Connect with us

Opinion & Analysis

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

Published

on

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?

Your Reaction?
  • 301
  • LEGIT26
  • WOW21
  • LOL38
  • IDHT4
  • FLOP10
  • OB3
  • SHANK52

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

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Opinion & Analysis

The Wedge Guy: What really makes a wedge work? Part 2

Published

on

In my last post, I explained the basic performance dynamics of “smash factor” and “gear effect” as they apply to your wedges and your wedge play success. If you missed that post, you can read it here.

At the end of that post, I promised “part 2” of this discussion of what makes a wedge work the way it does. So, let’s dive into the other two components of any wedge – the shaft and the grip.

It’s long been said that the shaft is “the engine of the golf club.” The shaft (and grip) are your only connection to all the technologies that are packed into the head of any golf club, whether it be a driver, fairway, hybrid, iron, wedge or even putter.

And you cannot ignore those two components of your wedges if your goal is optimizing your performance.

I’ve long been an advocate of what I call a “seamless transition” from your irons into your wedges, so that the feel and performance do not disconnect when you choose a gap wedge, for example, instead of your iron-set-matching “P-club.” In today’s golf equipment marketplace, more and more golfers are making the investment of time and money to experience an iron fitting, going through trial and error and launch monitor measuring to get just the right shaft in their irons.

But then so many of those same golfers just go into a store and choose wedges off the retail display, with no similar science involved at all. And that’s why I see so many golfers with a huge disconnect between their custom-fitted irons, often with lighter and/or softer graphite or light steel shafts . . . and their off-the-rack wedges with the stock stiff steel ‘wedge flex’ shaft common to those stock offerings.

If your wedge shafts are significantly heavier and stiffer than the shafts in your irons, it is physically impossible for you to make the same swing. Period.

To quickly improve your wedge play, one of the first things you can do is have your wedges re-shafted with the same or similar shaft that is in your irons.

There’s another side of that shaft weight equation; if you don’t have the forearm and hand strength of a PGA Tour professional, you simply cannot “handle” the same weight shaft that those guys play to master the myriad of ‘touch shots’ around the greens.

Now, let’s move on to the third and other key component of your wedges – the grips. If those are not similar in shape and feel to the grips on your irons, you have another disconnect. Have your grips checked by a qualified golf club professionals to make sure you are in sync there.

The one caveat to that advice is that I am a proponent of a reduced taper in your wedge grips – putting two to four more layers of tape under the lower hand, or selecting one of the many reduced taper grips on the market. That accomplishes two goals for your scoring.

First, it helps reduce overactive hands in your full and near-full wedge swings. Quiet hands are key to good wedge shots.

And secondly, it provides a more consistent feel of the wedge in your hands as you grip down for those shorter and more delicate shots around the greens. And you should always grip down as you get into those touch shots. I call it “getting closer to your work.”

So, if you will spend as much time selecting the shafts and grips for your wedges as you do choosing the brand, model, and loft of them, your scoring range performance will get better.

More from the Wedge Guy

Your Reaction?
  • 4
  • LEGIT3
  • WOW0
  • LOL1
  • IDHT1
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK4

Continue Reading

19th Hole

Vincenzi’s 2024 Wells Fargo Championship betting preview: Tommy Fleetwood ready to finally land maiden PGA Tour title

Published

on

The PGA Tour season ramps back up this week for another “signature event,” as golf fans look forward to the year’s second major championship next week.

After two weaker-field events in the Zurich Classic and the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, most of the best players in the world will head to historic Quail Hollow for one of the best non-major tournaments of the year. 

Last season, Wyndham Clark won the event by four shots.

Quail Hollow is a par-71 measuring 7,521 yards that features Bermudagrass greens. The tree-lined, parkland style course can play quite difficult and features one of the most difficult three-hole stretches in golf known as “The Green Mile,” which makes up holes 16-18: two mammoth par 4s and a 221-yard par 3. All three holes have an average score over par, and water is in play in each of the last five holes on the course.

The field is excellent this week with 68 golfers teeing it up without a cut. All of the golfers who’ve qualified are set to tee it up, with the exception of Scottie Scheffler, who is expecting the birth of his first child. 

Past Winners at Quail Hollow

  • 2023: Wyndham Clark (-19)
  • 2022: Max Homa (-8)
  • 2021: Rory McIlroy (-10)
  • 2019: Max Homa (-15)
  • 2018: Jason Day (-12)
  • 2017: Justin Thomas (-8) (PGA Championship)
  • 2016: James Hahn (-9)
  • 2015: Rory McIlroy (-21)

Key Stats For Quail Hollow

Strokes Gained: Approach

Strokes gained: Approach will be extremely important this week as second shots at Quail Hollow can be very difficult. 

Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Akshay Bhatia (+1.16)
  2. Tom Hoge (+1.12)
  3. Corey Conners (+1.01)
  4. Shane Lowry (+0.93)
  5. Austin Eckroat (+0.82)

Strokes Gained: Off the Tee

Quail Hollow is a long course on which it is important to play from the fairway. Both distance and accuracy are important, as shorter tee shots will result in approach shots from 200 or more yards. With most of the holes heavily tree lined, errant drives will create some real trouble for the players.

Strokes Gained: Off the Tee Past 24 Rounds:

  1. Ludvig Aberg (+0.73)
  2. Rory McIlroy (+0.69)
  3. Xander Schauffele (+0.62)
  4. Viktor Hovland (+0.58)
  5. Chris Kirk (+0.52)

Proximity: 175-200

The 175-200 range is key at Quail Hollow. Players who can hit their long irons well will rise to the top of the leaderboard. 

Proximity: 175-200+ over past 24 rounds:

  1. Cameron Young (28’2″)
  2. Akshay Bhatia (29’6″)
  3. Ludvig Aberg (+30’6″)
  4. Sam Burns (+30’6″)
  5. Collin Morikawa (+30’9″)

SG: Total on Tom Fazio Designs

Players who thrive on Tom Fazio designs get a bump for me at Quail Hollow this week. 

SG: Total on Tom Fazio Designs over past 36 rounds:

  1. Patrick Cantlay (+2.10)
  2. Rory McIlroy (+1.95)
  3. Tommy Fleetwood (+1.68)
  4. Austin Eckroat (+1.60)
  5. Will Zalatoris (+1.57)

Strokes Gained: Putting (Bermudagrass)

Strokes Gained: Putting has historically graded out as the most important statistic at Quail Hollow. While it isn’t always predictable, I do want to have it in the model to bump up golfers who prefer to putt on Bermudagrass.

Strokes Gained: Putting (Bermudagrass) Over Past 24 Rounds:

  1. Taylor Moore (+0.82)
  2. Nick Dunlap (+.76)
  3. Wyndham Clark (+.69)
  4. Emiliano Grillo (+.64)
  5. Cam Davis (+.61)

Course History

This stat will incorporate players that have played well in the past at Quail Hollow. 

Course History over past 36 rounds (per round):

  1. Rory McIlroy (+2.50)
  2. Justin Thomas (+1.96)
  3. Jason Day (+1.92)
  4. Rickie Fowler (+1.83)
  5. Viktor Hovland (+1.78)

Wells Fargo Championship Model Rankings

Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (27%), SG: Off the Tee (23%), SG: Total on Fazio designs (12%), Proximity: 175-200 (12%), SG: Putting Bermuda grass (12%), and Course History (14%).

  1. Wyndham Clark
  2. Rory McIlroy
  3. Xander Schauffele
  4. Shane Lowry
  5. Hideki Matsuyama
  6. Viktor Hovland 
  7. Cameron Young
  8. Austin Eckroat 
  9. Byeong Hun An
  10. Justin Thomas

2024 Wells Fargo Championship Picks

Tommy Fleetwood +2500 (DraftKings)

I know many out there have Tommy fatigue when it comes to betting, which is completely understandable given his lack of ability to win on the PGA Tour thus far in his career. However, history has shown us that players with Fleetwood’s talent eventually break though, and I believe for Tommy, it’s just a matter of time.

Fleetwood has been excellent on Tom Fazio designs. Over his past 36 rounds, he ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Total on Fazio tracks. He’s also been incredibly reliable off the tee this season. He’s gained strokes in the category in eight of his past nine starts, including at The Masters, the PLAYERS and the three “signature events” of the season. Tommy is a golfer built for tougher courses and can grind it out in difficult conditions.

Last year, Fleetwood was the first-round leader at this event, firing a Thursday 65. He finished the event in a tie for 5th place.

For those worried about Fleetwood’s disappointing start his last time out at Harbour Town, he’s bounced back nicely after plenty of poor outings this season. His T7 at the Valero Texas Open was after a MC and T35 in his prior two starts and his win at the Dubai Invitational came after a T47 at the Sentry.

I expect Tommy to bounce back this week and contend at Quail Hollow.

Justin Thomas +3000 (DraftKings)

It’s been a rough couple of years for Justin Thomas, but I don’t believe things are quite as bad as they seem for JT. He got caught in the bad side of the draw at Augusta for last month’s Masters and has gained strokes on approach in seven of his nine starts in 2024. 

Thomas may have found something in his most recent start at the RBC Heritage. He finished T5 at a course that he isn’t the best fit for on paper. He also finally got the putter working and ranked 15th in Strokes Gained: Putting for the week.

The two-time PGA champion captured the first of his two major championships at Quail Hollow back in 2017, and some good vibes from the course may be enough to get JT out of his slump.

Thomas hasn’t won an event in just about two years. However, I still believe that will change soon as he’s been one of the most prolific winners throughout his PGA Tour career. Since 2015, he has 15 PGA Tour wins.

Course history is pretty sticky at Quail Hollow, with players who like the course playing well there on a regular basis. In addition to JT’s PGA Championship win in 2017, he went 4-1 at the 2022 Presidents Cup and finished T14 at the event last year despite being in poor form. Thomas can return as one of the top players on the PGA Tour with a win at a “signature event” this week. 

Cameron Young +3500 (DraftKings)

For many golf bettors, it’s been frustrating backing Cam Young this season. His talent is undeniable, and one of the best and most consistent performers on the PGA Tour. He just hasn’t broken through with a victory yet. Quail Hollow has been a great place for elite players to get their first victory. Rory McIlroy, Anthony Kim, Rickie Fowler and Wyndham Clark all notched their first PGA Tour win at Quail.

Throughout Cam Young’s career, he has thrived at tougher courses with strong fields. This season, he finished T16 at Riviera and T9 at Augusta National, demonstrating his preference of a tough test. His ability to hit the ball long and straight off the tee make him an ideal fit for Quail Hollow, despite playing pretty poorly his first time out in 2023 (T59). Young should be comfortable playing in the region as he played his college golf at Wake Forest, which is about an hour’s drive from Quail Hollow.

The 26-year-old has played well at Tom Fazio designs in the past and ranks 8th in the field in Strokes Gained: Total on those courses in his last 36 rounds. Perhaps most importantly, this season, Young is the best player on the PGA Tour in terms of proximity from 175-200 in the fairway, which is where a plurality and many crucial shots will come from this week.

Young is an elite talent and Quail Hollow has been kind to players of his ilk who’ve yet to win on Tour.

Byeong Hun An +5000 (FanDuel)

Byeong Hun An missed some opportunities last weekend at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. He finished T4 and played some outstanding golf, but a couple of missed short putts prevented him from getting to the winning score of -23. Despite not getting the win, it’s hard to view An’s performance as anything other than an overwhelming success. It was An’s fourth top-ten finish of the season.

Last week, An gained 6.5 strokes ball striking, which was 7th in the field. He also ranked 12th for Strokes Gained: Approach and 13th for Strokes Gained: Off the Tee. The South Korean has been hitting the ball so well from tee to green all season long and he now heads to a golf course that should reward his precision.

An’s driver and long irons are absolute weapons. At Quail Hollow, players will see plenty of approach shots from the 175-200 range as well as some from 200+. In his past 24 rounds, Ben ranks 3rd in the field in proximity from 175-200 and 12th in proximity from 200+. Playing in an event that will not end up being a “birdie” fest should help An, who can separate from the field with his strong tee to green play. The putter may not always cooperate but getting to -15 is much easier than getting to -23 for elite ball strikers who tend to struggle on the greens.

Winning a “signature event” feels like a tall task for An this week with so many elite players in the field. However, he’s finished T16 at the Genesis Invitational, T16 at The Masters and T8 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The 32-year-old’s game has improved drastically this season and I believe he’s ready to get the biggest win of his career.

Your Reaction?
  • 9
  • LEGIT4
  • WOW1
  • LOL1
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK1

Continue Reading

19th Hole

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

Published

on

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.

Your Reaction?
  • 3
  • LEGIT3
  • WOW1
  • LOL2
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP2
  • OB0
  • SHANK0

Continue Reading

WITB

Facebook

Trending