Opinion & Analysis
The case for golf in the Paralympics
Last month golf made its first appearance in the Olympics since 1904. Whatever people feel about golf’s place in the Olympics — and despite a number of high-profile players pulling out — the men’s and ladies’ tournaments seemed to go well and there is a positive feeling looking ahead to Tokyo 2020. However, a few people may have noticed that golf is not represented in the Paralympics. Furthermore, it is not going to be part of the 2020 Paralympics, so 2024 marks the first realistic chance to see disabled golfers on a high-profile, worldwide stage. Adaptive golf is a small community right now, but I think there is real potential for golf to be a major Paralympic sport with large numbers of recreational players around the world if some of the right pieces fall into place.
I started to look into expanding Ping’s adaptive golf program in about 2007. I talked to a lot of people involved in the adaptive golf world including members of the blind golf, amputee golf and wheelchair golf communities, as well as great organizations like Saving Strokes, which uses golf as a form of rehabilitation for stroke survivors. What I found were a number of really good, but mostly disconnected organizations. In these past nine years, my belief has grown that if we could knit together some of these programs into a network, golf could be a much bigger sport for individuals with disabilities than it is now.
There are some huge benefits to golf over other sports:
- The existing handicap system allows people of vastly different abilities to play together and compete, which is not really possible in a sport like tennis or soccer.
- There are multiple tees for players who hit the ball different distances.
- It’s a self-timed sport, meaning the player hits the ball in his or her own time and does not have to react to an opponent.
- There is a medical benefit to the physical exercise associated with the game.
Steve Winter, a wheelchair golfer who has consulted for us, has told me many times that he loves golf because on the course he’s just a golfer like any other. When he plays wheelchair basketball, it is with a group of other wheelchair players. However, he can play golf with me and it’s the same game for both of us. We made him a set of clubs with extra-large putter grips and Velcro over the grips to allow him to swing one-handed, but other than sometimes taking a drop from a location he can’t access in his chair, the game is the same for him as it is for me. He can enjoy the same frustration over a missed 3-foot putt as I do.
We have tried to offer equipment modifications to better serve the adaptive golf community. Players who swing one-handed often use bigger grips or Velcro grips, and stroke survivors or arthritic golfers have benefitted from this, too. Leg amputee golfers often benefit from longer shafts to enable a more stable base for the swing. Players who hit from a chair or adapted golf cart usually need specific non-traditional lengths and lie angles. We have built clubs as short as 24 inches and as long as 60 inches, bent clubs 12 degrees flat, added or removed significant mass from the head, and created special grip solutions for those who need it.
Every now and again we really have to flex our problem-solving muscles. Jeff Lewis, a local quadruple amputee golfer, contacted us to ask if we could help him. Figure 2 shows how we figured something out whereby the club fixes directly into his right prosthetic arm. There is a quick-change mechanism using springs that allows him to change clubs by pushing and twisting. We published this research in the Journal of Sports Engineering so the mechanism could be used in other applications.
We have quite a few adaptive club-fitting centers now and we have created guidelines for fitters interested in conducting fittings for people with disabilities. A good problem-solver with the right tools can help almost anyone find the right head, shaft and grip to help them swing comfortably and maximize performance. It just takes a willingness to try some different options and see what works. I focus on helping the player feel comfortable swinging the club first, and then focus on performance optimization. Trial and error is very important and sometimes the least intuitive option is the one that works the best. There is not much in golf more satisfying than helping someone hit the ball farther and straighter than they ever have before.
The adaptive golf community is still very small, however. There are more than 50 million people in the Unites States with some kind of disability, but very few are involved in the sport. I’ve been to some really good adaptive golf tournaments, and everything indicates there are a lot of people interested in playing competitively or just for fun. The Paralympics would be a huge way to get visibility to the sport, reaching an enormous worldwide TV audience. What’s holding golf back from getting into the Paralympics is a lack of worldwide structure including world championships and international rankings, articulated well by Geoff Shackleford in his blog.
It seems like a catch-22 situation: the Paralympics would really help promote adaptive golf, but adaptive golf needs to reach a certain level of organization and profile before it would be considered for the Paralympics. Caroline Larsson, a former professional golfer in Europe, is backing a campaign for golf in the Paralympics. It will take more support to achieve that goal. Companies, organizing bodies and all interested parties will need to band together and put in the time to create the structure needed for a successful bid. I really think that a stronger adaptive golf community, with the pinnacle of the sport being Paralympic medals and/or adaptive golf majors, would benefit the whole golfing world.
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19th Hole
Vincenzi’s LIV Golf Singapore betting preview: Course specialist ready to thrive once again
After another strong showing in Australia, LIV Golf will head to Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore looking to build off of what was undoubtedly their best event to date.
Sentosa Golf Club sits on the southern tip of Singapore and is one of the most beautiful courses in the world. The course is more than just incredible scenically; it was also rated 55th in Golf Digest’s top-100 courses in 2022-2023 and has been consistently regarded as one of the best courses in Asia. Prior to being part of the LIV rotation, the course hosted the Singapore Open every year since 2005.
Sentosa Golf Club is a par 71 measuring 7,406 yards. The course will require precise ball striking and some length off the tee. It’s possible to go low due to the pristine conditions, but there are also plenty of hazards and difficult spots on the course that can bring double bogey into play in a hurry. The Bermudagrass greens are perfectly manicured, and the course has spent millions on the sub-air system to keep the greens rolling fast. I spoke to Asian Tour player, Travis Smyth, who described the greens as “the best [he’s] ever played.”
Davis Love III, who competed in a Singapore Open in 2019, also gushed over the condition of the golf course.
“I love the greens. They are fabulous,” the 21-time PGA Tour winner said.
Love III also spoke about other aspects of the golf course.
“The greens are great; the fairways are perfect. It is a wonderful course, and it’s tricky off the tee.”
“It’s a long golf course, and you get some long iron shots. It takes somebody hitting it great to hit every green even though they are big.”
As Love III said, the course can be difficult off the tee due to the length of the course and the trouble looming around every corner. It will take a terrific ball striking week to win at Sentosa Golf Club.
In his pre-tournament press conference last season, Phil Mickelson echoed many of the same sentiments.
“To play Sentosa effectively, you’re going to have a lot of shots from 160 to 210, a lot of full 6-, 7-, 8-iron shots, and you need to hit those really well and you need to drive the ball well.”
Golfers who excel from tee to green and can dial in their longer irons will have a massive advantage this week.
Stat Leaders at LIV Golf Adelaide:
Fairways Hit
1.) Louis Oosthuizen
2.) Anirban Lahiri
3.) Jon Rahm
4.) Brendan Steele
5.) Cameron Tringale
Greens in Regulation
1.) Brooks Koepka
2.) Brendan Steele
3.) Dean Burmester
4.) Cameron Tringale
5.) Anirban Lahiri
Birdies Made
1.) Brendan Steele
2.) Dean Burmester
3.) Thomas Pieters
4.) Patrick Reed
5.) Carlos Ortiz
LIV Golf Individual Standings:
1.) Joaquin Niemann
2.) Jon Rahm
3.) Dean Burmester
4.) Louis Oosthuizen
5.) Abraham Ancer
LIV Golf Team Standings:
1.) Crushers
2.) Legion XIII
3.) Torque
4.) Stinger GC
5.) Ripper GC
LIV Golf Singapore Picks
Sergio Garcia +3000 (DraftKings)
Sergio Garcia is no stranger to Sentosa Golf Club. The Spaniard won the Singapore Open in 2018 by five strokes and lost in a playoff at LIV Singapore last year to scorching hot Talor Gooch. Looking at the course setup, it’s no surprise that a player like Sergio has played incredible golf here. He’s long off the tee and is one of the better long iron players in the world when he’s in form. Garcia is also statistically a much better putter on Bermudagrass than he is on other putting surfaces. He’s putt extremely well on Sentosa’s incredibly pure green complexes.
This season, Garcia has two runner-up finishes, both of them being playoff losses. Both El Camaleon and Doral are courses he’s had success at in his career. The Spaniard is a player who plays well at his tracks, and Sentosa is one of them. I believe Sergio will get himself in the mix this week. Hopefully the third time is a charm in Singapore.
Paul Casey +3300 (FanDuel)
Paul Casey is in the midst of one of his best seasons in the five years or so. The results recently have been up and down, but he’s shown that when he’s on a golf course that suits his game, he’s amongst the contenders.
This season, Casey has finishes of T5 (LIV Las Vegas), T2 (LIV Hong Kong), and a 6th at the Singapore Classic on the DP World Tour. At his best, the Englishman is one of the best long iron players in the world, which makes him a strong fit for Sentosa. Despite being in poor form last season, he was able to fire a Sunday 63, which shows he can low here at the course.
It’s been three years since Casey has won a tournament (Omega Dubai Desert Classic in 2021), but he’s been one of the top players on LIV this season and I think he can get it done at some point this season.
Mito Pereira +5000 (Bet365)
Since Mito Pereira’s unfortunate demise at the 2022 PGA Championship, he’s been extremely inconsistent. However, over the past few months, the Chilean has played well on the International Series as well as his most recent LIV start. Mito finished 8th at LIV Adelaide, which was his best LIV finish this season.
Last year, Pereira finished 5th at LIV Singapore, shooting fantastic rounds of 67-66-66. It makes sense why Mito would like Sentosa, as preeminent ball strikers tend to rise to the challenge of the golf course. He’s a great long iron player who is long and straight off the tee.
Mito has some experience playing in Asia and is one of the most talented players on LIV who’s yet to get in the winner’s circle. I have questions about whether or not he can come through once in contention, but if he gets there, I’m happy to roll the dice.
Andy Ogletree +15000 (DraftKings)
Andy Ogletree is a player I expected to have a strong 2024 but struggled early in his first full season on LIV. After failing to crack the top-25 in any LIV event this year, the former U.S. Amateur champion finally figured things out, finished in a tie for 3rd at LIV Adelaide.
Ogletree should be incredible comfortable playing in Singapore. He won the International Series Qatar last year and finished T3 at the International Series Singapore. The 26-year-old was arguably the best player on the Asian Tour in 2023 and has been fantastic in the continent over the past 18 months.
If Ogletree has indeed found form, he looks to be an amazing value at triple-digit odds.
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Opinion & Analysis
Ryan: Lessons from the worst golf instructor in America
In Tampa, there is a golf course that boasts carts that do not work, a water range, and a group of players none of which have any chance to break 80. The course is overseen by a staff of crusty men who have succeeded at nothing in life but ending up at the worst-run course in America. However, this place is no failure. With several other local courses going out of business — and boasting outstanding greens — the place is booked full.
While I came for the great greens, I stayed to watch our resident instructor; a poor-tempered, method teacher who caters to the hopeless. At first, it was simply hilarious. However, after months of listening and watching, something clicked. I realized I had a front-row seat to the worst golf instructor in America.
Here are some of my key takeaways.
Method Teacher
It is widely accepted that there are three types of golf instructors: system teachers, non-system teachers, and method teachers. Method teachers prescribe the same antidote for each student based on a preamble which teachers can learn in a couple day certification.
Method teaching allows anyone to be certified. This process caters to the lowest caliber instructor, creating the illusion of competency. This empowers these underqualified instructors with the moniker of “certified” to prey on the innocent and uninformed.
The Cult of Stack and Jilt
The Stack and Tilt website proudly boasts, “A golfer swings his hands inward in the backswing as opposed to straight back to 1) create power, similar to a field goal kicker moving his leg in an arc and 2) to promote a swing that is in-to-out, which produces a draw (and eliminates a slice).”
Now, let me tell you something, there is this law of the universe which says “energy can either be created or destroyed,” so either these guys are defying physics or they have no idea what they are taking about. Further, the idea that the first move of the backswing determines impact is conjecture with a splash of utter fantasy.
These are the pontifications of a method — a set of prescriptions applied to everyone with the hope of some success through the placebo effect. It is one thing for a naive student to believe, for a golf instructor to drink and then dispel this Kool-Aid is malpractice.
Fooled by Randomness
In flipping a coin, or even a March Madness bet, there is a 50-50 chance of success. In golf, especially for new players, results are asymmetric. Simply put: Anything can happen. The problem is that when bad instructors work with high handicappers, each and every shot gets its own diagnosis and prescription. Soon the student is overwhelmed.
Now here’s the sinister thing: The overwhelming information is by design. In this case, the coach is not trying to make you better, they are trying to make you reliant on them for information. A quasi Stockholm syndrome of codependency.
Practice
One of the most important scientists of the 20th century was Ivan Pavlov. As you might recall, he found that animals, including humans, could be conditioned into biological responses. In golf, the idea of practice has made millions of hackers salivate that they are one lesson or practice session from “the secret.”
Sunk Cost
The idea for the worst golf instructor is to create control and dependency so that clients ignore the sunk cost of not getting better. Instead, they are held hostage by the idea that they are one lesson or tip away from unlocking their potential.
Cliches
Cliches have the effect of terminating thoughts. However, they are the weapon of choice for this instructor. Add some hyperbole and students actually get no information. As a result, these players couldn’t play golf. When they did, they had no real scheme. With no idea what they are doing, they would descend into a spiral of no idea what to do, bad results, lower confidence, and running back to the lesson tee from more cliches.
The fact is that poor instruction is about conditioning players to become reliant members of your cult. To take away autonomy. To use practice as a form of control. To sell more golf lessons not by making people better but through the guise that without the teacher, the student can never reach their full potential. All under the umbrella of being “certified” (in a 2-day course!) and a melee of cliches.
This of course is not just happening at my muni but is a systemic problem around the country and around the world, the consequences of which are giving people a great reason to stop playing golf. But hey, at least it’s selling a lot of golf balls…
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19th Hole
Vincenzi’s 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans betting preview
The PGA TOUR heads to New Orleans to play the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. In a welcome change from the usual stroke play, the Zurich Classic is a team event. On Thursday and Saturday, the teams play best ball, and on Friday and Sunday the teams play alternate shot.
TPC Louisiana is a par 72 that measures 7,425 yards. The course features some short par 4s and plenty of water and bunkers, which makes for a lot of exciting risk/reward scenarios for competitors. Pete Dye designed the course in 2004 specifically for the Zurich Classic, although the event didn’t make its debut until 2007 because of Hurricane Katrina.
Coming off of the Masters and a signature event in consecutive weeks, the field this week is a step down, and understandably so. Many of the world’s top players will be using this time to rest after a busy stretch.
However, there are some interesting teams this season with some stars making surprise appearances in the team event. Some notable teams include Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala as well as a few Canadian teams, Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin and Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners.
Past Winners at TPC Louisiana
- 2023: Riley/Hardy (-30)
- 2022: Cantlay/Schauffele (-29)
- 2021: Leishman/Smith (-20)
- 2019: Palmer/Rahm (-26)
- 2018: Horschel/Piercy (-22)
- 2017: Blixt/Smith (-27)
2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Picks
Tom Hoge/Maverick McNealy +2500 (DraftKings)
Tom Hoge is coming off of a solid T18 finish at the RBC Heritage and finished T13 at last year’s Zurich Classic alongside Harris English.
This season, Hoge is having one of his best years on Tour in terms of Strokes Gained: Approach. In his last 24 rounds, the only player to top him on the category is Scottie Scheffler. Hoge has been solid on Pete Dye designs, ranking 28th in the field over his past 36 rounds.
McNealy is also having a solid season. He’s finished T6 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and T9 at the PLAYERS Championship. He recently started working with world renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, and its seemingly paid dividends in 2024.
Keith Mitchell/Joel Dahmen +4000 (DraftKings)
Keith Mitchell is having a fantastic season, finishing in the top-20 of five of his past seven starts on Tour. Most recently, Mitchell finished T14 at the Valero Texas Open and gained a whopping 6.0 strokes off the tee. He finished 6th at last year’s Zurich Classic.
Joel Dahmen is having a resurgent year and has been dialed in with his irons. He also has a T11 finish at the PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass which is another Pete Dye track. With Mitchell’s length and Dahmen’s ability to put it close with his short irons, the Mitchell/Dahmen combination will be dangerous this week.
Taylor Moore/Matt NeSmith +6500 (DraftKings)
Taylor Moore has quickly developed into one of the more consistent players on Tour. He’s finished in the top-20 in three of his past four starts, including a very impressive showing at The Masters, finishing T20. He’s also finished T4 at this event in consecutive seasons alongside Matt NeSmith.
NeSmith isn’t having a great 2024, but has seemed to elevate his game in this format. He finished T26 at Pete Dye’s TPC Sawgrass, which gives the 30-year-old something to build off of. NeSmith is also a great putter on Bermudagrass, which could help elevate Moore’s ball striking prowess.
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mat
Sep 19, 2016 at 5:39 am
Dear the truth, ED, and all of you talking (remarquably badly) about what you don’t know.
Facts only counts, well at list, they are more interesting than your opinion.
read this link: european disable golf championship results 2016.
http://www.edgagolf.com/downloads/2016-ranking/1607-gross.pdf
and guess what! almost all players have a full time jobs or studying in universities for the youngest.
And they all played from 6500yards tees , 18 holes under 4h30 times, for three days.
From what I know, best american amputee players play scratch and even played on web.com this year.
So yes we need to see disable golf in paralympics and we need it more than Stenson or Rose.
Golf is a fantastic way to get over your disability. and the best way to show it is by showing the best players on a worldwide scale competition. thats just my opinion.
but I hope these facts changed your little minded opinion.
Connard!
The Truth
Sep 19, 2016 at 9:00 am
Why do I have to pay for it through gun point? If this is a cause for the greater good, the money should be collected voluntarily via charity. Instead of the monopoly of Force ie taxation. How good they are at golf is not an argument. 85% of disabled people are living off of government subsidies, facts are not your friend my friend.
Y Drizzle
Sep 19, 2016 at 9:45 am
Gun point? Good grief, you are a drama queen.
I don’t care if 100% of disabled people are living off of government subsidies. I have no problem with my tax dollars helping people who really need it. Apparently, empathy is not your friend.
The Truth
Sep 19, 2016 at 9:53 am
Just because you believe this should be funded with tax dollars doesn’t mean anything. Somehow you have the moral high ground and know what is best for everything, thank you Mr. Authoritarian. If something is done for the greater good, and it truly is for the greater good, it will be solved without tax dollars via charity. Your obviously ignorant about about big Government going hand in hand with Cronyism.
mat
Sep 19, 2016 at 10:12 am
We’re talking about golf in the paralympics, not USA’s government way to handle and support disable people..
When you talk about subject like this, you don’t only place yourself in an American point of view, but try to see why disable golfers from all around the world should be playing this great sport in an international competition like the paralympics.
I won’t debate on if they should be helped in life , or if you should be taxed, that’s not the subject.
What’sure is when you see stupid comments out this good article, and not only your comment, gotta react friend!
ps: it is not a cause for the greater good, only best athletes that try to compete in the best international scale (the paralympics), and that’s right you need financial support for travel, training etc. … may you be on the PGA tour or an American disable golf tour :).
Take the Red Pill
Sep 19, 2016 at 11:58 am
Wow Mat, you really showed the Truth who is boss with your long winded Virtue Signaling. I never knew that training and traveling for an international sports competition is a God given Right. LOL
mat
Sep 19, 2016 at 2:15 pm
your point?
Par4
Sep 19, 2016 at 11:05 am
Obviously don’t have a member in the family or a close friend that is that situation. Put yourself in someone’s shoes that lives like that!!! People sometimes actually need help.
Par4
Sep 19, 2016 at 10:59 am
Very well put!!!
Joe Kearney
Sep 18, 2016 at 5:06 pm
Slow play and draining the system!!??? It’s idiots like these devoid of the milk of human kindness who give golfers a bad name. Shame on you. You may soon get the president you deserve… an equally forward-thinking visionary.
Tom
Sep 18, 2016 at 10:54 am
Tough crowd in here today.
The Truth
Sep 18, 2016 at 9:58 am
What a waste of time and money. Lets get a productive economy again so the disabled can have jobs and not drain the system via B.S Special/Paralympics.
Mark
Sep 18, 2016 at 4:54 am
No need for any type of Golf in the Olympics. Period.
Ed
Sep 17, 2016 at 10:36 pm
Cant imagine how slow these guys play. Talk about bad for the game. Oh well… Give em a hand.
Redx
Sep 18, 2016 at 2:04 am
Cant believe that’s the first thing that came to mind for you Ed.
Smokin'Gun
Sep 18, 2016 at 8:13 pm
What do you mean “these guys”? I have a handicap son who has Cerebral Palsy that plays to a 6 HNDCP. Crawl back under your rock!!!