Opinion & Analysis

Professional Golf Management: The real story from PGM Program grads

Published

5 years ago

Mar 30, 2019

The PGA Golf Management University Program (PGM), a 4.5- to 5-year college curriculum for aspiring PGA Professionals is offered at PGA accredited universities nationwide. The program provides students the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for success in the golf industry through extensive classroom studies and internship experience. When you graduate, in addition to your college degree, you become a PGA member with 100 percent job placement.

One school which offers the program is the University of Nevada at Las Vegas (UNLV). At UNLV, the PGM program falls within the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration. According to QS World University Rankings, the school is the No. 1 school in the world for hospitality and leisure. Several other tier-one schools including Penn State (#59), Clemson (#66), NC State (#80) and University of Nebraska (#129).

The Experience

To better understand the experience of a PGM student, I reached out to Sean Fairholm. Sean is a graduate of North Carolina State University who now writes full time for Global Golf Post. According to Sean,

“I arrived on campus at NC State in 2010 with the intention of being a head professional at a golf course, a common aspiration for kids starting PGM. After my first internship, I realized that writing about golf for the student newspaper was more rewarding for me than standing in a pro shop. Nobody had ever gone through the program with the intent of being a journalist, so I feared my time in the program would end. I couldn’t have been more incorrect. The faculty at NC State (Andy Betz, Rob Wade, Susan Colby) fully embraced what was a foreign concept — they pushed for me to get an internship with PGA Magazine and even hung my first published article in the PGM office. They rallied around the idea of me becoming an A-18 (Golf Media) PGA Pro, and I’m extremely thankful for that.”

This experience is echoed by Josh Salmon, the assistant director of PGM program at New Mexico State (NMSU) and former student there

“PGM provides a special environment with people who have a passion for golf and love mentoring youth. I chose NMSU because of this passion and it made all the difference; providing me with a home now, wherever day I get to share my passion with young people as a program coordinator of the program.”

Player Development

Many of the PGM programs have extremely strong player development programs including access to on-campus golf courses at places like Penn State, Coastal Carolina University, North Carolina State, Clemson, Methodist, New Mexico State, Mississippi State, Sam Houston State and Eastern Kentucky.

The programs also have outstanding faculty who are there to help players develop, people like Henry Stetina. A graduate from New Mexico State University, Henry has won both the Sun Country PGA teacher of the year award, as well as the PGA Youth Development Award; or Eric Handley, a Senior Instructor within The Pennsylvania State University’s PGA Golf Management program and Director of the Penn State Golf Teaching and Research Center (GTRC). Prior to arriving at Penn State in 2005, Eric earned his master’s degree from NC State University while also serving as a Golf Professional at private country clubs in Durham, NC and Duluth, GA.

Members of the program also have access to a comprehensive tournament schedule. For example, at New Mexico State each year, players have access to an abundance of tournaments. A closer look at the results from Fall 2018 show that the average length of 6,920 yards and course rating of 72.1. The average winning score at the events is 70.12, with 2/12 events requiring a score of 67 or better to win, while only three had winning scores at or above par.

According to Henry Stetina of NMSU

“Our tournament program consists of 50 tournaments per academic year which allows students the opportunity to compete year-round. They also have access to a state of the art instructional studio featuring Trackman and video analysis. Individual and group player development programs are in place for students to develop their skills even further. Our program offers students the ability to take their game to the next level.”

Professional Golf Management allows young people with a love of golf to receive the mentoring they need to become impactful members of the golf community. Successful graduates have gone on to become head professionals, teaching professionals, golf writers, and even PGA tour coaches. So, if you’re really passionate about golf and see a future in the game, consider reaching out to one of these programs to learn more!

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Brendan Ryan

Brendan Ryan, an entrepreneur and scientist, is a passionate golfer who loves his local muni. Armed with a keen interest in the game, a large network of friends in the industry, Brendan works to find and produce unique content for GolfWRX.

22 Comments

Johnson Lampstone

Jun 19, 2019 at 10:21 pm

Anyone telling you this is a great business is lying to you. You must be sick for customer service and come from money. Most graduates go in to $35k/yr jobs where they almost never play. The review by “Bryan” is likely from someone who works for a PGM program. This career will drive you into debt and away from golf. It is all customer-service based.

I dare you to find PGM graduates who are still in the golf business 5 years out of college…

Reply Report comment
zp

Apr 2, 2019 at 2:33 am

I’m an alumni of the New Mex St PGM. I loved my time there, and have been lucky enough to land a spot on Maui. The golf pro life isn’t for everyone. But I sure do enjoy it, and my new life in the Aloha state.

Reply Report comment
MSU Grad

Mar 31, 2019 at 8:07 am

I think this piece is a good start, but you really need to go into more detail about what the program is and the challenges you will face. Internships are amazing and can also open a lot of doors, but you also have to prepare the students for never having a summer off like their peers, due to internships. Some great careers have been spawned from the program, but it is a tough road and really takes dedication to stand out from the pack.

Reply Report comment
Nicholas

Mar 31, 2019 at 8:02 am

If you love golf don’t get into the business. After 12 years my handicap went from a +3 to a 6 and I sunk further and further into debt. Trust me not worth it, there’s no sunlight at the end of the tunnel for 99%, if you’re a good golfer just put everything into getting on tour you probably have as good a chance of making it as you would making a good living as a pro… Now that “I’m on the other side of the counter” I’m happily a scratch player… don’t go into the golf industry; it’s a great game that I love, it’s an awful business decision

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- Bryan
  
  Mar 31, 2019 at 2:50 pm
  
  I do just fine as a PGA Professional financially and so do an endless amount of my peers. It seems you were “weeded out” by the system which it is great at doing. If your #1 and only priority was playing golf, then I’d say you got in for the wrong reasons.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Peace PGA
    
    Mar 31, 2019 at 11:06 pm
    
    I found the “weeding out” process you’re referencing to include both those that don’t quite make the cut but also, and more importantly, those that are exceptional but see the industry for what it is. I’ve worked at a number of top clubs and have noticed the lead assistants and head professionals to have remained not because they want to or desire to but because they are in too deep. For those of you reading, take my advice and stay as far away from PGM programs and the golf industry as you can.
    
    Reply Report comment
Gus

Mar 31, 2019 at 12:48 am

I’m a Ferris State PGM Grad- the initial PGM program. I’m steering my children elsewhere, this business is not what it once was. If you’re capable of obtaining a college education you can do much better elsewhere.

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Former pro

Mar 30, 2019 at 11:50 pm

Interested in golf? Go get a job that pays well and offers a twelve month position. Because the deeper you get into you golf career the more you work and the less you golf. You end up working 10-12 hour days, and your salary ends up earning you $10 an hour. Go earn money at a job that can afford you to golf.

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- Smith
  
  Mar 31, 2019 at 2:57 pm
  
  I don’t see a whole lot of truth to this… I’m the Head Professional at a private member owned club in an area with many other similar private clubs… each Head Professional easily clears $140k. I don’t golf much because I choose to spend that time with my family, but I could realistically still golf at least twice a week if I chose to.
  
  Your post is a summary of the guys who get into the industry expecting to golf 8 days a week and don’t have the drive to stand out from their peers, which is unfortunately a very common sight in this business and why so many are weeded out. If you have the proper mindset and follow the course, it isn’t hard to make great money and still play golf in this industry…
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Former pro
    
    Mar 31, 2019 at 10:24 pm
    
    Your reality is much different then mine. Good for you.
    
    https://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Certification=Professional_Golf_Management_(PGA_PGM)_Program/Salary
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Former pro
      
      Mar 31, 2019 at 10:33 pm
      
      https://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Head_Golf_Professional/Salary
      
      Reply Report comment
      - Smith
        
        Apr 1, 2019 at 1:33 am
        
        I imagine that figure is compiled from a survey that got 4 responses from Public golf course head professionals in rural areas with low cost of living, like the Midwest. With tools such as PGA CareerLinks available these days, I’m not sure who would be reporting their salary to “Payscale” anyways…
        
        As a golf professional, you choose where you want to work, what type of facility you want to be employed at and what type of professional you want to be, and how successful you want to be. If a Golf professional settles for any type of position or income level and then complains about it, that’s on him. The good jobs are out there.
        
        Reply Report comment
      - Smith
        
        Apr 1, 2019 at 1:38 am
        
        I imagine that figure is from a very small sample of non-PGA professionals in a rural area with low cost of living like the Midwest. With tools available now like PGA CareerLinks, I’m not sure who would be using “payscale” anyways.
        
        As a golf professional, it is up to you as far aswhat type of facility you work at, what type of professional you aspire to be, and where you want to be. If any golf professional settles for a certain compensation and then complains about it, that’s on them, because the money and good jobs are out there
        
        Reply Report comment
        
        Fred
        
        Apr 1, 2019 at 3:50 pm
        
        This is well put.
        
        Reply Report comment
        
        Tracer McDoughkerill
        
        Apr 7, 2024 at 5:58 am
        
        57 respondents actually!!
        
        It says it right there on the page of the second link.
        
        Average salaries are essentially the same for the two countries on the middle end, with total salaries favoring the US slightly, not to mention the USD being the much stronger currency if one cares about travel or international purchases.
        
        Reply Report comment
- Fred
  
  Mar 31, 2019 at 4:08 pm
  
  My experience is different than in that comment. I’m almost 20 years into my golf career and play more golf than ever before. I also play more than most of my friends that love golf but work in other industries. Sure, a lot of it is with members and in work related golf but it’s still playing golf. Bottom line is that if you choose to use your free time to play and take advantage of opportunities to play on the job, you can play a decent amount in this business.
  
  Reply Report comment
WG

Mar 30, 2019 at 7:03 pm

Are they still using vhs tapes and teaching how to whip heads like my experience in the mid-2000’s?

Reply Report comment
Brian McGranahan

Mar 30, 2019 at 5:53 pm

The course I worked at starting getting so many unsolicited resumes from PGM graduates, my boss just started throwing them away without even opening them. Lol

Reply Report comment
Dr Scrotenpuf

Mar 30, 2019 at 3:52 pm

You graduate, get hired somewhere that the cost of living greatly out ways your 15 hr wage, all while realizing that head pro job might be 10 + years out. Biggest waste of time/ money I have ever done. Oh, and all while you watch the caddies quadruple your pay.

Want to be in the golf world = be a caddy and make 50k+ year min and get to play golf everyday.

Reply Report comment
- DL
  
  Mar 30, 2019 at 10:24 pm
  
  Haha and make $50k every year with no health insurance. Not as glamorous as you make it sound.
  
  Reply Report comment
Trey Wingo

Mar 30, 2019 at 3:31 pm

Not to mention the very first one, Ferris State in a “Big Miss”. There are more Ferris State grads in the golf industry then all other programs combined.

Reply Report comment
- DL
  
  Mar 30, 2019 at 10:25 pm
  
  Absolutely! No mention of it. Complete whiff of an article.
  
  Reply Report comment

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Opinion & Analysis

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

Published

38 mins ago

Apr 18, 2024

Terry Koehler

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So, what about grooves and face texture?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Golf's Perfect Imperfections

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

Published

47 mins ago

Apr 18, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

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

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19th Hole

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

Published

3 days ago

Apr 15, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

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

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

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

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

Past Winners at Harbour Town

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

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

Key Stats For Harbour Town

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

Strokes Gained: Approach

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

Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds

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

Good Drive %

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

Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds

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

Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye Designs

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

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

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

4. Strokes Gained: Short Game (Bermuda)

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

SG: SG Over Past 24 Rounds

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

5. Greens in Regulation %

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

Greens in Regulation % over past 24 rounds:

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

6. Course History

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

Course History over past 24 rounds:

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

The RBC Heritage Model Rankings

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

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

2024 RBC Heritage Picks

Patrick Cantlay +2000 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

Tommy Fleetwood +3000 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

Cameron Young +3300 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

Corey Conners +5500 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

Shane Lowry (+7500) (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

Lucas Glover +12000 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

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