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Opinion & Analysis

The ghost of Allan Robertson: A few thoughts on the distance debate

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3 years ago

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It’s that time of year in certain parts of the world. Ghosts, ghouls, and ghoblins roam the lawns. Departed ancestors return to these fields to visit with living descendants. It’s also a time (is it ever not?) when curmudgeons and ancients decry the advances of technology in the world of golf equipment.

Pretty big narrative leap, I’ll admit, but I have your attention, aye? An October 16th tweet from noted teacher Jim McClean suggested that it would be fun to see PGA Tour players tee it up for one week with wooden heads and a balata ball.

Others beg for a rolling-back of technological potency, raising property acreage as a critical determinant. Fact is, 90 percent of golfers have no experience with hitting the ball too far, nor with outgrowing a golf course. And yet, the cries persist.

Recently, I was awakened from a satisfying slumber by the ghost of Allan Robertson. The long-dead Scot was in a lather, equal parts pissed at Old Tom Morris for playing a guttie, and at three social-media channels, all of which had put him on temporary suspension for engaging violently with unsupportive followers. He also mentioned the inaccuracies of his Wikipedia page, which credits him for a 100-year old business, despite having only spent the better part of 44 years on this terrestrial sphere. Who knew that the afterlife offered such drip internet access?

I’m not certain if Old Tom cared (or was even alive) that his beloved gutta percha ball was replaced by the Haskell. I believe him to have been preoccupied with the warming of the North Sea (where he took his morning constitutional swims) and the impending arrival of metal shafts and laminated-wood heads. Should that also long-dead Scot pay me a nighttime visit, I’ll be certain to ask him. I do know that Ben Hogan gave no sheets about technology’s advances; he was in the business of making clubs by then, and took advantage of those advances. Sam Snead was still kicking the tops of doors, and Byron Nelson was pondering the technological onslaught of farriers, in the shoeing of horses on his ranch.

And how about the women? Well, the ladies of golfing greatness have better things to do than piss and moan about technology. They concern themselves with what really matters in golf and in life. Sorry, fellas, it’s an us-problem. Records are broken thanks to all means of advancement. Want to have some fun? Watch this video or this video or this video. If you need much more, have a reassessment of what matters.

Solutions

Either forget the classic courses or hide the holes. Classic golf courses cannot stand up in length alone to today’s professional golfers. Bringing in the rough takes driver out of their hands, and isn’t a course supposed to provide a viable challenge to every club in the bag? Instead, identify four nearly-impossible locations on every putting surface, and cut the hole in one of them, each day. Let the fellows take swings at every par-4 green with driver, at every par-five green with driver and plus-one. Two things will happen: the frustration from waiting waiting waiting will eliminate the mentally-weak contestants, and the nigh-impossible putting will eliminate even more of them. What will happen with scoring? I don’t know. Neither did Old Tom Morris, Robert Tyre Jones, Jr., Lady Heathcoat Amory, or Mildred Didrickson, when new technology arrived on the scene. They shrugged their shoulders, stayed away from Twitter and the Tok, and went about their business.

Add the tournament courses. Build courses that can reach 8,500 yards in length, and hold events on those layouts. Two examples from other sports: the NFL made extra points longer. Has it impacted game results? Maybe. The NBA kept the rim at ten feet. Has it impacted game results? Maybe. We don’t play MLB or MLS on ancient diamonds and pitches. We play their matches and games on technologically-advanced surfaces. Build/Retrofit a series of nondescript courses as tournament venues. Take the par-5 holes to 700 yards, then advance the par-4 fairways to 550 yards. Drive and pitch holes check-in at 400 yards, at least until Bryson DeChambeau and Kyle Berkshire figure a few more things out.

Note to the young guys and the old guys from this 55-year old guy: live your era, then let it go. I know things.

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Ronald Montesano writes for GolfWRX.com from western New York. He dabbles in coaching golf and teaching Spanish, in addition to scribbling columns on all aspects of golf, from apparel to architecture, from equipment to travel. Follow Ronald on Twitter at @buffalogolfer.

20 Comments

20 Comments

  1. Deacon Blues

    Oct 21, 2021 at 8:28 pm

    There is absolutely nothing wrong with the pros continuing to play the classic courses. Just change the pars as necessary to reflect what the pros are likely to average. The USGA has been doing this for years. Some courses we know as par 72 should be par 68 (or even fewer) for the pros. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

    Reply Report comment

    • Ronald Montesano

      Nov 20, 2021 at 8:51 am

      I agree with you, Deacon. The problem is, we are not members of those clubs (assumption on my part.) The members don’t want to do that, don’t want their courses shamed by low scores, so the trickery problem rears its head.

      Reply Report comment

  2. Walter

    Oct 21, 2021 at 1:05 pm

    Did Allan Robertson knew about Broom Force.

    Reply Report comment

    • Ronald Montesano

      Nov 20, 2021 at 8:55 am

      I cannot speak for Sir Allan, but I suspect that he might have suspected something about its properties. He did not post about it on Twitter, so we’ll never know for certain.

      Reply Report comment

  3. Mr. Smash

    Oct 21, 2021 at 12:12 pm

    Race car drivers never complain that the car is going too fast. If you are looking for Hogan and Snead and Nelson (or Rory, DJ and Bryson) to tell you that the ball is going too far you won’t ever find it. But if you ask the guys responsible for being able to keep the car planted on the track (game on the course) you my find they wouldn’t mind a rollback or at minimum a halt in the distance race.

    You can’t stop a guy from getting bigger or stronger and faster. But you can stop his ability to use the equipment to capitalize on that strength. (You can’t swing it 140mph with a broom stick stiff shaft or a driver face made to handle it.)

    Jack was long with persimmon and steel shafts. Bryson will be long with persimmon and steel shafts. It isn’t about limiting stronger players from using distance or balancing their advantage, it, for me, is about keeping the game sustainable and right sized to the playing grounds.

    Reply Report comment

    • Ronald Montesano

      Nov 20, 2021 at 8:57 am

      I do understand your point. I have a question: How many of us normal amateurs are capable of making the game unsustainable? I suspect the answer is zero. It is the minute percentage of golf professionals who are able to unlock the magic of technology to this degree. That’s why I say, give them their own courses.

      Reply Report comment

  4. Karsten's Ghost

    Oct 20, 2021 at 5:16 pm

    Why is this all so bloody difficult?

    Golf ball max compression = 60.

    That’s it. That’s all you gotta do.

    Reply Report comment

  5. Chuck

    Oct 20, 2021 at 12:31 pm

    I might have some more criticisms if I knew exactly what Ron was proposing; I honestly don’t.

    As for Ben Hogan being unconcerned with equipment technology, let’s all face the fact that during his time as an active tour player and then as an equipment manufacturer, there was NEVER any development like the solid core urethane ball. Ben, like Arnold Palmer (another equipment company owner, and a proponent of a ball rollback) lived a life in golf where steel shafts, balata balls and modest-sized driver heads (largely wooden) were the standard.

    I have ZERO doubt but that if Ben Hogan were alive today and Chairman of the Board of his golf club manufacturing company, he’d be in favor of a ball rollback. Like Nicklaus, Player, Trevino, Woods, Els and too many others to list fully, all are.

    It is a simple proposition; do we want to preserve the ability to host golf’s greatest championships on golf’s historic venues, or do we want to throw that away in the interest of not offending a small number of golf ball manufacturers and their contracted Tour stars?

    As Geoff Shackelford has very rightly observed; in no other sport are the venues upon which the game is played, as critical or as fragile as in golf.

    I do not have adequate words, for how much more I care about The Old Course than Titleist’s urethane ball patents.

    Reply Report comment

  6. Greg McNeill

    Oct 20, 2021 at 10:31 am

    Another factor: decrease fairway roll. I’ve played in 2 pro-ams, both at Bay Hill, a course I’ve played many times in casual rounds so I know how far driver tends to go there. At both pro-ams, the fairways were extremely firm with grass mowed tight. On almost every drive where I managed to keep it in the fairway, my tee shot ended up 25-30 yards past my normal distance. It wasn’t because I was striking the ball exceptionally well- it was because the ball rolled out forever. I realize that today’s players tend to carry their drivers further and rely less on roll but it does make a difference.

    Reply Report comment

  7. Majduffer

    Oct 20, 2021 at 10:27 am

    The fools in the USGA ivory tower have not a clue about the advancement of physical kinetics. Bryson and others hit the baller further not because of equipment, but because they have engineered their physical capabilities to peak performance due to science and dedication to practice. No matter what you do to courses or equipment, if I have a 140mph swing speed versus your 125, then I will always be hitting a lot shorter distance into the green than you. My proximity to the flag will usually be a lot closer to the flag than yours. If you narrow fairways or increase the rough, then I’ll hit my fairway wood and still hit the fairway. I’ll be hitting 9i in versus your 7i and be closer. I’ll dominate the field on long par3s as I’ll be hitting short irons versus you hitting long irons. Long hitters will dominate the game just as the fastest sprinters dominate track. Making courses with trick greens etc. will only make a mockery of the game. Jack and Tiger dominated the game because of their physical capabilities and training. Now the fools on the USGA hill want to deny this to today’s golf athletes.

    Reply Report comment

    • Barry

      Oct 20, 2021 at 10:50 am

      I totally agree with you – golf is a sport and physical skill should be rewarded! But you are making the case for regulation, not against it. As you say it so well, distance is relative…no matter what the conditions, someone who is more athletic and swings it faster is going to hit it past someone slower. If that’s the case, why does it matter if you dial back the equipment to save water and land? Those are not free, and they add expense to everything in golf (whether you know it or not). Pace of play is another issue that longer courses don’t help.

      Every sane sport in the world makes adjustments to the rules from time to time to keep competitive balance in check. Only in golf, with an army of clueless amateurs who think “they are playing the same game as the pros” do we let the equipment manufacturers dictate everything.

      Golf is an entertainment product. Leave the ams alone, bifurcate to challenge the male pros, and call it a day.

      Reply Report comment

    • Donald Hume

      Oct 20, 2021 at 1:26 pm

      You just have to look at the scoring last weekend to see the problem. Valderrama tight, tough layout with trees/rough/ doglegs and bunkers. Winning score -6.

      Summit Club, desert drive and pitch course, some difficulty in desert lies but if the pros can get a swing it’s not an issue. Pointless having bunkers at 300 yards as these guys fly them with 3 wood and sometimes even less.

      Unfortunately TV and the masses only want to see birdies and eagles, rather than tough golf courses played in par. TV dictates to the PGA and they set up the courses appropriately. Longer hitting players should have an advantage but only if the can find tough fairways

      Reply Report comment

  8. Al Cleverdon

    Oct 20, 2021 at 9:27 am

    Simple solutions. Replace all bunkers with pot bunkers…Grow the rough, not necessarily to U.S. Open standards but I’m sure they can figure out a height that is fair but still penalizing…Narrow the fairways but if the first two suggestions are implemented they shouldn’t have to be narrowed a lot…Gradually, over the years, make the greens as fast and undulating as possible without being unfair… You’re welcome!…and thanks for the chuckles… Good article.

    Reply Report comment

    • No

      Oct 20, 2021 at 9:35 am

      That would render a golf course nearly unplayable for the the other 51 weeks of year. Why punish amateur golfers for a tournament played at a course one week a year?

      Reply Report comment

    • Chuck

      Oct 20, 2021 at 12:19 pm

      That is the “simple” solution?!?

      Reply Report comment

      • J

        Oct 20, 2021 at 4:56 pm

        Not the pot bunkers, but letting grass grow is pretty simple 😉

        Reply Report comment

  9. Peter

    Oct 20, 2021 at 8:40 am

    This article is such a mess it’s hard to know where to begin…

    * the dudes bitching the loudest about equipment regulation aren’t young, they are old guys who think that hitting it further at 70 than 25 is a constitutional right.. 460 cc +ProV1 are like viagra, you’ll pry it from their cold dead hands. I mean god forbid you might have to hit the gym and actually swing faster to hit it further.

    * why only 8500 yards, make not make it a nice round 10,000? water and land are just limitless resources we can piss away!

    * screw the old course, it’s just the home of golf…far more important Acushnet makes its 4Q numbers!

    * baseball DOES have stadiums over 100 years old (Wrigley and Fenway) and they are some of the most loved places in all of sports. If the idiots that run golf ran the MLB, they would have been torn down 30 years ago so Easton could sell more carbon tungsten chromoly bats. With the the blue blazers in barge you’d have guys hitting 900 foot bombs and pitchers in full body armor.

    Ronald, maybe just two scotches before posting next time.

    Reply Report comment

  10. Ronnie Mundt

    Oct 19, 2021 at 4:15 pm

    Sounds to me like 55 year old doesn’t want to give up his crutches, the 460cc driver and rock hard ball that doesn’t spin.

    Reply Report comment

    • Jbone

      Oct 19, 2021 at 9:16 pm

      Sounds to me like people can’t let go of the past.

      Let’s watch the pros play their own clubs to the best of their ability.

      Reply Report comment

      • Matt Aamold

        Oct 19, 2021 at 10:28 pm

        Curious, how would rolling back equipment remove their ability?

        Reply Report comment

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Opinion & Analysis

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

Published

1 day ago

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Apr 18, 2024

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Of all the clubs in our bags, wedges are almost always the simplest in construction and, therefore, the easiest to analyze what might make one work differently from another if you know what to look for.

Wedges are a lot less mysterious than drivers, of course, as the major brands are working with a lot of “pixie dust” inside these modern marvels. That’s carrying over more to irons now, with so many new models featuring internal multi-material technologies, and almost all of them having a “badge” or insert in the back to allow more complex graphics while hiding the actual distribution of mass.

But when it comes to wedges, most on the market today are still single pieces of molded steel, either cast or forged into that shape. So, if you look closely at where the mass is distributed, it’s pretty clear how that wedge is going to perform.

To start, because of their wider soles, the majority of the mass of almost any wedge is along the bottom third of the clubhead. So, the best wedge shots are always those hit between the 2nd and 5th grooves so that more mass is directly behind that impact. Elite tour professionals practice incessantly to learn to do that consistently, wearing out a spot about the size of a penny right there. If impact moves higher than that, the face is dramatically thinner, so smash factor is compromised significantly, which reduces the overall distance the ball will fly.

Every one of us, tour players included, knows that maddening shot that we feel a bit high on the face and it doesn’t go anywhere, it’s not your fault.

If your wedges show a wear pattern the size of a silver dollar, and centered above the 3rd or 4th groove, you are not getting anywhere near the same performance from shot to shot. Robot testing proves impact even two to three grooves higher in the face can cause distance loss of up to 35 to 55 feet with modern ‘tour design’ wedges.

In addition, as impact moves above the center of mass, the golf club principle of gear effect causes the ball to fly higher with less spin. Think of modern drivers for a minute. The “holy grail” of driving is high launch and low spin, and the driver engineers are pulling out all stops to get the mass as low in the clubhead as possible to optimize this combination.

Where is all the mass in your wedges? Low. So, disregarding the higher lofts, wedges “want” to launch the ball high with low spin – exactly the opposite of what good wedge play requires penetrating ball flight with high spin.

While almost all major brand wedges have begun putting a tiny bit more thickness in the top portion of the clubhead, conventional and modern ‘tour design’ wedges perform pretty much like they always have. Elite players learn to hit those crisp, spinny penetrating wedge shots by spending lots of practice time learning to consistently make contact low in the face.

So, what about grooves and face texture?

Grooves on any club can only do so much, and no one has any material advantage here. The USGA tightly defines what we manufacturers can do with grooves and face texture, and modern manufacturing techniques allow all of us to push those limits ever closer. And we all do. End of story.

Then there’s the topic of bounce and grinds, the most complex and confusing part of the wedge formula. Many top brands offer a complex array of sole configurations, all of them admittedly specialized to a particular kind of lie or turf conditions, and/or a particular divot pattern.

But if you don’t play the same turf all the time, and make the same size divot on every swing, how would you ever figure this out?

The only way is to take any wedge you are considering and play it a few rounds, hitting all the shots you face and observing the results. There’s simply no other way.

So, hopefully this will inspire a lively conversation in our comments section, and I’ll chime in to answer any questions you might have.

And next week, I’ll dive into the rest of the wedge formula. Yes, shafts, grips and specifications are essential, too.

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Golf's Perfect Imperfections

Golf’s Perfect Imperfections: Amazing Session with Performance Coach Savannah Meyer-Clement

Published

1 day ago

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Apr 18, 2024

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In this week’s episode, we spent some time with performance coach Savannah Meyer-Clement who provides many useful insights that you’ll be able to implement on the golf course.

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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s 2024 RBC Heritage betting preview: Patrick Cantlay ready to get back inside winner’s circle

Published

4 days ago

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Apr 15, 2024

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

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

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

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

Past Winners at Harbour Town

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

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

Key Stats For Harbour Town

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

Strokes Gained: Approach

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

Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Scottie Scheffler (+1.27)
  2. Tom Hoge (+1.27)
  3. Corey Conners (+1.16)
  4. Austin Eckroat (+0.95)
  5. Cameron Young (+0.93)

Good Drive %

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

Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Brice Garnett (88.8%)
  2. Shane Lowry (+87.2%)
  3. Akshay Bhatia (+86.0%)
  4. Si Woo Kim (+85.8%)
  5. Sepp Straka (+85.1%)

Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye Designs

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

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

  1. Xander Schauffele (+2.27)
  2. Scottie Scheffler (+2.24)
  3. Ludvig Aberg (+2.11)
  4. Brian Harman (+1.89)
  5. Sungjae Im (+1.58)

4. Strokes Gained: Short Game (Bermuda)

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

SG: SG Over Past 24 Rounds

  1. Jordan Spieth (+1.11)
  2. Taylor Moore (+1.02)
  3. Wyndham Clark (+0.98)
  4. Mackenzie Hughes (+0.86)
  5. Andrew Putnam (+0.83)

5. Greens in Regulation %

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

Greens in Regulation % over past 24 rounds:

  1. Brice Garnett (+75.0%)
  2. Scottie Scheffler (+69.9%)
  3. Corey Conners (+69.0%)
  4. Shane Lowry (+68.3%)
  5. Patrick Rodgers (+67.6%)

6. Course History

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

Course History over past 24 rounds:

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

The RBC Heritage Model Rankings

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

  1. Shane Lowry
  2. Russell Henley
  3. Scottie Scheffler
  4. Xander Schauffele
  5. Corey Conners 
  6. Wyndham Clark
  7. Christiaan Bezuidenhout
  8. Matt Fitzpatrick
  9. Cameron Young
  10. Ludvig Aberg 

2024 RBC Heritage Picks

Patrick Cantlay +2000 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

Tommy Fleetwood +3000 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

Cameron Young +3300 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

Corey Conners +5500 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

Shane Lowry (+7500) (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

Lucas Glover +12000 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

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