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10 things not to do at a PGA Tour event

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This story was selected as one of the 15 best GolfWRX stories of 2015!

Heading to a PGA Tour event in the upcoming season? Don’t do this stuff.

Wear your golf shoes

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“Hello, sir. Are you participating in the tournament today?” If the answer to that question is no, you have NO business wearing your golf shoes at a PGA Tour event.

Period.

Do the spike-wearers also lace up their cleats when they head to football and baseball games?

And whatever material advantage one gains in terms of on-course traction is surely outweighed by the ridiculousness quotient.

Note: Caddies don’t wear golf shoes and they walk the course with 50-plus pound bags strapped to their back. Thus, you don’t need to either.

Be the beer-and-cigar guy

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Do you know this guy/these guys (they usually travel in packs)? Booming alcohol voice, douchily attired, clutching three-plus empty plastic beer cups in one hand and a (lit or unlit) cigar in the other?

And whether the product of beer-induced tunnel vision, total lack of concern, or general ignorance, beer-and-cigar guy (and his beer-and-cigar buddies) is always spouting off with little regard for those around him.

He’ll be happy to add a few colorful words to your child’s vocabulary and will offer unrestrained praise for the assets of the fairer sex he spots in the gallery.

Yell “Baba Booey,” or “mashed potatoes,” or “get in the hole”

You’d like to think that even repeat “Baba Booey-ers” are annoyed when they hear the signature exclamation of golf fan idiocy bellowed as a Tour pro tees off.

If you find yourself compelled to belt out the above or any other ridiculous exclamation for that most-rewarding knowledge that you “got on television,” please don’t.

It’s a race to the bottom with these folks, and the upcoming season will bring with it new moronic vocalization.

Great.

Trample or otherwise fight children for autographs

TigerAutographs

Look, I understand adults have the right to ask pros for autographs. Maybe you have a sports memorabilia business, want to make a quick buck on eBay, or are merely looking proudly display a signed Phil Mickelson 8-by-10 in your office.

All of that is fine. Still, children must have first priority in the hunter for Tour pros’ Sharpie scribbles.

Why?

Do you not remember being a kid? Do you not remember the deities that professional athletes were to you? Do you not remember the overwhelming sentimental value of an autograph?

Autographs are most important to children and children’s enjoyment of golf is most important to the future of the game.

Don’t be one of those guys trampling children in an effort to get Adam Scott’s autograph.

Offer on-course commentary

DavidFeherty

Have you seen this guy (and it’s usually a guy)? He posts up at a hole and shares his expansive knowledge of the game of golf and the players on the PGA Tour with anyone who will listen. As he’s often attending the tournament alone, he has no choice but to scatter his pearls of wisdom before strangers.

In addition providing color commentary (“Dufner’s wife is hot”…”He has great hands. Shouldn’t have any trouble with this pitch”), he’ll share his green reads with anyone in his proximity.

He’s honed the reads, of course, from camping out at the same green all day.

Act like an idiot around Tiger Woods/ say stupid things when players walk by

TigerWoodsFan

The two behaviors above go hand in hand. It’s a gross oversimplification to say golf fan behavior has gotten worse in the near two decades Tiger Woods has been on tour. Still, there is an element of truth in that statement. Certainly, there are fans who pay the price of admission purely to see El Tigre who wouldn’t otherwise be in the gallery of a PGA Tour event.

And unlike most other sports, golfers walk right in front of fans. Thus, anyone in the gallery can say basically anything to any player’s face. For those who enjoy heckling from the cheap seats, the opportunity is too much to pass up and they end up saying something dumb to a player. Multiply this by at least a power of 10 where Tiger Woods is concerned.

Inappropriately bust out your camera phone

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Whatever the cell phone policy of the event you’re attending is, can you please adhere to it?

And don’t try to snap a photo of Bubba Watson for Instagram or record his swing to post to YouTube.

Just don’t.

Try to sneak by when marshals have quiet signs raised

HushYall

Don’t you love these people? If you’ve been to a PGA Tour event you’ve seen them: When the marshal in your immediate vicinity raises his/her hands because a player is about to hit, everyone stops dead in their tracks.

Everyone, that is, except the slithering or obvious doofus to whom the rules apparently do not apply.

Don’t be a marshal-disobeyer.

Show up without a clue

GolfFan

Here’s something you shouldn’t do mostly for your own sake, not because it aggravates others, but rather because it compromised your experience at a PGA Tour event: Don’t show up without a clue.

Check the list of prohibited items. If you bring a bag, make sure it’s clear. Have some idea of the course layout. Figure out if you want to follow groups (Who? When? Where?), or if you want to hang out at a hole and watch players come through.

An ounce of preparation will save you a lot of wasted time wandering around like an idiot, and it’ll increase your enjoyment of the event substantially.

Interrupt a trophy presentation and make bird calls

Finally, don’t do this…

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GolfWRX Editor-in-Chief

130 Comments

130 Comments

  1. Uncle chop chop

    Oct 11, 2016 at 6:33 am

    I spotted a few idiots trying to slip and slide around the 2010 Ryder cup at Celtic Manor in standard trainers/sneakers. If you thought us golf shoe wearers looked stupid you should have seen them, it was like watching Bambie on ice. Half of them fell flat on there backs and were covered in mud, esepcially around the riased viewing areas on the 16th and 17th. I’ll take some grief for wearing my golf shoes, you can give me as much as you want when I’m picking you up of the floor on a wet Welsh Monday morning

  2. beefrank

    Jun 10, 2015 at 12:25 pm

    The fact that there is armed security at these events is an indication a lot has changed in the last two decades. About the only pro sports events a family can attend these days with relative safety and civility is minor league baseball.

  3. BloughMee

    Apr 12, 2015 at 7:02 pm

    Pro golf is pretty much for white Ivy-League frat-boy stuffed-shirt ultra-douchebags anyway, so does it surprise anyone that the idiots attending one of these events would act like that?

    • chuck

      Jun 6, 2015 at 3:16 pm

      I still remember when going to play golf and even go to pro events were so much better than now a days. Like num. 6 talks about how people are 10 x’s worst when tigers around. Before he played golf fans were not complete morons and actually playing the game was so much better. You have all these people who don’t need to be on a golf course out there. They place their hands around their hat bills reading puts like they are him. Hopefully now that he has started to sucks so bad more idiots will quit playing and attending events.

    • Dave

      Sep 18, 2016 at 9:19 am

      Your comment shows you really know nothing about golf

  4. Pingback: What NOT to do at a PGA Tour Event - The Golf Shop Online Blog - The Golf Shop Online Blog

  5. Connor

    Jan 27, 2015 at 2:43 am

    Other than Beau Hossler contending, the bird call was the best thing about the US Open that year.

  6. JM

    Jan 25, 2015 at 10:07 pm

    Above all, the most important thing is to remember that golf is the “gentleman’s” game, whether playing or spectating. With the game evolving, there is a fine line with golf remaining true to it’s gentleman’s code and staying relevant with younger crowd, who is the future of the game. When at an event, it’s not a crime to have a few beers or a cigar, it’s just the manner in which it’s done. I don’t promote having a cigar in a crowd following Tiger, Rickey, Rory, etc., where one would be blowing smoke in the face many people, especially children. But, there is nothing wrong with enjoying a cigar in areas where there aren’t large crowds. I’d much rather stand in a crowd of respectful cigar smokers/beer drinkers, than next to a person screaming all kind of nonsense every time a player hits a shot. As for attire and shoes, dress comfortably (but in proper taste) because it’s a very long day and could include a great deal of walking. Enjoy the course and players respectfully, and you can’t go wrong!

  7. David

    Jan 23, 2015 at 12:11 pm

    Spikeless shoes are one thing but I must say I find it pretty comical when I see spectators wearing soft spiked golf shoes to a PGA Tour event. Do they think they belong out there walking with the Pros? Do they think they are cooler than you? I get that they are waterproof and great for walking around a golf course but are they going to make that big of a difference compared to wearing regular running shoes? I will stick to my New Balance running shoes for walking the course as a spectator.

  8. Steve U.

    Jan 21, 2015 at 2:52 pm

    I worked at the Oakland Hills PGA in 2008. Tiger Woods did not appear at that event because he was rehabilitating his knee injury. The anticipated crowds did not appear, as the Walmart Tiger fans stayed home in droves. Kind of sad, really, that people can be such ‘fair weather’ fans. It did make viewing a lot nicer for those true golf lovers who did show up.

    • Billy

      Jan 24, 2015 at 1:08 am

      Breaking News: Tiger Woods appearing/playing = More attendance.

  9. terry

    Jan 17, 2015 at 12:28 pm

    #! is funny. I have always thought that….

  10. Swingblade

    Jan 16, 2015 at 2:59 pm

    I guess you could have specified golf shoes are OK if attending in bad rainy weather. But, that is only logical and no one should have felt the need to point out that possible shortcoming. What you seemed to be saying is that, people who wear golf shoes to walk around on grass look like tools to most folks. With respect to comments by others above, the trouble with a small number of today’s spectators is that they are convinced it is all about them and their supposed inherent right to do anything they want and screw anyone who disagrees. They are the problem and no one is going to win an argument with anyone who was so poorly brought up by equally self serving indifferent parents.

    • Straightdriver235

      Jan 19, 2015 at 1:11 pm

      No, no golf shoes period. If it is muddy, wear lightweight gripping hiking shoes like Vasque, Northface, etc. They do look like tools, and looking like a tool is a major issue, it detracts from others aesthetic pleasures. But I personally disagree with the cigar comments… smoke small, refined ones, and stay up wind from the crowds when you do so, or better yet a pipe with something like Dunhilll in hit. Now I’ll provide one tip, that none of you will follow, and you may say I am a tool for doing it, but I wear a comfortable bicycle shirt, without a lot of logos, of course, because of the excess amount of reachable pockets in the back that do not encumber you throughout the day. This allows you to carry a whole bunch of stuff legitimately, handsfree, including cigar tubes, plus they are sport shirts designed for such activities.

      • KK

        Feb 2, 2015 at 10:37 pm

        Most of the guys I know don’t have hiking shoes. Most guys I know don’t have bicycle shirts either. Which, btw, if you’re gonna do that, I think you should just go all the way and wear the shorts and bicycle shoes too. At least your outfit would be cohesive.

      • Frode

        Feb 10, 2015 at 3:39 pm

        I LOL’ed when I read this, you think people that walks around a golf course wearing golf shoes looks like tools, but you’re out there in a bicycle shirt because it’s so practical with those pockets? Well played sir 🙂

  11. Steve

    Jan 14, 2015 at 10:18 am

    Ben, you lost me at item # 1. You see, I don’t play football or baseball, therefore I don’t wear those shoes to those events. I do play golf….and walking a golf course and attending a tournament is a completely different fan experience unless you are inclinded to find a bleacher seat behind a green and sit there all day. I’ll wear my FootJoy’s on the course, thank you very much. Oh, and if you don’t mind, I’ll put change shoes in the parking lot with my trunk lid up. I hope you can handle that.

  12. Obee

    Jan 11, 2015 at 8:51 pm

    I’ll continue to match my shoes to whatever it is I’m looking to do and, most importantly, the conditions I’m going to be in while wearing them. At a PGA tournament in the dry southwest, I’m probably going to wear lightweight, cool running shoes or even comfortable sandals. But if I’m going to a tournament where the ground is wet, I’m going to wear a comfortable to walk in, yet waterproof shoe. The only waterproof shoes I own are golf shoes, so yes, I’ll wear them to a PGA Tour event. There was a time when I would care what others might think, but I can finally, thankfully say (at 47 years old), that I both have worn and will continue to wear spikeless golf shoes to watch PGA tournaments when it’s even the slightest bit wet.

    • Jack

      Jan 13, 2015 at 4:04 am

      Spikeless ones are a great choice.

    • bradford

      Jan 22, 2015 at 10:47 am

      Agreed, I like to hit up the college tournaments if possible, because you can walk the fairways with the guys. I also only have one type of shoes for these conditions…so yeah.

  13. APC

    Jan 11, 2015 at 9:16 am

    This whole notion of a “gentlemens game” has flown out the window… With Tigers vulgar mouth, Patrick Reed’s nice 3 putt, you @$%#@$, and all the other prima donna actions, these guys are still making millions off the fans, not the other way around…. Why not have a PGA event where people don’t have to be quiet, like the world series or Superbowl… Crowd noise is fun.. And I’m willing to bet that event would be awesome ……. Obvious argument to my point, most people are stupid and take things too far…. But still

    • dunn2500

      Jan 11, 2015 at 3:30 pm

      Hey cursing has been around 4 ever and yes even golfers of nicklaus and hogan era cursed on course….it just wasn’t caught on camera or televised….nothing has changed except technology and every spectator basically having a camera and recorder in their hands vs nobody having it 20 yrs ago and beyond…..golf is frustrating….every recreational golfer who actually cared about his game has cursed on the course…..i would be willing to bet the people who slam the pros for profanity are actually much worse when they play…..people are always looking for slightest error so they can pounce on them….it’s sad but that is our world today…..

    • bradford

      Jan 22, 2015 at 10:49 am

      They have that event, at Scottsdale. I won’t even watch it…can’t stand watching morons getting drunk–that’s what football and Nascar are for.

  14. Steve

    Jan 11, 2015 at 3:09 am

    Jeeze. After going through these comments, you’d think these guys play on extremely hilly courses in pouring rain every week.

  15. Sizzle

    Jan 10, 2015 at 11:05 pm

    No beer or cigar? Then I would just fall asleep like I do watching these clowns playing a 5 hr round from home.

    • bradford

      Jan 22, 2015 at 10:51 am

      I’m a cigar guy too, but I think the point was more about the choice of location. I won’t kid myself that at least several people hate the smell, so I make it a point to be separate from the crowd.

  16. Chris C

    Jan 10, 2015 at 9:22 pm

    As an owner of at least several dozen pairs of Ecco golf shoes, I wear them for comfort and functionality. Accordingly, when I have attended various PGA events, I have worn a pair of Ecco golf shoes. I also wear them when I walk the dog; when I accompany my wife to the local mall; when I go fishing and when I am simply kicking back. I do not wear them in an attempt to pose as one of the players. My alternatives include a collection of wing tips, cowboy boots, loafers, sandals or or a pair of Baffins rated for 148degrees below zero(which I intend to wear at tomorrow’s Packer game. None of these strikes me as being more appropriate for waking around Whistling Straits.

  17. Ken

    Jan 10, 2015 at 5:53 pm

    Really, Ben? What’s more comfortable than wearing a pair of great spikeless golf shoes to trek a few miles?

  18. JDMOnly

    Jan 10, 2015 at 3:23 pm

    Thank goodness I don’t see anyone in California wearing golf shoes to tournaments- Must be a flyover state thing. Wannabe status to the fullest. Sissies worried about mud and slipping, maybe lose a few Pounds you too heavy fat-azzes.

  19. Todd Turner

    Jan 10, 2015 at 3:19 pm

    I’ll enjoy my cigars and beer.. I just get away from the crowds when puffing..

    • CDJ

      Jan 12, 2015 at 9:52 am

      Don’t need beer to enjoy good cigar….but it helps…and I won’t stop either. Should have mentioned the douche cut and glasses instead!

  20. JJC51

    Jan 10, 2015 at 12:45 pm

    All good and obvious points except the first one. I only own black leather shoes and golf shoes so which would I wear to an event? Because I make the obvious choice I will not suffer to be thought a dweeb.

  21. deh

    Jan 10, 2015 at 12:31 pm

    Ben,
    It appears your article had the intended effect. People have responded, engaged and are talking about it good and bad.

  22. KK

    Jan 10, 2015 at 12:31 pm

    Ditto the waterproof shoe comment by others.

  23. Chilman

    Jan 10, 2015 at 11:47 am

    Why no cell phone pics or videos? Mine makes zero noise. We take videos and pics when out golfing to analyze our swings. Has no negative affect, even with the person standing directly behind you. It makes no noise. At PGA event they tell you no cell phones and then there are 6 professional photographers next to you who’s cameras click away a hundred times???? Plus it wouldn’t hurt the tour with more people promoting it thru social media sites.

    • KK

      Jan 10, 2015 at 12:32 pm

      Someone would have to screen the noisy camera folks from the noiseless camera folks. Maybe you could volunteer?

      • SNxTif

        Jan 13, 2015 at 3:44 am

        Nice one 🙂

        For me, I just simply wonder why on earth people would like to shoot a pro with their own phones…
        with all youtube videos available…

        bragging right? (what to brag anyway)
        think that they can do better job at shooting? (with that phone…)
        want a shot of the exact outfit???

  24. Golf

    Jan 10, 2015 at 7:49 am

    I attended a few PGA Golf Tournaments in the 70’s. The only thing that I was interested in or even thought about was enjoying watching the PGA players play golf. I know without a doubt that I nor any of my friends were concerned about whether a spectator had on golf shoes, what they were wearing, saying or doing. Who goes to a PGA Tour event to watch spectators????… Thinking back, I do remember that there were similar annoyances to what is going on currently. I think what the difference is now vs back then is that it is much more concentrated. Last year I bought tickets to attend 3 days of a PGA Tour event. I attended 2 days and that was enough for me. I did not realize that Tour events have evolved into such as it is now. Never say Never, but most likely my last effort to attend a tour event. I love watching golf, playing golf, studing golf, and clubmaking and fitting. Not the least bit interested in spectators.

  25. 8thehardway

    Jan 10, 2015 at 6:50 am

    Cattle have no dignity… thin the herd and the heard by cutting ticket sales 1/3rd. Silence and tranquility will follow.

    • Mikec

      Jan 10, 2015 at 7:22 am

      Tournaments are there to make money

      • wscaddie56

        Jan 10, 2015 at 3:09 pm

        Hmmm, I thought PGA Tour events were non profit entities, you know like college athletics.
        Maybe Bubba should consider playing in noise canceling headphones.

  26. Woody

    Jan 10, 2015 at 5:39 am

    Try viewing a golf tournament in the UK, when it’s raining.
    Faux pas number one about golf shoes would soon become a moot point

  27. gerald

    Jan 10, 2015 at 3:37 am

    Our culture has coarsened. You see this in demonstration on the golf course especially during a tournament, with loud coarse language, inebriation, and cameras clicking. The lack of civility indicates that the fans are not really golfers, but frequently young males, who use their attendance as an excuse to get out of the house for male companionship and boozing. These bad behaviors are a thing of recent years, as fifty years ago you couldn’t and wouldn’t want to display any discourtesy. Golf shoes have ALWAYS been used by smart tourney attendees because they are waterproof and make hill climbing much safer. Golf once was called “a gentleman’s game”, not because it was masculine, but because you followed rules, both of the game and of decorum.

    • Jimmy

      Jan 10, 2015 at 5:56 am

      Gah it’s going to be so great when this generation goes

      • Chuck

        Jan 10, 2015 at 2:49 pm

        Wow. I am so tempted to write, “The feeling’s mutual, millennial-boy.” But I’m sort of curious where this generational warfare comes from, in the context of golf shoes.

        The younger generation’s taste in golf shoe designs is such that I think I could go to almost any big box retailer and find some golf shoes that look pretty much like gym shoes in any event. Not that I’d want to buy them.

      • Ken

        Jan 10, 2015 at 5:38 pm

        Yeah, Jimmy. Once the guys who understand what “class” means are extinct, you’ll move to the front of the line.

  28. don davis

    Jan 10, 2015 at 3:32 am

    I don’t know how the pros put up with the crazies at golf tournaments.
    Well oiled from often free booze. Golf tournaments are fun but they are a bit much sometimes. You forgot the women in hight heels.

  29. Ian

    Jan 10, 2015 at 12:41 am

    haha,terrible article Ben, everything you listed in the “not to do” section is what makes our game great. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY cares about Webb winning the U.S Open. However I do agree with adults asking for autographs (unless it is for their kid). Mashed potatoes was great, Tiger even mentioned how he got a chuckle from it @ Isleworth a month ago.

    Ben, can you break 80?

  30. Juan Ayala

    Jan 10, 2015 at 12:17 am

    Sorry Ben but you’re absolutely wrong about wearing golf shoes at a tournament. First of all I don’t know why it’s so offensive to you. You’re on a golf course idiot, you can wear golf shoes. What’s next, I can’t wear a golf shirts or golf hats either because I’m not pro. For the record, caddies walk on the flatiest part of the golf course not on the steep sides trampled and made slippery about thousand people walking on it

    • Jimmy

      Jan 10, 2015 at 5:59 am

      Your just the guy who looks like an idiot and people get a chuckle out of

    • Kyle

      Jan 10, 2015 at 9:56 am

      Lol. So you’re the guy I laugh at at tournaments.

    • Jack

      Jan 13, 2015 at 4:10 am

      Well golf shoes are better than if a woman wore high heels to a golf course. That’d be funny.

  31. Chris S

    Jan 9, 2015 at 11:57 pm

    Way to offend lots of golf fans Ben. Well done.

    • Kyle

      Jan 10, 2015 at 9:55 am

      Lol. So you’re the guy I laugh at at tournaments.

  32. Justin

    Jan 9, 2015 at 8:37 pm

    I will always where golf shoes in the event of rain. Before,after, or otherwise forecast. hills with crowd paths and water turn into mud slides. We buy them to walk the course, this instance is no different. And when we do (buy them) we get cleats and make sure they come with a two year water warranty. It’s a game played in the elements and in being in proximity to the memorial, wgc Bridgestone, oakmont and Rochester, I’ll be on some hills. So this should be on the next list… What to do…

    • Kyle

      Jan 10, 2015 at 9:57 am

      You buy spikes to have traction when swinging, not comfort for watching tournaments. Why would you wear golf shoes with spikes when you’re not golfing? Makes zero sense

  33. Rob

    Jan 9, 2015 at 7:45 pm

    Ben,
    I have to respectably disagree with not wearing golf shoes to a PGA golf event..I have been to a dozen or so tournaments in the Northeast, and have learned from experience years ago. My golf shoes are waterproof.. Why should I trash my sneakers. When you walk around, you end up in the most trashed areas of what once was grass, where a little rain turns it into mud pits. I was at Merion for the Thursday of the US Open when it poured in the morning.. Thank god I had them on.. Thanks FootJoy!!

  34. Chuck

    Jan 9, 2015 at 7:39 pm

    Ben, you’re a good writer and I ordinarily enjoy pretty much everything you post. I especially like your work on reporting the latest golf patents.

    Your list should have started — and ended — with “NO MORE ‘BABA BOOEY’, ‘GET IN THE HOLE’ AND ‘MASHED POTATOES’.” It would have been funnier, more effective and better for professional golf if a ‘Top Ten List’ had “No more Baba Booey” as items 1 through 9.

    As for golf shoes on the golf course, I ordinarily don’t wear golf shoes as a spectator, but I have done it before, I may do it again, and I would not care what you thought about it.

    The simple reason that caddies never wear golf shoes is because they stand next to the hole, right around the hole, on ever hole. At least one caddy does. And nobody wants their spike marks a foot and a half away from the cup.

    I’m not trying to act like a player. I’m trying to walk about five miles on a golf course, comfortably. I’m not sure if you’ve ever walked a rain-soaked Muirfield Village, or Augusta, or Whistling Straits. Your association of not wearing spikes to a football game or a baseball game is idiotic. I am not on the field at a football game or baseball game. I am on the golf course at a Tour event. It’s assuredly not a big to me; it’s just a bit more comfortable, in some cases. Don’t tell me I am wrong about that because I am not.

    As for wearing cleats at a football game, you may be too young to remember Woody Hayes, Joe Paterno or Bo Schembechler. I dare you ti find a picture of any of them without some sort of cleats in a game. They didn’t wear helmets or shoulder pads. They weren’t playing. They wore windbreakers. But cleats made sense for their feet.

    I’m not wrong about all of this, Ben. You are. And please don’t talk to us about any sort of “wannabe” factor in this debate. The events I much prefer to attend, because of your entire list of pet peeves (in which I mostly share) are the USGA amateur events. And as often as not, when you see officials, match referees and scorers at those events, they are wearing cleats if they have to reliably walk the whole course in damp conditions. I’ve seen USGA and Masters Committeemen wearing cleats. They aren’t pretending about anything.

  35. ken

    Jan 9, 2015 at 7:32 pm

    -On very rare occasions, i will enjoy a cigar at one of these events….I stand well back from the ropes.
    – I will scowl at the “yellers”….Hoping they see my utter disdain over their annoying attempts at attracting attention…
    -I cannot stand anyone over the age of 15 who shows up in Ricky Fowler attire.
    -Attention grownups….Autographs and player tossed balls to the gallery ARE FOR KIDS…..
    -NO GOLF SHOES…You look like a dweeb.
    -Snarky comments about players should be kept to your group. Saying them out loud makes one look like they crave attention. And are pretty stupid people.
    -those who have course knowledge…it’s ok to bestow that…..on those with whom you are attending…Nobody else cares. Keep it down so the rest of us cannot hear you….
    -Stay OFF your phone…..
    I stand down from my soap box.

    • bill

      Jan 9, 2015 at 10:17 pm

      Why are you essentially repeating what I just read in the article?

    • Jack

      Jan 13, 2015 at 4:11 am

      Do you yell at Fowler too? He’s definitely older than 15.

  36. marcel

    Jan 9, 2015 at 7:01 pm

    Duffer’s wife is hot! period or without!

  37. alan

    Jan 9, 2015 at 4:46 pm

    douchey guy at least has a nice panerai

    • ken

      Jan 9, 2015 at 7:32 pm

      Yes, she is….But every one else knows this….

    • Golfraven

      Jan 10, 2015 at 2:06 pm

      Yes, and looks like my brother, real j…

  38. LPGA

    Jan 9, 2015 at 3:54 pm

    Although, I do get a laugh at them because it looks like they are sucking on a turd, Cigar guy…you are the worst! Smell is as offensive as the dis guarded cigar butts on the ground. I imagine it is like the, ‘Hey! Look at me!’ type behavior you see in adolescent boys. Do you need to smoke those things out in a crowd of people? It doesn’t make you look appealing or attractive.

  39. James

    Jan 9, 2015 at 3:48 pm

    Just have some class and dignity and all should be well.

  40. birdeez

    Jan 9, 2015 at 2:50 pm

    The fact that we have to have this top 10 of what should be common sense things says a lot about the society we’ve grown to become.

    How sad and pathetic yet how completely accurate this top 10 is. Part of the reason for those that simply can’t follow the basic rules and have an ounce of respect is that no one enforces the rules and the penalties are virtually non existent. how about the next time a guy pulls his phone out and snaps a pic and makes a noise, the phone is confiscated and the fan is given some time in the penalty box.

  41. Jafar

    Jan 9, 2015 at 2:04 pm

    I’ve never been to a PGA event. But it’s good to know what kind of people I might encounter…

    May just stick to watching it on TV…

    • Tim

      Jan 9, 2015 at 2:18 pm

      If you are a true Golf fan you owe it to yourself to go and see the best players in the world in person, TV doesn’t do it justice. Who cares what other people around you are doing, and what this writer says. A Golf course is a big area, just steer away from the beer stands where the drunks hang out and its a great time.

    • Jafar

      Jan 9, 2015 at 7:39 pm

      Thomas and I love to curl up in bed with a cup of joe (or just Joe) and watch or at least golf channel is on if we’re in bed and not watching

  42. Randy Dandy

    Jan 9, 2015 at 1:55 pm

    Never tell them you took a lesson from Monte S . The entire tour can’t stand that guy with his teaching fallacies . No clue what he is babbling about

  43. Jay

    Jan 9, 2015 at 1:47 pm

    “Douchily Attired” That was the funniest part of this article. Unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be funny. I’ll bet you an Alec Bradley Sun grown that the douchiest guys at the event will not be the ones smoking cigars.

  44. GABirddog

    Jan 9, 2015 at 1:45 pm

    Obviously this peckerwood has not been to Augusta in the Spring. Members, volunteers, press, Patrons, etc wear golf shoes. I’d love to see him covered in stinky black mud and green grass stains when he busted his butt after a rain storm.

  45. Robeli

    Jan 9, 2015 at 1:38 pm

    Spectators wearing golf shoes are snobs and show-offs.

  46. Tim

    Jan 9, 2015 at 1:05 pm

    Hate these types of articles, Golfwrx get rid of this hack!

    • Frank

      Jan 9, 2015 at 7:42 pm

      Fully agree. Basically sayin…….dont do anything but be a stiff at a sporting event! Golf sucks because of these stupid articles.

      Smoking cigars….cool

      Drinking cold beer in hot weather….cool

      Weather golf shoes on a golf course….cool

      Bird calling any time an arrogant rich daddys boy wins…. Cool

      This article was lame!

  47. leftright

    Jan 9, 2015 at 1:01 pm

    I don’t drink much but do like the positive cigar comments I have seen from this article. A cigar on the golf course is like a fine liquor after dinner, they just go together. I would not smoke it in a crowd but for Christ’s sake I’m outdoors and trying to relax. Most people who hate smoking are hypocrits, either doing some other vice they have or smoking pot, if in Washington and Colorado. I actually had some idiot tell me pot smoking is not as bad as cigar smoking. He is wrong beyond comprehension as cigar smoking cannot be compared to either not unless you inhale the cigar which few people do.

    • Bob Williams

      Jan 9, 2015 at 1:36 pm

      Sometimes it’s better to zip it and let everyone assume you have no clue than to open it and remove all doubt….

      . I actually had some idiot tell me pot smoking is not as bad as cigar smoking. He is wrong beyond comprehension as cigar smoking cannot be compared to either not unless you inhale the cigar which few people do.
      Read more at http://www.golfwrx.com/267551/10-things-not-to-do-at-a-pga-tour-event/#aJXoGHSuDJWeX4GV.99

      That idiot is actually 100% correct and you couldn’t me more incorrect. Cigar smokers can get mouth and throat cancer and several other cancers from cigars just as easily as a user of chewing tobacco. Inhaling has nothing to do with it. The lack of inhaling may lower their chances of lung cancer but all the other sites are fully exposed. And what do you think happens when saliva is swallowed during a 30 min-90 min cigar? It’s carrying all of that crap right down with it. Yet, in the history of the world nobody has ever got cancer from smoking pot. If you know of a case, please post a link. Let me guess, you probably also don’t think there is any medical benefit to it? Not enough research for you. So all of the cancer patients who use it for appetite stimulant, nausea and pain management are wrong? All of the parents who have given their little kids oils from pot (minus the THC mind you. Hope you and everybody realizes that. We’re talking about the equivalent of non alcoholic beer here)whose 300-1000 seizures a day magically drop to a few a week. Mind you, this usually occurs when the patients and parents have tried and exhausted all pharmaceutical medications.

  48. Chris

    Jan 9, 2015 at 12:51 pm

    1. If you think the article is dumb, don’t read it. Title clearly states what it entails. Read the title. Not your cup of tea, move on.

    2. Golf shoes. No your feet arent wet. Yes you do look like a d-bag.

    3. Tour stops have quickly become more about the social gatherings….even at Augusa. Half the people there unfornutately couldnt care less about golf. Sad but true and with that, you will get the type of patrons that true golf fans hate…just part of it.

    • Richard Hurtz

      Jan 9, 2015 at 3:47 pm

      Here, here Chris. I’ve been scratching my head about the necessity and absurdity of people who feel the need to wear golf shoes at events. Complete idiocy and I’m sorry the muddiness excuse carries zero weight. Those who are insulted by this fun little article are likely guilty of many of the things on the list. Common sense would serve these people well, but I know that is very rare these days.

  49. Former Pro from the 70s

    Jan 9, 2015 at 11:38 am

    Chill out Ben, fans make golf successful. Most people who make a living at this game realize and appreciate that. Here’s a suggestion: If you woke up on the wrong side of bed and need to throw rocks, try picking on somebody who deserves it, like the USGA and R&A. They’ve been asleep at the wheel for 2 decades on equipment regulation for Tour players (not casual golfers) and now it’s too late. Many classic courses have been rendered obsolete and to a large extent so are the shotmaking skills once required to differentiate pros from would-be pros. Baseball figured out when aluminum bats were appropriate (amateur leagues) and it saved many stadiums, but not the USGA.

  50. Jack Nash

    Jan 9, 2015 at 11:30 am

    You gotta admit, The Bird Guy was funny.

    • Joe Golfer

      Jan 9, 2015 at 10:17 pm

      I think I’ve seen that “Bird Guy” on the Jimmy Kimmel show. He makes a habit of showing up at press conferences and doing or saying odd things for comedic effect.

  51. Wayne N.

    Jan 9, 2015 at 11:29 am

    As long as the PGA allows inappropriate behavior to continue…it will…and it will get worst.

    Golf is perhaps one of the remaining sports that adhere to some resemblance of appropriate behavior and decorum. Depending on the mix of attendees and even perhaps where the event is held, there are varying degrees of bad behavior.

    Hence, it’s sometimes refreshing to watch the Asian Tour on the Golf Channel.

    • Wayne N.

      Jan 9, 2015 at 8:02 pm

      After seeing the way straight guys act at sporting events,
      Makes me glad to be the way I am.

  52. Knobbywood

    Jan 9, 2015 at 11:08 am

    Apparently many of the readers of this website fit neatly into the above categories… As per their outraged comments bashing the author for calling them out for their idiocy

  53. Beer and cigar guy

    Jan 9, 2015 at 11:01 am

    Slam your beers. Smoke your cigars just do it respectfully. And as far as language goes, tell your kid to understand that he’s in crowd of such awful people that do awful things like say the f word, smoke cigars and drink the unholiest of beverages. It’s called growing up and learning how to behave.

  54. Chris

    Jan 9, 2015 at 10:58 am

    Until Nike makes a pair of waterproof tennis shoes, people are going to wear golf shoes. Get over it. I don’t see why this freaks so many people out. Some people don’t want to spend their day with soggy feet. If they come out wearing golf gloves carrying their bag through the gallery then you can laugh at them.

    • leftright

      Jan 9, 2015 at 12:57 pm

      I have a pair of Ecco Bioms and they are the most comfortable shoes I have. I don’t wear them to tournaments but for walking a lot they would be my first choice besides my pair of New Balances.

  55. DG

    Jan 9, 2015 at 10:58 am

    I’m so f@$king tired of these kind of articles and comments from the ‘experienced’ golfer. When did everyone become so damn judgmental? We live in a somewhat free society. If an attendee has paid for his or her admission and wants to drink beer and wear golf shoes, God bless them. Last time I checked, golf should be thankful someone showed up, or is still paying green fees at the local muni or resort. This is a tough time for golf… Just let people be and enjoy their time.

    • ben

      Jan 9, 2015 at 12:07 pm

      Amen! I’m tired of these kinds of article and threads! People calling people posers, fashion police, behaving like golf is some kind of sacred members only, purist game. Its a GAME! And if we want it to be around much longer in a practical, affordable way, we need people to play.
      Also, every other major game/sport has to contend with distractions/pressure during play. I think pictures/video should be allowed at professional tourneys. If a faint click can throw you off your game maybe you need to work on your focus/mental toughness! You’re a professional athlete after all!

    • birdeez

      Jan 9, 2015 at 2:54 pm

      i could care less about the cigars or the shoes, but the yelling after shots is flat out annoying. equally annoying is those that blatantly ignore the no cameras rule. other than that, have a good time, don’t be obnoxious, and dress as foolish as you want.

  56. Worst Article Ever

    Jan 9, 2015 at 10:53 am

    Dumbest thing I’ve seen on this website yet. And as a cigar smoker, I’m insulted by the insinuation that we all act inappropriately.

  57. John F. Erickson

    Jan 9, 2015 at 10:49 am

    Lamest article ever written. Beer and Cigar guy is the only reason people go to these things. You can’t see squat, so you may as well enjoy the the weather and drink up.

    • labillyboy

      Jan 9, 2015 at 1:16 pm

      Amen…

      Telling other people how to live… must be a Demokrat.

      Yes, wearing golf shoes as a spectator does look stupid, but hey, who am I going to laugh at and make fun of while smoking and drinking, if they don’t show up?

      • MHendon

        Jan 9, 2015 at 2:01 pm

        “Telling other people how to live… must be a Demokrat.” I think that would be more of a Republican action not Democrat.

      • steve

        Jan 9, 2015 at 7:43 pm

        “Yes, wearing golf shoes as a spectator does look stupid, but hey, who am I going to laugh at and make fun of while smoking and drinking, if they don’t show up?”

        Haha, nice.

  58. Josh

    Jan 9, 2015 at 10:44 am

    Top Thing Not To Do In Life…

    1. Tell people how to conform…let people do what they want

    If they want to wear golf shoes let them…sure they look goofy but very happy

    If a dude can’t enjoy a cigar and a beer at a golf tournament that sucks

    If I want to yell…guess what I’m at a sporting event

    I could go on but it’s worthless telling people what to do…

    • enrique

      Jan 9, 2015 at 11:01 am

      If you want to yell you’re going to? You’re obviously “that guy”.

      “Sporting Event” doesn’t allow you to shout ridiculous things while everyone else is silent.

      Go try it at Wimbledon or the US Open (tennis).

      Next you’ll be posting how it defeats your civil right to Freedom of Speech.

      • leftright

        Jan 9, 2015 at 1:05 pm

        At Wimbledon everyone has a bamboo pole up their butt as most English events do, except soccer. The last US Open I watched they were loudmouthing from the stands bigtime but you are correct, people should not yell at a golf tournament.

  59. Bob

    Jan 9, 2015 at 10:42 am

    Marshalls??? We went to see the US Open at Pebble a fews back and waited at the tee box on hole #4 for about 1 hour in order to catch a glimpse of Mickelson. Phil arrive with 4 volunteer Marshalls, the Marshalls stand right in front of us and put their arms up. Quiet. No one was moving or making a sound. These guys are the worst offenders.

  60. DevonC

    Jan 9, 2015 at 10:39 am

    What a pointless article. Please write something more useful next time.

    • Zooch79

      Jan 9, 2015 at 12:26 pm

      His back-up article was how to water proof your sneakers. But he probably figured this one would get some laughs… Oops.

  61. Matt

    Jan 9, 2015 at 10:38 am

    Clearly you did not attend the ’09 US Open at Bethpage. I wore sneakers Tues and Wednesday. When deluge was in the forecast for thursday I wore my waterproof golf shoes. Best decision of the week. Wore them every day. By the end of the week they were toast, but my feet were not. Do better with your top 10 lists.

    • PT

      Jan 9, 2015 at 10:49 am

      Nailed the 09′ US Open comment. It was priceless watching girls coming out from the city in heals trying to walk through that mess.

      • Former Pro from the 70s

        Jan 9, 2015 at 11:56 am

        Absolutely! That stretch to the right of 12 fairway and then left of 13 fairway was like the Bataan mud march.

    • WhoNeedsFairways

      Jan 9, 2015 at 11:08 am

      I second that. I was there in 09 at Bethpage and an old pair of FootJoys served me very well.

      It’s not about stability… it’s about not destroying a regular pair of sneakers with mud etc.

      Stupid article.

    • Big Dave

      Jan 9, 2015 at 12:57 pm

      Also at ’09 Bethpage Open. Watching on #5 green (standing next to Notah Begay outside the ropes), a spectator advised Tiger “Yo Tiger, this putt is slow, everyone is leaving it short.” Tiger rolls it to 3″‘ joker yells, “See I told you it was slow. “. Begay just shakes his head.

      I’ve also been to USTA US Open tennis, amazing the number of spectators in tennis dresses. Maybe Venus Williams will be sick and Serena will pull a fan from the stands as a doubles partner?

    • Regis

      Jan 9, 2015 at 2:39 pm

      Couldn’t agree more. I’ve been to a number of majors including both Opens at Bethpage. When it really rains and the Open rough gets soaked the spectator areas and walking paths are like a slip and slide. And putting down plywood doesn’t do much. There were a number of people carted away in ambulances with broken ankles and wrists and such. A fair number of lawsuits against the USGA as well

  62. Chip Hunt

    Jan 9, 2015 at 10:31 am

    Well the PGA championship at Valhalla last year was treacherous to get around after all the rain. I didn’t wear golf shoes, but I wished I had a few times. I saw a lot of patrons covered in mud after slipping and falling. I have very good balance but sometimes it was like skiing downhill in my running shoes. I do smoke cigars but I find a place away from the crowd so smoke is not blowing in someone’s face. Golf courses are huge so it’s easy to find a spot to chill and have a stogie.

  63. erkr

    Jan 9, 2015 at 9:57 am

    My golf shoes are waterproof. My other shoes not.

    • TheBrokenTee

      Jan 9, 2015 at 10:15 am

      That’s right. My street shoes aren’t for walking through wet, soggy rough on a golf course. My golf shoes are.

      • Enrique

        Jan 9, 2015 at 10:24 am

        Idiot. You want people to know you golf. Wear tennis shoes like a caddie. They walk in the rough too.

        We laugh at the guys at these event wearing golf shoes.

        • Cliff

          Jan 9, 2015 at 11:19 am

          Laugh all your want! Caddies get to walk down the fairway 99% of the time and I’m sure the have some sort of waterproof shoe. A caddie is on the course for 5 hours while some spectators are there 8-10 hours.

        • leftright

          Jan 9, 2015 at 1:09 pm

          Why? Most of the comments have stated the article writer as wrong. Golf shoes are made for wet weather, walking in and offer better support than sneakers. Seems to me wearing golf shoes would be the better choice. With all the spikeless designs out now they would be appropriate.

          • me

            Jan 9, 2015 at 3:46 pm

            Sorry but to anyone that wears spikes at an event, you are a douche. People on here talking about wearing them to avoid broken legs and ankles?? wtf? Stop it already. You don’t go out wearing golf shoes in rainy weather, or when hiking. The fact that caddies don’t even wear spikes just says it all. Spikeless casuals are ok.

        • leftright

          Jan 9, 2015 at 1:11 pm

          Wish you had laughed at my guys at the Copperhead in Florida last year. Gary is a +3, I’m scratch, Bryan is +1 and Dennis is a 1. I guess we don’t know what we are doing.

          • SBoss

            Jan 9, 2015 at 2:03 pm

            I live in an area with a ton of hills. When the PGA is in town, guys have golf shoes on everywhere. Nobody wants to walk up or down hills without some good traction….
            Also, nobody is wearing golf shoes to advertise that they play golf. Most of the spectators have played some golf…
            I’ll agree with the “mashed potatoes” and “bobba booyie” crap.

        • Shallowface

          Jan 10, 2015 at 10:06 pm

          I’m as bad as you Enrique. I laugh at the guys with mud on their backs from slipping and falling because they were worried someone may notice what they have on their feet.

          Little disturbed here by all of the guys admitting they stare at other men’s feet.

  64. Travis

    Jan 9, 2015 at 9:31 am

    Who would be left if you excluded all those types!!

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19th Hole

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

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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.

 

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Opinion & Analysis

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

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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.

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19th Hole

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

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

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

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

Past Winners at Valspar Championship

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

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

Key Stats For Copperhead

1. Strokes Gained: Approach

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

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

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

2. Good Drive %

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

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

Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds

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

3. Strokes Gained: Ball Striking

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

SG: Ball Striking Over Past 24 Rounds:

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

4. Bogey Avoidance

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

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

Bogey Avoidance Over Past 24 Rounds

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

5. Strokes Gained: Total in Difficult Conditions

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

Strokes Gained: Total in Difficult Conditions Over Past 24 rounds

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

6. Course History

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

Course History Over Past 24 rounds

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

The Valspar Championship Model Rankings

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

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

2024 Valspar Championship Picks

Justin Thomas +1400 (DraftKings)

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

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

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

Christiaan Bezuidenhout +6000 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

Doug Ghim +8000 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

Sepp Straka +8000 (BetRivers)

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

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

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

Victor Perez +12000 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

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