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East vs. West: The major differences between golfers in the U.S. and Korea

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My name is James, and I am a golfaholic. More specifically, I am an equipment junkie, and I have been sober from impulsive buys for almost 48 hours.

Perhaps many of you can sympathize with the above, since who can easily resist the lure of the latest irons or the putter that claims to hole every putt within six feet? Certainly, not I. But I also know that most of you golfers seem to draw the line at iron head covers.

Well, I own not one but three sets of iron covers; and I only have two sets of irons. I can’t help myself. As you can see, my symptoms are severe. I not only worry about playing this game as best I can, but I also want to look good doing it (a matter of opinion, to be sure).

While you may find this statement strange, given that I just admitted to using iron covers, reading about the golf environment here in Korea may help you to better understand where I’m coming from. It’s just different over here—a fact that can easily be seen from these glaring examples.

Golf Accessories

Since I came out about the iron covers (no, I was not inspired by Bubba), let me start with the golf accessories that are more common in Korea.

As mentioned, iron covers here are as common as carrying a putter in your bag over there. In fact, it would be harder to spot a golf bag without iron covers than without. Also, most Korean golfers prefer to keep their rain covers on their bags at all times.

Iron covers everywhere. Bonus points for matching brands with the clubs.

You may be having a good laugh about how silly this must look. I also thought it was weird when I first started playing here 20 years ago. But when everyone is doing it, then it becomes all about conformity. So why do we do it? It’s to keep the clubs as clean and blemish-free as possible (and keep the resale value as high as I can!).

Almost all Korean golf clubs are serviced by caddies and porters. So when you drive up to the front of a luxurious clubhouse, a porter unloads your golf bag and has them sent down to the caddie master to be placed onto a power cart.

The caddie for the day then checks and records which clubs are used and ensures that all are accounted for at the end of the round. Then the clubs are cleaned, headcovers replaced, and the golf bag is placed back into the golfer’s cart while the players head off to the locker room.

In this manner, the golfer hardly needs to be bothered with club covers during a round, and we are free to show off the $200 iron covers and the latest Scotty Cameron limited release wood cover for double that amount. 

High-tech gadgets and accessories are all part of the complete Koran golfer

However, headcovers are the least of the golf accessories that we covet. Some of the more popular gadgets include GPS watches and laser range finders, as well as carry cases and golf pouches for on-course necessities. I won’t get into much detail here as there are too many items you probably can’t relate to. But suffice to say that these items are almost a fashion requirement for a typical Korean golfer and can be quite pricey.

Golf Bags

Golf bags are usually designed to be versatile during play, whether it is a light stand bag for walking or a cart bag for ease of reaching certain pockets while strapped onto a cart.

While these things are important, I think it’s more about design over functionality over here. For example, stand bags are all the rage, but they can be quite heavy. Then how can you carry them around, you ask? Well, remember I said that all golfers are required to ride the power cart on Korean courses? That’s right. We don’t walk or carry our own golf bags here.

Although it is rare for us to walk a course, stand bags are the norm.

But that doesn’t stop us from buying more golf bags—the flashier the better.

I’ve owned seven golf bags over the past year, with most of them having gone the eBay route. Prices can vary from about $200~$600, with the median being around 400-plus dollars. Another aspect that may seem weird to North American golfers is that all golfers have their rain covers on permanently over their clubs. Maybe it keeps others from looking into our bags or prevents theft. Or it may be as simple as “I paid for the whole bag, so I might as well use the whole thing.” Regardless, I myself have yet to hear a solid reason other than “that’s just the way it is.”

Boston bags, rain covers, and don’t forget the golf pouches to carry valuables on course.

The golf bag here also comes paired with a ‘Boston Bag’ (still don’t know why we call it that), which is like a fancy gym bag we carry for our shoes and change of clothes. It is not uncommon to have a matching set of golf bag and Boston bag. Bonus points if the whole ensemble is color-coordinated with your iron and wood covers.

Golf Wear

Perhaps equally puzzling, if not more, is our choice of golf wear. If you haven’t seen my article on the golf market size in Korea, it may surprise you to know that nearly half of the 10 billion-dollar golf industry is due to the golf equipment and fashion sector. We like to look good while playing.

In fact, casual golf wear is now a common sight outside of golf courses. By my simple estimation, there are over 55 golf wear brands, both imported and domestic, with new fashion brands popping up every year. Women golfers particularly enjoy a plethora of ‘field fashion’ to choose from, and men’s golf wear is also booming with colors and designs most North American golfers would not be caught dead wearing.

The norm for golf wear seems to change every few months.

Aside from well-established names in golf such as Titleist, Footjoy, and Callaway, there are dozens of exotic name brands you probably never heard of that offer their wear for jaw-dropping prices. Premium is placed on looking good, and the “tour-fit” apparel that accentuates a slim athletic look is the latest trend. And did you know PXG apparel was actually designed in Korea? They are now actually exported back to the US to be featured on their website. In addition, fashions ranging from preppy to laid-back casual all enjoy their own niche of following here. 

Are they worth the price? Personally, I cringe at the thought of a pair of golf pants costing $500. But then again, I think shelling out a $200 green fee for winter golf is a deal, so what do I know? I guess if it makes you feel good to be wearing designer clothes, and you can afford and/or pull it off well… then all the power to you. 

Golf Clubs

Last but certainly the most (see what I did there?), let’s talk golf clubs. I’d like to say that we have the best of both worlds here, with large OEM brands on one hand and the lesser-known but more exotic brands from Japan and Korea on the other.

While a vast majority of Korean golfers play household names such as Ping and TaylorMade, a surprisingly large number of Asian golfers play brands that may be unfamiliar to golfers in the West.

For example, I currently play a set of Fujimoto MB irons with Autoflex shafts. Before these, I dabbled with Axis Z2 Tour-spec irons and Zestaim Noir driver fitted with Autopower shafts. I am now eyeing a sweet set of Baldo Competizion 568 T1 irons, but secretly wishing that I could afford their latest Corza Forged MCs. It’s good to have goals.

Clubs and bags that went the way of eBay since last Fall…

The common theme with these brand of clubs is that most are quite expensive. I’m talking PXG-and-beyond prices, which can seem ludicrous to most golfers, no matter where you live. And since I am nowhere near the level of deep-pocket of some of my friends, this may explain why I covet their second-hand clubs when they move on to the latest and greatest.

If you’re muttering that I should invest a fraction of that money on lessons to improve my game, you’re probably right. A scratch handicap would be better rather than seeming like a poser trying to impress others with fancy stuff. But golf is not an easy game to master quickly. It can take years, if ever, to break par. And as I’ve said earlier, the social norms are a bit different over here. So if I were to rely on a little materialistic happiness while struggling along with this amazing game like the rest of you, what’s the harm? 

Golf is already an expensive hobby here, with typical green fees at $200~$300 per round (see “A typical round of Golf in Korea”). Still, most golfers are lined up here to pay for the privilege to play, and luckily this keeps the golf business booming. And if getting the occasional look of envy from your friends makes the experience more enjoyable, then I am all for it. 

So the next time you see a guy on course with iron covers, don’t be so quick to judge him. He may simply be protecting those sweet forged irons, which allowed him to card that smooth 97 the other day. 

How about you? What’s the most prized golf club or accessory you’ve ever owned—and possibly been ridiculed for?

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James is a golf gear-nut living and writing about all things golf in Korea. A fan of Tiger, Fred, and Seve, he is forever seeking the holy grail of golf clubs that will lower his score. He graduated from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, Canada and has been in Korea to witness the explosive growth of golf since 1996. Despite playing golf for over 30 years and being a perpetual 10-handicapper, James steadfastly claims to be the embodiment of the Average Joe Korean golfer. He can be reached at [email protected], and often introduces cool new Asia-based golf gear on YouTube and Instagram.

23 Comments

23 Comments

  1. Pingback: Korea’s answer to help grow the game – GolfWRX

  2. Bill "BOGEY" Ronecker

    Mar 16, 2021 at 8:14 pm

    In 1980-81 I was the US Army civilian budget chief for the 8th Army J3 stationed at Yongsan garrison in Seoul. The Army had an 18 hole golf course nearby, my monthly dues were $11 plus 50 cents green fees. They had young women caddies who used pull carts for $5 a round. They did not tell me what club to hit. I believe the course was torn down and the land used for the 1984? Olympics in Seoul. I remember taking a bus then getting off to walk around some shopping areas where I saw a golf shop. In the shop one of the brand names on the golf balls was HY SKORE. I wish I had bought a couple of dozen as souvenirs. A few times I had my Korean Army friends join me for golf. The Korean people were very nice. Times have changed in 40 years.

  3. Arno

    Mar 15, 2021 at 10:57 am

    Hi. Thanks for the nice report. What kind of rangefinder is it?
    regards Arno

  4. Gunter Eisenberg

    Mar 14, 2021 at 10:01 pm

  5. Big D

    Mar 14, 2021 at 4:07 am

    Thanks man I feel better about my purchases LOL

  6. hko

    Mar 13, 2021 at 7:23 pm

    k doing k thang. a bit obnoxious but always fun and positive way + trend setting. glad seeing my homies still doing well. chicks look chic. too much pink tho lol.

  7. Raj lp

    Mar 13, 2021 at 11:45 am

    This was fun to read. Thanks!

  8. Keith

    Mar 13, 2021 at 9:55 am

    I emigrated to Canada from Korea when I was 4 and started playing at 14, went to Korea for a year in my 20s and was lucky to play golf regularly due to well off relatives, pet peeves for Korean golf, caddie tries to club select for you, usually 1 to 2 clubs more, fixes your ball marks and replaces your divots, those are nuances I enjoy about golf, almost zen like experience, and found golf in Korea too superficial and just really different, I was happy to play but I prefer the dig it out of the dirt golf mentality from across the pond.

  9. Chadd

    Mar 13, 2021 at 9:49 am

    Great article. Love the different perspective.

  10. Mike

    Mar 13, 2021 at 9:44 am

    Looking at all the pics, I’m thinking that I played there, there’s a really good chance I’ll be paired up w/ a ‘golf hottie’. Hell, for $200-300 a round, I need more than a good hot dog at the turn!

  11. Kirk

    Mar 13, 2021 at 8:23 am

    I think it begs the question though — do you even like golf ? Or just the paraphernalia and “look” of it ?

  12. Bubs

    Mar 13, 2021 at 8:19 am

    All of this I see in Japan… just less so. I reckon since golf is older in Japan, the quirks were born there but perfected in Korea ?

  13. Eric

    Mar 13, 2021 at 3:52 am

    Never wanted to go to South Korea more! This is something I want to experience 🙂 thanks for a great article and a very funny one at that.

  14. Kristian

    Mar 13, 2021 at 2:40 am

    You should do this for the UK. It’s a common man’s sport there. Very different but equally as interesting. All walks of life play the game here as it is relatively inexpensive to join a club (from £300-£1000 and no joining fee). Some amazing players with eclectic bag setups and some of the finest courses in the world.

  15. Wm

    Mar 12, 2021 at 10:24 pm

    Following their Korean coaches all their gear is high end stuff that we don’t see in North America.

  16. John m

    Mar 12, 2021 at 3:43 pm

    Great story! Thanks for sharing. I lived in Japan during the lush years (85-95) and your article brings back memories. I remember the greens fees included club insurance and hole in one insurance.

  17. CrashTestDummy

    Mar 12, 2021 at 12:14 pm

    “Seven golf bags over the past year.” James, I think you won the golf bag owning competition easily.?? Good article with a lot of good humor.

    • James

      Mar 12, 2021 at 11:31 pm

      Thanks Crash. I console myself into believing I am not losing a lot of money by reselling them quickly. Lol

  18. T.A. Jones

    Mar 12, 2021 at 12:07 pm

    James,

    This is an awesome write up! I lived in Korea for a year and fell in love with the Golf culture and how loud it is. The clothing company Chucuchu is amazing. I looked at their website and absolutely fell in love with their apparel being a PXG guy. Thanks for taking the time!

    • James

      Mar 13, 2021 at 1:45 am

      ThanksT.A. Chucuchu, Rak Golf, Tarot Golf, all are cool brands ?

  19. Kyle

    Mar 12, 2021 at 10:36 am

    This is awesome, thank you

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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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