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What’s your tee time?

Published

9 years ago

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I was always an early-morning man, a dew-sweeper. When I didn’t already have a tee time, I’d get to the course an hour before sunrise on a Saturday morning to see if I could get out as a single in one of the first groups.

Or I’d play the back nine with a few friends. We’d get to the 10th tee while it was still completely dark. We’d hit balls over the 18th green down the hill toward No. 13. When we could finally see the flight of a ball well enough to have an idea where it was going, we’d hit our tee shots on 10. By the time the sun rose, we’d be on 13 trying to find as many of the “warm-up balls” as we could.

Now that I’m older and my kids are out of the house, I no longer like to tee off with the sun barely breaking into the sky. I prefer a later time; a tee time that grants the opportunity for a full-night’s sleep, a leisurely cup of coffee, a chance to read the sports page, and to properly warm up.

I think an 8:30 tee time is just about ideal. And, not surprisingly, so do the people I play with at that hour. But golfers, this long-daylight time of the year, tee off anywhere from five in the morning until 6:30 in the evening.

I found Grady getting ready to play at 2:15 one recent Sunday afternoon.

[quote_box_center]“I like playing later,” he said. “The morning is for the early birds, I don’t usually get up before noon on the weekends.”[/quote_box_center]

“You’re single?” I asked.

“Now, yes. No kids either so my weekends are free. Tee times are no problem — if there’s not a big tournament. I got this time online an hour ago.”

It was a beautiful afternoon for golf and I wondered why it wasn’t more crowded.

[quote_box_center]“Seems like the regulars,” Grady said, “men’s club — and more serious golfers play really early. Then late morning you get guys who don’t play as much, or couples. In the afternoon though a lot of times, it’s wide open.”[/quote_box_center]

“You play by yourself?”

[quote_box_center]“Yeah, if no one else is here, I may play two balls. On some holes I may play three or four.”[/quote_box_center]

At a different course on a different day I met Blake and Austin. They were getting ready to play a higher-end daily-fee course.

“We wanted to play Pearl Dunes,” Blake said, “but they didn’t have anything open until later.” This was at 9:30 on a Sunday morning. “We pay more here” for the greens fee, he continued, “but we were able to get a time pretty easily.”

“What time do you think you’ll finish?” I asked with visions of the five-plus hour round they’d have to endure.

“Shouldn’t be too bad,” Austin answered, “it’s not that crowded. Depends on how we play, but I bet we’ll finish around 1:30.”

And who can complain about a four-hour round from a mid-morning tee time?

[quote_box_center]“I like to play in the afternoon when it’s warmer and the course has dried out. The beer tastes better then,” Denny told me at Shelter Grove as he and a couple of friends got ready to head to the first tee. “If it gets backed-up, we might skip around to an open hole and then come back around. Or we might play the front nine twice, we’ll just see how it goes.”[/quote_box_center]

“I love twilight golf,” Remy told me on a weekday afternoon in early June. “For one thing, it’s cheaper. For another, it usually isn’t packed. I got done working at 2, twilight starts at 3, and with any luck I’ll be done by 6:30.”

Not too long ago I played an afternoon round of golf with my youngest son. When we finished a little after 5 p.m. there was a couple on the first tee just heading out. I asked the man if he thought they’d finish the round before dark.

[quote_box_center]“I don’t know,” he answered. “But my girlfriend has only played a few times and we don’t want to bother anyone — or be bothered by anyone. We’ll play until it starts getting dark, or until the bugs start getting bad.”[/quote_box_center]

At dawn on Wednesday last week there were three foursomes waiting at the first tee at Spring Valley and another eight or 10 golfers on the practice green.

One of the guys, a heavy-set, deeply tanned man probably in his mid-60s, told me they played early every Wednesday. “We’re part of the senior men’s club,” he said. “We have tee times from 6 until 7:30, we get about 40 players most weeks. We’ll finish and have lunch, and I’ll be on my way home by 1.”

One guy was by himself in a cart on the 10th tee. “I’m just playing the back nine,” he said. “I’ll be done by 7:15, home and showered and in the office by 8:30.”

Some 12 hours later I was back at Spring Valley, waiting as a twosome made the turn to the homeward nine.

“We teed off at 5 and played through one foursome,” Graham said, “and there’s a two a couple of holes in front of us but they’re playing as fast as we are.”

“What time do you think you’ll finish?” I asked.

“Before dark. Everyone plays a little faster when the sun starts to set.”

“The carts have to be in by 8, we’ll make that no problem,” said Graham’s friend Kelly.

In the pro shop, Dustin behind the counter told me that the last tee time they’ll sell today is at 7 p.m. “You can play nine in 45 minutes if you hustle,” he said. “But usually no one starts much after 6:30. I doubt we’ll have anyone more.”

Just then, two guys walked in.

“You still get us out for a quick nine?” one asked.

And I realized as the two hurriedly paid and headed to the first tee, from dawn to dusk golfers have to take the opportunity to play whenever time, and daylight, permit.

What time of the day do you like to play? Let us know in the comments section below. And check out the inspirational story of one golfer trying to shoot the round of his life at 7-ironpress.com. The book is called A Perfect Lie – The Hole Truth and you can get free shipping on the paperback with the code GOLFWRX, or $4 off the e-book when you enter the code GOLFWRX1 at check-out. Pre-Father’s Day delivery in the US if ordered by June 17.

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

20 Comments

20 Comments

  1. dr bloor

    Jun 14, 2015 at 9:09 pm

    Grady’s my soulmate. I love sneaking out after the morning rush but before the afternoon leagues tee off, solo. One to four balls depending on my mood. On one occasion I had about 45 minutes to myself on the 18th green to chip and putt. It’s heaven.

    Reply Report comment

  2. C. Weber

    Jun 13, 2015 at 6:54 am

    I play in a group on the weekends that will tee off anytime between 7 and 8:30. Our course hosts a lot of tournaments but our Pro takes care of us letting us know what times are ahead of the tournament. During the week I get out 2 or 3 times usually Tues and Thurs at 3:30. Can get in 18 by 7pm then.

    Reply Report comment

  3. Timbleking

    Jun 12, 2015 at 1:58 pm

    Being a father for now 7 weeks, I discovered the very early tee-times and I must say I like it. With my best friend, playing right after the greenkeepers is priceless. We play fast and good golf, and we do the same for the competitions.

    Reply Report comment

  4. Jim

    Jun 12, 2015 at 2:06 am

    I hate mornings in general. I don’t even feel awake before about 1pm, and when my 65 year old father comes into town and wants to tee off at 7am and we compromise at 8:30, I am terrible. Joints feel unused, I’m sore, unfocused, 10 strokes over my usual, etc. By myself or with my wife, I start around 5pm and play 27 holes or so by 9pm, when it gets dark here. I love it, and can honestly say if I had to play golf before 10am any time I wanted to play golf, I simply would not play golf. A bonus that super twilight is 1/3rd the cost of a 6am rate, which is baffling to me.

    Reply Report comment

  5. Tim

    Jun 11, 2015 at 5:09 am

    The British summer is great – once finished playing a match on the 22 hole at 10pm, the light really was fading by then. I think we teed of at 5 or 5:30. The Steward had kept the lights on in the clubhouse for us.

    Reply Report comment

  6. trbgolfer

    Jun 10, 2015 at 11:12 pm

    I usually play late-morning/early-afternoon weekdays and I can usually play in 2 hours or so if I can play thru folks but usually it’s pretty clear by then. I live in OK and it is usually getting hot and humid then and most golfers are gone. Most people here like the early morning or late evening rounds so I try to get in the middle. I’m self-employed and have the ability to play twice a week like this. I’m blessed.

    Reply Report comment

  7. FEV

    Jun 10, 2015 at 6:03 pm

    1st or 2nd tee time of the day. Some courses that can be 5:30 am

    Reply Report comment

  8. RobG

    Jun 10, 2015 at 4:59 pm

    I prefer to play in the evenings when it’s a bit cooler and the course isn’t so busy. I rarely get a full 18 holes finished before dark but I am usually able to play 2 or 3 balls and hit a lot of practice shots around the greens and work on my short game so it doesn’t matter.

    Reply Report comment

  9. Golfraven

    Jun 10, 2015 at 2:42 pm

    almost morning on weekends before the booking time – usually 7.45 ish. Late evening from 7.30 is also ok but hard if you have little ones and need to finish work.

    Reply Report comment

  10. Christosterone

    Jun 10, 2015 at 1:09 pm

    I am in Texas and will only play at sunup(6:30-7:30 depending on time of year)…my goal is to be home showering by 10:30 to 11:30…anything over a 3 hours is out of the ordinary for these times

    Reply Report comment

  11. Jacob

    Jun 10, 2015 at 12:56 pm

    Any time of the day is great..but I prefer real late rounds..at the end of the day ending at or right before dark..the course is never busy and you can really take your time and still finish 18 in 3.15 hrs..or I do really early..my wife sleeps in on the weekends. I’m generally up as soon as it gets light Our..so half my round is done before she wakes.

    Reply Report comment

  12. Chad Rechlo

    Jun 10, 2015 at 12:56 pm

    100% a morning pegger, love the feeling of an 8:00 am tee time on the weekend.

    Reply Report comment

  13. Tom Wishon

    Jun 10, 2015 at 12:34 pm

    After work and even after dinner when far fewer people are on the course. I always have liked practicing on course more than the range – play two balls on a hole and play “worst ball” against yourself, hit 2-3 extra shots here and there, try different putts from different places on the greens, take 30 mins to play a hole, etc. I’m fortunate that we live on a course so I can just watch for when the holes near the house are empty to jump out there.

    Reply Report comment

  14. Moses

    Jun 10, 2015 at 12:30 pm

    I prefer to play in the afternoon and I usually play better because I’m looser. Plus it’s much cheaper. But since I live in LA I typically only play in the morning because you can easily see 5 1/2+ hr rounds anywhere after 1030am.

    Reply Report comment

  15. ibroke90

    Jun 10, 2015 at 12:02 pm

    down here in south texas, i like playing early, as early as possible! temps start to rise by 10 and with the humidity it gets uncomfortable.

    Reply Report comment

  16. Jeez Utz

    Jun 10, 2015 at 11:38 am

    First off at 8
    So no one is in front of me

    Reply Report comment

  17. Double Mocha Man

    Jun 10, 2015 at 11:21 am

    I’m up at 6:30AM to make breakfast and get my teen off to school. Then I shower, sip a coffee, make my own breakfast and stretch… on the course by 9:15. Usually finish in under 4 hours so making happy hour is no problem. If I play in the afternoon then I take happy hour with me in the form of my infamous Italian Sports Drink in a canister… Pinot Grigio. It nicely lubricates the swing. Shot a 72 a couple weeks ago with ample lubrication.

    Reply Report comment

  18. Chisag

    Jun 10, 2015 at 11:04 am

    I hate morning golf. My brain doesn’t work for a few hours after waking and my body doesn’t cooperate either. The few times I have been on golf trips the morning rounds are in the mid 80s and afternoon rounds in the low 70s. And for me, there is nothing quite like watching the sky change color and the sun start to set coming up the last few holes.

    Reply Report comment

  19. ca1879

    Jun 10, 2015 at 10:36 am

    The very best time to play is just as soon as I can after my last round. We have a short season up here, and I like any time, anywhere.

    Reply Report comment

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Opinion & Analysis

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

Published

12 hours ago

on

Apr 18, 2024

By

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So, what about grooves and face texture?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Golf's Perfect Imperfections

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

Published

12 hours ago

on

Apr 18, 2024

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

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19th Hole

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

Published

3 days ago

on

Apr 15, 2024

By

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

  1. Scottie Scheffler (+1.27)
  2. Tom Hoge (+1.27)
  3. Corey Conners (+1.16)
  4. Austin Eckroat (+0.95)
  5. 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

  1. Brice Garnett (88.8%)
  2. Shane Lowry (+87.2%)
  3. Akshay Bhatia (+86.0%)
  4. Si Woo Kim (+85.8%)
  5. 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:

  1. Xander Schauffele (+2.27)
  2. Scottie Scheffler (+2.24)
  3. Ludvig Aberg (+2.11)
  4. Brian Harman (+1.89)
  5. 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

  1. Jordan Spieth (+1.11)
  2. Taylor Moore (+1.02)
  3. Wyndham Clark (+0.98)
  4. Mackenzie Hughes (+0.86)
  5. 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:

  1. Brice Garnett (+75.0%)
  2. Scottie Scheffler (+69.9%)
  3. Corey Conners (+69.0%)
  4. Shane Lowry (+68.3%)
  5. 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:

  1. Patrick Cantlay (+2.34)
  2. Cam Davis (+2.05)
  3. J.T. Poston (+1.69)
  4. Justin Rose (+1.68)
  5. 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%)

  1. Shane Lowry
  2. Russell Henley
  3. Scottie Scheffler
  4. Xander Schauffele
  5. Corey Conners 
  6. Wyndham Clark
  7. Christiaan Bezuidenhout
  8. Matt Fitzpatrick
  9. Cameron Young
  10. 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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