Opinion & Analysis

Why Olympic lifting is great for golf fitness and performance

Published

5 years ago

May 2, 2019

Longer drives. Faster clubhead speed…Golf is a power sport!

Fitness in golf is, and has been, the hot topic in terms of performance and the future of the game. Understanding how to train, when to train and how that relates to your golf game can be a difficult task.

Olympic lifting, in some form, should be a part of that training. Olympic lifting consists of two lifts: the clean and jerk and the snatch. These two movements can be broken down in many different forms of lifting which can have huge benefits for your golf performance.

The best players in the world train a lot harder than people think, and these lifts, in some form, will be in their fitness programs.

The clean and jerk sees the barbell lifted from the ground to the shoulder and then to overhead (two movements) whereas the snatch is straight from the ground to the overhead position.

The lifts will increase performance and health in a number of ways:

Increased power output due to the global movement patterns that strengthen the neuromuscular link and ability to function.
Increased ground force reactions and the ability to use the ground for movement.
High levels of core stability and spinal health improvements through strength, positioning and movement quality.
Increased strength and muscle mass without unnecessary bulk due to range of motion and multi-joint activation.
Great benefits for coordination, balance and agility through new learning pathways and challenges.
A more efficient overall physical system that is primed to create speed, power and force.

It becomes really interesting to then transition this performance increase over to the golf swing to give you the gains you want.

Improved physical sequencing leading to a more efficient, powerful golf swing

You will have heard the term ‘Kinematic sequence’ numerous times relative to the golf swing and this is the engine of your swing. The key being to create force in a sequential way starting from the ground through the legs, to the hips, torso and finally through the arms, hands and into the club. Creating optimal force. The Olympic lifts work in the same way, creating force by pushing away from the ground with the legs, extending at the hip to create full force, using the arms and then the hands to bring the bar into position. Learn the patterns, create more speed period.

Great neuromuscular connectivity and activation

The ability to recruit and ‘fire’ muscles in the correct sequence and with full force is something that differs from person to person and will also reflect your lifestyle. If you want to get everything out of your swing and your game, you need to be able to recruit the musculature in the most efficient way possible. This means more of the muscle will be working to create force and therefore your output can be considerably higher.

Core stability and spinal posture

Yet again, the golf swing and the lifts match up here as during both movements posture and spine angle must be maintained throughout. It’s one of the biggest physical faults in the golf swing to see a lack of glute activation (think Tiger) and therefore a loss of posture and a player ‘coming out’ of the shot resulting in any number of misses. During the Olympic lifts, you will learn how to maintain spine angle and core activation whilst all of the other muscles work to create force.

Overall movement capacity, balance and coordination

The Olympic lifts need to be learned, and this is a good thing! Actively learning new movement patterns will help your everyday movement, balance and coordination and that can only be good for golf. Ever made a swing change and performed movements that were not even close to what you were aiming for (I have)? Well by learning such a complex movement pattern and benefitting the other aspects of fitness we often don’t think about (balance, coordination etc) you can see movements become more controlled, efficient and easier to implement over time.

Creation of higher levels of fast twitch muscle fibers (more speed!)

Your body has an incredible ability to adapt to what you ask it to so; sit at a desk all day and your body will adapt with poor posture and a lack of muscle mass etc. However if you add Olympic lifting to your training you are actively training muscle fiber activation as well as strength, speed and power etc. Everyone is genetically different here but no matter where you’re at currently you will see an increase in performance on and off the course.

Stronger you, stronger golf

Yes physically you will get stronger and that can only be a good thing, but you can be mentally stronger too. Learning a new skill, working through some levels of discomfort and creating a desire to be a stronger, healthier individual can all be gained through Olympic lifting and the correct use of it in your training.

There is some serious performance to be gained here and the cool thing is, due to the high energy demand and difficulty of the movements, you don’t need to spend hours in the gym doing sets and reps to achieve it. You can add 20-30 minutes of Olympic lifting work into your training 2/3 times a week and you will see your numbers go up! You can also specifically program your training, once developed, to give you the highest speed outputs at the most important times of the year. If you have heard the best players in the world talk about peaking physically, this is what they mean! The ability to understand your performance and body well enough to literally tailor your performance output for specific events and times of the year.

The key to implementing this into your training is to genuinely learn the lifts first and perform them well, any overloading with poor technique is not what any good coach or athlete wants to see. From there look to build a good level of baseline strength through low reps and continued learning which can then leave you working on the optimal power output moving forwards. Low to mid rep ranges with short rests in between matched with other movements is a phenomenal way to train.

Increased strength, efficient power, faster clubhead speeds and a whole lot of physical improvement – what’s not to like?!

We include Olympic lifting in our day-to-day programming and personalized programming at GOLFWOD and also offer online coaching for all of your movements!

With players all around following our training plans, we aim to create a global community of the fastest, most powerful golfers trying to take their games to the next level.

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Michael Dennington

Michael is both a PGA Professional and Head of Performance at The York Golf Academy in England and a highly qualified strength and fitness specialist as owner and head coach of CrossFit YO4. This background has seen years of working with highly experienced individuals as well as the most cutting edge approaches in golf. Through those years of learning Michael has combined his golf and fitness experience to work with players all around the world to create a golf swing, fitness program and lifestyle that not only gives people a new, high level of performance but also the most balanced, healthy lifestyle possible. To learn more about Michael & what he does visit www.golf-wod.com to check out everything that he does and to experience the online GOLFWOD Community.

24 Comments

sandtarped

Jun 23, 2019 at 11:26 pm

Incorporating Power Snatches/Power Clean and Jerk will increase an athletes power output, I do them and it’s paying dividends. Nice article. The only thing that people need to worry about is doing it properly. The move is not just a jump and shrug, it’s a pull to the body and the hip helps accelerate the barbell up. If people knew how to do this more they would be better athletes. Refer to track athletes who have a lot of explosive power – the majority of them do weightlifting exercises.

YouTube search Torokhtiy 2nd Pull, thank me later.

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beefcakegolf

May 7, 2019 at 10:09 am

This is golf instruction malpractice.

Reply Report comment
Bobbyg

May 4, 2019 at 9:59 pm

This is so wrong.

Reply Report comment
N

May 3, 2019 at 6:59 pm

I’ll never be able to putt with my colon shat out the back of me between my giant elephant thighs

Reply Report comment
Dr. Common Sense

May 3, 2019 at 2:00 pm

Olympic lifting is one of the worst ways to train for golf right next to yoga. Decompression of the spine, doesn’t respect contralateral recpriocation, doesn’t respect tensgrity or anterior oblique sling. I could go on and on but have to go get ready for my functional patterns session. Great article for encouraging inexperienced golfer to get injured in the gym.

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- Michael
  
  May 7, 2019 at 2:24 am
  
  Throwing out the ‘injury’ word is quite simply the easiest way out of any conversation. Is olympic lifting right for every individual, probably not, is it right for someone who is well coached and is looking to create a higher level of performance, I think so. The easiest way to get injured, in my view, is to not do anything all week aside from sit down, drive and work is to rock up on the first tee, have 3 practice swings and have at it (or go check any conventional gym with people doing who knows what kinda movements). I have seen countless people, golfers and otherwise, see tremendous improvements in all areas of fitness, including movement quality, balance etc, from including some form of olympic lifting in their training. The rigidity of only working, and only considering, one way of training people shows a lack of willingness to learn and to appreciate how people function mentally and physically. I’d absolutely recommend everyone go get into a functional patterns session, but I would never limit my perspective to one minimalist approach that will leave individuals restricted in terms of growth.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Ken
  
  Nov 27, 2020 at 11:59 am
  
  I perform dumbbell power clean and press and cat stretch three days a week at 50 to 80 % of my one rep max. I do these movements while doing indoor spinning intervals for 45 mins.
  
  I do have move power in my golf tee shot. I tee off with a 5 or7 wood, and hit 200-250 yard range. I am 5’8″ 190 lbs and 60 years of age
  
  Reply Report comment
Large chris

May 3, 2019 at 12:36 pm

I don’t believe there is a single successful tour pro who does anything remotely close to proper Olympic lifting, based on their published instagrams, twitter feeds etc.

Olympic lifting is an extremely technical sport requiring enormous dedication and supplementation with way too much potential for injury to be a sensible part of golf specific training.

Reply Report comment
- Rascal
  
  May 3, 2019 at 12:56 pm
  
  Yes, let’s stick to chopping wood.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Michael
    
    May 7, 2019 at 2:33 am
    
    My other comment was meant for Large chris… if you’re chopping wood and feeling good, have at it!
    
    Reply Report comment
- Michael
  
  May 7, 2019 at 2:28 am
  
  I think you’ll find this to be incorrect with minimal research, there are a huge number of tour pro’s incorporating oly lifting in some variety. As I mentioned above, the likelihood of injury approach is a very simple thing to say from the outside. I do agree you have to be committed to it, thats where either good coaching or good programming becomes important – there are various forms of lifting that can be used without the technicality. I also think its a great way to get away from golf mentally. just my thoughts, appreciate it.
  
  Reply Report comment
dillaila

May 3, 2019 at 10:59 am

Ask the guy in the picture how he feels in about 10-15 yrs

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Ray

May 3, 2019 at 10:57 am

Yes – for explosive strength and distance. But only good for healthy young people. Very dangerous for older golfers or older, beat to hell, athletes. I power lifted for yrs with some olympic lifts. It took a great toll on my spine and hips. Now, I’m too stiff and with arthritis and degenerative spondylosis of the spine to ever=n think of these movements or going heavy. Now its a full time job to stay limber and out of pain. I’m still a gym rat, but can’t push it like this. If I could reverse time, I would avoid these lifts.
Better to be born bigger and athletic with natural strength and speed. No need to kill yourself..

NOT SUSTAINABLE…..

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- Michael
  
  May 7, 2019 at 2:32 am
  
  Hey appreciate your input. I think we are blurring the lines a little here though as powerlifting, however seriously, is different to supplementing your golf fitness training with some olympic lifts and supplementary lifts. Using the correct lifts at correct weights can indeed increase performance and its the specific usage and volume of these lifts that can, and will, aid short and long term performance. stay loose my friend.
  
  Reply Report comment
T

May 3, 2019 at 10:44 am

KJ Choi is about the only guy who was able to convert from heavy lifting to golf.
But look at him now – thin and strong, not like a power lifter any more.

Reply Report comment
- Michael
  
  May 7, 2019 at 2:36 am
  
  yeah this is a good point! and similar to above, don’t confuse serious powerlifting with supplementing olympic lifting into a golfers fitness program. olympic lifters are generally the most mobile, and often very lean, individuals around. Using the correct volume and load you are unlikely to add any unnecessary bulk whatsoever. Powerlifting is working into max squats, deadlifts etc. Again extremely useful in the correct situation, but not to be confused between the 2!
  
  Reply Report comment
Bobby C

May 3, 2019 at 6:04 am

Moderation. Crossfit/Oly lifts led to injuries that kept me out of golf over the years. Squat clean (tweaked wrist on the front rack), snatch (tweaked neck and fingers went numb), DB single arm snatch (herniated disk, L/4-5 far lateral), excessive pull ups (chronic elbow tendinitis). I’m CF Cert 1, went to Oly seminars and taught. Good for explosive adaptation but moderate # of reps and weight. I still do Oly lifts but am very careful.

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- Wil
  
  May 3, 2019 at 10:44 am
  
  Poor form.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Bobby C
    
    May 3, 2019 at 10:03 pm
    
    Perfect form actually. Age. Went for that extra rep or lb. My point is moderation. Oly lifts are the best measure of strength, coordination, power etc, not a 1:1 correlation to golf.
    
    Reply Report comment
- Michael
  
  May 7, 2019 at 2:40 am
  
  Hey Bobby, appreciate this and its a big factor in terms of what I am trying to do. the correct implementation of the right lifts at the right times, appropriate volume and good technical awareness are very important in terms of how this can be used successfully. Seems like you have a tough ride though!
  
  Reply Report comment
Tiger Noods

May 2, 2019 at 6:31 pm

I say to that:

Kiradech Aphibarnrat.

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- Rascal
  
  May 2, 2019 at 11:35 pm
  
  What does one’s physique have to do with one’s strength? Preconceptions?
  I say to you:
  Butterbean
  
  Reply Report comment
- Michael
  
  May 7, 2019 at 2:45 am
  
  there are always exceptions, no doubt – he wants to get better though: https://www.golfchannel.com/article/golf-central-blog/asias-john-daly-losing-weight-hitting-gym
  
  not sure what he’s doing now, pretty sure the last time I saw him he maybe hadn’t quite kept this up… everyone makes their own choice, I’ll take lifting and working out over not looking after myself
  
  Reply Report comment
Nick

May 2, 2019 at 5:32 pm

AMEN

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Opinion & Analysis

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

Published

5 hours ago

Apr 18, 2024

Terry Koehler

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

6 hours ago

Apr 18, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

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

Apr 15, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

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

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

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

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

Past Winners at Harbour Town

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

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

Key Stats For Harbour Town

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

Strokes Gained: Approach

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

Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds

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

Good Drive %

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

Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds

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

Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye Designs

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

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

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

4. Strokes Gained: Short Game (Bermuda)

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

SG: SG Over Past 24 Rounds

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

5. Greens in Regulation %

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

Greens in Regulation % over past 24 rounds:

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

6. Course History

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

Course History over past 24 rounds:

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

The RBC Heritage Model Rankings

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

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

2024 RBC Heritage Picks

Patrick Cantlay +2000 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

Tommy Fleetwood +3000 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

Cameron Young +3300 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

Corey Conners +5500 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

Shane Lowry (+7500) (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

Lucas Glover +12000 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

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