drivers. I’ll wait a couple of years.
    If I had the money, I may treat myself to these PXG clubs but for now I’m mainstream. I’m not a PXG customer, I’m a Callaway, Taylor Made ” last year’s model at 60% of the original price guy”.
    Personally , I’ll spend my extra golf money of lessons. I know it’s the best way to improve.

  13. Billable Hours

    Apr 15, 2017 at 12:52 pm

    I’m getting fitted for PXG’s next week. If they perform, price doesn’t matter. The difference between them and Mizuno/TM etc is more or less one month’s club bill, and if $2k is that significant to you you probably shouldn’t be spending $1k on more traditional OEM golf clubs.

    That said – if they don’t perform, I won’t buy them.

    • Kevin

      Apr 15, 2017 at 11:54 pm

      Do yourself a favor and try out some of the other high end brands available here in the states. There is better equipment available.

      • Desmond

        Apr 16, 2017 at 11:13 pm

        Do yourself a favor and recognize that the best equipment is what fits an individual golfer. Better is what fits. If PXG fits the gofler, so be it.

    • Mr Muira

      Apr 17, 2017 at 8:17 am

      Sure, PXG is going to have your swing path fixed, the face fixed and you’ll be hitting it out of centre all day long…lol.

  14. Rod

    Apr 15, 2017 at 9:03 am

    The question, is PXG or will it ever be a profitable entity? The luxury car and or other luxury manufacturing co’s have struggled throughout time. Will PXG make it or will Mr. Parsons continue to carry it with his other entities, which I believe he could do for quite a while. Has not the golf hard goods business seen shake-ups where each time it emerges with fewer contestants battling for market share or will the game of golf ever be able to truly grow and sustain the growth and create and maintain demand for clubs. The problem is that golfers start playing,without proper instruction spend dollars upon hundreds of dollars on equipment rather than instruction, get frustrated due to lack of progress or improvement and quit. The manufacturers, now mostly all publicly held must produce profits at certain levels as mandated by wall street, have changed to a strategy of marketing prowess rather than true innovation to sell clubs to impatient participants who believe that everyone can become a tour level player without practice or physical restraints. It can be compared to spalding holding a power forward or centers basketball camp for high school seniors that are five feet tall. The manufacturers must stop the snake oil sales approach to selling product. Wake up consumers and smell reality and be content with enjoying the game at your skill level.

  15. Ian

    Apr 15, 2017 at 7:12 am

    How do you become a millionaire? Start by being a billionaire and then release a line a of duck nut clubs…

  16. Matt

    Apr 15, 2017 at 2:24 am

    Golf equipment is super affordable compared with a lot of sports and pastimes, so dunno what all this fuss is about – I’m fine with spending a few grand to get set-up with nice equipment (albeit it probably won’t be PXG as I can’t handle the look of all those screws but if it plays good for some then never say never).

  17. Dan

    Apr 15, 2017 at 12:54 am

    As my aunt used to say, ‘If you have it, flaunt it’ and if you have the money then by all means buy what you want. If that means PXG, Honma, Miura go for it. I’m on SS now and couldn’t have afforded them even when I working and I was making real good money then. I just had other priorities like paying the house payment, feeding the family, college tuition, etc. I have always bought the best clubs I could afford and got fitted. I do keep my fingers crossed that the weekly or bi-weekly player who is the backbone of golf doesn’t get priced out of quality golf equipment and playing golf because of rising green fees. Go Cobra Golf, high quality product at a fair price IMHO!

  18. Dat

    Apr 15, 2017 at 12:12 am

    PXG is garbage. This native content needs improvement.

  19. alan

    Apr 14, 2017 at 11:05 pm

    spilt your lungs in blood and thunder when you see the white whale. break your backs and crack your oars man if you wish to prevail. this ivory leg is what propels me harpoons thrust in the sky.

  20. Fredo

    Apr 14, 2017 at 10:59 pm

    HATE! Or what, ain’t no big deal. The numbers for my swing pointed towards PXG, and I honestly thought they were hideous looking. But looks aside, irons this forgiving were NOT staying out of this hacks bag. Result: dropped from a 12 handicap to a 9. End of story

  21. Dave R

    Apr 14, 2017 at 10:05 pm

    They are more than likely a very good product but cost is rather high. But then if you feel comfortable and it gives you confidence and your a young up and comer go for it. And all the best in your endivors.

  22. Kip

    Apr 14, 2017 at 9:39 pm

    I saw a Korean lady at the range today with these clubs and a cheap beat up golf back. Talk about sending a mix message. I understand the premise. If you was to broadcast to the world that you have money to burn these are the clubs for you. They are good clubs, but there are a lot of great clubs out there. You cannot compare these clubs to a Ferrari as it is a car that is at top of the food chain in terms of luxury and performance. There are not many cars on the market that out perform Ferrari therefore the price is justified. As for these clubs, it’s a status symbol and nothing more. It’s known that PXG spend millions to get players to use their club. If I was offered a million or 2 million to use a golf club I would sacrifice and play poorly for a while to get that check and that is what you are seeing on the LPGA and PGA. I don’t blame them as I would do the same thing. The sad thing is that you will have people who really don’t have the money go into debt to get these clubs just to make it look like they are wealthy. The sport of golf is an after thought. I wish PXG the best. I checked them out for my daughter and she didn’t like them. We are now looking at the Mizuno JPX 900’s which are beautiful to look at and a joy to hit. Also checking out Fourteen. My daughter is getting amazing results with their wedges. If PXG ever gets to the point where is performs like a Ferrari and leave practically everyone in the dust I will take another look at them.

    • Jim

      Apr 14, 2017 at 10:03 pm

      Without a doubt…go with the Fourteens…their proprietary graphite shafts are simply excellent. The tolerances blow Mizuno away…..Honma, Miura, Epon & Fourteen use only the finest Japanese steel selected in smaller batches

  23. Miuralovechild

    Apr 14, 2017 at 8:22 pm

    Got fitted recently and the PXG driver performed the best for me. Very rock solid and forgiving. Hell yeah it was worth the money. I’m hitting over 80% of my fairways. I went into the fitting completely open minded. Hit the Epic a little further but less accurate. Went with Oban Kiyoshi black SST pured. Wish I would have gotten fitted a long time ago. The irons felt nice but not any better than my Miura’s. Can’t wait to see my numbers with the lower spinning 0811x. I’ll do whatever it takes to play better and have more confidence. I grateful my club fitter has EVERYTHING to try.

    • Jim

      Apr 14, 2017 at 10:57 pm

      That’s the key…”Everything to try” – including shafts. Even better – indoor outdoor full length range…we use ‘better’ yellow balls for the fittings (B6’s) so they’re plucked out at the ball washer from the range balls and only used for fittings. Having ‘everything’ to try is a substantial investment by your professional fitter, and testing on Trackman against ‘all comers’ over a 60 or 90 minute session proved that club & shaft combo DID work best for you. Period. Great choice going with the Oban too…they’re awesome & when SST Pured, even more consistent.

      I’M a total Miuta guy, but got an awesome full staff Callaway deal and the Apex Irons with 110gr RECOIL shafts are killer.

      While I always say I personally don’t care for the TOO soft feel of the PXG irons, they crush everything else on OFF center hits, even my beloved Miura’s and now Apex irons….

      Let’s remember the cat who ‘created’ them was a chopper, and if I have a sweet spot the size of Rhode Island, and miss it, I’ll take my licks – so to speak and go hit it again….I always figured a 90 yrs worm burner from a swing that deserved it was better than a GI iron getting it airborne and sending it 45 yrds longer into the woods or the rough

  24. JOEL GOODMAN

    Apr 14, 2017 at 7:44 pm

    SLUGS THAT WORK THERE DO NOT PLAY GOLF.

  25. ooffa

    Apr 14, 2017 at 6:03 pm

    They are the best clubs I have ever owned. Most definitely worth the money. If you can swing it you owe it to yourself to get a set of these.

  26. Matt

    Apr 14, 2017 at 5:11 pm

    Dunno why golfers are such tight arses sometimes. Golf equipment isn’t expensive compared to a lot of sports. Cycling for example; bikers who don’t even race the lowest category (or race at all) are rolling around everywhere on USD $5,000 – $15,000+ pro bikes. I don’t have a set of PXG clubs, but appreciate great gear and companies who make it (nb. just got fit and bought a GBB Epic which feels like an instant classic, but the rest of my gear is tried and tested new+older stuff) as well as appreciate the look and feel of old hand made persimmon’s and forged blades. Ultimately, there’s always gonna be an affordable end of the market for equipment so if you’re on a budget there are tons of options – don’t see the point in running down a favourite pastime such as golf…

  27. Barry

    Apr 14, 2017 at 4:59 pm

    Rolls Royce, Bugatti, Laborghini, LV etc. is for russian & chinese wannabes, maybe some degenerated upper class from the middle east. Come on, real guys don’t need that embarrassing stuff for their egos. Same with PXG!

    • Tal

      Apr 14, 2017 at 8:32 pm

      Your comment only holds water if you yourself can afford a Ferrari, Lamborghini, etc. but choose not to buy one. Otherwise it sounds like you’re just trying to make yourself feel better.

  28. Taffy

    Apr 14, 2017 at 3:57 pm

    Status status status. You have all missed the point. PXG is selling exclusivity. Quality performance or anything else are not as important as showing you are wealthy enough to buy them. It makes a statement about you. Clever clever Mr Parsons!

  29. Flyer7

    Apr 14, 2017 at 3:06 pm

    Mizuno all day every day!

    • Tom

      Apr 14, 2017 at 4:51 pm

      • Brian

        Apr 14, 2017 at 9:21 pm

        Comparing a blade to a cavity and a hollow iron design?

        • Tom

          Apr 14, 2017 at 10:57 pm

          Brian it was a side by side due to the results of a golf wrx poll. Inquiring minds wanted to know.

      • Jim

        Apr 14, 2017 at 10:35 pm

        Without a doubt…go with the Fourteens…their proprietary graphite shafts are simply excellent. The tolerances blow Mizuno away…..Honma, Miura, Epon & Fourteen use only the finest Japanese steel selected in smaller batches

  30. Hohohon

    Apr 14, 2017 at 2:22 pm

    • Patrick norm

      Apr 15, 2017 at 1:06 pm

      I don’t what language this is but I thought this company made sound equipment? And how do these clubs measure up to Titleist Callaway Ping Taylor Made, etc. ?

  31. Robert Morgenthal

    Apr 14, 2017 at 2:13 pm

    Rolls Royce and Ferrari don’t have media ads with their founders as their spoke person. Tacky ads do not convey Luxury, Exclusivity or Limited availability. Even Lincoln uses Matthew McConaughey.
    Food for thought…

    • Adam Crawford

      Apr 14, 2017 at 2:16 pm

      That’s because Rolls-Royce was founded in 1904…The founders were in the original ads.

  32. BD57

    Apr 14, 2017 at 1:55 pm

    The comments by people slamming PXG are funny ….

    PXG doesn’t care what anyone who isn’t interested in buying their stuff things about their stuff.

    All they care about is whether ENOUGH people are interested in buying their stuff.

    That they’ve signed a representative tour staff says their stuff is “good enough” for these tour players to risk their livelihoods on it.

    I don’t play PXG. Thus far, haven’t wanted to spend that kind of money . . . . but if I went for a “blind fitting” (one where any head and any shaft would be tried in any combination) and the PXG stuff performed best, I’d sure think about it.

  33. Tom54

    Apr 14, 2017 at 1:23 pm

    If ever PXG starts making a dent in the golf market all the other major manufacturers have to do is come out with a spinoff luxury line of clubs and charge 2-3 times the price. Kinda like Toyotas Lexus brand, Hondas Acura brand etc. As far as I’m concerned these well know club makers are the top of the line anyway. PXG could be the next Delorean of the club market.

    • Jim

      Apr 14, 2017 at 2:04 pm

      They already are….’cept they were chasing Callaway when ‘the plans were laid’ – hence the jumps of between 2-450 per set with ‘Tour Select /limited/ etc.

      For years we’ve known the big 4 OEM (not inc ping) “best” @999 were actually pretty poorly manufactured mediocre heads Mr. Miura would’ve tossed back in the smelter….They can’t increase their ‘special’ hand picked for tour staff & family lots to maybe sell a thousand or two @ 300 club if the other guys do too

    • KCCO

      Apr 14, 2017 at 3:33 pm

      They have….if they are gonna show profits in 2017 they put a dent. Article could not have explained any better. A z06 will ride right along side of a Porsche GT3 on a track. At half it’s price. Someone prefers the Porsche, so be it. Their money, let them spend it. They obviously perform, Ryan Moore demonstrated at the masters, who cares how some spend their money. In regards to golf, their are guys with 6 figure numbers in putters. (On this site) Is that any diffferent? Or buying a TMAG tour head for $800 vs. retail $450 W/shaft? I could careless if someone wouldn’t care to pay the price for my golfbag. I could careless to pay the price for the limited edition Ruger. Perform any better than my Sig? Probably not but that’s his thing, this is mine. Enjoy the finer things in your passion as your only here so long to enjoy. Careless what others opinion are about your spending. It’s for your pleasure, not theirs.

      • Geoff

        Apr 14, 2017 at 4:15 pm

        Re: your claim that they have made a dent, all the article “explained” was that Parsons told someone they were going to be profitable this year. That doesn’t mean it will happen.

        Evidence that they perform is Ryan Moore at the Masters? That’s the best you can come up with? I guess I can say PXG sux. Just look at Zach Johnson and James Hahn at the Masters.

  34. Jamie

    Apr 14, 2017 at 1:08 pm

    pretty sure i could get a master fitting into mizuno, tm, titleist etc w/ custom shafts and still be paying way less than PXG. so why go pxg?

    now the analogy to other luxury products… i can’t get my toyota camry to behave or feel anywhere remotely close to a Bentley.

  35. Shallowface

    Apr 14, 2017 at 12:55 pm

    I can afford them, but the reason I can is that I’ve made a lifelong habit of avoiding frivolous purchases.

  36. GMatt

    Apr 14, 2017 at 12:47 pm

    So according to the author (and Bob Parsons) Iif I buy PXG irons and hit my 7 iron 340 yards, and win every tournament I enter because they are the best….LOL
    I’ll bet Parsons also has some land in Florida to sell that MIGHT have a slight drainage problem

    It’s a luxury product (actually more of a status product “I’m rich and can afford them”) I’m sure they are good clubs but they don’t seem to be outperforming anything else out there now and their tour pros certainly aren’t dominating, if you can afford them kudos to you but don’t brag to me that they are they best performing….Save your breath

  37. Geoff

    Apr 14, 2017 at 12:35 pm

    GolfWRX must’ve emailed emailed their contributors and asked who would be willing to ball wash Parson’s duck nuts. This guy was the first to respond.

    • sleeper

      Apr 14, 2017 at 1:27 pm

      So the whole point of this article is higher price = greater luxury, which somehow = business success? PXG may cost more, but until they prove themselves to be superior at anything (performance, looks, durability, whatever) the brand won’t be known for anything other than its price. And as soon as the status-seeking or try-everything consumer segments are tapped out, we’ll know whether PXG has a future. I kinda doubt it.

  38. BigSeanM

    Apr 14, 2017 at 12:26 pm

    PXG clubs are the best, know why mean. I am going to get a set when my settlement comes in.

  39. Ryan

    Apr 14, 2017 at 12:24 pm

    So, I’d love for the author to qualify this statement: “This narrative, coupled with successful use of the clubs by LPGA and PGA Tour players such as Lydia Ko and Zach Johnson, has given PXG the platform to take luxury golf equipment mainstream and that’s the gap PXG is bridging.” To what success are you referring, please?

    • KCCO

      Apr 14, 2017 at 3:52 pm

      Did Schwartzel play well in masters? I think he did fine. Moore? Clubs didn’t hurt him either. Can’t knock their staff. Once they profit, more players will get contracts. Just because Parson’s has money doesn’t mean he is gonna just start throwing huge contracts at whomever? He’s doing things smarter than anyone would have thought. After 2017 he will let “PXG” pay for more staffers, you will then see how smart and how long this company is here to stay. If someone one the masters playing PXG anything, he would be profiting yesterday.

  40. Mike

    Apr 14, 2017 at 12:20 pm

    I can’t say if the PXG products are any better or worse than other equipment manufacture’s. I do see tour pros who are under contract with other manufactures for bag and however many clubs putting PXG equipment in the bag. This tells me that the PXG equipment is at minimum equal, but if it was equal why not just stay with the current brand, so there must be some benefit that the PXG equipment offers over the current brand. I read a reference to Lydia and her recent struggles. I am no expert, but with her swing changes and coaching changes, I am not surprised to see some decline. I think we have all seen players make a change, have a performance drop in competition and then once the changes are ingrained and trusted in competition perform at a higher level than prior to the changes. I believe it has little to do with the PXG equipment she changed to. The PXG brand has been interesting to follow, from the design and looks of their equipment to the Tour players they are signing, it’s definitely been a quick rise. I look forward to the next chapter

    • Rod

      Apr 16, 2017 at 7:22 am

      Would Lydia play PXG if she had not been paid to do so? I think not. They are clearly good clubs but so are Mizuno, Titleist, Ping, TM and the others. If they are so special, I wonder why Cristie Kerr is no longer using them? She won today using Ping I believe.

  41. Mower

    Apr 14, 2017 at 12:13 pm

    In my opinion, PXG has missed-the-mark… aesthetically. The overuse of screw heads makes their clubs look over-machined or something the military would come up with. Their logo branding is another aesthetic abomination. The chunky, Iron Maden-like design does not exude a professional grade product. If anything, it makes them look like they should be selling in Walmart stores.

    What brands do exude professionalism? Answer: MIURA & FourteeN.

    How to avoid making your product look like a Tonka toy? Answer: Hire a graphic designer and not a family member who’s feelings you don’t want to hurt because they have delicate sensibilities.

  42. David

    Apr 14, 2017 at 12:12 pm

    I don’t like this article. For many reasons. everyone stated them well already and I agree. expensive things are about performance or looking cool. These things don’t perform and yes they are hideous.

  43. bob keane

    Apr 14, 2017 at 12:07 pm

    Funny how all of their staff players are doing worse than before they switched to PXG.

  44. Shortside

    Apr 14, 2017 at 12:06 pm

    Different strokes. Personally not a fan of all the screws. To my eye they look like unfinished prototypes.
    Now the Titleist C16’s? Gimme some a dat all day.

  45. Mark

    Apr 14, 2017 at 11:59 am

    Bling is not quality. Some designer brands make mediocre clothing…RL and Hilfiger shirts wash out of colour and shape faster than chain stores. Same with sports gear. Nike bling or Saucony and Brooks technology? Some of the wealthiest guys in our club use 10 year old sets of clubs and laugh at the guy with a maxed out credit card and a new set of clubs.

  46. BarryLA

    Apr 14, 2017 at 11:48 am

    Rolls Royce, Bugatti, Laborghini, LV etc. is for russian & chinese wannabes, maybe some degenerated upper class from the middle east. Come on, real guys don’t need that embarrassing stuff for their egos. Same with PXG!

  47. Tyler

    Apr 14, 2017 at 11:48 am

    I was recently fit for new irons. I test PXG irons and found them to be no better than the Srixon 765’s I eventually went with.

    Don’t get me wrong, the Parson’s were awesome. If they would have gone farther or felt better I would have got them. I have a credit card. But they didn’t. The Srixon’s outperformed and suited me better. More expensive doesn’t always mean better. I think we all know that already though.

  48. WarrenPeace

    Apr 14, 2017 at 11:39 am

    I notice Zach Johnson isn’t doing so well since moving from Titleist? If the clubs create confidence….great..but on a technical level, the swing produces good and bad shots, not the tool. Its an emotional buy for sure and if you have the dough- get some. Your game will still suck until you fix the mechanics.

  49. Chubbs

    Apr 14, 2017 at 11:19 am

    One key point the author forgot to include about luxury brands: they are exclusive. Exclusivity breeds a feeling of desire by those that can’t afford the product. And those that buy PXG probably gain a sense of superiority from this exclusivity.

    • Adam Crawford

      Apr 14, 2017 at 11:32 am

      That’s a great point! You’re right, I didn’t spell that out but it’s a critical part of the Psychology with luxury.

      • new stuff!!

        Apr 14, 2017 at 12:26 pm

        exclusivity also breeds feelings of contempt – haters are always gonna hate – especially stuff they can’t afford, they need to convince themselves that it’s not worth it to make them feel better that they can’t afford it. just lots of noise. for us who understand the PXG business model just ignore the noise, to fight is futile.

        • Lester Diamond

          Apr 15, 2017 at 6:05 am

          Well golly gee, aren’t you f*&%$in’ precious.

    • Robert

      Apr 14, 2017 at 12:08 pm

      The problem with this theory is there is absolutely nothing to gain from PXGs. Titleist MBs feel better and I don’t even like Titleist. Is the ballspeed just as good? Yeah, for me, it was similar ballspeed (TM). When I buy a Ferrari, I know it’s superior to a Toyota Corolla in many many ways. IMHO, I personally don’t feel like you get that when you buy PXG clubs.

      • farmer

        Apr 14, 2017 at 6:22 pm

        Actually, a Corolla is better for going to the grocery store. The Ferrari would win coolest-milk-run-ride-ever contest, hands down.

    • Geoff

      Apr 14, 2017 at 3:52 pm

      Exclusivity only breeds a feeling of desire when the brand in question has an established reputation, especially by those who cannot afford it, that the high price is justified. “I can’t afford it, but if I could, I would definitely buy it.” PXG is miles away from acquiring that kind of reputation.

      • Adam Crawford

        Apr 14, 2017 at 9:04 pm

        Not going to argue with that, however, what I find interesting about PXG, and what prompted his article, is that the company is creating a scenario in golf where this can happen. They do have a ways to go, but they’ve made it further than many other companies because they understand their market.

  50. Myron miller

    Apr 14, 2017 at 11:18 am

    My issue with them is some of the advertising is that they are the “best clubs money can buy”. That implies that they are better than any other clubs technically. And technically does count in this or else its a clear FTC case of false advertising.

    With Epon and Miura, they are clearly and proven better technically than standard mass-market clubs. Are they worth the significant price difference they have or just somewhat better. that’s a debate that can’t be won or decided. Yes, they are definitely better but worth the extra money more, who knows.

    Whereas PXG advertises on its site: “PXG WAS DEVELOPED WITH ONE GOAL IN MIND: TO CREATE THE BEST-PERFORMING GOLF EQUIPMENT ON THE PLANET, WITHOUT REGARD TO COST”. So clearly the difference in performance versus the cost is a factor in people’s mind. Are they definitely better technically. That’s as indicated by the comments above a real question.

  51. S Hitter

    Apr 14, 2017 at 11:15 am

    Another terrible self-aggrandizing advert-iclie.
    And PXG is not the first, the Japanese have been doing for decades. At least in Japan they have gold-plated, gold-painted, beautiful looking, nice-feeling, nice-to-hold, great-performaning, worth-the-money golf equipment that will make you feel good and make you look good, like a Rolls or a Ferrari. And the Japanese ones cost about 10 times as much as PXG.
    Here’s an example. http://g3.globeride.co.jp
    And, at least the Japanese are up front and honest about the specs of their products.

  52. Richard

    Apr 14, 2017 at 11:15 am

    Spot on. Not sure why all the haters… if it works for you and can afford them, go for it. Love them.

  53. Brian

    Apr 14, 2017 at 10:56 am

    Ferrari and Rolex watches are beautiful works of art in combination of being of fantastic quality and performance. PXG clubs are, in my opinion, ugly clubs that perform no better than any other iron out there.

    If a Ferrari was no better in quality and artistic value than a Toyota Camry, then yes, we would talk about the ridiculous price of the Ferrari.

    • Mower

      Apr 14, 2017 at 11:51 am

      Aesthetically they’re missing-the-mark with the generous use of screws heads. It makes them look over machined, like military grade and does not exude a ‘professional quality’. On top of that, their logo branding is horribly designed. Big, blocky Iron Maden-looking chunkyness does not help their goal.

      Who does exude a professional quality? Answer: MIURA, FourteeN.

    • Jeff

      Apr 14, 2017 at 12:59 pm

      Eh, I was gifted a $10k Rolex and my Casio keeps better time and date by far. I still wear my Rolex more. The brain is odd.

      • Adam Crawford

        Apr 14, 2017 at 1:07 pm

        Right, and that’s the whole point. It’s not a quality discussion, it’s an emotional/status discussion. Some people are able to separate emotion from consumer decisions, but most aren’t, myself included.

  54. Kevin

    Apr 14, 2017 at 10:49 am

    Only problem with your comparison is a Rolls-Royce is actually a higher quality product than a Ford. Where PXG is of the same quality as all the OEM equipment.

    Nothing revolutionary about what PXG has done. Take some outdated technology, thermoplastic whatever, and call it a brand new idea. Throw a ton of money into advertising with false claims about the quality and watch it sell. You are not paying for quality like you do with other high-end brands, you are paying Zach Johnson to keep missing cuts and paying for ads on TV.

    • Adam Crawford

      Apr 14, 2017 at 11:17 am

      You can’t claim that their quality is the same as other OEMs because that’s subjective, just like I didn’t claim it was better than other OEMs. Those are claims that can’t be objectively made so they are irrelevant to the discussion. The idea of luxury is all about how the person feels owning whatever luxury item. It has nothing to do with objectivity in quality.

      • Steve Rawlinson

        Apr 14, 2017 at 11:29 am

        Whereas you *can* claim that the quality of a Rolls Royce is higher than that of a Ford.

      • tourgrinder

        Apr 14, 2017 at 11:39 am

        The problem is, you DID claim that, by implication. I quote, “Most of the manufacturers have produced similarly priced clubs at a similar level of quality all aiming for a share of the same market.” Thus, the clear implication that all other OEMs are all basicaslly in the same boat as per quality-for-price and just not quite up to the quality level of PXG. As a 40+ year verteran in marketing, communications, advertising and promotion, including some years with quality manufacturers such as Ram and Wilson, your points are all well-taken, but actually bordering more closely to the writings of a PKG press release, or some hired PR and publicity gun for Bob Parsons. Nothing wrong with that, really. It is the business you’ve chosen, as some “Godfather” character once said. I’ve written comments before on this website about several PXG-related articles. Since my earlier comments, I’ve actually had an opportunity to hit demos of PXG irons. They feel very solid and even slightly “soft,” although that may be the wrong word. However, in truth, I would say I also have several sets in my closet — Ram Tour Grind irons from the 80s and Ram Pro-Set irons from the early 90s. They all feel just as solid and just as ‘soft.’ Several of these sets are like new and hardly used. I cordially invite Mr. Crawford, or Mr. K from Golfwrx, to buy any of these sets I have in my closet for $3,000 a set.

    • John

      Apr 15, 2017 at 7:20 pm

      I have a set of 0311t irons, my taylormade mc irons which were fitted had lofts and lies all over the place (6 & 7 irons nearly the same loft but EIGHT degrees different lie angle)…. Pxg’s were perfect out of the wrapper (had them checked on arrival). The quality IS better – hard pill to swallow for the cheap skate but it’s the truth. If you want an angle you can argue? They don’t make you shoot lower scores – it’s the Indian not the arrow, you can’t buy a golf game.

      • Kevin

        Apr 16, 2017 at 12:07 am

        LOL. Having proper loft and lie out of the box is not what I would call quality. Sounds like you drank the full bowl of kool-aid.

        • John

          Apr 17, 2017 at 6:20 am

          I would say quality of manufacture and build ARE indicators of quality by definition.

        • ROY

          Apr 17, 2017 at 10:02 am

          SO what would you call having a 6/7 iron “nearly the same loft” with lie angels 8 degrees apart?? Just a bad break from a top quality manufacturer??

  55. Jay

    Apr 14, 2017 at 10:45 am

    I own a luxury car because of the performance and it looks nice. I’ve tried PXG woods and I can honestly say the performance wasn’t as good as the big name brands, and I didn’t really like the way it looked. Oh well. Besides that doesn’t PXG use the same shafts as everyone else? Shaft = engine. That’s where the car analogy goes astray.

  56. Ryan

    Apr 14, 2017 at 10:41 am

    I will say, the one guy at our course who has PXGs also has a staff bag and drives an E63 AMG Black Series. Not only high earners, but people who want you to be WELL AWARE that they are high earners.

  57. Rich

    Apr 14, 2017 at 10:38 am

    Over rated and way over priced. What happened to “The sexiest clubs” claim?

  58. TigerArmy

    Apr 14, 2017 at 10:26 am

    Porsche over Ferrari every day!
    Mizuno over PXG every day!
    iPhoneve Samsung every day!

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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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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s LIV Golf Hong Kong betting preview: Trio of major champs primed for big week

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LIV Golf is set to begin its fourth event of the season at Hong Kong Golf Club in Hong Kong, China. This marks the first time that LIV Golf will travel to China for an event.

Hong Kong Golf Club is a par 70 measuring 6,710 yards. LIV will be using the “Fanling Course” for the event.

While speaking with Asian Tour player Travis Smyth, he gave me a rundown on what it takes to be successful at Hong Kong Golf Club.

“Hong Kong golf club, it’s pretty old school, like super short and tight. And I, I don’t think it falls into like a bomber’s hand. I think you’ll see a lot of guys hitting it to roughly the same spots on the majority of the holes. There’s a few holes where Bryson will be able to unleash a few but not many. When I played here, I hit Hybrid on Par 4’s off the tee maybe like seven times.”

Travis also said that the tight fairways and penal potential misses will keep the bombers at bay.

“It’s just that sort of course you’re hitting it like anywhere from 220 to 240 off the tee. And then from there you have a range of holes where it’s like kind of some sort of wedge or nine. It’s not very long.”

Around the green game will also be tremendously important at Hong Kong Golf Club.

“The greens are small as well and it’s usually quite hard to get up and down if you miss the greens. Someone like Cameron Smith I could see doing really well there. He played well in the international series. but just someone that’s, you know, pretty dolled in with their, their scoring clubs, he’s probably going to do well there.”

Players dialed in with their game from tee to green with control over the golf ball should fare extremely well.

“You can’t really scramble from the trees either. So, you really just have to. I’d, yeah, just whoever’s the best ball striker that week, you can’t really strap it around and fake it around there. You got to hit it straight. The tree lines are dead, there’s some hazards and stuff. It’s a short, tight quirky course, not what any of these guys are probably used to.”

Despite it being short, don’t be surprised if it gives players some real trouble.

“It should be fun viewing because there’ll be a lot of opportunities. They’ll feel like they can go low around there because it’s short but, you know, you make a few bogeys, and you get quite frustrated, and you start pushing off the tee and find some trouble and stuff. It can eat you up as well.”

Smyth finished 2nd at Hong Kong Golf Club to qualify for the 2023 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.

Past Winners at Hong Kong Golf Club

  • 2023: Ben Campbell (-19)
  • 2022: Wade Ormsby (-17)
  • 2018: Aaron Rai (-17)
  • 2017: Wade Ormsby (-11)
  • 2016: Sam Brazel (-13)
  • 2015: Justin Rose (-19)
  • 2014: Scott Hend (-13)
  • 2013: Miguel Angel Jiminez (-12)

The top of the board once again will be a major threat this week. Jon Rahm is still in search of his first win on LIV and has been knocking at the door in each of his first three starts. Brooks Koepka hasn’t yet contended but is playing steady golf and has yet to shoot a round outside of the 60’s this season. Joaquin Niemann is the hottest player on the planet and has shown no signs of slowing down.

However, on a golf course that can neutralize the big hitters, this is an event that seems a bit more up for grabs than we’ve seen in the first three LIV events.

LIV Golf Stats YTD

 

2024 LIV Hong Kong Picks

Cameron Smith +2000 (Bet365, BetRivers)

It’s been a slow start for Cam Smith this season. In his three starts on LIV, he’s finished T8, T15, T41 and has yet to look like the Cam that is one of the best players in the world. Hong Kong Golf Club should be the perfect course fit to get the former Open Champion out of his slump.

Hong Kong Golf Club is tight off the tee, and many players won’t be able to hit driver. That will neutralize some of the best drivers of the golf ball in the field and propel players like Cam, who are almost unbeatable from fairway to green. Cam’s driver has been a weakness throughout his career, and it’s been especially pronounced this season. He’s tied for 51st in fairways hit thus far on the season. Taking driver out of his hand this week could be exactly what he needs to get on track.

Despite the poor tee balls, Smith still ranks 1st in putting and 5th in birdies made. He’s also a great scrambler, and with small greens at the course, having to get up and down is inevitable. If he can play from the fairway this week, he should have a major advantage in the other facets of the game.

Louis Oosthuizen +2000 (DraftKings)

Louis Oosthuizen should be an absolutely perfect fit for Hong Kong Golf Club. The South African has been remarkably consistent over the past few months dating back to the fall, where he won two consecutive DP World Tour events and also finished 2nd at the International Series Oman. In his three LIV starts this year, Louis has finished T8 at LIV Mayakoba, 50th at LIV Las Vegas and T2 at LIV Jeddah.

Louis is relatively short off the tee and that won’t hurt him this week. He is one of the best putters and scrambler on LIV, and his silky-smooth swing looks as dialed in as ever at the moment. He’s yet to win a LIV event, but a victory for Louis seems imminent.

Patrick Reed +5000 (FanDuel)

Patrick Reed is another play who’s yet to win a LIV event but has been a winner throughout his entire career. The former Masters champion should love Hong Kong Golf Club as it will play to his strengths on and around the greens.

Reed played on the Asian Tour this fall and finished T15 at the Hong Kong Open and T7 at the Indonesian Masters. The experience in Asia this season should be a benefit for Reed acclimating to the travel and conditions this week.

The 34-year-old should benefit from taking driver out of his hand and similar to Smith, can beat anyone in the world if the tournament become a short game competition.

*Featured Image and Stats Image courtesy of LIV Golf*

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