Connect with us

Opinion & Analysis

My $41 Scotty Cameron putter

Published

on

When it comes to putters, Scotty Camerons are about as good as it gets.

Phil and Tiger used to use one, and even after signing a lucrative endorsement deal with Nike, Rory McIlroyhas spent most of 2013 rolling his putts with a Cameron.

Cameron putters can be custom made, up to the smallest of details. Without a fitting, these babies can retail for as much as $350 or more.

So imagine my surprise and interest when I looked around on the web and found a new Scotty Cameron Newport 2 putter for the amazing price of $41. There it was, problem solved. It could be mine for next to nothing. My mind started racing — what if I bought 10 of these? Surely, I could sell them for more than that on eBay or Craigslist. Suddenly, I was considering a new career as a putter trader.

There was no “click to buy,” or anything like you usually see on Amazon. Just an email address to Natalie Yan. I contacted her and received a reply about a week later. Natalie asked how I was doing and informed me that the putter was still available. And how many pieces did I want? I replied that I only wanted one, but if I was satisfied I would buy more. She emailed me an invoice, and informed me that I could pay with PayPal. With shipping, the total cost came closer to $86. Still a steal.

However, I couldn’t help but be a little suspicious. The site where I found the putter, diytrade.com, is similar to eBay. It is based in China, and allows individuals to sell new or used merchandise. My seller was claiming that I was buying the product wholesale, which is how I was getting it so cheap.

It’s true that a lot of golf clubs are made in China, so maybe it made sense. But I took a closer look at the invoice that Natalie sent me. It came from “Factory 16 building, Shitanbu industry area, Tangxia Town, Dongguan City, China.”

I decided to email the people at Scotty Cameron directly and see what the deal was. Their response was the following:

Please be advised that the website that you provided is not affiliated with Acushnet Company. Please note that there has been an increase in the number of websites that offer counterfeit product for sale, especially at prices that seem “too good to be true.” We recommend that you make your Acushnet purchase through an authorized account.

I decided to forward the email to Natalie and see what she said. She never replied.

I looked into it a bit more, and on the Acushnet site, there was a guide to avoiding counterfeit clubs. Among the warnings was:

“If the goods are shipping from, or located in, China or Hong Kong, they are probably counterfeit.”

Club makers have recognized that this is a serious problem and have acted. A few years ago, Callaway, Cleveland/Srixon, Ping, TaylorMade and Titleist put together an organization called Keep Golf Real. The slick website has extensive information about how to spot fakes, as well as the latest news on the fight against counterfeit. KeepGolfReal estimates that 2 million counterfeit clubs are produced every year.

The organization has had some success. In January 2012, it announced that it shut down 62 websites where counterfeit clubs were sold. A restraining order froze their Paypal accounts, and Joe Nauman, executive vice president for corporate and legal at Acushnet, called it an important message sent to counterfeiters.

However, despite their progress, how much of this fight are they actually winning? Counterfeits can still be bought with relative ease on eBay. And doesn’t shutting down 62 sites mean that more and more of these sites are popping up, and that eradicating all of them is likely impossible?

Officials at Keep Golf Real accepted that it will be a challenge, and acknowledged that the best way to win this fight was through education. The organization’s theory is that if people stop buying counterfeit clubs, counterfeiters will stop making them. Perhaps this is somewhat naive, especially in a tough economy everyone is looking to cut costs, but it is a laudable mission.

Their success or failure will become clearer in the longer term. Meanwhile, they keep fighting, but the factories in China stay busy.

Your Reaction?
  • 79
  • LEGIT19
  • WOW22
  • LOL16
  • IDHT12
  • FLOP13
  • OB13
  • SHANK37

72 Comments

72 Comments

  1. fun and challenging games

    Sep 13, 2023 at 1:46 pm

    Why people still make use of to read news papers when in this technological globe everything is accessible
    on web?

  2. mejor ortodoncista invisalign

    Apr 16, 2023 at 7:28 pm

    Hi there, I read yyour blog like every week. Your story-telling style is awesome, keep doing what you’re
    doing!

  3. Olivia Carpenter

    Feb 5, 2022 at 4:38 pm

    Hi , Thanks a lot . Greeeaaat.

  4. adult freidn finder

    Oct 19, 2020 at 7:19 am

    An impressive share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a colleague who has been conducting a little homework on this.
    And he in fact ordered me dinner simply because I discovered it for him…
    lol. So allow me to reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!!

    But yeah, thanks for spending some time to talk about this
    topic here on your site.

  5. href="https://gjuwa.com">?????????

    Sep 1, 2020 at 10:48 pm

  6. https://webhostusabest.com/tulsa

    Mar 16, 2020 at 5:09 am

    What i do not realize is in truth how you’re not
    really a lot more smartly-appreciated than you may be now.

    You are very intelligent. You understand therefore significantly in terms of
    this subject, made me in my view consider it from numerous various angles.
    Its like men and women don’t seem to be interested except it is something to accomplish
    with Woman gaga! Your own stuffs great. Always take care of it up!

  7. jasagol88.me

    Feb 27, 2020 at 3:01 pm

    all the time i used to read smaller content that as well clear their motive, and
    that is also happening with this article which I am reading at
    this place.

  8. Joseph

    Feb 14, 2020 at 3:45 pm

    ogrodzenia betono?e dwustronne sztachety kompozytowe producent

  9. Cannablend cbd Oil Drops

    Jan 31, 2020 at 5:26 pm

    Yeah bookmking this wasn’t a bad determination outstanding post!

  10. slot deposit pulsa tanpa potongan

    Jan 3, 2020 at 10:46 pm

    Awesome post.

  11. casino

    Dec 12, 2019 at 3:32 pm

    What’s up to all, the contents existing at this website are really amazing
    for people experience, well, keep up the good work fellows.

  12. creative

    Oct 19, 2019 at 2:38 am

    It’s our favourite time of the week FASHIONFRIDAY ! This week’s weeks stylish feature is Brieann.
    She is a Fashion Arts and Business student who loves to shop at
    Zara, Urban Outfitters, and Aritzia. Swipe right to find out more about this fashionista!
    OotdStyle 90sstyle style https://inspacelocations.com/

  13. médicaments en ligne

    Oct 18, 2019 at 5:09 am

    This is a really good tip particularly to those new to the blogosphere.
    Simple but very accurate info… Appreciate your sharing this one.

    A must read article!

  14. pokervgames888

    Sep 30, 2019 at 4:27 am

    I have read so many content concerning the blogger lovers except this piece of
    writing is genuinely a nice article, keep it up.

  15. Merchant Cash Advance

    Sep 26, 2019 at 11:26 am

    This is my first time go to see at here and i am actually impressed to
    read all at single place.

  16. The Referral System

    Sep 19, 2019 at 8:13 am

    This system is great if you want signups and sales for…

    * Any Affiliate Program
    * Business Opportunities
    * List building and social connections
    * Backlinking purposes

    Limited time only.

  17. ADCHEM - GAS. MADE EASY.

    Sep 16, 2019 at 6:29 am

    great publish, very informative. I ponder why the other experts of this sector do not understand this.
    You must continue your writing. I am confident, you’ve a huge readers’
    base already!

  18. 66bandarqiu.com

    Sep 15, 2019 at 10:43 pm

    I’m no longer positive the place you are getting your information,
    but good topic. I must spend some time finding out more or figuring out more.
    Thanks for fantastic info I was searching for this information for
    my mission.

  19. https://smellgood.se/

    Sep 14, 2019 at 10:18 pm

    Bra skäggoljor går att köpa både i butik och online.

  20. Jami

    Sep 12, 2019 at 11:27 am

    This site definitely has all of the information I wanted concerning this subject and didn’t know who
    to ask.

  21. Milagros

    Aug 29, 2019 at 5:22 pm

    Thank you for some other great article. The place else could anyone get that kind of info
    in such an ideal manner of writing? I have a presentation subsequent week, and I’m on the look for such info.

  22. Joe

    Aug 3, 2014 at 12:12 pm

    I’m sorry, was this article written by a grandparent/parent of someone who works here?
    These are generally the kind of people who wouldn’t know that something that is being sold from China at a stupidly low price is fake.

  23. Jimmy Wu

    Jun 7, 2014 at 2:42 am

    When I originally commented I seem to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now every time a comment is added I receive 4 emails with the exact same comment. There has to be a way you are able to remove me from that service? Thanks!

  24. jc

    May 22, 2014 at 1:43 pm

    so scuuty camelon is not a real person?
    thank goodness I have authentic bin Horgan and Calaweigh clubs from china.

    • Klondiko

      Aug 6, 2014 at 2:52 pm

      Would go perfectly with the Ray Ben sunglasses I bought in mexico for $5.

      • Ryan

        Aug 13, 2014 at 7:42 pm

        You got ripped off! Your Ray Bens are probably fake. I, on the other hand, got some SWEET Oaklee sunglasses for 4 dollars on Ebay.

  25. TLE

    May 14, 2014 at 10:11 pm

    I bought a $50 knock off putter from China, and to be honest it’s better than the $400 SC putter I bought from Golftown

    • Justin

      Aug 17, 2014 at 11:29 pm

      It’s all about how it fits, and if it’s pleasing to you. The du jour designer name, the price, the metal used, how it was milled… the only time all that matters is if it matters to you. If you tied a red brick to a shovel handle and averaged <35 putts a round, wouldn't that be your "it" putter?

    • elpatoreal

      Sep 7, 2014 at 10:16 am

      If you like the cheaper putter better, why didn’t you just buy a similar looking putter from Tiger Shark or Tour Edge or some other company? Why support counterfeiters? I’m not trying to provoke you, I’m just genuinely curious.

  26. Renee

    Apr 24, 2014 at 11:47 am

    You will not hear me crying for the transnational corporations exploiting cheap labor pools and shipping jobs overseas. This is part of the consequences or ‘cost factor’ their bean counters forgot to factor in. In addition, Intellectual property is free game overseas. Hindsight is always 20/20 right.

  27. jim

    Mar 16, 2014 at 11:00 am

    the chineese labour regulations for a smelter lets titleist and most club makers function over there rather than here western so why should we not buy the back street ex-factory worker not make a living?how many ethics minded businesses have put employees out of the system ie work related persuits.

  28. Eligio

    Mar 6, 2014 at 10:53 am

    I too sent away for one of these $41 specials, knowing full well it was too good to be true. It looks real from 10′ away but as you get closer, it is a really bad knock off but for a total of around $80 I couldn’t resist.
    For all of those complaining about the cost of an authentic SC, no one is holding a gun to your head. Just say no!

    • john

      Mar 29, 2014 at 2:15 pm

      Why would you buy it, if you know its fake?

  29. swingspeed

    Jan 3, 2014 at 3:50 pm

    “If the goods are shipping from, or located in, China or Hong Kong, they are probably counterfeit.” Maybie i’m wrong here but aren’t that model of scotty’s made in china and shiped from china?

    • Joseph

      Mar 28, 2014 at 7:08 pm

      No “real” Scotty Cameron putters are made in China. Everything is made in the US. Made in Southern California.

  30. JaMarcus

    Aug 30, 2013 at 12:15 am

    How could the author not realize he was really purchasing a $41 Scotty Camwong putter?

    • Christian

      May 6, 2014 at 11:44 pm

      Ha! got me laughin hard on the Scotty Camwong…

  31. Kevo

    Aug 5, 2013 at 7:23 pm

    Why would you even waste your time thinking a $41 dollar Scotty is legit? This article was a waste of time to read.

  32. Mike

    Aug 1, 2013 at 8:02 pm

    Writer left one thing out…………
    How did the putter perform?

    BTW…….Karsten Solheim was the putter design genius. Scotty has been riding on his coattail for years.

    I don’t blame him though. Whatever it takes to make a buck or two.

    • Keith

      Aug 1, 2013 at 10:43 pm

      I have never used the Scotty Cameron counterfeit putter. I have about 200 putters in my modest collection.
      Right now I am using a Ping Kushin Scottsdale that I bought for less than $100 and it seems to be working just now.
      You know that it is often the puttee and not the putter!

  33. Keith

    Jul 31, 2013 at 5:22 pm

    I bought a Scotty Cameron putter complete with head cover from China for $53 Canadian all in and of course knew it was a fake.it looks just like the real thing but I wanted to see the counterfeit for myself. It was delivered to my home in Toronto 10 days after placing the order.
    The head is light in weight and I have never used it.
    Speaking of counterfeit who does Scotty copy with a lot of his famous over priced putters. Ever compare the heads with a Ping Anser?

    • John

      Aug 1, 2013 at 12:55 pm

      THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN ORIGINAL DESIGN IN THE GOLF EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY!!!…not only did Scotty cameron LICENSE the design when it was patented (which it hasn’t been for over 25 years now) but so did every other company that has ever made a putter…tell me Keith, what would you do to improve the design and functionality of the original Ping Anser…maybe mill it, check for Scotty…how about add weight to increase moi?…check for Scotty…there aren’t original designs anywhere any more, only small tweaks to existing ones.

  34. Bob

    Jul 31, 2013 at 12:56 pm

    The sad thing is, $41 is the price that an authentic cameron should be. The most over-rated putters on the market.

    • John

      Jul 31, 2013 at 1:21 pm

      Couldn’t agree more…my uncle works for a company that supplys raw metal to kitchen-aid, I’m sure you’ve all heard of them…guess where the RECYCLED 303 stainless gets sent???…any guesses, that’s right Scotty Cameron (Acushnet) gets the metal that kitchen-aid doesn’t want to use for their knives. I can’t help but laugh at anyone out there that truly believe the materials cost more than $41…I won’t give numbers out of respect for business ethics, but the most expensive parts of ANY cameron putter (including some circle t’s for all you big spenders out there) is the shaft and grip combined…then whatever labor they have to pay the guy in the factory who has to stare at the Cnc mill…thanks and have a good day, boom

      • Mike

        Jul 31, 2013 at 4:20 pm

        i agree with you john, however i think it’s poor form to “boom” yourself. thanks and have a good day.

      • Mike

        Jul 31, 2013 at 4:20 pm

        BOOM! that’s for john.

        • John

          Jul 31, 2013 at 5:01 pm

          Actually mike, it is intended to be used yourself, in its origination, the person made a groundbreaking comment followed by “boom!”…don’t tell people what is or isn’t “good form”, who do you think you are the Internet comedy etiquette investigation bureau?

          • Will

            Mar 28, 2014 at 9:54 pm

            Wow. He just said he thought…I mean it’s how he feels.

            Just an opinion. He didn’t say you used it wrong.

      • J

        Aug 7, 2013 at 11:00 pm

        Why in the world would you think that anybody else thinks that the materials are worth $41???
        What finished product do you buy that the retail price = the cost of the materials? I don’t care if a putter is made from recycled rabbit turds and bottle caps from raspberry SnApple as long at it performs.

        Just try and make a putt with your Kitchenaid since it obviously is made from superior materials.

        • Brandon

          Apr 20, 2014 at 11:04 pm

          Probably the best comment I have ever read on GolfWrx. Freaking Hilarious

      • J

        Aug 7, 2013 at 11:03 pm

        And those other pesky costs of doing business like….maybe say…a building, insurance, administration, advertising, r&d, etc.

        • John

          Apr 25, 2014 at 3:44 pm

          lol! r&d for putter designs that don’t change. Every single golf company has the same typical putter designs and they all just add their unique touch to it. White, circles, logos, etc.

          I could be wrong, but I don’t think there’s a ton of r&d going on in the SC camp.

          That original comment is awesome.

      • Justin

        Aug 17, 2014 at 11:35 pm

        I laugh at that stuff, too. The cost of the metal is but a small fraction of the overall cost. The hype (demand) and Tour usage are bigger contributors to the cost. If everyone decided one day to stop buying SC’s, I’d bet you could get them for no more than $50.

    • Rixirox

      Mar 25, 2014 at 9:50 pm

      Well, maybe in your humble opinion. I think my SC GoLo is the best thing since my old beat-up, Acushnet Bullseye Blade. And better than my White Ice and Daddy Longlegs.

      So I don’t care whos says what. By the time I got done buying all the junk that didn’t work, I was in a bit more than the price of a Scotty.

      So buy your Scotty up front and save money and time by not buying everybody else’s BS.

    • Joseph

      Mar 28, 2014 at 7:11 pm

      The putters are milled from a 10 pound billet of stainless steel. No other putter on the market is made this way. And they’re made in the US. Sorry, but these putters are anything but over-rated.

      • adrian

        Apr 9, 2014 at 1:50 pm

        totally agree, Ive been through 2-balls and #7’s, Ive tried ping zings and none compare to the SC’s I’ve had and have just bought a new one!

        People who say they arent worth the money are the kind of people who wear velcro trainers cutting cost or use a ten quid putter from sports direct and blah blah about the same materials!

        Try an SC love it, put it down because your missus will have a fit if she finds out what the stick cost!

        • adrian

          Apr 9, 2014 at 1:52 pm

          although that said, I always try to source a bargain, buying from shops is always way over what you can pick up a brand new putter for nearly new or *mint*!

  35. Joel

    Jul 31, 2013 at 12:32 pm

    wow…it seems if someone was trying to track down counterfeit clubs to stop companier that diytrade has it all… mostly all from the same small handful of companies but I cant help but feel like $140 ap2’s and $150 r1’s arent legit lol.

  36. Bart

    Jul 30, 2013 at 6:42 pm

    I have a Scotty Cameron and I putt so bad with it I’m just about ready to pay someone $41-00 to take it away. I’ll stick with my old Anser 2.

  37. c masty

    Jul 30, 2013 at 4:30 pm

    Whoever is trying to stop the counterfeiting is doing a knock out job stopping the counterfeit too. You can still go to diytrade.com and buy Scotty putters for 40 bucks.

  38. Rogier

    Jul 30, 2013 at 4:57 am

    I purchased a few “limited” Scotty Cameron headcovers this year for $20 a peace from a Chines website.
    They look and feel exacly the same as the originals

    • Nick

      Jul 30, 2013 at 10:35 am

      Aside from the fact you are helping a scam artist profiteer off the Cameron name, I would be much more inclined to buy a headcover I thought was fake then a club or ball where there is going to be an impact on performance that translates into hurting your game. Theres is obviuosly still the ethical element to contend with but at least the club/ball performance won’t suffer.

  39. Josh C

    Jul 29, 2013 at 3:12 pm

    “And doesn’t shutting down 62 sites mean that more and more of these sites are popping up, and that eradicating all of them is likely impossible?”

    Shutting down ALL of them? Yes, thats impossible. But if Keep Golf Real has shut down 62 sites in two years, you have to think that will deter some folks from making new counterfeit sites if they know they will just get shut down sooner rather than later. Sounds like a solid job by Keep Golf Real.

  40. mark

    Jul 29, 2013 at 12:46 pm

    Great article not only club making but golf balls have been counterfeited also.

  41. Matt

    Jul 29, 2013 at 11:17 am

    It really took you an email to Scotty to figure out a $41 putter isn’t real? Not only is Scotty much more expensive wholesale…the materials alone cost more than $41 to make it.

    • John

      Jul 29, 2013 at 2:30 pm

      Lol I was thinking the same thing…life lesson when something sounds “too good to be true” it usually is…emailing cameron about that = ROTFL

    • Mateo

      Jul 29, 2013 at 11:07 pm

      I’ll agree that wholesale is much more but the cost of the materials is much less.

  42. Cj

    Jul 29, 2013 at 11:13 am

    My uncle bought me this brand new r11 once and you could not believe how happy i was, but when i first took it to the range to try it out I realized that the sound of it was like of an empty can that sounded nothing like the ones i hear normally so i checked it online and fount out it was counterfeit you could not believe the disappointment in my face but i was happy because when i was hitting it i lost a good 50 yards

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

19th Hole

Vincenzi’s 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open betting preview

Published

on

As the Florida swing comes to an end, the PGA Tour makes its way to Houston to play the Texas Children’s Houston Open at Memorial Park Golf Course.

This will be the fourth year that Memorial Park Golf Course will serve as the tournament host. The event did not take place in 2023, but the course hosted the event in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Memorial Park is a par-70 layout measuring 7,432 yards and features Bermudagrass greens. Historically, the main defense for the course has been thick rough along the fairways and tightly mown runoff areas around the greens. Memorial Park has a unique setup that features three Par 5’s and five Par 3’s.

The field will consist of 132 players, with the top 65 and ties making the cut. There are some big names making the trip to Houston, including Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark, Tony Finau, Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala.

Past Winners at Memorial Park

  • 2022: Tony Finau (-16)
  • 2021: Jason Kokrak (-10)
  • 2020: Carlos Ortiz (-13)

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 Memorial Park

Let’s take a look at several metrics for Memorial Park to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their last 24 rounds:

Strokes Gained: Approach

Memorial Park is a pretty tough golf course. Golfers are penalized for missing greens and face some difficult up and downs to save par. Approach will be key.

Total Strokes Gained: Approach per round in past 24 rounds:

  1. Tom Hoge (+1.30)
  2. Scottie Scheffler (+1.26)
  3. Keith Mitchell (+0.97) 
  4. Tony Finau (+0.92)
  5. Jake Knapp (+0.84)

Strokes Gained: Off the Tee

Memorial Park is a long golf course with rough that can be penal. Therefore, a combination of distance and accuracy is the best metric.

Total Strokes Gained: Off the Tee per round in past 24 rounds:

  1. Scottie Scheffler (+0.94)
  2. Kevin Dougherty (+0.93)
  3. Cameron Champ (+0.86)
  4. Rafael Campos (+0.84)
  5. Si Woo Kim (+0.70)

Strokes Gained Putting: Bermudagrass + Fast

The Bermudagrass greens played fairly fast the past few years in Houston. Jason Kokrak gained 8.7 strokes putting on his way to victory in 2021 and Tony Finau gained in 7.8 in 2022.

Total Strokes Gained Putting (Bermudagrass) per round past 24 rounds (min. 8 rounds):

  1. Adam Svensson (+1.27)
  2. Harry Hall (+1.01)
  3. Martin Trainer (+0.94)
  4. Taylor Montgomery (+0.88)
  5. S.H. Kim (+0.86)

Strokes Gained: Around the Green

With firm and undulating putting surfaces, holding the green on approach shots may prove to be a challenge. Memorial Park has many tightly mowed runoff areas, so golfers will have challenging up-and-down’s around the greens. Carlos Ortiz gained 5.7 strokes around the green on the way to victory in 2020.

Total Strokes Gained: Around the Green per round in past 24 rounds:

  1. Mackenzie Hughes (+0.76)
  2. S.H. Kim (+0.68)
  3. Scottie Scheffler (+0.64)
  4. Jorge Campillo (+0.62)
  5. Jason Day (+0.60)

Strokes Gained: Long and Difficult

Memorial Park is a long and difficult golf course. This statistic will incorporate players who’ve had success on these types of tracks in the past. 

Total Strokes Gained: Long and Difficult in past 24 rounds:

  1. Scottie Scheffler (+2.45)
  2. Ben Griffin (+1.75)
  3. Will Zalatoris (+1.73)
  4. Ben Taylor (+1.53)
  5. Tony Finau (+1.42)

Course History

Here are the players who have performed the most consistently at Memorial Park. 

Strokes Gained Total at Memorial Park past 12 rounds:

  1. Tyson Alexander (+3.65)
  2. Ben Taylor (+3.40)
  3. Tony Finau (+2.37)
  4. Joel Dahmen (+2.25)
  5. Patton Kizzire (+2.16)

Statistical Model

Below, I’ve reported overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed.

These rankings are comprised of SG: App (24%) SG: OTT (24%); SG: Putting Bermudagrass/Fast (13%); SG: Long and Difficult (13%); SG: ARG (13%) and Course History (13%)

  1. Scottie Scheffler
  2. Wyndham Clark
  3. Tony Finau
  4. Joel Dahmen
  5. Stephan Jaeger 
  6. Aaron Rai
  7. Sahith Theegala
  8. Keith Mitchell 
  9. Jhonnatan Vegas
  10. Jason Day
  11. Kurt Kitayama
  12. Alex Noren
  13. Will Zalatoris
  14. Si Woo Kim
  15. Adam Long

2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open Picks

Will Zalatoris +2000 (Caesars)

Scottie Scheffler will undoubtedly be difficult to beat this week, so I’m starting my card with someone who I believe has the talent to beat him if he doesn’t have his best stuff.

Will Zalatoris missed the cut at the PLAYERS, but still managed to gain strokes on approach while doing so. In an unpredictable event with extreme variance, I don’t believe it would be wise to discount Zalatoris based on that performance. Prior to The PLAYERS, the 27-year-old finished T13, T2 and T4 in his previous three starts.

Zalatoris plays his best golf on long and difficult golf courses. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 3rd in the category, but the eye test also tells a similar story. He’s contended at major championships and elevated events in the best of fields with tough scoring conditions.  The Texas resident should be a perfect fit at Memorial Park Golf Club.

Alex Noren +4500 (FanDuel)

Alex Noren has been quietly playing some of his best golf of the last half decade this season. The 41-year-old is coming off back-to-back top-20 finishes in Florida including a T9 at The PLAYERS in his most recent start.

In his past 24 rounds, Noren ranks 21st in the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, 30th in Strokes Gained: Around the Green, 25th in Strokes Gained: Total on long and difficult courses and 21st in Strokes Gained: Putting on fast Bermudagrass greens.

In addition to his strong recent play, the Swede also has played well at Memorial Park. In 2022, Noren finished T4 at the event, gaining 2.2 strokes off the tee and 7.0 strokes on approach for the week. In his two starts at the course, he’s gained an average of .6 strokes per round on the field, indicating he is comfortable on these greens.

Noren has been due for a win for what feels like an eternity, but Memorial Park may be the course that suits him well enough for him to finally get his elusive first PGA Tour victory.

Mackenzie Hughes +8000 (FanDuel)

Mackenzie Hughes found himself deep into contention at last week’s Valspar Championship before faltering late and finishing in a tie for 3rd place. While he would have loved to win the event, it’s hard to see the performance as anything other than an overwhelming positive sign for the Canadian.

Hughes has played great golf at Memorial Park in the past. He finished T7 in 2020, T29 in 2021 and T16 in 2022. The course fit seems to be quite strong for Hughes. He’s added distance off the tee in the past year or and ranks 8th in the field for apex height, which will be a key factor when hitting into Memorial Park’s elevated greens with steep run-off areas.

In his past 24 rounds, Hughes is the best player in the field in Strokes Gained: Around the Greens. The ability to scramble at this course will be extremely important. I believe Hughes can build off of his strong finish last week and contend once again to cement himself as a President’s Cup consideration.

Akshay Bhatia +8000 (FanDuel)

Akshay Bhatia played well last week at the Valspar and seemed to be in total control of his golf ball. He finished in a tie for 17th and shot an impressive -3 on a difficult Sunday. After struggling Thursday, Akshay shot 68-70-68 in his next three rounds.

Thus far, Bhatia has played better at easier courses, but his success at Copperhead may be due to his game maturing. The 22-year-old has enormous potential and the raw talent to be one of the best players in the world when he figures it all out.

Bhatia is a high upside play with superstar qualities and may just take the leap forward to the next stage of his career in the coming months.

Cameron Champ +12000 (FanDuel)

Cameron Champ is a player I often target in the outright betting market due to his “boom-or-bust” nature. It’s hard to think of a player in recent history with three PGA Tour wins who’s been as inconsistent as Champ has over the course of his career.

Despite the erratic play, Cam Champ simply knows how to win. He’s won in 2018, 2019 and 2021, so I feel he’s due for a win at some point this season. The former Texas A&M product should be comfortable in Texas and last week he showed us that his game is in a pretty decent spot.

Over his past 24 rounds, Champ ranks 3rd in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 30th in Strokes Gained: Total on long and difficult courses. Given his ability to spike at any given time, Memorial Park is a good golf course to target Champ on at triple digit odds.

Robert MacIntyre +12000 (FanDuel)

The challenge this week is finding players who can possibly beat Scottie Scheffler while also not dumping an enormous amount of money into an event that has a player at the top that looks extremely dangerous. Enter McIntyre, who’s another boom-or-bust type player who has the ceiling to compete with anyone when his game is clicking on all cylinders.

In his past 24 rounds, MacIntyre ranks 16th in the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, 17th in Strokes Gained: Around the Green and 10th in Strokes Gained: Total on long and difficult courses.

MacIntyre’s PGA Tour season has gotten off to a slow start, but he finished T6 in Mexico, which is a course where players will hit driver on the majority of their tee shots, which is what we will see at Memorial Park. Texas can also get quite windy, which should suit MacIntyre. Last July, the Scot went toe to toe with Rory McIlroy at the Scottish Open before a narrow defeat. It would take a similar heroic effort to compete with Scheffler this year in Houston.

Ryan Moore +15000 (FanDuel)

Ryan Moore’s iron play has been absolutely unconscious over his past few starts. At The PLAYERS Championship in a loaded field, he gained 6.1 strokes on approach and last week at Copperhead, he gained 9.0 strokes on approach.

It’s been a rough handful of years on Tour for the 41-year-old, but he is still a five-time winner on the PGA Tour who’s young enough for a career resurgence. Moore has chronic deterioration in a costovertebral joint that connects the rib to the spine, but has been getting more consistent of late, which is hopefully a sign that he is getting healthy.

Veterans have been contending in 2024 and I believe taking a flier on a proven Tour play who’s shown signs of life is a wise move at Memorial Park.

 

Your Reaction?
  • 13
  • LEGIT1
  • WOW1
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK1

Continue Reading

Opinion & Analysis

Ryan: Why the race to get better at golf might be doing more harm than good

Published

on

B.F. Skinner was one of the most important psychologists of the 20th century, developing the foundation of the development of reinforcement, and in doing so, creating the concept of behaviorism. In simple terms, this means that we are conditioned by our habits. In practical terms, it explains the divide between the few and far between elite instructors and college coaches.

To understand the application, let’s quickly review one of B.F. Skinner’s most important experiments; superstitions in the formation of behavior by pigeons. In this experiment, food was dispensed to pigeons at random intervals. Soon, according to Skinner, the pigeons began to associate whatever action they were doing at the time of the food being dispensed. According to Skinner, this conditioned that response and soon, they simply haphazardly repeated the action, failing to distinguish between cause and correlation (and in the meantime, looking really funny!).

Now, this is simply the best way to describe the actions of most every women’s college golf coach and too many instructors in America. They see something work, get positive feedback and then become conditioned to give the feedback, more and more, regardless of if it works (this is also why tips from your buddies never work!).

Go to a college event, particularly a women’s one, and you will see coaches running all over the place. Like the pigeons in the experiment, they have been conditioned into a codependent relationship with their players in which they believe their words and actions, can transform a round of golf. It is simply hilarious while being equally perturbing

In junior golf, it’s everywhere. Junior golf academies make a living selling parents that a hysterical coach and over-coaching are essential ingredients in your child’s success.

Let’s be clear, no one of any intellect has any real interest in golf — because it’s not that interesting. The people left, including most coaches and instructors, carve out a small fiefdom, usually on the corner of the range, where they use the illusion of competency to pray on people. In simple terms, they baffle people with the bullshit of pseudo-science that they can make you better, after just one more lesson.

The reality is that life is an impromptu game. The world of golf, business, and school have a message that the goal is being right. This, of course, is bad advice, being right in your own mind is easy, trying to push your ideas on others is hard. As a result, it is not surprising that the divorce rate among golf professionals and their instructors is 100 percent. The transfer rate among college players continues to soar, and too many courses have a guy peddling nefarious science to good people. In fact, we do at my course!

The question is, what impact does all this have on college-age and younger kids? At this point, we honestly don’t know. However, I am going to go out on a limb and say it isn’t good.

Soren Kierkegaard once quipped “I saw it for what it is, and I laughed.” The actions of most coaches and instructors in America are laughable. The problem is that I am not laughing because they are doing damage to kids, as well as driving good people away from this game.

The fact is that golfers don’t need more tips, secrets, or lessons. They need to be presented with a better understanding of the key elements of golf. With this understanding, they can then start to frame which information makes sense and what doesn’t. This will emancipate them and allow them to take charge of their own development.

Your Reaction?
  • 14
  • LEGIT4
  • WOW1
  • LOL2
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP1
  • OB0
  • SHANK11

Continue Reading

19th Hole

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

Published

on

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.

Your Reaction?
  • 16
  • LEGIT3
  • WOW2
  • LOL1
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP1
  • OB2
  • SHANK6

Continue Reading

WITB

Facebook

Trending