Opinion & Analysis

Louisville Golf: Post time for persimmon

Published

5 years ago

Dec 11, 2018

“I knew I had to give it a shot. If I had tried and it didn’t work out, I would’ve been okay with that. But I had to go after my passion and see where it went.”

Jeremy Wright gets it. Taking over at Louisville Golf is not for everybody. This isn’t a multi-billion-dollar revenue generating machine with private research facilities and elaborate corporate complexes. It’s not about money…or fame…or 385-yard drives. Gerard Just, the youngest of the Just brothers who started Louisville Golf might have summed it up best:

“You know, I guess you could say we’re simple people. We don’t really go on vacations. But we work hard and we enjoy what we do. We don’t make a lot of money. I don’t think my kids could afford to work here to be honest, but they hate their jobs. We never really had that problem.”

Louisville Golf was established in 1974 by Elmore Just and Steve Taylor when they left Hillerich & Bradsby (crafters of Louisville Slugger baseball bats and Power-Bilt golf clubs). Elmore ran the business side of the company and Steve oversaw the manufacturing aspect. Back then, in the heyday of persimmon, the club manufacturers were on an allotment. Since persimmon (remarkably well-suited for golf clubs due to its strength and density) is a relatively slow-growing wood, there was only so much material to go around and upstart Louisville Golf had to fight for every block they got. Eventually, they built the business into a major player, making 800 clubs a day for the likes of Hogan, MacGregor, Wilson, Spalding, and others.

Master models for Louisville Golf persimmon club heads

Some of Louisville Golf’s more well-known woods that won on the PGA Tour were the Wilson Whale that Payne Stewart used to win the 1989 PGA Championship and the Hogan Apex that Tom Kite used to win the 1992 US Open at Pebble Beach. Then metal woods came into the picture and sales dwindled. When Callaway launched the Big Bertha, sales basically dried up overnight.

Though metal woods took off like a rocket in the 1990’s, there were some holdouts. Justin Leonard, Davis Love III, and Mark Calcavecchia held onto their persimmon woods into the late 90s. The last man standing was widely considered to be Bob Estes, who used his Louisville Golf Smart ProBE (a club Just developed specifically for Estes) in the Accenture Match Play in 2001.

When Elmore Just passed away in April of 2001, his brother Mike assumed control of the company. Elmore is actually buried at Persimmon Ridge Golf Club in Louisville, an Arthur Hills course he developed in the 1980’s. When Mike took the reins, though the company had successfully limped along through the metal wood revolution, the hard reality was that they needed to reinvent themselves if they were going to remain profitable. Mike left his mark on the company in 2004 by deciding to leverage Louisville Golf’s unique expertise into crafting period-correct hickory shafted golf clubs and restoring vintage specimens. That decision marked a resurgence of sorts, as the niche has served Louisville Golf well. Today, Louisville Golf and St. Andrews Golf Co. are the only large scale manufacturers of such equipment.

Louisville Golf club heads ready for final assembly

It’s a peculiar set of circumstances to be sure, but oddly enough, many golfers in the 21st century have found Louisville Golf through 100-year-old golf clubs. This is exactly how Jeremy Wright came into the picture. Jeremy was a medical sales representative in Houston, TX with a wife, three kids, and a serious golfing hobby. He had recently gone on a search for an exotic shaft upgrade for his Scotty Cameron putter. On a whim, he googled wooden shafts, stumbled across hickory golf clubs, and the rest was history.

“One of the things I learned in that search was that, when the golf industry transitioned from hickory shafts to steel, a lot of players either kept their old hickory putters or would fit their new putters with hickory shafts for decades after that transition because the feel was so much better.

“So I kept digging into hickory golf and tried to learn what it was all about. I discovered there were hickory tournaments and the winners shot like 75-78 and I thought, ‘I can do that. I’m going to get a hickory set together and figure this out.’ From that point on, I was hooked. There was no going back.”

So hooked, in fact, that when Jeremy heard the Just family was fielding offers for the company as a result of Mike’s passing in October of 2016, he put his name in the hat. It just so happened that Jeremy and his wife were both at a point in their careers where they were looking for more. Burned out and tired of the cyclical corporate rat race, they decided to go all-in on Jeremy’s passion, submitted an offer to the Just family, and ultimately were selected from multiple potential suitors to carry on the legacy of the company.

Sole plates for Louisville Golf persimmon fairway woods

As for where Louisville Golf goes from here, you can probably expect a lot more of what got them here in the first place. After all, one of the biggest reasons Jeremy was selected to take the reins at Louisville Golf was his commitment to preserving its heritage. Louisville Golf may not be rubbing elbows with the major OEM’s anymore, but these days, they’re not trying to either. Just like the rest of us golfers, they’re getting by with grit, optimism, and respect for the game. They’ve also seen the fortunate bounces and bad lies that come with a life dedicated to golf, but as the old adage says, the most important shot is always the next one. Time marches on. And so does Louisville Golf. They remain committed to what has brought them this far and see that as a springboard into the future.

“We’ve got some products in the works that I think are really innovative and will show what persimmon is really capable of. I think if you’re a better player who can find the sweet spot on a consistent basis, you really should think seriously about persimmon. Especially if you’re looking to get a specific yardage out of your clubs like with a fairway wood or hybrid. There was a video circulating a few years ago with Rickie Fowler using a steel shafted persimmon fairway wood and he was getting a 1.49 smash factor. You can’t get much better than that. The way the bulge and roll is shaped on a persimmon wood and also the location of the CG allows for a bigger gear effect than modern titanium woods. Persimmons do impart more spin on the ball (especially on a mishit), so we acknowledge the ball may not go as far, but that spin also brings the ball back to the target, too. That’s one of the biggest advantages of persimmon. You’ll be shorter but in the fairway as opposed to long and in the trees.

“The people that find us are looking for a deeper connection to the tradition and the spirit of the game. They’re tired of paying for marketing fluff and silly catch phrases. We make viable alternatives for the modern golfer, we make classic reproductions of the steel shaft/persimmon head era of golf, and we make spot-on hickory shafted clubs as well, so we think we have a place in just about everyone’s bag depending on how you prefer to experience the game. Nothing compares to the joy of a purely struck golf shot with a wooden golf club. You just feel like you’re playing golf the way it was meant to be played.”

A visit to Louisville Golf reveals a group of people who have dedicated their lives to exactly that: playing the game the way it was meant to be played. Hard work, attention to detail, a commitment to quality, and having a lot of fun along the way are the hallmarks of their operation. One strike directly on that persimmon sweet spot will send all of those vibes straight into your bones. Playing golf with persimmon woods in the 21st century may be taking the road less traveled, but it could make all the difference.

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Peter Schmitt

Peter Schmitt is an avid golfer trying to get better every day, the definition of which changes relatively frequently. He believes that first and foremost, golf should be an enjoyable experience. Always. Peter is a former Marine and a full-time mechanical engineer (outside of the golf industry). He lives in Lexington, KY with his wife and two young kids. "What other people may find in poetry or art museums, I find in the flight of a good drive." -Arnold Palmer

39 Comments

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John L.

Dec 16, 2018 at 4:29 pm

Fantastic article. I’m an avid golfer who caddied and began playing during the late persimmon era of the 1980s, but, like many others, jumped to metal woods in search of more distance…under the mistaken notion that more distance would equal more “fun”.

Several years ago, after burning out after buying the latest $400 460cc monster driver, I finally realized the error of my ways. I abandoned the 7,200 yard tees and moved up to 6,300…and began playing either a set of vintage steel shafted blades and persimmon woods or a set of hickory shafted clubs with persimmon heads.

Golf is once again fun…and I am now playing golf SHOTS, and not just the bomb & gouge game of “hit”.

Thank you Louisville and Jeremy. I own several of your clubs and I love them !!! You are restoring the art of shotmaking to the game…and bringing back the fun as well.

Well played Sir…well played.

Reply Report comment
sergizmo

Dec 15, 2018 at 9:56 pm

Hopefully Louisville can survive and possibly thrive going forward. Probably the one “made in USA” club manufacturer left.

In 2019 I’m gaming 1-3-5 Classic 50’s woods all year. Bought them several years ago direct from Lousiville and played them on and off but not all year. I need t commit to it. It’s so much more enjoyable than the modern stuff. I also have a Smart Pro BE with graphite and a steel shafted 9 Niblick but don’t get along with them as much as the Classic 50s.

Thank you Just family for your excellent customer service, craftsmanship, value (for the work that goes into these things, they are very reasonable) and left handed availability.

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stevek

Dec 13, 2018 at 3:32 pm

A persimmon driver head with a stiff steel shaft is completely different than one with a whippy hickory shaft. Why?

Reply Report comment
Ed Nelson

Dec 13, 2018 at 7:42 am

I worked at LG between the peak and trough of persimmon. I consider it an honor. I played golf at Persimmon Ridge with Mike in a regular Saturday foursome. I still remember fondly rounds in the high humidity of the Ohio River Valley, carrying our clubs and experiencing golf as it was meant to be—-tough!

Reply Report comment
jack

Dec 13, 2018 at 6:33 am

not post time for persimmon but “past” time …

Reply Report comment
James Bucher

Dec 12, 2018 at 11:30 pm

A nice read about the folks at LG. I learned about them when I first started playing hickory golf. There is nothing like striping a hickory driver straight down the fairway! It really surprises me that more people don’t play and practice with Hickory/ classic persimmon clubs. When going back to my modern clubs after playing Hickory clubs my ball striking is more pure.
OGO put your modern bag in the corner and play with some Hickory clubs and find out if you play them?

Reply Report comment
- Dick Verinder
  
  Dec 14, 2018 at 11:39 am
  
  My modern bag and clubs is no longer ‘in the corner’; not even in the garage – tis a vague memory of long ago. Louisville’s hickories are a blessing for older golfers.
  
  Reply Report comment
Keith Finley

Dec 12, 2018 at 5:32 pm

I still practice with my MacGregor Jumbo Ozaki model. Has a factory Aldila HM 40. Great club.

Reply Report comment
Loy Seal

Dec 12, 2018 at 3:48 pm

I began working on clubs in 1974 and soon discovered Louisville Golf. I sold a lot of drivers made with their heads and still have my personal driver (deep face, mahogany finish with my Seal logo on the crown, DGS300 shaft and Victory grip). I will have to put it back in my bag to try again. I don’t know about the stiff shaft though.

One of my favorite things to do was to refinish persimmon woods back to the factory finish, complete with the factory decals. I made a lot of money with persimmon.

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TONEY P

Dec 12, 2018 at 1:30 pm

I started hitting golf balls with a few hickory clubs my dad had. Nothing felt better than a well striped shot and persimmon heads were beautiful. Golf has changed alot since then.

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Jim Lynch

Dec 12, 2018 at 12:35 pm

I’ve been a club builder since the mid-80’s (my pro still asks me to whip the random persimmon head coming in for repairs cause he can’t do it!) and recall “buying out” a lot of the inventory of LG when they were winding down and almost OOB back in maybe 1989-ish? I still have a few boxes of pre-whipped heads and some one-offs that I can’t seem to part with. Great company and thank God they are still around and thriving. I do some business with Linksoul and saw that they have their own line of LG-built woods at some serious prices. Kudos to them as well for helping to keep persimmon out there and available to a new generation. As far as the technical discussion about playability…I took my DG S300 shafted circa-’88 LG #4 wood out to the range to compare with my Ping hybrids last fall and it flew by my 18-degree G30 by at least 10 yards. No lie. All day. It’s back in the bag already.

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Tom Wishon

Dec 12, 2018 at 12:17 pm

It truly was one of my greatest honors and memories to have been friends and to have worked in business with the Just brothers, Elmore, Mike and Ron as well as the superb people who shared the vision including Art Henry and Mike Lenahan. These were people who did it for the right reasons – pride and craftsmanship with money way down the list. Elmore also was the vision behind forming the first professional organization for custom clubmakers and his commitment to the game through the development of the Persimmon Ridge GC was just an overflow of the golf passion he had and his brothers shared. I’m pleased to hear that the company is going forward because the world and the golf industry needs more companies and people like this. Good on you Peter Schmitt for shining a light on Louisville Golf.

Reply Report comment
- Peter Schmitt
  
  Dec 13, 2018 at 9:47 am
  
  Thanks for chiming in, Tom! Cheers!
  
  Reply Report comment
David Palosaari

Dec 12, 2018 at 11:33 am

I am your typical 61 year old hack. Used set of Hogan Apex was my first set of clubs.
I think I was reading an article about this company and called them to see what they were all about. I talked with Elmore must have been a year or two before he passed 99,2000 somewhere in there I believe. So excited to talk about their clubs. So I bought a driver. Most beautiful club I own! I am proud to say I own a Louisville Golf driver! Now I don’t use it because I don’t want to scuff it up. I actually think the old blades and persimmon woods tended to make us TRY and hit the ball more squarely. Great article thanks

Reply Report comment
joro

Dec 12, 2018 at 11:15 am

As an old wood club maker I did all the custom clubs for the Pros and others. We made some good Woods at Cobra in the 70s and early 80s until Metal took over. They required a lot of steps to make and build in the desired specs;, but it was really fun. They weren’t as long as todays Drivers but the feel and sound was wonderful. I would like to go back to those days on the Tour so the Bombers would have to work harder and use their skills more. The 450 Par 4s would not be a drive and a wedge, and although they would still be the longest it would help equalize things for the shorter hitter.

Their is nothing like hitting a good shot with wood,

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Locust

Dec 12, 2018 at 8:37 am

Peter, well done my friend. I have been following your persimmon journey along with the Louisville Golf renaissance for the past year or so. I sense the momentum created by those of us who are tired of the game being bastardized by over commercialization. As many people have come to realize, the game has grown too far way from it’s roots. Jeremy Wright is a pleasure to work with and I encourage everyone to take a strong look at his company. The craftsmanship at Louisville is undeniable. Playing persimmon will help you find your game, and quite possibly, even your soul.

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Brad

Dec 12, 2018 at 2:48 am

This is real, honest golf. I admit that I do love smashing metal “woods” miles down the fairway. But, there is something about hitting a real wood right out of the middle that nothing can quite beat.

Reply Report comment
- Peter Schmitt
  
  Dec 12, 2018 at 9:11 am
  
  Well said. Cheers to that!
  
  Reply Report comment
David Perez

Dec 11, 2018 at 8:40 pm

As Jeremy’s former medical sales partner in Houston, I can attest to His passion for Golf. He is a student of the game and I’m just so happy he is one of the “lucky ones” who had not only the ability, but guts to go all-in on something he loves every single day! He was a successful medical sales Consultant (not rep, as he was probably being modest in his description of his former glory days) and I’m not surprised at his commitment and success in this endeavor. All the best to you, Jeremy. May every drive be straight and true. dp

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chuck harvey iv

Dec 11, 2018 at 8:27 pm

It has been a long time since I played persimmon, when I rarely missed a fairway. I used Bailey&Izett woods persimmon & still have my 3&4 wood. Would love to have a driver. Keep us informed. The best to you.

Chuck

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Scott

Dec 11, 2018 at 6:47 pm

Well done, Peter! Jeremy and the incredible craftsman at LG ensure the finest replicated hickory clubs available. The hickory game encompasses ALL aspects of the way the game used to be…and what it has seemingly lost over time. The style (knickers/Plus Fours), artistry, camraderie, fine scotch (wee nip), and required skill are all part of the true experience. I hope empassioned, distinguished players will take a moment to google “hickory golf”, visit sites like the Society of Hickory Golfers, and consider expanding and enriching their connection to the game…and the people with whom they share it. There are growing groups, hickory days, and tournaments in all regions of the country…and all are welcomed by deep sincere friendship, rarely found in the modern game. If golf is in your soul, come play
the hickory game…a tie that binds.
Visit: http://www.hickorygolfers.com

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- ogo
  
  Dec 11, 2018 at 8:08 pm
  
  Not for the average recreational golfer who can’t break 100 honestly by the rules. A lovely persimmon driver in their hands would be scuffed with skymarks all over the varnish paint finish to reveal his abject incompetence and clownish play.
  
  Reply Report comment
James Kaiser

Dec 11, 2018 at 6:26 pm

Jeremy Wright is a very humble person. He shot 66- 72 to win the Heart of America by a bunch of shots this past summer, he’s one so many modern day hickory titles it would make your head spin, he is sort of like the new Tiger Woods of Hickory golf taking the title over from Randy Jensen. He also won the Foxboro Hickory championships playing reproduction Gutty Percha balls and set a course record he’s an amazing golfer. By the way Andy Just also won the Natuonal Hickory Golf Championship and is an amazing hickory golfer. I can pretty much guarantee you that if Andy or Jeremy play Tiger Woods and it was Tigers first time playing hickory golf he would get a run for his money by either one of these golfers. Been trying to get Justin Thomas out to play these guys too but Justin must be scared to play them????

Reply Report comment
- ogo
  
  Dec 11, 2018 at 8:03 pm
  
  … on a 5200 yard golf course…?!!
  
  Reply Report comment
Andrew Just

Dec 11, 2018 at 5:58 pm

Great article here. As the son of Elmore Just and a man who wanted to take over the business, I can honestly – jeremy is right for LG. I wish them nothing but the best. I am a lifelong tried and true customer who uses LG in both modern and hickory play.

Reply Report comment
- Peter Schmitt
  
  Dec 11, 2018 at 6:24 pm
  
  Hi Andrew! Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the kind words. Your family started something very special that you are no doubt very proud of so I consider your opinion high praise indeed. I look forward to building a proper stable of Louisville Golf clubs myself in the (hopefully) near future.
  
  Reply Report comment
Robert T Leonard

Dec 11, 2018 at 5:21 pm

I have beautiful persimmons (refinished Clevelands from the 80’s) that I might like to occasionally play with. I usually play with ProV1’s or TP5’s golf balls. Should I play with a softer ball if using persimmon woods?

Reply Report comment
- Peter Schmitt
  
  Dec 11, 2018 at 5:56 pm
  
  Yes I would advise a softer ball. The Wilson Duo lineup is very popular among the persimmon crowd due to its low compression. I think Chrome Soft (not the X) is relatively low as well. You’ll also find the feel to be super addicting IMO. Happy hunting. Isn’t it fun?
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Robert T Leonard
    
    Dec 11, 2018 at 6:37 pm
    
    Will try the Wilson. Thank you.
    
    Reply Report comment
Steve

Dec 11, 2018 at 2:28 pm

I have a set, driver and niblicks… the niblicks are a great idea except that I play on a lot of hardpan… the driver is brilliant, but I mostly use it for practice.

Reply Report comment
ogo

Dec 11, 2018 at 2:16 pm

Persimmon… no COR… no weight adjustment… no 460cc… no hosel adjustments… no impact crack… no annual status model change… just wood body, plastic faceplate, lead backweight, steel soleplate and varnish. That’s no fuuun…. 😛

Reply Report comment
- Peter Schmitt
  
  Dec 11, 2018 at 4:31 pm
  
  If memory serves me right, I think the COR for a persimmon wood is generally around 0.78 for what it’s worth. Not exactly right at the 0.83 limit, but no slouch either. And Jeremy actually showed me a vintage hickory shafted persimmon wood with an adjustable hosel, so it was actually done long before it was considered “cool.”
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Andrew Just
    
    Dec 11, 2018 at 6:01 pm
    
    People freak out when I hit a PROV1 with hickory shafts and Persimmon heads further than their Taylor Mades
    
    Reply Report comment
  - ogo
    
    Dec 11, 2018 at 8:00 pm
    
    Thank you for your brave presence on this open fine forum provided by the fine GWRX folks… your personal responses are appreciated. Now… do you own a persimmon driver? I do, an old Powerbilt driver with an A-flex steel shaft, not exactly hickory. I love that or gasmic {{{THUD}}} upon impact between the scr ews… it’s glorious …!!
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Peter Schmitt
      
      Dec 11, 2018 at 9:10 pm
      
      I own several steel-shafted persimmon woods and am hoping to dive head first into the hickory shafted realm in the near future. Like most people, I left persimmon behind back in the 90’s. Once I went back, though, I kind of forgot why I left. When you hit a balata ball perfectly with a persimmon wood, it changes you….
      
      Reply Report comment
      - Tay
        
        Dec 14, 2018 at 2:32 pm
        
        You would love the hickory game. Give it a try. For me, it was like learning the game all over again (in a good way).
        
        Reply Report comment
A. Commoner

Dec 11, 2018 at 1:50 pm

A really good article. We could use more writing like this.

Reply Report comment
- Peter Schmitt
  
  Dec 11, 2018 at 3:10 pm
  
  We could use more comments like this too! Appreciate the kind words.
  
  Reply Report comment

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19th Hole

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

Published

1 day ago

Apr 15, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

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

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

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

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

Past Winners at Harbour Town

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

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

Key Stats For Harbour Town

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

Strokes Gained: Approach

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

Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds

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

Good Drive %

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

Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds

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

Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye Designs

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

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

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

4. Strokes Gained: Short Game (Bermuda)

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

SG: SG Over Past 24 Rounds

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

5. Greens in Regulation %

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

Greens in Regulation % over past 24 rounds:

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

6. Course History

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

Course History over past 24 rounds:

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

The RBC Heritage Model Rankings

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

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

2024 RBC Heritage Picks

Patrick Cantlay +2000 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

Tommy Fleetwood +3000 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

Cameron Young +3300 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

Corey Conners +5500 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

Shane Lowry (+7500) (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

Lucas Glover +12000 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

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Vincenzi: The 6 biggest takeaways from the 2024 Masters

Published

1 day ago

Apr 15, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

The 2024 Masters offered up plenty of excitement throughout the week with Scottie Scheffler delivering when it mattered to live up to his pre-tournament favorite tag. With the year’s opening major now in the books, here are my six biggest takeaways from the 2024 Masters.

Scheffler In a League of His Own

In the most impressive way possible, Scottie Scheffler won the Masters without having his absolute best stuff. For the week, Scottie ranked 19th in Strokes Gained: Approach, which is a category the number player in the world typically dusts the rest of the field in. After a strong approach day on Thursday, the 27-year-old lost strokes to the field on approach on Friday and Saturday, before gaining on Sunday. The iron performance was more than solid, but it was an all-around game that helped Scheffler get it done around Augusta National.

For a year or more, the narrative around Scheffler has been, “With his ball striking, if he can just putt to field average, he’ll be unbeatable.” At Augusta, his ball striking came back down to earth, but his touch around the greens and ability to manage the golf course demonstrated why he is the best player on the planet right now. For the week, Scheffler ranked 1st in the field in Strokes Gained: Around the Green and 24th in Strokes Gained: Putting.

For the time being, there is a major gap between Scottie Scheffler and the second-best player in the world, whoever that may be.

The Future is Now

Ludvig Aberg went into his first back-nine at the Masters with a legitimate shot to win the tournament. When he teed it up on the treacherous 11th hole, he was one behind Scottie Scheffler, who had just stuck one to a few feet on the 9th. By the time he approached his tee shot, which was perfectly striped down the left side of the fairway, he was two behind. Unfortunately, the 24-year-old got too aggressive with his approach at the 11th and found the water, making double bogey. Ludvig rebounded nicely and finished the event in solo second place.

With the Masters now in the rearview, it’s never been more evident that Ludvig Aberg is no longer an “up-and-comer” — he has arrived. The Swede has been an integral part of a winning European Ryder Cup team and has now contended at Augusta National. With a calm demeanor, a picture-perfect swing, and a build and stature that appears as if it was built in a lab, Ludvig Aberg is already amongst the world’s best. I’d be extremely surprised if he wasn’t in the mix at next month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla.

Nostalgia Wins

I try to avoid as many cliches as possible, but there’s something about the Masters that brings out the sentimentality in me. Tiger Woods strategically making his way around Augusta National without all of the physical tools that made him arguably the most dominant athlete in the history of sports will always be riveting, regardless of what score he shoots. Woods made it interesting until a tough stretch of holes on Saturday, but he ultimately wore down, shooting 16 over for the week in difficult conditions. It’s remarkable that the 15-time major champion was able to put together a few solid rounds of golf despite barely playing any competitive golf in 2024. As long as Woods tees it up at Augusta, we will all continue to be mesmerized by it.

Verne Lundquist’s 40th and final Masters Tournament was also a must-watch aspect of the event. The iconic voice of Lundquist and his calls throughout the years still give me chills each time I hear them. Verne is an icon of the game and will be missed in future renditions of the Masters.

The Masters also brings another element that is unique to the tournament. Former champions turn back the clock to battle with the golf course again which creates some amazing stories. There are a few that stick out this year and were an absolute pleasure to witness. 61-year-old Vijay Singh made the cut for the first time since 2018 and shot a pretty incredible even-par, 72 on Sunday. 58-year-old José María Olazábal made the cut as well, reminding us why fellow Spaniard Jon Rahm sought his valuable advice prior to his Masters victory in 2022.

Regardless of who wins, the Masters always delivers.

Bryson Moves the Needle

Plenty will disagree with me on this point, but outside of Tiger Woods, and potentially Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, no one moves the needle in golf as much as Bryson DeChambeau. The uniqueness in which Bryson approaches the game has always been fascinating, and if he gets near the top of the leaderboard at any major championship, whether it’s to root for him or against him, people are interested.

It began on Monday with a pretty bizarre story of DeChambeau using 3D-printed irons that got just got cleared for use by the USGA when the week began. It once again felt like a storyline that would only be possible with a character as eccentric as Bryson. He then raced off to a first-round lead in tough conditions, reminding the world of what made him such a great golfer to begin with. He made some mistakes on the weekend, but still finished a career best T6 at The Masters.

Bryson is more than just quirky; he is a former U.S. Amateur Champion and U.S. Open who I believe will contend for more majors in the future. I will continue to root for DeChambeau, but I’m perfectly content with the fact that plenty will root against him, and I encourage those people to do so. That’s what makes it fun.

LIV Walks Away Empty-Handed

Last year, there were a multitude of questions about LIV players coming into the year’s first major. They had played very limited tournament golf, and critics of LIV questioned whether the 54-hole events were enough to sharpen the players enough to compete against the best in the world on the biggest stage.

The results were fascinating, with LIV players all over the leaderboard. Brooks Koepka held the 36- and 54-hole lead, with Phil Mickelson and Patrick Reed finishing T2 and T4, giving LIV three golfers in the top-4 of the leaderboard.

This season, with even more time removed and with some more massive additions to the roster, the intrigue surrounding LIV players at Augusta was once again palpable. While some players, including Bryson DeChambeau, exceeded expectations, I can’t help but walk away from the Masters feeling underwhelmed by the performance of the LIV players.

Brooks Koepka finished runner-up last season and is a certified major championship killer. The 5-time major champ was never involved and simply didn’t have it at Augusta. Dustin Johnson put together a putrid performance, shooting 13 over for his two rounds, making it fair to wonder if his days of contending at major championships are over as he rapidly approaches his 40th birthday.

Jon Rahm and Joaquin Niemann were both players who were amongst the favorites this week, but Rahm was faced with the daunting duties of defending champion and Niemann proved he was still not quite ready to master the quirks of Augusta National, bleeding strokes both around and on the greens.

To be fair, when all was said and done, LIV had four players in the top twelve at The Masters. Tyrrell Hatton stormed the leaderboard early on Sunday, finishing T9 and earning himself an invite back to Augusta next season. Cam Smith and Patrick Reed put together gritty performances, which isn’t too surprising considering the fact that they both absolutely love Augusta National, but neither ever felt a real threat to win. There’s no doubt the players on LIV are good, and that’s why some encouraging leaderboard positions aren’t enough. They needed to contend.

With no players part of the storyline on Sunday, I view the first major of the year as a disappointment for LIV. The players will head into next month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla with a lot to prove.

Rory’s Struggles Continues

Rory struggling at Augusta National is no surprise at this point. The four-time major champion has now had 10 attempts to complete the career grand slam and has never had a chance to win. His T2 in 2022 was deceiving, the Northern Irishman stormed the leaderboard on Sunday, but was never in contention, and never got within three shots of the winner, Scottie Scheffler.

I didn’t expect Rory to win, but I have to admit that this year felt a bit different. McIlroy played the week prior to the Masters, which he typically doesn’t do, and finished third at the Valero Texas Open. He gained 7.56 strokes on approach and 2.0 strokes off the tee, which told me that his visit with world-renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, after the Players Championship paid dividends.

McIlroy also approached the media quite differently. He cut his pre-tournament press conference short after only 10 minutes and seemed to be laser-focused on just playing golf.

Despite the different approach to the Masters, the results were the same. McIlroy struggled over the course of the week, finishing T22 (+4) and never sniffed a decent weekend position on the leaderboard. It’s back to the drawing board for McIlroy, and I have doubts that he will ever figure it out at Augusta.

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Vincenzi: The 8 best prop bets for the 2024 Masters

Published

1 week ago

Apr 9, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

We’ve finally reached The Masters and excitement is at an all-time high. The world of golf has been fractured for the better part of two years, but for a week at Augusta National, all of the outside noise will disappear. All of the best players in the world will be together seeking to make history.

RELATED: Vincenzi’s 2024 Masters betting preview: Niemann to play star role at Augusta National

In addition to betting on The Masters champion. This is one of the few weeks of the year where there are so many more markets to explore, with value to be had in plenty of different categories.

Throughout this article, I’ll discuss all of my favorite props and players for the 2024 Masters.

Placement Bets:

Tony Finau Top 5 +750 (DraftKings):

I badly wanted to include Tony Finau in my outright betting selections, but I simply ran out of room on my card. Additionally, it’s slightly difficult to see him hitting the putts necessary to win the Masters on back nine on Sunday. However, I do strongly believe he will play great golf this week at Augusta National.

In his past 24 rounds, Finau ranks 4th in Strokes Gained: Approach is always amongst the best drivers of the golf ball in the game. Back in 2019, Finau had a great chance to win The Masters. I expect him to be hanging around over the weekend once again in 2024.

Gary Woodland Top 20 +550 (DraftKings), Gary Woodland to make the cut -110 (DraftKings):

Last season, Gary Woodland had his best ever finish at The Masters in his eleven tries. The 39-year-old finished T14 and played incredibly steady across all four rounds.

In Woodland’s most recent start at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, he struck the ball incredibly well. He led the field in Strokes Gained: Approach (+8.8) and Strokes Gained: Ball Striking (+10.0).

Gary has been working with Butch Harmon and absolutely flushing the ball both in tournaments and during practice.

Woodland appears to be healthy once again and in a great place physically and mentally. If he can build off his impressive performance at Augusta last year, he can place inside the top ten in 2024.

Additionally, the make the cut number on Woodland seems generous considering the number of players who miss the cut will be relatively small this week. Woodland is striking it well enough to make the cut even if he’s hindered by a balky putter once again.

Thorbjorn Olesen Top 20 +400 (FanDuel):

The Thunder Bear, Thorbjorn Olesen, made his Masters debut in 2013 and finished an incredibly impressive T6 for the week. In the two additional starts he’s made at Augusta National since then, the Dane has continued to be incredibly solid, finishing T44 and T21.

This week, Olesen heads into the week playing some good golf. He gained 3.8 strokes on approach and 5.52 strokes around the green at last week’s Valero Texas Open on his way to a strong T14 finish. Back in January, he won the Ras Al Khaimah Championship on the DP World Tour.

Olesen has the skill set to be successful at Augusta and seems primed for a good performance this week.

Top Nationalities:

Sergio Garcia Top Spanish Player +280 (DraftKings):

I believe Sergio Garcia can get into contention this week with the way he’s striking the ball in addition to his good vibes with a refurbished version of the Scotty Cameron that he used at the 1999 PGA Championship at Medinah.

I am slightly concerned about the emotional letdown he may face after losing in a playoff at LIV Miami, but I believe a veteran and former Masters champion should be able to regroup and focus on an event far more meaningful.

This is essentially a tournament head-to-head with Jon Rahm at +280. While Rahm deserves to be respected this week, the history of the lack of success of defending champions at The Masters is difficult to ignore.

Joaquin Niemann Top South American Player -230 (FanDuel):

While I hate paying this much juice, I don’t see a world in which Joaquin Niemann isn’t the top South American this week at The Masters. Joaco comes in playing better golf than anyone in the world not named Scottie Scheffler and has a serious chance to win the green jacket.

He only needs to beat two players: Emiliano Grillo and Camilo Villegas.

Tournament Head-to-Heads:

Justin Thomas -110 over Collin Morikawa

JT isn’t having his best season but is playing a lot better than he is getting credit for at the moment. In the past three months, there are only six players on the PGA Tour who have averaged 1.7 Strokes Gained: Tee to Green or better. Justin Thomas (+1.7) is one of the six and is currently tied with Rory McIlroy (+1.7).

Morikawa, on the other hand, has been extremely poor with his irons, which is incredibly uncharacteristic for him. I can’t help but feel like something is completely off with the two-time major champion.

Tony Finau -110 over Wyndham Clark

I explained in the placement section why I’m so high on Tony Finau this week. With how well he’s striking the ball, it seems as if his floor is extremely high. I’m not sure if he can make the putts to win a green jacket but I believe he will be in the mix similarly to 2019 when Tiger Woods emerged from a crowded pack of contenders.

Clark is a debutant, and while some debutants have had success at The Masters, it certainly poses a challenge. I also don’t believe Augusta National suits Clark as well as some of the other major championship venues.

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