Opinion & Analysis

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

Published

3 years ago

Mar 12, 2021

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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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s LIV Golf Singapore betting preview: Course specialist ready to thrive once again

Published

3 days ago

Apr 30, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

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

Published

3 days ago

Apr 30, 2024

Brendan Ryan

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

Published

2 weeks ago

Apr 22, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

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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