Opinion & Analysis

How much distance is lost with age?

Published

9 years ago

Jan 5, 2015

There seems to be a steady progression of lost driving distance that comes with age, but I don’t recall ever seeing much actual information on the topic. My curiosity got the best of me, so one day I sat down and tried to figure it out.

I started by looking up the ages and driving distances of 440 players on the PGA Tour, Web.com Tour, Champions Tour, European Tour and European Senior Tour.

Here’s a breakdown of the averages I found in five-year increments, along with a calculation of their estimated average swing speeds based on the average Tour players driving distance efficiency being about 2.57 yard/mph.

If I break down the numbers in 10-year increments to decades, here’s what I found.

As expected, we see a decline in distance and club head speed over time. Below are a few points of interest.

Pros in their 20’s, and more specifically in their late 20’s, hit the longest drives and swing the fastest.
Pros on the main tours (i.e. non-senior tours) in their 30’s are around the tour average in both categories, meaning the guys in their 20s boost both averages and guys in their 40’s bring down the averages.
There’s a really sharp decline in speed and distance around age 50. I wonder if there is something psychological at play here. As soon as golfers turn 50 and start playing the “senior” tours, they could start thinking of themselves as older and it could manifest in their play. Who knows.

Since the lowest club head speed for a competitive player on a tour for a player under 50 years old is usually around 104 mph, it makes sense that we don’t see as many guys in their 50s or 60s being competitive on the main tours. But does it have to be like that?

Trackman research shows that when a golfer goes from a 15 handicap to a +5 handicap, there is a correlation of about 1:1 of club head speed to handicap. That means that for every 1 mph increase in clubhead speed, you’ll see about a 1-shot drop in handicap. I suppose that it’s not too far of a stretch to say that as tour players lose club head speed and distance, it becomes more difficult for them to shoot lower scores and be competitive at the highest levels.

Still, there is only about a 10 mph club head speed difference between the guys in the 60-to-69 age category and the main tour average of about 113 mph. In my work as a Swing Speed Trainer, I can definitely tell you it’s possible to add 10 mph of speed to swing through swing speed training. Furthermore, I believe that age is largely a state of mind and if you are willing to put in some work, a great deal of physical capability can be maintained and even increased well in to the latter parts of life. As the saying goes, “use it or lose it.”

The video below of Sam Bright, Jr. is a fine example. It stands to reason that if a senior tour player in his 50s or 60s is still motivated and interested in playing one of the main tours, he could certainly do so with Swing Speed Training.

[youtube id=”iU4yAZobbfI” width=”620″ height=”360″]

Assuming the same regression happens at the amateur level, here’s what those numbers might look like for 14-to-15 handicappers who swing 93.4 mph and hit drives 214 yards when they’re 30-to-39. It could then be said that maintaining this handicap level could also become difficult with age.

To help combat potential distance and handicap loss with age, I refer you to another article I wrote called “Three ways to longer drives.” As George Bernard Shaw once said, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing.”

I say to you, get out there and play!

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Jaacob Bowden, PGA

Jaacob Bowden is Coach, Trainer, and Professional Golfer, keen on exploring golf and life’s broader lessons while offering coaching and swing speed training through JaacobBowden.com and SwingManGolf.com. With a history of driving remarkable golfing achievements, Jaacob intertwines his sport passion with holistic living. His writings reflect this blend, offering readers insights into improving both their game and their lives. Explore JaacobBowden.com and SwingManGolf.com to unlock a new level of golfing prowess and holistic enrichment.

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Advanced French

Oct 14, 2019 at 11:17 pm

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Bob Hill

Sep 13, 2018 at 11:23 am

I manage a group of up to 40 golfers who are in their 60s, 70s, and 80, all of whom mention every round how short the hit the ball compared to 10-20 years ago. I would like to remind the better golfers who build courses, plan tee distance or even put the tee markers in their course at the start of play: players do not move to the seniors tees because they have lost 10 or 20 yards. They move to the senior tees because they have lot 30 to 40 yards off the the tee, and continue to lose as they age. So don’t put the senior tee marker 10 yards in front of the white tee; we consider that an insult.

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Jim Hamilton

Apr 11, 2017 at 8:02 pm

In 2004, at 61 years old, I won my regional ReMax World Long Drive championship at 355 yards at Riverside in Indianapolis with a clubhead speed of 127 mph. I’m a physicist, and found that efficient long drive swings used both torso rotation and whole-body bending around, most typically, the solar plexus to swing the arms. Both motions generate speed without significant movement of the center of gravity of the body, but like a platform diver, or a falling cat, generate useful motion around the CG. I swung an SMT head on an Accuflex shaft… long-drive specialties. Fast-forward to today, at 74. i just started to play again after illness and am 25 pounds lighter. Clubhead speed is 112 with that same old driver and distance is about 280. With a more appropriate and modern driver and work on flexibility, 300 will come. Injury is the biggest distance loser, and tour pros are most vulnerable. Leading knee twist and lumbar vertebral damage are the result of powerful swings done for decades. My advice: learn to let your forward foot rotate (there is a special golf shoe that does it automatically) on the ground on your all-out drives, and use more lateral bend ( see Mike Dunaway’s DVD) and a little less pure torsion. It makes a big difference. I agree about low T and fast twitch muscles, but injuries are the biggest swing killers.

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George Saalmann

Nov 3, 2016 at 9:17 pm

I am 76 & I took up golf at 60 by error. With a young family, it was important to bond with them while they were growing up. After my doctor recommended an operation to relieve my back pain, I went to our local driving range, every day for 18 moths. I would hit between 450-500 balls a day. I had blisters, bleeding hands and tore muscles in my back, till I thought I was going to have a heart attack. The golf pro called me a machine gun. Then one day, the Manager came over and said, “Could I please stop hitting over the safety net at the back as you are hitting the homes behind it”. My severe back pain stopped & I realized, I might be able to play golf.
Now at age 76 I still drive 227 metres. My back pain with regular & moderate exercise every day, Has gone. I have had 3 golf lessons, for a right hander. Which did not help, as being a left hander. However for reason, I play right handed golf. Having read, Ben Hogan’s book on golf has helped heaps.
Thanks for golf. the exercise & and cameraderie with my golf friends of same age..

That is when I started to realize .over wanted to operate on my spend time with them In m in th

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Tom Horne

Oct 30, 2015 at 10:04 pm

I am 80 yrs. young and hit my drives up to 250 yds and 75% of my gaqmes in2015 were uner my age aqt Trickle Creek Golf Course on the blue tees.Love my Callaway clubs.

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John

May 25, 2015 at 1:43 am

Great article.

At the 1988 PGA at Oaktree in Edmond Oklahoma, I was 33 years old. I had Contestant’s Family badges as I used to work for a club pro that had played his way into the tournament that year. Those badges gave me access to a PGA Tour operated hitting cage that could measure clubhead speed. I used a persimmon driver with a steel shaft that was provided by the PGA rep (Remember, the first titanium driver, the Big Bertha, didn’t hit the market until 1991). On a dozen swings, I averaged around 112 mph. One swing was 118 mph. The operator told me that my clubhead speed was in the top half of PGA pros. This didn’t really surprise me because at 33 years old, I was 6′ 1″ and a strong and limber 175 pounds. I was lucky enough to live a mile from the golf course and I started playing golf almost every day from the age of 12. I played to a four handicap, hit short irons into all the par fours, and was rarely out-driven.

Fast forward to 2015 and I am now 60 years old, 210 pounds, can’t touch my toes, and I rarely hit wedges to par fours anymore. My Clubhead speed now is in the 98-102 mph range and that’s with a titanium driver and the graphite shaft. I have one video of me swinging when I was 17 years old and I had just won a junior tournament. I compare that video to my current swing and all I can say is that I’m now watching a fat old man swing that appears to have nothing correct in his swing anymore.

I showed my young swing to the PGA pro at the club I belong to and he commented “nice swing, is that you?” He then agreed with me that until I lose 20 pounds and gain back some flexibility, my distance is just going to continue to drop. So, all I can say is that this article is spot on. Flexibility is the key to distance, not stength. If it was strength, Arnold Schwarzenegger would hit a ball 500 yards.

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Phil E

May 2, 2015 at 9:07 am

UPDATE: The GM at the course I play the most, laughed at me & explained that playing that much golf tears the little muscles in your shoulders akin to lifting weights. He said “Dude give your body a rest & you’ll be fine”. Turns out he was correct. Distance numbers on the course are more in line with what I’m used to.

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robert coles

Apr 30, 2015 at 7:21 am

Turn 78 this yr [2015] 20 yrs ago played off 3. Now with rotator cuff injury + loss of prostate [less test.] have gone down to 200 yd max drive with roll. Struggling to stay close to 80 on 72 par course.
good putting and chipping is my only chance to stay in the game. Putting stats = 28 putts / round.
Swing speed is 85 but playing on kike grass courses well watered have taken its toll on length. Give me the good old days with no course watering [like they still do in UK] and couch fairways. I call course watering of golf course the American disease.

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CJaenike

Jan 28, 2015 at 3:41 am

Significant drop off from 20s to 40s, while commonplace, is certainly not inevitable. I’ve followed the same (aggressive) workout regimen and level of activity throughout, and my club head speed at 46 (115 mph average, 116 max) is essentially the same as it was at 26 (115, 117 max). I’m average height and weight at 5’10”, 165#, btw. It’s all about putting in the fitness work.

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Ron

Jan 19, 2015 at 11:49 am

Interesting article. I had not seen any attempt at this analysis before, although I have wondered about what to expect with age. After a several decades-long hiatus from golf, I started playing again at age 60, so don’t know how my distance changed over time. But I am longer now at 74 than I was as a college player (where I was not particularly long – or even straight) – and that has to be the gains in technology. I may have lost a few yards over this last decade, but not a lot. With a smooth tempo 90-94 mph driver speed, a center-hit still makes me pretty long for my age-group. (And my sense is that center-of-the-club-face is more important to distance then a few mph speed-gain if off-center.) All other things being equal, the 2+ yds per mph off the driver is a good measure to keep in mind – but center-hits are still key. My index is about 4.

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- bradford
  
  Jan 29, 2015 at 11:21 am
  
  If you’re hitting the middle of the club face, the new technology does very little. There’s a lot of “data” out there designed to sell clubs, but the fact is average driving distance on the pro level has only increased by ~20 yards (probably less) in the last 30 years, and most of that is due to the ball. The increase seen from amateurs is usually due to matching a more forgiving club to someone who makes poor or inconsistent contact. I play to an 8 or 9 and I still get a kick out of 20+ handicappers that believe they have a solid grasp on their driver distance. If they told me “I hit the ball between 190 and 250.” I’d believe that. Most will tell you they hit it “Ya know 270 on a good day…”, and that means one day in a simulator they hit that number one time-ever. Now it’s their “average”.
  
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Lowell

Jan 13, 2015 at 5:37 pm

I believe that in order for this to hold true with regards to losing distance with age, the golfer must then use the same golf club for the entirety of his golf career. In seeing golfers actually adding distance is more to advancement in technology that has helped. So as a result you are finding those who have aged also picking up yardage. Now if they were to stick with the persimmon or steel head drivers of the past then I would be in total agreement. As for now, with lighter shafts that launch lower with a better launch angle, who knows, we might actually see another slight increase in distance in relation to age.

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LY

Jan 8, 2015 at 1:29 pm

I’m almost 61 and have not lost much distance since the age of 50. What I do everyday is swing a 5lb. golf club 50 times a day. You would be surprised how much that helps with distance, strength and flexability.

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- Phil E
  
  Apr 15, 2015 at 3:43 pm
  
  I will be 61 in a few months, 5’2″ 120lbs. single digit golfer. Still very flexible. 5yrs ago: 101mph ss, 3yrs ago: 98mph ss. Just came from Dick’s for a regripping (played about 80 rounds 2014). While waiting used monitor (the real one, little metal box)> Was bummed. Avg. ss 90mph, carry distance 206, total 232 yds. Did hit a few 93-95mph 228 carry 250 total yds. Only a few years ago was 238 carry(max) 262total yds. 4/13/15 (mon.) played 40holes next day 26holes (riding). 4/15/15 went to Dick’s. Could fatigue have played a role? I stopped playing ice hockey (laced em up 6 times in the past year). Any thoughts, I’m bummed!
  
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WarrenPeace

Jan 7, 2015 at 4:50 pm

Advice for all you aging older players- spend 80% of your practice time chipping and putting…..the great equalizer. Injuries will take their toll on you hitting too many range balls so shadow swing slow at home instead making the correct moves…you’ll be amazed how much more connected and better contact you will make on course without the wear and tear of whacking balls. I love hitting balls and practice honestly but the joints take a beating hitting 100-200 balls. Be smart about your body.

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WarrenPeace

Jan 7, 2015 at 4:24 pm

These numbers are for regular old people that have given into the low T BS! Now days people are in better shape and have healthy active lifestyles that enable them to retain both strength and flexibility. I will be 60 in April and while I hit it about 240 in my competitive 20’s (persimmon and balata), and with the new equipment, I hit it 250-280 now. My friends who are 50-60 all hit it past me so I agree with Gary Player- it’s about moving, staying active and eating correctly. FYI- We all walk most rounds while the fat boys are riding the carts drinking their beer. That’s the difference.

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Lancebp

Jan 7, 2015 at 3:33 pm

Something seems drastically wrong with some of these comments. I’m 65, I’ve played for 50 years. I was never a long hitter. In the persimmon era, 225 (carry and roll) was my standard. Today, at 65, I use a highly accurate radar unit, average about 97 mph and occasionally reach a legitimate 100. I have no question my clubhead speed at 65 is higher than it was at 40, and it’s not because I’m a walking miracle. I suppose 1 mph lost for every year after 50 might be true if you also get fatter, weaker and lazier every year after 50 too.

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Golfraven

Jan 7, 2015 at 3:28 pm

things just go downhill when you turn 40. I better start my excercise routine like Gary Player otherwise I see no tomorrow. Maybe my Orange Whip will help me maintaining or gaining the extra MPH. However I think that length is not everything. you become a refined player with age just like good wine.

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Jim

Jan 7, 2015 at 2:48 pm

Getting old simply “sucks.” In two months I’ll turn 65. At 63 I spent the summer fighting a kidney stone for two months ending in surgery. I only played three rounds the entire summer and they were all in May. The following summer I was astonished at how much eye-hand coordination I had lost. I suddenly couldn’t hit my Mizuno MP-32’s with any consistency and my 7-iron which was automatically dialed in at 150 yards was playing at least 10 yards shorter. Even my wedges were coming up short by at least a club. I don’t even want to talk about driver distance fading away.
My wife did buy me a new set of Titleist AP1’s as well as Ping G25 driver, 5-wood and 20 and 23-degree hybrids. I struggled through most of last summer getting used to my new game, but still enjoyed playing. My drives now average about 220. My longest drive in early September was 240, but that was a perfectly struck ball. And I am forgetting to mention that I now play optic yellow balls because I truly can’t see white balls any more (thanks to 20 years of staring at computer monitors for 12 hours a day).
I still love the game immensely and have found the Ping metals are keeping me in the fairway consistently. I also rely much more on my short game, especially putting, to keep me in the mid-80’s. And the young pups I play with, who are still in their 50’s, still demand that I play from the blues with them. I simply hit a lot more hybrids and 5-woods into the long Par-3’s now.
The same thing will likely happen to most of you reading this right now. You’ll get discouraged at first, learn to accept it and finally, if you truly love this great game as I do, you’ll adapt to reality and change your game and expectations so that you still love playing and practicing all summer long. As an old hockey player, golf is still the best game ever invented.

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- Golfraven
  
  Jan 7, 2015 at 3:32 pm
  
  The worst thing is when wifes start to buy improvement clubs for you. Length can only maintained through practice so no wonder you were short after short after a serious heath break.
  
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Dana Upshaw

Jan 7, 2015 at 12:46 pm

It’s been my experience being a professional fitter for over 20 years that just about EVERYONE starts losing clubhead speed at the rate of 1mph per year at age 50. It’s just part of the natural slowing down process in everything we do. It’s a gradual process that is imperceptible in the short term, but the cumulative effect is great. As we age, we talk slower, we walk slower, we chew slower, we swing slower. And while 1mph doesn’t seem like a lot, 15 years down the road the cumulative effect is 15mph and a loss of 35-45 yards with a driver and 20-30 with an iron. Combined together, the second shot PW of yesteryear is now a 4-5 iron. In 20 years of watching my clientele age I’ve had ONE 68 year-old golfer who has maintained his clubhead speed and ONE 72 year-old golfer who actually gained 4mph. Everyone else has decayed at 1mph per year once over 50. Add in the effects of not-so-good impact conditions and misfit clubs and the yardage “rollback” can be severe enough to discourage the staunchest curmudgeon from playing as much as they’d desire. Unfortunately, for most folks that just the way it is and without significant dedication to strength and flexibility training and lessons they will never recapture the speed of their glory days.

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- JOEL GOODMAN
  
  Jan 7, 2015 at 2:18 pm
  
  I’LL BE 80 IN JULY AND HIT MY DRIVES 210-220 REGULARLY AND A 4 IRON IS MY 175 YD CLUB. MOST OF THE GUYS MY AGE CAN’T COME CLOSE TO ME BUT THE YOUNG STUDS FLY THEIR 7 IRONS PAST MY 4 IRON. IS THERE ANY REAL WAY I CAN RESUME MY YOUNGER DAYS PERFORMANCE, WHERE I WAS 30-40 YARDS LONGER?? I PLAY 5 DAYS A WEEK 52 WEEKS A YEAR. LIVE IN SOUTH FLORIDA. NO STEROIDS, PLEASE…….
  
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  - Bore
    
    Jan 8, 2015 at 3:28 am
    
    Pray.
    
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- Tom Kelly
  
  Jan 8, 2015 at 9:52 pm
  
  I think your comment “Combined together, the second shot PW of yesterday is now a 4-5 iron.” to be totally accurate. The data Jacob Bowden sites from the various tours is taken from the records of the best players in the world. Stronger lofts, longer clubs, more forgiving heads and wonderful balls have enabled older players to retain some of that lost distance. Those that disagree should get access to a Trackman and see what really is happening. There are a few lucky people with unusual genes that don’t lose speed. A very, very few lucky people…
  
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talljohn777

Jan 7, 2015 at 12:37 pm

Flexibility is the number one reason for club head speed going down. If you can maintain flexibility your club head speed will not drop of dramatically.

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Plane

Jan 7, 2015 at 3:46 am

We used to say, we lost 10 yards every 10 years! But that was with the old equipment before the giant headed drivers and super-duper balls came into play.
Amazing what technology can give us now.

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Steve

Jan 6, 2015 at 1:30 pm

I remember as a kid we would take our top hand pinky off the grip and rest it on the butt. Essentially making the club longer. Hit it farther lose some accuracy. It does work try it. Never heard anyone mention it, but was common practice when I was young

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Zak

Jan 6, 2015 at 2:04 am

So at 25 y/o I haven’t peaked with my distance yet? Nice to know!

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David

Jan 5, 2015 at 11:48 pm

I still hit long drives at age 44. To me the biggest factors as we age would be how well we have taken care of our backs (or if we have sustained a back injury during our life) and maintaining flexibility as we age. Additionally, since some studies indicate that many men experience drops in testosterone levels as they age that may also be a contributing factor to loss in clubhead speed due to muscle atrophy and loss of overall strength.

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Tom Kelly

Jan 5, 2015 at 9:48 pm

A wonderful article. At 71 I can still swing a 44.5″ driver 96 to 100 mph. At 49 I could swing a 43.5″ Dynamic shafted persimmon driver 106 to 110 mph and thought about trying to play on the senior tour. I blamed the loss of speed as I aged to injury and drugs related to cancer. The answer is much more simple. As ‘Archie Bunker’ suggests, the answer is going forward and for club events, to have more divisions in tournaments by age. And maybe we’d get more older players to continue to play competitive golf. Trying to play against 30 year old players who are hitting six clubs less at greens makes for a long day.

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- Rich
  
  Jan 5, 2015 at 11:45 pm
  
  Tom, I’m not saying that people don’t lose distance with age (I know I have) but since when has age and how far you hit have anything to do with what your score is? I play golf with a guy who is 10 years older than me (he’s early 50’s and I’m early 40’s) and he doesn’t come anywhere near me with the driver. His handicap is 3-4 shots less than mine and most weeks he would run rings around me because he manages HIS own game so well. He doesn’t hit the ball as well as me but he plays better golf. This is the essence of our game, not making sure I’m hitting it as far as the bloke I’m playing with. Golf is about the score, not now far you hit it.
  
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  - christian
    
    Jan 6, 2015 at 2:14 am
    
    All else being equal, the longer player wins.
    
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    - Rich
      
      Jan 6, 2015 at 4:38 pm
      
      Maybe, but you don’t win just because of your length. If the rest of your game is not in shape, length means nothing. If you can’t putt or manage your game, it doesn’t matter how far you hit it. Just ask Nicholas Colsarts or Alvaro Quiros. Very long bombers but not winning at the moment.
      
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      - Regis
        
        Jan 7, 2015 at 2:01 pm
        
        Although some of your points are well taken the fact remains that all other things being equal (short game, putting, fundamentals remaining intact)if you lose 15%-20% of your distance as you age that driver wedge combo on that 320yds opening hole becomes driver/7 iron and it gets worse as the holes get longer. And forget going for any par 5 in two.
        
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    - RG
      
      Jan 7, 2015 at 4:58 am
      
      Sounds good, but hard to prove. I think club and shot selection have a lot more to do with it.
      
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  - Tom Kelly
    
    Jan 6, 2015 at 8:00 pm
    
    I agree that length isn’t the only thing. But, increasingly on the various tours, you see that the consistent money winners rank high on distance. You also see extremely good players try to make swing changes for more distance – Luke Donald certainly comes to mind. The story from 70 years ago about Sam Snead playing Paul Runyon in a PGA match play championship where Snead outhit Runyon by 50 yards but still lost supports your position. But Runyon’s are invisible today at all tour levels. As Christian says, all else being equal, the longer player wins.
    
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    - Rich
      
      Jan 6, 2015 at 9:56 pm
      
      Fair enough but when is all else equal? Hardly ever if at all. I don’t understand this fascination, wait, infatuation people have with distance. Your point (along with Christians) might be more relevant on tour but in our world of social golf and club competitions, it means diddly squat. I guess I don’t think of tour pros as being relevant to me and the way I play (except for the entertainment of watching them play) because they play a game of golf that is unrecognisable to me. They are another universe.
      
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    - Rich
      
      Jan 6, 2015 at 11:07 pm
      
      BTW, I think Jim Furyk, Matt Kuchar, Graeme McDowell and Zach Johnson might have something to say about being invisible………….
      
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other paul

Jan 5, 2015 at 9:44 pm

I just bought into Jaacobs speed swinging program and I am noticing a difference and its only been a week. Should get go 110MPH this month. Maybe more. Just hit 4 of my longest drives ever. Measured, 284,284,286,286. Goal is 310 a month from now. Want to average 290 or better.

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Big Mike

Jan 5, 2015 at 9:41 pm

Turned 58 two days before Thanksgiving. SS has dropped from 112-114 to 104-109 or so. Still can hit the ball very well off the tee and last week hit a couple approaching 300. No doubt I’ve slowed but can still keep up with many guys younger than me. Started a new workout regimen on my birthday and am getting stronger, more flexible, etc.

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Barney Adams

Jan 5, 2015 at 8:43 pm

Jaacob. You stop data at 69 yrs. those of us past 70 or god forbid 75. We dead?

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- Jaacob Bowden
  
  Jan 5, 2015 at 11:05 pm
  
  Haha, no, there just wasn’t really any data for Tour players at that age range. Would be curious to see, though.
  
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Steve St Clair

Jan 5, 2015 at 7:35 pm

I love it when the young (read: less than 50) make statements about what the old can accomplish with more stretching and strengthening. I have yet to see any data that suggest that stretching and strengthening have any more beneficial effects for older golfers than for younger golfers.

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Randy Dandy

Jan 5, 2015 at 6:31 pm

Is this another one of those foolish ideas brought on by Monty’s fallacies and misconceptions on the golf swing ? He is so far off in right field that dude

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Martin

Jan 5, 2015 at 5:08 pm

Well you guys who are middle aged body builders are impressive.

I’m a middle aged 51 year old with bad knees and have gone from 105-108 in my 20’s and 30’s to low 90’s at 51.

A little over 10% drop in club head speed, but I make much better contact now with big drivers etc.

I suspect the article is correct, my knees would make me about 65 in dog years.

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moses

Jan 5, 2015 at 4:10 pm

I got into weight lifting at the age of 36. Been doing it about 3-4 times a week and at the age of 50 I am much stronger now than when I was in my 20’s. I still swing around 110. Sam’s right. Age is just a number to a certain degree and it is what you make of it.

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enrique

Jan 5, 2015 at 3:57 pm

I hit the ball much further at 46 than I did at 30 – and I’ve played golf since I was 18.

It’s all about health. My buddy is 61 years old and a 6’2″ lean workout freak. Runs and lifts regularly. He hits the ball a mile. He hits it further now than he did in his 40’s. We’ve had this conversation.

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- kev
  
  Jan 5, 2015 at 4:57 pm
  
  you both hit it further because of ball, shaft, and clubhead evolution.
  
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  - enrique
    
    Jan 5, 2015 at 9:15 pm
    
    Not true. I still have my 983k that I break out sometimes. My club head speed is faster and I actually use stiffer shafts than I used to.
    
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davepelz4

Jan 5, 2015 at 3:53 pm

You might need to change his name…it’s Sam Bryant Jr. as opposed to Sam Bright.

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Mnmlist Golfr

Jan 5, 2015 at 3:35 pm

What about the introduction of 460cc drivers and multi layer golf balls?
Champions Tour players such as Fred Couples, Kenny Perry, Billy Andrade, etc were 20 yards longer in 2014 than they were in 1994.
Does the new technology more than make up for losing 10 mph of club head speed?

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- Jaacob Bowden
  
  Jan 5, 2015 at 8:16 pm
  
  Well, the thing is that although the Senior Tour players are benefiting from technology, the regular PGA TOUR players are too.
  
  In comparing 1994 to 2014, the PGA TOUR player mean went up 27.9 yards from 261.8 to 289.7 (about 10.7%) and the Senior Tour players went up 18.3 yards from 254.6 to 272.9 (about 7.1%).
  
  So for whatever reason it seems Senior Tour players as a whole are more worse off now than they were before despite the improvements in technology. Interesting.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Mnmlist Golfr
    
    Jan 5, 2015 at 8:47 pm
    
    Thanks for replaying, Jacob.
    
    1994 PGA Tour players and 2014 PGA Tour players are (for the most) different cohorts.
    
    If you’re talking about how much distance a player lose with age, then I think you need to look at the SAME players over time, not different players over time.
    
    A 34 year old Fred Couples averaged 279.9 yds while 54 year old Fred Couples averaged 295.0.
    A 33 year old Kenny Perry averaged 264.9 yds, while 53 year old Kenny Perry averaged 289.4.
    A 30 year old Billy Andrade averaged 258.3 yds, while 50 year old Billy Andrade averaged 282.6.
    
    I don’t think these three players are the anomalies either. I would say that the vast majority of current Champions Tour players are at least 15 yards longer than they were 20 years ago. Clearly these guys have not lost distance with age.
    
    Reply Report comment
- The dude
  
  Jan 5, 2015 at 9:09 pm
  
  Just look at CHS….that ends the conversation.
  
  Reply Report comment
cdvilla

Jan 5, 2015 at 3:10 pm

At 45, I can’t just roll out of bed and expect to play decent golf. You definitely have to put in work to “maintain” and any strokes that I gain from here on out are going to be through efficiency as opposed to power.

Reply Report comment
Philip

Jan 5, 2015 at 3:08 pm

Myself, I am going in the opposite direction as I approach 50. A few years ago I was closer to mid 90’s and now I am approaching 115+ as my technique, flexibility, weight, and muscle strength all improve. Lucky I guess that I took a 30 year break from golf and sports after I hurt myself when quite young and haven’t had any recent injuries.

Reply Report comment
Archie Bunker

Jan 5, 2015 at 3:05 pm

There’s a cure for all that distance loss. It’s called the Senior Tees.

Reply Report comment
- Larry Fox
  
  Jan 8, 2015 at 12:12 pm
  
  Great point Archie Bunker! But for that to work they have to leave their ego back at the Blue tee!
  
  Reply Report comment
Pat

Jan 5, 2015 at 2:29 pm

It’s called Manopause, LOL. There is a sharp decrease in test production once a male hits 40. No test means no strength. No strength equals sharp decline in swing speed. I was doing long drive comps in Japan when I was in my mid 20’s. Swing speed was 133mph. I still workout and have a bodybuilding backround, but injuries and age have taken it’s toll. I can still swing 122mph, but it gets harder to maintain every year.

Reply Report comment
- Tom Kelly
  
  Jan 9, 2015 at 10:45 pm
  
  It is not just testosterone. Fast twitch muscles at the bottom of the shoulder blade create ~80% of club speed. Flexibility and turn maintain speed, not create it. Fast twitch muscles age more rapidly than slow twitch, the reason why dash runners deteriorate more quickly than distance runners.
  
  Reply Report comment

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19th Hole

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

Published

19 hours ago

Apr 15, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

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

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

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

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

Past Winners at Harbour Town

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

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

Key Stats For Harbour Town

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

Strokes Gained: Approach

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

Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds

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

Good Drive %

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

Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds

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

Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye Designs

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

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

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

4. Strokes Gained: Short Game (Bermuda)

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

SG: SG Over Past 24 Rounds

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

5. Greens in Regulation %

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

Greens in Regulation % over past 24 rounds:

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

6. Course History

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

Course History over past 24 rounds:

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

The RBC Heritage Model Rankings

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

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

2024 RBC Heritage Picks

Patrick Cantlay +2000 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

Tommy Fleetwood +3000 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

Cameron Young +3300 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

Corey Conners +5500 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

Shane Lowry (+7500) (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

Lucas Glover +12000 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

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19th Hole

Vincenzi: The 6 biggest takeaways from the 2024 Masters

Published

22 hours ago

Apr 15, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

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

Scheffler In a League of His Own

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

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

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

The Future is Now

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

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

Nostalgia Wins

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

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

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

Regardless of who wins, the Masters always delivers.

Bryson Moves the Needle

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

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

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

LIV Walks Away Empty-Handed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rory’s Struggles Continues

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

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

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

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

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19th Hole

Vincenzi: The 8 best prop bets for the 2024 Masters

Published

7 days ago

Apr 9, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

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

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

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

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

Placement Bets:

Tony Finau Top 5 +750 (DraftKings):

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thorbjorn Olesen Top 20 +400 (FanDuel):

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

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

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

Top Nationalities:

Sergio Garcia Top Spanish Player +280 (DraftKings):

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tournament Head-to-Heads:

Justin Thomas -110 over Collin Morikawa

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

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

Tony Finau -110 over Wyndham Clark

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

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

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