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Music and golf: Hit Me With Your Best Shot!

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Except for the par-3, 16th hole at the TPC Scottsdale where the pros play in a coliseum-like setting with 20,000 fans chanting, singing, cheering, and even booing, golf is mostly a game of respectful quiet.

No one talks when a guy in your group is standing about to hit his shot. On the tee, in the rough or fairway, or putting, there’s usually dead silence as we play any meaningful stroke. Oh, of course, in between shots people give each other the needle, but for hundreds of years, etiquette has demanded and custom has dictated quiet immediately before and during the strike.

This time-honored tradition is changing though. Slowly building like the chorus of “Hey Jude,” this trend is led by mostly younger golfers (more on that later) who increasingly are bringing music with them to the course.

“I guess ‘playing through’ has a new meaning,” one of my playing partners said recently during a round at Black Gold.

“Yeah, playing through your dumb-a** playlist,” teased his cart-riding companion. “Put some Marley on, man. Let me get into the groove.”

Played through easily portable wireless speakers, or at a smart phone’s full volume, Pandora, iHeartRadio, and iTunes now provide a digitally connected soundtrack for golf.

[quote_box_center]“I think it’s a millennial thing,” said Jimmy, a soccer coach from Pasadena, playing at Empire Lakes.[/quote_box_center]

And yet his choice of musical accompaniment was classic rock tracks from the 1960s and 70s. And even I must admit that there’s nothing in my previous golfing experience like standing on the first tee ready to hit my opening drive while Mick and the boys work through, “Start Me Up.”

And yes, I did hit a good drive: thanks Keith.

Mike from Mojave, an aerospace engineer who helps design civilian spacecraft – really, that’s what he said and why would I doubt him? This is Southern California, after all – Mike was listening to Avenger on Pandora.

[quote_box_center]“Sometimes I listen to salsa while golfing, sometimes to classic rock. But I think the last few holes have me in the mood for something a little heavier. AC/DC or Offspring sometimes,” he said as he gripped his driver with tattooed hands.[/quote_box_center]

And then he crushed it.

“There isn’t any song I wouldn’t want to hear while I’m playing,” said Kyle from Apple Valley. “It’s my playlist so there’s nothing on it I don’t like.”

“Well, you’ve got some twangy country on there…” said C.J., who obviously doesn’t appreciate how “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die“ relates to golf.

“Does anyone ever complain?” I asked Mike.

“I keep it low, or turn it off if I think it’ll bother someone,” he answered. “But I did have a guy one time who blamed the music when he hit a bad shot. I think he was just looking for an excuse because he’d parred the two holes before that with Zeppelin playing.”

“Give me something with a beat and a good bass line,” said Renn at Oak Quarry. “Or sometimes I listen to jazz, something without any words to distract me.”

“Music never distracts me,” said C.J. “But then again I went to clown school in Florida, so I’m used to a lot going on at the same time.” Honest, he said this while balancing a driver on his chin for about 12 seconds!

In Long Beach I played with Greg from Redondo. He never listens to music on the golf course, never heard of that. “What, are they doing that now?” He did allow that one time he played with a guy who listened to Rush Limbaugh on the front nine.

[quote_box_center]“I pushed every drive out to the right all day.”[/quote_box_center]

And if what you hear really does influence how you play, then wouldn’t listening to upbeat, positive songs help, maybe in some minimal subliminal way? Hopefully, while it still matters on the front nine.

“Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” maybe? Or Simon & Garfunkel’s swing advice, “Slow down, you move too fast.”

As a golfer on the back nine of the music-on-the-golf-course demographic, I accept it, even if I don’t join the chorus and sing along. Not for tournaments or serious golf, but for casual play. Maybe someday carts will have iPhone docks and built-in speakers that automatically lower volume when you approach a green? As long as the tunes are only loud enough to be heard within the group who like it, who cares, right? Let the music play.

I have just one request: when I’m standing over the ball, don’t put on Linda Ronstadt’s “You’re No Good.”

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Tom Hill is a 9.7 handicap, author and former radio reporter. Hill is the author of the recently released fiction novel, A Perfect Lie – The Hole Truth, a humorous golf saga of one player’s unexpected attempt to shoot a score he never before thought possible. Kirkus Reviews raved about A Perfect Lie, (It) “has the immediacy of a memoir…it’s no gimme but Hill nails it square.” (kirkusreviews.com). A Perfect Lie is available as an ebook or paperback through 7-ironpress.com and the first three chapters are available online to sample. Hill is a dedicated golfer who has played more than 2,000 rounds in the past 30 years and had a one-time personal best handicap of 5.5. As a freelance radio reporter, Hill covered more than 60 PGA and LPGA tournaments working for CBS Radio, ABC Radio, AP Audio, The Mutual Broadcasting System and individual radio stations around the country. “Few knew my name and no one saw my face,” he says, “but millions heard my voice.” Hill is the father of three sons and lives with his wife, Arava Talve, in southern California where he chases after a little white ball as often as he can.

45 Comments

45 Comments

  1. Double Mocha Man

    Mar 18, 2015 at 8:08 pm

    Beethoven’s 7th Symphony, Third Movement, can put you in the mood for a string of birdies.

  2. Jeremy

    Mar 18, 2015 at 6:40 pm

    Quiet, sounds of nature only should be the default, but there’s room for music in the game as well. From an etiquette standpoint, seems simple enough: on your own, do what you want, just keep it reasonably quiet so as not to disturb other groups. With your friends where everyone’s cool, same deal. With strangers, just don’t, or if it’s really you’re thing then ask if they’re okay with it.

    Overall, just have fun and enjoy the day. Let others do the same. Be conscious of what you’re actually playing for. If it’s a massive putt to win a really big prize, by all means insist on rigid silence. But chances are you’re just doing it for the fun, the exercise, the peace of mind. There’s no reason to let being within earshot of a song you hate for 30 seconds ruin your day.

  3. chunner

    Mar 18, 2015 at 5:04 pm

    Steely Dan on the course all the way! I’m 100% for music. Got paired up with a couple of old timers, asked them if the music was okay and they loved it. The super hot cart girl loved the Rolling Stones jam that was on. Music fuels the soul. People try to ‘play’ golf way to seriously…keep it loose and and swing!

    • chunner

      Mar 18, 2015 at 5:08 pm

      ***I am an Acushnet employee, but am not an Acushnet spokesperson. This posting is my individual opinion only.

    • Philip

      Mar 18, 2015 at 6:30 pm

      Could dig that – as long as everyone is in agreement and if asked to turn it down by others, one respects that they are not alone on the course (usually).

  4. Rich

    Mar 18, 2015 at 3:31 pm

    I can’t stand music on the course. And I’m 32. For those of you who love playing music, I ask you this:

    If you went to fire up the bluetooth speaker, would you be cool with someone else in the foursome controlling the entire playlist?

    I would love to hear my favorite songs all day every day. But it’s disrespectful to think that anyone else in the world wants to. And most people are too courteous to tell others to turn off their music on the course. Don’t make people tell you that they don’t want to hear your music.

    Assume that if they aren’t playing it themselves, they’re either respectful of their playing partners, or don’t want to hear music on the course.

    • Double Mocha Man

      Mar 18, 2015 at 8:06 pm

      I’m fine with music on the course. Did it myself, alone, using earbuds, with “A Little Bit is Better than Nada” to keep me in the golf mood. “Tin Cup” reference. But it’s not very conducive to good golf camaraderie and banter when playing with friends. And please, don’t be the guy in the car with his music cranked up because he thinks everyone else will think he has great taste in music. He doesn’t. He’s just egotistical. And his playlist only works for him and his cookie-cutter friends.

      • Rich

        Mar 19, 2015 at 10:56 am

        Very much agreed with all of this. Ear buds shouldn’t even be an issue. Can’t imagine why anyone would have a problem with someone else using headphones when they play golf.

        I’d much rather play with someone wearing ear buds than have them ask me if it’s ok if they play music on their bluetooth speaker.

  5. Tupac

    Mar 17, 2015 at 9:31 pm

    If you need music on the golf course it’s not your sport. oh and your probably a hack!

    • Keith

      Mar 18, 2015 at 10:11 am

      That’s incredibly stupid…

      • rgb

        Mar 18, 2015 at 12:05 pm

        You misspelled ‘accurate’.

        HTH.

        • Keith

          Mar 18, 2015 at 12:48 pm

          Thanks…but my plus index disagrees. Now if you’ll excuse me, gotta crank the jawbone up before I hit this tee shot.

          • Taylor

            Mar 21, 2015 at 1:07 pm

            Jawbone ftw…dropped 5 strokes when I put it in the bag

        • Brad

          Mar 18, 2015 at 1:29 pm

          Also, I believe it should be you’re…. not your. Spelling hack.

          • BAA

            Mar 18, 2015 at 2:57 pm

            Do you even english? “Your” is the correct usage.
            “You’re” is an abbreviation for “you are”.

            • JJ

              Mar 18, 2015 at 4:13 pm

              @BAA…you might want to re-read the entire excerpt.

              Brad is correct in his analysis of @Tupac’s word usage.

              Damn, I love it when one is wrong when trying to correct another.

              • Philip

                Mar 18, 2015 at 4:37 pm

                Actually they are both correct – “your sport” is correct, “your probably” s/b “you’re probably” – as usual, depends on the context, as does music on a golf course or in the office.

                • Jeremy

                  Mar 18, 2015 at 6:32 pm

                  No it doesn’t. The context is “you are,” which should be “you’re.”

                • Philip

                  Mar 19, 2015 at 12:11 am

                  what doesn’t? The context I was relating to was which “your” was being referred to. The first was used correctly, the second wasn’t …

                • Jeremy

                  Mar 19, 2015 at 8:07 pm

                  Yup, I get it now. Hard to decipher punctuation when the reply only gets 4 words per line. Carry on!

              • BAA

                Mar 18, 2015 at 10:48 pm

                Yep, my bad. I was looking at the wrong “your”.

                • RG

                  Mar 21, 2015 at 5:27 am

                  This is why people hate golfers.

    • Jeff

      Mar 21, 2015 at 2:56 pm

      Your sport: correct usage. your proably a hack: should be you’re.

  6. other paul

    Mar 17, 2015 at 7:26 pm

    I played a round with my bro and we listened to the music from the group ahead for the whole round. It wasn’t to loud, it just carries forever on our flat courses. You can be a 550 yard par 5 away and hear it clear as day around here. So I am not a fan so far.

    • Philip

      Mar 18, 2015 at 11:42 am

      That’s the only thing about it. The design of course courses would make it almost impossible to properly isolate the music from each group. So if one group is listening to hip hop and the other country, there is no way a battle of the louder music will not erupt eventually. We think we sometimes have problems on courses with tempers now and slow play – it could get way worse when someone gets so annoyed they take a wedge to another groups boom box …

  7. Beacher50

    Mar 17, 2015 at 7:10 pm

    Why does everyone always have to be listening to music, I like music, but not in a golf setting. And I deplore it when people use it as a means (with ear buds) to prohibt talking with others. On the driving range, standing in line or whereever. Its just plain rude. They call the new generation the connected generation, to me they’re disconnected.

    • Keith

      Mar 18, 2015 at 10:14 am

      Maybe I don’t want you talking to me on the driving range while I’m in my practice routine. I could call your invasiveness rude.

      Goes both ways…

      • talljohn777

        Mar 18, 2015 at 12:59 pm

        Golf is a social sport. Being anti-social is not really the point…

        • rer4136

          Mar 18, 2015 at 1:57 pm

          Being social means you get to do what you want?

        • Mark

          Mar 18, 2015 at 8:41 pm

          Golf is an individual sport. While competition may be social, practice is usually not really all that social.

          I could count the number of times I’ve had a practice partner on the range or practice green on one hand. If I want to go through my routine with earphones on and music playing, I don’t want to be interrupted.

  8. Shallowface

    Mar 17, 2015 at 6:54 pm

    I feel the same way about music on the golf course as I do hearing it blasting out of cars. Keep your lack of taste to yourself.
    Most communities have “disturbing the peace” ordinances on the books, so if it gets too bad on the golf course I might have to see what the police can do about it.

    .

    • Keith

      Mar 18, 2015 at 12:58 pm

      Wow…really? Already threatening to call the police, huh? That would be an interesting conversation to hear. “Those whippersnappers won’t turn down their Snoopy Dog while I’m trying to make this putt to win a dime off of Bob over here.”

      My advice…turn down your hearing aids.

      • Brad

        Mar 18, 2015 at 1:31 pm

        Classic. LMAO

      • Brad

        Mar 18, 2015 at 1:36 pm

        HAHA…. Classic..

      • HackerDad31

        Mar 19, 2015 at 1:26 pm

        Phenomenal! And we wonder why no one is taking up the game. Because curmudgeons are threatening to call the f-ing police over music. This like Footloose, only lamer. That’s no small feat.

  9. Philip

    Mar 17, 2015 at 5:39 pm

    I see two things that can go wrong with music. the first is that people are always competitive and I can see different groups eventually cranking the tunes, which is of course, totally dissing everyone else on the course. Also, what are the odds everyone in the group is in the mood for the same genre of music for that round.

    The second thing is – how am I supposed to even make a swing – as a music lover and musician, there is no way I could maintain my natural rhythm without the rhythm of the music changing my walk, pace, swing – everything.

    Now, can I play with music blasting at rock concert levels – oh yea baby – had no choice. The course I joined for the last three years is part of a ski mountain resort and during the summer they have downhill bike races, carnivals, concerts, conferences and lots of other festivities – and all you hear is crowds and blasting music (heavy rock, hip hop, rap – not classical of course) along with the DJ and race announcer, along with trying no to hit groups of people who think the golf course is a park to stroll in.

    You’ll be surprised how much you can tune it all out to make that putt :o)

  10. RoscoDog

    Mar 17, 2015 at 5:25 pm

    Bluetooth Headphones. I don’t want to hear your music and I don’t expect anyone to listen to mine. Or sometimes I use a bluetooth headset, that way I get music in one ear but I can still hear out of the other ear.

  11. Sean

    Mar 17, 2015 at 3:40 pm

    I like music, but not on the golf course. The only sounds I want to hear are those provided by nature.

  12. Keith

    Mar 17, 2015 at 2:54 pm

    I listen to the Dre/Snoop channel on Pandora and check my email and texts constantly. Different people have different ideas of what disconnecting or unplugging is. Mine is getting out of the office, but my job requires me to be accessible and responsive. I keep the music low and make sure it’s not turned up so as to be respectful. But if we want this game to grow, it’s needs to feel inviting to millennials, not like a stuffy coat and tie dinner.

    • Philip

      Mar 18, 2015 at 1:48 pm

      Just curious, do you listen through headphones? When the course is slow I try to chit chat, but my groups tend to play opposite corners of the fairways so I can enjoy the view and sounds for only so long before it just becomes boring waiting all the time, but maybe I’ll bring a tiny player with headphones so that I forget how long i am waiting. I can listen to mediation music I guess, because if I try something with more of a beat I’ll end up strutting down the fairways to the beat. Of course, I could always provide the entertainment and give a pulse to the group – lol

  13. MJS2

    Mar 17, 2015 at 2:48 pm

    I do not think its a situation where we cant unplug. I do not belong to Facebook and rarely check my phone throughout the day, but I have been brining my portable speakers on the course for a year or so now. I think the idea of golf is to go out, test your limitations, and enjoy some time with your buddies or make new ones. I fail to see how music (which is incorporated in every other sport out there) deters from this.

    I always ask the group if they mind or if they want to listen to something in particular (when not playing with my regular 4some). It is never loud, just faintly playing in the background, and I always keep my distance from the person hitting (unless its my cart mate). I find it takes off the edge, especially when you are waiting 5+ minutes on a saturday afternoon in-between each shot because the groups ahead of you are slow.

    Ive yet to play with someone that this really bothers, however, if i do i will gladly turn it off and wait in silence.

    • rer4136

      Mar 18, 2015 at 1:54 pm

      If the music is not a bother to you then wear headphones. If noise is not a distraction then why does Tiger Woods (and former caddie Stevie) go gimp when a photographer clicks a camera during his swing. I promise you my focus isn’t even close to Tiger’s. I would guess that most of your playing partners hate the music but won’t say so.

      • MJS2

        Mar 18, 2015 at 2:28 pm

        Where in my above post does it state that noise is NOT a distraction, ill wait while you re-read…

        …great.

        If I wear headphones, then i surely can’t hear the multiple FOURS that are yelled during a Sat-Sun afternoon round and certainly put me and my groups safety in grave danger and nobody would want that. And unfortunately, you would have guessed wrong, it was my playing partners who first starting bringing music to the course.

        If the birds chirping, frogs gulping, wind howling and tress rustling (all of which constitutes as noise) is that distracting to, maybe you should try a nice song faintly playing in the background one day, it may help you drown those sounds out and focus.

        HIT ‘EM STRAIGHT!

  14. Joe

    Mar 17, 2015 at 2:41 pm

    Im in favor of a quiet peaceful round except for the boys jawing one another. Fully agree its a time to unplug from everything. How annoying is it when one of your crew has to check their phone every few minutes etc.

  15. rer4136

    Mar 17, 2015 at 2:19 pm

    Seems like more of a situation where we can’t unplug from some sort of media or the other. I kind of think that the idea of golf is to detach from the constant stream of media. Does all the media have to intrude into every part of our existence. It’s a noisy world already and I guess it is going to get worse. The problem I have with this is, as a paying customer at a golf course why should I have someone else impose their music on me? There are wireless headphones that sync with your phone, so wear those and listen to your hearts content. Better yet relax!

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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s 2024 Valspar Championship betting preview: Elite ballstrikers to thrive at Copperhead

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The PGA TOUR will stay in Florida this week for the 2024 Valspar Championship.

The Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort is a par 71 measuring 7,340 yards and features Bermudagrass greens overseeded with POA. Infamous for its difficulty, the track will be a tough test for golfers as trouble lurks all over the place. Holes 16, 17 and 18 — also known as the “Snake Pit” — make up one of the toughest three-hole stretches in golf and should lead to a captivating finish on Sunday.

The field is comprised of 156 golfers teeing it up. The field this week is solid and is a major improvement over last year’s field that felt the impact of players skipping due to a handful of “signature events” in a short span of time. 

Past Winners at Valspar Championship

  • 2023: Taylor Moore (-10)
  • 2022: Sam Burns (-17)
  • 2021: Sam Burns (-17)
  • 2019: Paul Casey (-8)
  • 2018: Paul Casey (-10)
  • 2017: Adam Hadwin (-14)
  • 2016: Charl Schwartzel (-7)
  • 2015: Jordan Spieth (-10)

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

Key Stats For Copperhead

1. Strokes Gained: Approach

Strokes Gained: Approach grades out as the most important statistic once again this week. Copperhead really can’t be overpowered and is a second-shot golf course.

Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds (per round)

  1. Tony Finau (+.90)
  2. Nick Taylor (+.81)
  3. Justin Thomas (+.77)
  4. Greyson Sigg (+.69)
  5. Christiaan Bezuidenhout (+.67)

2. Good Drive %

The long hitters can be a bit limited here due to the tree-lined fairways and penal rough. Playing from the fairways will be important, but laying back too far will cause some difficult approaches with firm greens that may not hold shots from long irons.

Golfers who have a good balance of distance and accuracy have the best chance this week.

Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Brice Garnett (+91.3%) 
  2. Zach Johnson (+91.1%)
  3. Sam Ryder (+90.5%)
  4. Ryan Moore (+90.4%)
  5. Aaron Rai (+89.7%)

3. Strokes Gained: Ball Striking

Adding ball-striking puts even more of a premium on tee-to-green prowess in the statistical model this week. Golfers who rank highly in ball-striking are in total control of the golf ball which is exceedingly important at Copperhead.

SG: Ball Striking Over Past 24 Rounds:

  1. Xander Schauffele (+1.32)
  2. Keith Mitchell (+1.29)
  3. Tony Finau (+1.24)
  4. Cameron Young (+1.17) 
  5. Doug Ghim (+.95)

4. Bogey Avoidance

With the conditions likely to be difficult, avoiding bogeys will be crucial this week. In a challenging event like the Valspar, oftentimes the golfer who is best at avoiding mistakes ends up on top.

Gritty golfers who can grind out difficult pars have a much better chance in an event like this than a low-scoring birdie-fest.

Bogey Avoidance Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Brice Garnett (+9.0)
  2. Xander Schauffele (+9.3)
  3. Austin Cook (+9.7) 
  4. Chesson Hadley (+10.0)
  5. Greyson Sigg (+10.2)

5. Strokes Gained: Total in Difficult Conditions

Conditions will be tough this week at Copperhead. I am looking for golfers who can rise to the occasion if the course plays as difficult as it has in the past.

Strokes Gained: Total in Difficult Conditions Over Past 24 rounds

  1. Xander Schauffele (+1,71) 
  2. Min Woo Lee (+1.39)
  3. Cameron Young (+1.27)
  4. Jordan Spieth (+1.08)
  5. Justin Suh (+.94)

6. Course History

That statistic will tell us which players have played well at Copperhead in the past.

Course History Over Past 24 rounds

  1. Patrick Cantlay (+3.75) 
  2. Sam Burns (+2.49)
  3. Davis Riley (+2.33)
  4. Matt NeSmith (+2.22)
  5. Jordan Spieth (+2.04)

The Valspar Championship Model Rankings

Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (27%), Good Drive % (15%), SG: BS (20%), Bogeys Avoided (13%), Course History (13%) Strokes Gained: Total in Difficult Conditions (12%).

  1. Xander Schauffele
  2. Doug Ghim
  3. Victor Perez
  4. Greyson Sigg
  5. Ryan Moore
  6. Tony Finau
  7. Justin Thomas
  8. Sam Ryder
  9. Sam Burns
  10. Lucas Glover

2024 Valspar Championship Picks

Justin Thomas +1400 (DraftKings)

Justin Thomas will be disappointed with his finish at last week’s PLAYERS Championship, as the past champion missed the cut despite being in some decent form heading into the event. Despite the missed cut, JT hit the ball really well. In his two rounds, the two-time major champion led the field in Strokes Gained: Approach per round.

Thomas has been up and down this season. He’s missed the cut in two “signature events” but also has finishes of T12 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, T12 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, T6 at the Pebble Beach AT&T Pro-Am and T3 at the American Express. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach and 6th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking in the field.

Thomas loves Copperhead. In his last three tries at the course, he’s finished T13, T3 and T10. Thomas would have loved to get a win at a big event early in the season, but avoidable mistakes and a balky putter have cost him dearly. I believe a trip to a course he loves in a field he should be able to capitalize on is the right recipe for JT to right the ship.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout +6000 (FanDuel)

Christiaan Bezuidenhout is playing spectacular golf in the 2024 season. He finished 2nd at the American Express, T20 at Pebble Beach and T24 at the Genesis Invitational before finishing T13 at last week’s PLAYERS Championship.

In his past 24 rounds, the South African ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach and 26th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. Bezuidenhout managed to work his way around TPC Sawgrass last week with minimal damage. He only made five bogeys in the entire week, which is a great sign heading into a difficult Copperhead this week.

Bezuidenhout is winless in his PGA Tour career, but certainly has the talent to win on Tour. His recent iron play tells me that this week could be a breakthrough for the 35-year-old who has eyes on the President’s Cup.

Doug Ghim +8000 (FanDuel)

Doug Ghim has finished in the top-16 of his past five starts. Most recently, Ghim finished T16 at The PLAYERS Championship in a loaded field.

In his past 24 rounds, Ghim ranks 8th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 5th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. In terms of his fit for Copperhead, the 27-year-old ranks 12th in Bogey Avoidance and 7th in Strokes Gained: Total in Difficult Conditions, making him a great fit for the course.

Ghim has yet to win on Tour, but at one point he was the top ranked Amateur golfer in the world and played in the 2017 Arnold Palmer Cup and 2017 Walker Cup. He then won the Ben Hogan award for the best male college golfer in 2018. He certainly has the talent, and there are signals aplenty that his talent in ready to take him to the winner’s circle on the PGA Tour.

Sepp Straka +8000 (BetRivers)

Sepp Straka is a player who’s shown he has the type of game that can translate to a difficult Florida golf course. The former Presidents Cup participant won the 2022 Honda Classic in tough conditions and should thrive with a similar test at Copperhead.

It’s been a slow 2024 for Straka, but his performance last week at the PLAYERS Championship surely provides some optimism. He gained 5.4 strokes on approach as well as 1.88 strokes off the tee. The tee-to-green game Straka showed on a course with plenty of danger demonstrates that he can stay in control of his golf ball this week.

It’s possible that the strong performance last week was an outlier, but I’m willing to bet on a proven winner in a weaker field at a great number.

Victor Perez +12000 (FanDuel)

Victor Perez is no stranger to success in professional golf. The Frenchman has three DP World Tour wins including a Rolex Series event. He won the 2019 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, as well as the 2023 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, which are some big events.

Perez earned his PGA Tour card this season and enters the week playing some fantastic golf. He finished in a tie for 16th in Florida at the Cognizant Classic and then tied for third in his most recent start at the Puerto Rico Open.

In his past 24 rounds in the field, Perez ranks 11th in Strokes Gained: Approach, 1oth in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking, 6th in Good Drive % and 15th in Bogey Avoidance.

Perez comes in as a perfect fit for Copperhead and offers serious value at triple-digit odds.

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Opinion & Analysis

Myrtle Beach, Explored: February in South Carolina

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As I gain in experience and age, and familiarity breeds neither contempt nor disdain, I understand why people return to a place. A destination like Myrtle Beach offers a sizable supply and diversity of restaurants, entertainment venues, and shops that are predicated on the tenets of the service industry. Greet your customers with a smile and a kind word, and they will find comfort and assurance. Provide them with a memorable experience and they will suggest your place of business to others.

My first tour of Myrtle Beach took place in the mid-1980s, and consisted of one course: Gator Hole. I don’t remember much from that day, and since Gator Hole closed a decade later, I cannot revisit it to recollect what I’d lost. Since then, I’ve come to the Grand Strand a few times, and been fortunate to never place a course more than once. I’ve seen the Strantz courses to the south and dipped my toe in the North Carolina courses of Calabash. I’ve been to many in the middle, including Dunes, Pine Lakes, Grande Dunes among them.

2024 brought a quartet of new courses, including two at the Barefoot Resort. I’d heard about the North Myrtle Beach four-pack of courses that highlight the Barefoot property, including layouts from Pete Dye, Tom Fazio, Davis Love III, and Greg Norman. I had the opportunity to play and shoot the Dye and Fazio tracks, which means that I’ll have to return to see the other two. Sandwiched between them were the TPC-Myrtle Beach course, also from Tom Fazio, and the Pawley’s Plantation trace, by the hand of Jack Nicklaus. I anticipated a bit of the heroic, and bit of the strategic, and plenty of eye candy. None of those architects would ever be considered a minimalist, so there would be plenty of in-play and out-of-play bunkers and mounds to tantalize the senses.

My nephew arrived a few days early, to screen a few more courses. As a result, you the reader will have an extra quarter of mini-reviews, bringing the total of courses in this piece to eight. It was inconceivable that CJR would play four courses that I had never played nor photographed, but that was the case. His words appear at the end of this piece. We hope that you enjoy the tour.

Main Feature: Two Barefoots, a TPC, and Pawley’s Plantation

Barefoot Dye

What Paul “Pete” Dye brought back from his trips to the United Kingdom, hearkened back to what C.B. MacDonal did, some 65 years prior. There is a way of finding bunkers and fairways, and even green sites, that does not require major industrial work. The Dye course at Barefoot Resorts takes you on a journey over the rumpled terrain of distant places. If there’s one element missing, it’s the creased and turbulent fairways, so often found in England and Ireland. The one tenet of playing a Dye course, is to always aim away from temptation, from where your eyes draw you. Find the safe side of the target, and you’ll probably find your ball. It then stands that you will have a shot for your next attempt. Cut the corner, and you might have need to reload. The Barefoot course begins gently, in terms of distance, but challenges with visual deception. After two brief 4s and a 3, the real work begins. The course is exposed enough, to allow the coastal winds to dance along the fairways. Be ready to keep the ball low and take an extra club or two.

TPC-Myrtle Beach

If memory serves, TPCMB is my first trek around a TPC-branded course. It had all the trappings of a tour course, from the welcome, through the clubhouse, to the practice facilities and, of course, the course. TPC-Myrtle Beach is a Tom Fazio design, and if you never visit Augusta National, you’ll now have an idea of what it is like. You play Augusta’s 16th hole twice at TPCMB, and you enjoy it both times. Fazio really likes the pond-left, green-angle-around par three hole, and his two iterations of it are memorable.

You’ll also see those Augusta bunkers, the ones with the manicured edges that drop into a modestly-circular form. What distinguishes these sand pits is the manner in which they rise from the surrounding ground. They are unique in that they don’t resemble the geometric bunkering of a Seth Raynor, nor the organic pits found in origin courses. They are built, make no mistake, and recovery from them is manageable for all levels of bunker wizardry.

Barefoot Fazio

If you have the opportunity to play the two Tom Fazio courses back to back, you’ll notice a marked difference in styling. Let me digress for a moment, then circle back with an explanation. It was written that the NLE World Woods course designed by Fazio, Pine Barrens, was an homage to Pine Valley, the legendary, New Jersey club where Fazio is both a member and the architect on retainer. The Pine Barrens course was plowed under in 2022, so the homage no longer exists. At least, I didn’t think that it existed, until I played his Barefoot Resort course in North Myrtle Beach.

Pine Valley might be described as an aesthetic of scrub and sand. There are mighty, forced carries to travers, along with sempiternal, sandy lairs to avoid. Barefoot Fazio is quite similar. If you’re not faced with a forced carry, you’ll certainly contend with a fairway border or greenside necklace of sand. When you reach the 13th tee, you’ll face a drive into a fairway, and you might see a distant green, with a notable absence: flagstick. The 13th is the icing on the homage cake, a callout of the 8th hole at Pine Valley. Numero Ocho at the OG has two greens, side by side, and they change the manner in which the hole plays (so they say.) At Barefoot Fazio, the right-side green is a traditional approach, with an unimpeded run of fairway to putting surface. The left-side green (the one that I was fortunate to play) demands a pitch shot over a wasteland. It’s a fitting tribute for the rest of us to play.

Be certain to parrot the starter, Leon’s, advice, and play up a deck of tees. Barefoot Fazio offers five par-three holes, so the fours and fives play that much longer. Remember, too, that you are on vacation. Why not treat yourself to some birdie looks?

Pawley’s Plantation

The Jack Nicklaus course at Pawley’s Plantation emerged from a period of hibernation in 2024. The greens were torn up and their original contours were restored. Work was overseen by Troy Vincent, a member of the Nicklaus Architecture team. In addition, the putting corridors were reseeded with a hardier, dwarf bermuda that has experienced great success, all along the Grand Strand that is Myrtle Beach.

My visit allowed me to see the inward half first, and I understand why the resort wishes to conclude your day on those holes. The front nine of Pawley’s Plantation works its way through familiar, low country trees and wetlands. The back nine begins in similar fashion, then makes its way east, toward the marsh that separates mainland from Pawley’s Island. Recalling the powerful sun of that Wednesday morning, any round beginning on the second nine would face collateral damage from the warming star. Much better to hit holes 11 to close when the sun is higher in the sky.

The marshland holes (12 through 17) are spectacular in their raw, unprotected nature. The winds off the Atlantic are unrelenting and unforgiving, and the twin, par-three holes will remain in your memory banks for time’s march. In typical Golden Bear fashion, a majority of his putting targets are smallish in nature, reflecting his appreciation for accurate approach shots. Be sure to find the forgiving side of each green, and err to that portion. You’ll be grateful.

Bonus Coverage: Myrtlewood, Beechwood, Arrowhead, and King’s North

Arrowhead (Raymond Floyd and Tom Jackson)

A course built in the middle of a community, water threatens on most every hole. The Cypress 9 provides a few holes forcing a carried drive then challenge you with water surrounding the green. On Waterway, a drivable 2nd hole will tempt most, so make sure the group ahead has cleared the green.

Myrtlewood (Edmund Alt and Arthur Hills) and Beechwood (Gene Hamm)

A middle of the winter New Englander’s paradise. Wide open fairways, zero blind shots and light rough allow for shaking off the rust and plenty of forgiveness. A plethora of dog legs cause one to be cautious with every tee shot. Won’t break the bank nor the scorecard.

King’s North @ Myrtle Beach National (Arnold Palmer)

A signature Arnold Palmer course, waste areas, island greens and daring tee shots. Highlighted by the 4th hole Par 5 Gambler hole, if you can hit the smaller fairway on the left you are rewarded with a short approach to get to the green in 2. The back 9 is highlighted by an island green par 3 and a finisher with over 40 bunkers spread throughout. A challenge for any golfer.
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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s 2024 Players Championship betting preview: Pete Dye specialists ready to pass tough TPC Sawgrass test

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The PGA Tour heads to TPC Sawgrass to play in one of the most prestigious and important events of the season: THE PLAYERS Championship. Often referred to as the fifth major, the importance of a PLAYERS victory to the legacy of a golfer can’t be overlooked.

TPC Sawgrass is a par-72 measuring 7,245 yards and featuring Bermudagrass greens. Golfers must be patient in attacking this Pete Dye course.

With trouble lurking at every turn, the strokes can add up quickly. With a par-5 16th that is a true risk-reward hole and the famous par-3 17th island green, the only safe bet at TPC Sawgrass is a bet on an exciting finish.

THE PLAYERS Championship field is often referred to as the strongest field of the year — and with good reason. There are 144 in the field, including 43 of the world’s top 50 players in the OWGR. Tiger Woods will not be playing in the event.

THE PLAYERS is an exceptionally volatile event that has never seen a back-to-back winner.

Past Winners at TPC Sawgrass

  • 2023: Scottie Scheffler (-17)
  • 2022: Cameron Smith (-13)
  • 2021: Justin Thomas (-14)
  • 2019: Rory McIlroy (-16)
  • 2018: Webb Simpson (-18)
  • 2017: Si-Woo Kim (-10)
  • 2016: Jason Day (-15)
  • 2015: Rickie Fowler (-12)In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value). 

5 Key Stats for TPC Sawgrass

Let’s take a look at five metrics key for TPC Sawgrass to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their last 24 rounds.

1. Strokes Gained: Approach

Strokes Gained: Approach has historically been far and away the most important and predictive stat at THE PLAYERS Championship. With water everywhere, golfers can’t afford to be wild with their iron shots. Not only is it essential to avoid the water, but it will also be as important to go after pins and make birdies because scores can get relatively low.

Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Tom Hoge (+1.37) 
  2. Scottie Scheffler (+1.20)
  3. Tony Finau (+0.99)
  4. Jake Knapp (+0.83)
  5. Shane Lowry (+0.80)

2. Total Driving

This statistic is perfect for TPC Sawgrass. Historically, driving distance hasn’t been a major factor, but since the date switch to March, it’s a bit more significant. During this time of year, the ball won’t carry quite as far, and the runout is also shorter.

Driving accuracy is also crucial due to all of the trouble golfers can get into off of the tee. Therefore, players who are gaining on the field with Total Driving will put themselves in an ideal spot this week.

Total Driving Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Rory McIlroy (22)
  2. Akshay Bhatia (25)
  3. Keith Mitchell (25) 
  4. Adam Hadwin (34)
  5. Sam Burns (+39)

3. Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye Designs

TPC Sawgrass may be Pete Dye’s most famous design, and for good reason. The course features Dye’s typical shaved runoff areas and tricky green complexes.  Pete Dye specialists love TPC Sawgrass and should have a major advantage this week.

SG: Total (Pete Dye) per round over past 36 rounds:

  1. Patrick Cantlay (+2.02)
  2. Scottie Scheffler (+1.90)
  3. Min Woo Lee (+1.77) 
  4. Sungjae Im (+1.72)
  5. Brian Harman (+1.62) 

4. Strokes Gained: Ball Striking

Prototypical ball-strikers have dominated TPC Sawgrass. With past winners like Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson, Webb Simpson, Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas, it’s evident that golfers must be striking it pure to contend at THE PLAYERS.

SG: Ball Striking Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Scottie Scheffler (+2.02)
  2. Tony Finau (+1.51)
  3. Tom Hoge (+1.48)
  4. Keith Mitchell (+1.38)
  5. Will Zalatoris (+1.18)

5. Par 5 Average

Par-5 average is extremely important at TPC Sawgrass. With all four of the Par-5s under 575 yards, and three of them under 540 yards, a good amount of the scoring needs to come from these holes collectively.

Par 5 Average Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Scottie Schefler (+4.31)
  2. Erik Van Rooyen (+4.35)
  3. Doug Ghim (+4.34)
  4. Wyndham Clark (+4.34)
  5. Matt Fitzpatrick (+4.31)

6. Strokes Gained: Florida

We’ve used this statistic over the past few weeks, and I’d like to incorporate some players who do well in Florida into this week’s model as well. 

Strokes Gained: Florida over past 30 rounds:

  1. Scottie Schefler (+2.43)
  2. Erik Van Rooyen (+1.78)
  3. Doug Ghim (+1.78)
  4. Wyndham Clark (+1.73)
  5. Matt Fitzpatrick (+1.69)

7. Strokes Gained: Total on Courses with High Water Danger

With water everywhere at TPC Sawgrass, the blow-up potential is high. It can’t hurt to factor in some players who’ve avoided the “eject” button most often in the past. 

Strokes Gained: Total on Courses with High Water Danger over past 30 rounds:

  1. Scottie Schefler (+2.08)
  2. Rory McIlroy (+1.82)
  3. Tony Finau (+1.62)
  4. Patrick Cantlay (+1.51)
  5. Will Zalatoris (+1.49)

THE PLAYERS Championship Model Rankings

Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (25%), Total Driving (20%), SG: Total Pete Dye (14%), SG: Ball-striking (15%) SG: Par 5 (8%), SG: Florida (10%) and SG: High Water (8%).

  1. Scottie Scheffler 
  2. Shane Lowry 
  3. Tony Finau 
  4. Corey Conners
  5. Keith Mitchell
  6. Justin Thomas
  7. Will Zalatoris
  8. Xander Schauffele
  9. Cameron Young
  10. Doug Ghim
  11. Sam Burns 
  12. Chris Kirk
  13. Collin Morikawa
  14. Si Woo Kim
  15. Wyndham Clark

2024 THE PLAYERS Championship Picks

(All odds at the time of writing)

Patrick Cantlay +2500 (DraftKings):

Patrick Cantlay is winless since the 2022 BMW Championship but is undoubtedly one of the most talented players on the PGA Tour. Since the win at Wilmington Country Club, the 31-year-old has twelve top-10 finishes on Tour and is starting to round into form for the 2024 season.

Cantlay has done well in the most recent “signature” events this season, finishing 4th at Riviera for the Genesis Invitational and 12th at Bay Hill for the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The former Tour Championship winner resides in Jupiter, Florida and has played some good golf in the state, including finishing in a tie for 4th at the 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational. His history at TPC Sawgrass has been up and down, but his best career start at The PLAYERS came last year when he finished in a tie for 19th.

Cantlay absolutely loves Pete Dye designed courses and ranks 1st in the field in Strokes Gained: Total on Dye tracks in his past 36 rounds. In recent years, he’s been excellent at both the RBC Heritage and the Travelers Championship. TPC Sawgrass is a place where players will have to be dialed in with their irons and distance off the tee won’t be quite as important. In his past 24, rounds, Cantlay ranks in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach.

Despite being winless in recent years, I still believe Cantlay is capable of winning big tournaments. As one of the only United States players to bring their best game to Marco Simone for the Ryder Cup, I have conviction that the former top amateur in the world can deliver when stakes are high.

Will Zalatoris +3000 (FanDuel):

In order to win at TPC Sawgrass, players will need to be in total control of their golf ball. At the moment, Will Zalatoris is hitting it as well as almost anyone and finally has the putter cooperating with his new switch to the broomstick style.

Zalatoris is coming off back-to-back starts where he absolutely striped the ball. He finished 2nd at the Genesis Invitational and 4th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational where his statistics were eye opening. For the week at Bay Hill, Zal gained 5.0 strokes on approach and 5.44 strokes off the tee.

Throughout the early part of his career, Zalatoris has established himself by playing his best golf in the strongest fields with the most difficult conditions. A tough test will allow him to separate himself this week and breakthrough for a PLAYERS Championship victory.

Shane Lowry +4000 (DraftKings):

History has shown us that players need to be in good form to win the PLAYERS Championship and it’s hard to find anyone not named Scottie Scheffler who’s in better form that Shane Lowry at the moment. He finished T4 at the Cognizant Classic followed by a solo third place finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The fact that the Irishman contended at Bay Hill is a great sign considering he’s really struggled there throughout his career. He will now head to a different style of course in Florida where he’s had a good deal of success. He finished 8th at TPC Sawgrass in 2021 and 13th in 2022. 

Lowry ranks 6th in the field in approach in his past 24 rounds, 7th in Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye designed courses in his last 30 rounds, 8th in par 5 scoring this season, and 4th in Strokes Gained: Total in Florida over his past 36 rounds.

Lowry is a player who’s capable of winning big events. He’s a major champion and won another premier event at Wentworth as well as a WGC at Firestone. He’s also a form player, when he wins it’s typically when he’s contended in recent starts. He’s been terrific thus far in Florida and he should get into contention once again this week.

Brian Harman +8000 (DraftKings):

(Note: Since writing this Harman’s odds have plummeted to 50-1. I would not advise betting the 50).

Brian Harman showed us last season that if the course isn’t extremely long, he has the accuracy both off the tee and with his irons to compete with anyone in the world. Last week at Bay Hill and was third in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, gaining 5.54 strokes on the field in the category.

In addition to the strong iron play, Harman also gained strokes off the tee in three of four rounds. He’s also had success at Pete Dye tracks recently. He finished 2nd at last year’s Travelers Championship and 7th at the RBC Heritage.

It would be a magnificent feat for Harman to win both the Open Championship and PLAYERS in a short time frame, but the reality is the PGA Tour isn’t quite as strong as it once was. Harman is a player who shows up for the biggest events and his odds seem way too long for his recent track record.

Tony Finau +6500 (FanDuel):

A few weeks ago, at the Genesis Invitational, I bet Hideki Matsuyama because I believed it to be a “bet the number” play at 80-1. I feel similarly about Finau this week. While he’s not having the season many people expected of him, he is playing better than these odds would indicate.

This season, Tony has a tied for 6th place finish at Torrey Pines, a tied for 19th at Riviera and tied for 13th at the Mexico Open. He’s also hitting the ball extremely well. In the field in his past 24 rounds, he ranks 3rd in Strokes Gained: Approach, 3rd in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking, 6th in Par 5 average and 15th in Total Driving.

Finau’s problem has been with the putter, which has been undeniably horrific. However, this week he will see a putting surface similar to the POA at TPC Scottsdale and PGA West, which he’s had a great deal of success on. It’s worth taking a stab at this price to see if he can have a mediocre week with the flat stick.

Sungjae Im +9000 (FanDuel):

It’s been a lackluster eighteen months for Sungjae, who once appeared to be a certain star. While his ceiling is absolutely still there, it’s been a while since we’ve seen Im play the type of golf expected of a player with his talent.

Despite the obvious concerns, the South Korean showed glimpses of a return to form last week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He tied for 18th place and gained strokes off the tee, on approach, around the green and with the putter. When at his best, Im is a perfect course fit for TPC Sawgrass. He has remarkable precision off the tee, can get dialed in with his irons on shorter courses and can get up and down with the best players on Tour.

This number has gotten to the point where I feel comfortable taking a shot on it.

Billy Horschel +20000 (FanDuel):

Billy Horschel is a great fit on paper for TPC Sawgrass. He can get dialed in with his irons and his lack of distance off the tee won’t be a major detriment at the course. “Bermuda Billy” does his best work putting on Bermudagrass greens and he appears to be rounding into form just in time to compete at The PLAYERS.

In his most recent start, Billy finished in a tie for 9th at the Cognizant Classic and hit the ball extremely well. The former Florida Gator gained 3.32 strokes on approach and 2.04 strokes off the tee. If Horschel brings that type of ball striking to TPC Sawgrass, he has the type of putter who can win a golf tournament.

Horschel has been great on Pete Dye designed courses, with four of his seven career PGA Tour wins coming on Dye tracks.

In a season that has seen multiple long shots win big events, the 37-year-old is worth a stab considering his knack for playing in Florida and winning big events.

 

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