Opinion & Analysis

Is Park Golf the world’s next golf craze?

Published

12 months ago

Apr 20, 2023

Before the onset of Covid-19, the number of new golfers taking up the game was on a decline worldwide. The same trend was prevalent here in South Korea until the pandemic unexpectedly created a golf boom over the past 3 years. And thanks to state-of-the-art golf simulators and its easy accessibility, the ‘screen golf’ culture here made it safe and easy for newbies to get a taste for the game.

Now as the threat of the virus abates, a recent study showed that many of the new golfers are leaving the game in search of other activities. If you are familiar with Korea’s golf environment, the reasons are understandable. Although we are the world’s third largest consumer of golf, the high costs to play the game keep the entry barrier high. Playing a round of golf is much more affordable and easier in the US and Canada to be sure, but today I would like to talk about a new form of golf that has enjoyed tremendous growth and popularity here in recent years.

A new strain of golf virus that is sweeping Asia and coming to America is… Park Golf! (Picture: www.gigagolf.co.kr)

Park Golf… Say What Now?

Park Golf is a new type of golf that started in 1983 in a small town in Japan. The founders of Park Golf wanted to play a game of golf that was easily accessible and playable for people of all ages while keeping the name, rules, and equipment as simple as possible.

As the name implies, Park Golf literally means playing golf in a park. Using pretty much the same rules as regular golf, the goal is to get the ball into a hole using the fewest strokes. The game is played on a small 9- or 18-hole course about 1/10th the size of an actual golf course, and even uses the same words like par, birdie, eagle, out of bounds, etc.

The key difference is that Park Golf only requires a single club that resembles a croquet mallet with zero-degree loft and a plastic ball the size of a billiard ball. Imagine a faster-paced game of croquet with the rules of golf and voila. Park Golf, or as I first called it, Geriatric Golf.

Right. So why would any self-respecting golfer find this miniaturized version interesting at all? When it first came across my desk a couple years ago, my snort of derision was heard across the office upon reading that it was comparable to REAL golf for fun and enjoyment.

Give me a break. But then it kept popping up again and again throughout the year; how fast it was growing, how so many cities and provinces throughout Korea are allotting funds and land to encourage the ‘sport’, and so on. The tipping point where I finally decided to see what the hubbub was about was when I noticed that a Park Golf course was operating within walking distance from my office.

Park Golf has it all, complete with bunkers, rough and fairways, and even OBs.

Overall, it took me over a year to actually work up enough curiosity to stand on the first tee box with a mallet club in my hand. However, I was soon surprised to find myself obsessing about how to hit the ball straighter and further – all things that I would normally do at Golf. Of all the similarities it has with Golf, the addictive nature had to be the biggest.

Park Golf, Past And Present

Unbeknownst to most, Park Golf has been around for a while and this year actually marks the 40th anniversary of the sport. Since it was first conceived in 1983 in the small non-descript town of Makubetsu, Japan, it is now actively enjoyed in over 18 countries including the United States, Canada, China, Australia, Taiwan, and Central America.

For some addictive golf action at a fraction of the price, Park Golf can’t be beat (Picture: DestroyerGolfPark.com)

In Japan alone, there are now more than 5 million players (or “parkers” as they call themselves) and over 700 Park Golf courses playing under the official rules set out by IPGA (International Park Golf Association). In Korea, Park Golf has also grown rapidly since its introduction in 1995, and owing to the incredibly addictive nature of the sport (it is golf, after all), the number of courses and players has nearly doubled year on year to rival those of Japan.

In addition, the number of new Parkers is growing by hundreds each day, so much so that even large OEM manufacturers like Callaway, Mizuno, and Honma have jumped in to make equipment for the sport. What began as a humble game in a small Japanese town, Park Golf is now supported globally with an official Park Golf Association in many countries, all following a systematic framework of game rules, equipment, and hosting of various domestic and international competitions around the world.

Dick Beyer in his trademark mask at Destoyer Park Golf, America’s first PG course (www.destroyerparkgolf.com)

It may also surprise you to know that Park Golf is also alive and well in America, just 40 minutes outside Buffalo in the town of Akron, New York. A quick search on Google found that the game was introduced to the US in a big way by Hall of Fame professional wrestler Dick “The Destroyer” Beyer.

During his career in Japan, he fell in love with the game and began dreaming of introducing the sport to the US. As a result, America’s first DESTROYER PARK GOLF was launched in 2013. The par-66, 18-hole course is proudly owned and maintained by the married couple, Kris Beyer and Chris Jones, who are both die-hard advocates for the game. Details of their story can be read here.

Park Golf Rules & Equipment

Park Golf rules for the golf course and equipment are created and strictly governed by IPGA, formerly named Japan Park Golf Association (https://ipgaa.com/ in the US). Similar to golf, it is played on a Park Golf course with 18 holes that make up a golf round. Each hole is 20 to 100 meters long and the hole width is 8 inches in diameter and fitted with a flag pin. The par 66 course is approximately 1/10th the size of an actual course and is made up of par 3, par 4, and par 5 holes. A typical round can take up to about 90~120 minutes, depending on the pace of play and skill level.

Birthplace of Park Golf, the town of Makubetsu in Japan (Picture courtesy of Park Golf NPGA on YouTube)

True to the founders’ original philosophy of keeping the game simple, you only need one club, a ball, and a rubber tee. The mallet-shaped club can be made of wood, carbon, and steel, and uses a thicker carbon shaft than a regular golf club. It too is regulated by rules that it must be no more than 86cm in length and no more than 600g in total weight.

The club face is reinforced with a carbon face to absorb the impact of a plastic ball weighing around 90 grams, and has zero loft (it takes some skills to get the ball airborne past the knee!). As a side, I was worried that hitting a bigger heavier plastic ball might cause injury, but the mallet club and its shaft absorbed any shock that the impact produced. It felt ‘pure’ when hitting out of the middle of the club face, and the exhilaration from a shot struck well was just like those in regular golf.

Park Golf equipment is simple. Just add skills. (Picture: www.parkgolf.or.jp)

The tee box is typically a golf mat 1.25m x 1.25m in size. Balls are made of special plastic materials and are teed up on rubber tees for stroke play or match play. Like regular golf, it can be played with up to 4 players, but can also be played alone. Similar rules and etiquettes from golf are followed and there are marked areas for out-of-bounds where penalty strokes are imposed.

Park Golf may seem that it is easier to play, as it requires less number of clubs and shorter holes. Dubbed as being “croquet on steroids” however, the game is quite formidable and is not be compared to mere pitch and putt. One challenging aspect is that the ball usually rolls along the ground for most of the hole, and gauging the right amount of oomph to send the ball to desired distance requires both experience and muscle control. For me, it was maddeningly engaging as I expected to dominate the sport on my first outing. To the guffaws of the seniors I joined to play my first round, I failed to break 90 despite playing golf for 35 years. It was on.

Benefits of Park Golf

The great advantage of Park Golf is its inclusivity and accessibility. The whole family can enjoy it together at a fraction of the cost it takes to play Golf. For example, the price of a round of Park Golf near me is between 2,000 and 5,000 Korean Won, and less than $10 a round in the US.

The town of Makubetsu in Japan is like the St.Andrews of Park Golf (Picture courtesy of Park Golf NPGA on YouTube)

You can probably guess why Park Golf is so popular in Asia given the steep green fees and the long hours it takes to play a round on a regular course. With Park Golf, the entry barriers are low and it offers plenty of fresh air and exercise compared to indoor golf simulators. The break-out industry is also helping local communities in many ways, and have shown to benefit the social well-being and welfare of senior citizens by fostering healthier lifestyles, new connections, and friendships.

Furthermore, Park Golf is growing at a tremendous speed both here and overseas because it can be enjoyed by men and women, boys and girls of all ages. Puh-lease, right? You’ll never catch me playing this glorified putt-putt. I’ll give up regular golf on my deathbed, you say? Yep. I said it too. But in this age of sitting and staring at mobile phone screens all day, Park Golf may just be the perfect leisure activity for the whole family to enjoy well into ripe old age.

A family affair. (Picture courtesy of Park Golf NPGA on YouTube)

My mom and dad recently visiting from Canada had a blast playing with me. As golfers themselves, they were making jokes about Park Golf too. But they were soon into how similar it felt to actual golf. After the quick round, my dad wondered aloud if they’d be around to play a round with me and my own son, who just turned one. A small lump caught in my throat, and I said a small prayer inside wishing that three generations of our family can one day stand on the tee box together.

So What Is It Really Like?

My first round of Park Golf was late last May as a walk-on with a friend. This fact in itself is amazing, since NO regular golf courses in Korea allow walk-ons or joins. The mini-course was quite busy with mostly older seniors but a few middle-aged folks were playing with their children. I watched with interest as an older gent hit his tee shot toward the green with a wooden mallet and thought this would be a walk in the park, pun intended.

A short 5-min walk from my office at $7 a round. Best lunch hour, ever. More than 3 hundred of these in Korea so far and growing.

I was in for a rude awakening as I carded back-to-back triple bogey on the first two holes. Luckily my friend didn’t fare any better, so we decided to put a small wager on our Ryder Park match and the rest was history. For the next month, we spent our lunch hours power-walking to the course next to the office and screaming at the ball to either get there or sit down. The older parkers looked at us scrambling around their turf in amusement, but we were too immersed to notice most of the time. After all, those narrow holes flanked by OBs were no joke.

OB stakes suck regardless of whether its Park Golf or regular golf. (Picture: www.parkgolf.or.jp)

By the end of the summer, my best score was +2 over par and I even managed to card a hole-in-one; something I never did on a larger golf course. It was a great ego boost, and I was strutting around like a peacock until I overheard a septuagenarian behind us saying he shot 12 under par that morning. It’s good to have goals.

I think the fun and benefits of Park Golf is often underestimated due to its simplicity at first, especially by golfers. Again, it takes legit skills to make a larger 80~100g ball fly a hundred meters with a zero-lofted club. Like regular golf, distance control is very important and can take a while to be able to control the roll for distance over uneven terrain. And don’t even get me started on the topic of backspin. Imagine using only a putter to play a 300-yard hole and you get the idea.

Once you tee up the ball, it can’t be touched until you hole out.

My experience with Park Golf was every bit as competitive and stimulating as a normal round of golf. With the low cost and easy accessibility here in Korea, I can only foresee the sport getting bigger and bigger. In addition to the aforementioned OEMS, many Korean golf club manufacturers have also turned their attention to creating Park Golf clubs which can run you up between $300~$1000 for a single club. Luckily, local courses also rent clubs and balls for about $2 to further lend themselves to easy access and enjoyment.

A renowned Korean golf club manufacturer Giga Golf has said it has seen huge demand growth for Park Golf equipment (Picture: www.gigagolf.co.kr)

Interestingly, I have recently learned that fierce competition exists between Japanese and domestic manufacturers in the equipment sector for Park Golf, so you just know that this sport will break out globally soon. For those who are in urban planning or social welfare sector of local and municipal government, this could be the next big local attraction to elevate your city’s status. I know I’d love to see Park Courses when I visit Vancouver.

In all fairness, the first instinctive response of most golfers reading this will be dismissive. Sure, I get that. We already play the greatest game on earth, so why settle for a discounted version? I did the same. My advice, though? Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it. There are now over 15 million parkers and more converts like me coming every day.

Check out the power swing and the accessories on the waist clip. Niiiiiice. Gotta look good no matter what sport we play. ((Picture: www.parkgolf.or.jp)

I started golf towards the end of Jr. High and missed out during grade school because I thought it was for old fogies. In high school, friends who didn’t play golf said the same thing and laughed at my Argyle pants. I often wonder how their addiction to golf is going now. I bet they wished they started sooner.

The moral of my story is we’re not getting any younger. So if you get a chance to swing a mallet, go ahead. Live life, I dare you. You’ll be glad you did.

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19th Hole

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

Published

3 days ago

Apr 15, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

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

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

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

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

Past Winners at Harbour Town

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

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

Key Stats For Harbour Town

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

Strokes Gained: Approach

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

Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds

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

Good Drive %

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

Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds

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

Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye Designs

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

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

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

4. Strokes Gained: Short Game (Bermuda)

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

SG: SG Over Past 24 Rounds

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

5. Greens in Regulation %

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

Greens in Regulation % over past 24 rounds:

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

6. Course History

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

Course History over past 24 rounds:

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

The RBC Heritage Model Rankings

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

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

2024 RBC Heritage Picks

Patrick Cantlay +2000 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

Tommy Fleetwood +3000 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

Cameron Young +3300 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

Corey Conners +5500 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

Shane Lowry (+7500) (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

Lucas Glover +12000 (FanDuel)

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

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

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

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

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19th Hole

Vincenzi: The 6 biggest takeaways from the 2024 Masters

Published

3 days ago

Apr 15, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

The 2024 Masters offered up plenty of excitement throughout the week with Scottie Scheffler delivering when it mattered to live up to his pre-tournament favorite tag. With the year’s opening major now in the books, here are my six biggest takeaways from the 2024 Masters.

Scheffler In a League of His Own

In the most impressive way possible, Scottie Scheffler won the Masters without having his absolute best stuff. For the week, Scottie ranked 19th in Strokes Gained: Approach, which is a category the number player in the world typically dusts the rest of the field in. After a strong approach day on Thursday, the 27-year-old lost strokes to the field on approach on Friday and Saturday, before gaining on Sunday. The iron performance was more than solid, but it was an all-around game that helped Scheffler get it done around Augusta National.

For a year or more, the narrative around Scheffler has been, “With his ball striking, if he can just putt to field average, he’ll be unbeatable.” At Augusta, his ball striking came back down to earth, but his touch around the greens and ability to manage the golf course demonstrated why he is the best player on the planet right now. For the week, Scheffler ranked 1st in the field in Strokes Gained: Around the Green and 24th in Strokes Gained: Putting.

For the time being, there is a major gap between Scottie Scheffler and the second-best player in the world, whoever that may be.

The Future is Now

Ludvig Aberg went into his first back-nine at the Masters with a legitimate shot to win the tournament. When he teed it up on the treacherous 11th hole, he was one behind Scottie Scheffler, who had just stuck one to a few feet on the 9th. By the time he approached his tee shot, which was perfectly striped down the left side of the fairway, he was two behind. Unfortunately, the 24-year-old got too aggressive with his approach at the 11th and found the water, making double bogey. Ludvig rebounded nicely and finished the event in solo second place.

With the Masters now in the rearview, it’s never been more evident that Ludvig Aberg is no longer an “up-and-comer” — he has arrived. The Swede has been an integral part of a winning European Ryder Cup team and has now contended at Augusta National. With a calm demeanor, a picture-perfect swing, and a build and stature that appears as if it was built in a lab, Ludvig Aberg is already amongst the world’s best. I’d be extremely surprised if he wasn’t in the mix at next month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla.

Nostalgia Wins

I try to avoid as many cliches as possible, but there’s something about the Masters that brings out the sentimentality in me. Tiger Woods strategically making his way around Augusta National without all of the physical tools that made him arguably the most dominant athlete in the history of sports will always be riveting, regardless of what score he shoots. Woods made it interesting until a tough stretch of holes on Saturday, but he ultimately wore down, shooting 16 over for the week in difficult conditions. It’s remarkable that the 15-time major champion was able to put together a few solid rounds of golf despite barely playing any competitive golf in 2024. As long as Woods tees it up at Augusta, we will all continue to be mesmerized by it.

Verne Lundquist’s 40th and final Masters Tournament was also a must-watch aspect of the event. The iconic voice of Lundquist and his calls throughout the years still give me chills each time I hear them. Verne is an icon of the game and will be missed in future renditions of the Masters.

The Masters also brings another element that is unique to the tournament. Former champions turn back the clock to battle with the golf course again which creates some amazing stories. There are a few that stick out this year and were an absolute pleasure to witness. 61-year-old Vijay Singh made the cut for the first time since 2018 and shot a pretty incredible even-par, 72 on Sunday. 58-year-old José María Olazábal made the cut as well, reminding us why fellow Spaniard Jon Rahm sought his valuable advice prior to his Masters victory in 2022.

Regardless of who wins, the Masters always delivers.

Bryson Moves the Needle

Plenty will disagree with me on this point, but outside of Tiger Woods, and potentially Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, no one moves the needle in golf as much as Bryson DeChambeau. The uniqueness in which Bryson approaches the game has always been fascinating, and if he gets near the top of the leaderboard at any major championship, whether it’s to root for him or against him, people are interested.

It began on Monday with a pretty bizarre story of DeChambeau using 3D-printed irons that got just got cleared for use by the USGA when the week began. It once again felt like a storyline that would only be possible with a character as eccentric as Bryson. He then raced off to a first-round lead in tough conditions, reminding the world of what made him such a great golfer to begin with. He made some mistakes on the weekend, but still finished a career best T6 at The Masters.

Bryson is more than just quirky; he is a former U.S. Amateur Champion and U.S. Open who I believe will contend for more majors in the future. I will continue to root for DeChambeau, but I’m perfectly content with the fact that plenty will root against him, and I encourage those people to do so. That’s what makes it fun.

LIV Walks Away Empty-Handed

Last year, there were a multitude of questions about LIV players coming into the year’s first major. They had played very limited tournament golf, and critics of LIV questioned whether the 54-hole events were enough to sharpen the players enough to compete against the best in the world on the biggest stage.

The results were fascinating, with LIV players all over the leaderboard. Brooks Koepka held the 36- and 54-hole lead, with Phil Mickelson and Patrick Reed finishing T2 and T4, giving LIV three golfers in the top-4 of the leaderboard.

This season, with even more time removed and with some more massive additions to the roster, the intrigue surrounding LIV players at Augusta was once again palpable. While some players, including Bryson DeChambeau, exceeded expectations, I can’t help but walk away from the Masters feeling underwhelmed by the performance of the LIV players.

Brooks Koepka finished runner-up last season and is a certified major championship killer. The 5-time major champ was never involved and simply didn’t have it at Augusta. Dustin Johnson put together a putrid performance, shooting 13 over for his two rounds, making it fair to wonder if his days of contending at major championships are over as he rapidly approaches his 40th birthday.

Jon Rahm and Joaquin Niemann were both players who were amongst the favorites this week, but Rahm was faced with the daunting duties of defending champion and Niemann proved he was still not quite ready to master the quirks of Augusta National, bleeding strokes both around and on the greens.

To be fair, when all was said and done, LIV had four players in the top twelve at The Masters. Tyrrell Hatton stormed the leaderboard early on Sunday, finishing T9 and earning himself an invite back to Augusta next season. Cam Smith and Patrick Reed put together gritty performances, which isn’t too surprising considering the fact that they both absolutely love Augusta National, but neither ever felt a real threat to win. There’s no doubt the players on LIV are good, and that’s why some encouraging leaderboard positions aren’t enough. They needed to contend.

With no players part of the storyline on Sunday, I view the first major of the year as a disappointment for LIV. The players will head into next month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla with a lot to prove.

Rory’s Struggles Continues

Rory struggling at Augusta National is no surprise at this point. The four-time major champion has now had 10 attempts to complete the career grand slam and has never had a chance to win. His T2 in 2022 was deceiving, the Northern Irishman stormed the leaderboard on Sunday, but was never in contention, and never got within three shots of the winner, Scottie Scheffler.

I didn’t expect Rory to win, but I have to admit that this year felt a bit different. McIlroy played the week prior to the Masters, which he typically doesn’t do, and finished third at the Valero Texas Open. He gained 7.56 strokes on approach and 2.0 strokes off the tee, which told me that his visit with world-renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, after the Players Championship paid dividends.

McIlroy also approached the media quite differently. He cut his pre-tournament press conference short after only 10 minutes and seemed to be laser-focused on just playing golf.

Despite the different approach to the Masters, the results were the same. McIlroy struggled over the course of the week, finishing T22 (+4) and never sniffed a decent weekend position on the leaderboard. It’s back to the drawing board for McIlroy, and I have doubts that he will ever figure it out at Augusta.

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19th Hole

Vincenzi: The 8 best prop bets for the 2024 Masters

Published

1 week ago

Apr 9, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

We’ve finally reached The Masters and excitement is at an all-time high. The world of golf has been fractured for the better part of two years, but for a week at Augusta National, all of the outside noise will disappear. All of the best players in the world will be together seeking to make history.

RELATED: Vincenzi’s 2024 Masters betting preview: Niemann to play star role at Augusta National

In addition to betting on The Masters champion. This is one of the few weeks of the year where there are so many more markets to explore, with value to be had in plenty of different categories.

Throughout this article, I’ll discuss all of my favorite props and players for the 2024 Masters.

Placement Bets:

Tony Finau Top 5 +750 (DraftKings):

I badly wanted to include Tony Finau in my outright betting selections, but I simply ran out of room on my card. Additionally, it’s slightly difficult to see him hitting the putts necessary to win the Masters on back nine on Sunday. However, I do strongly believe he will play great golf this week at Augusta National.

In his past 24 rounds, Finau ranks 4th in Strokes Gained: Approach is always amongst the best drivers of the golf ball in the game. Back in 2019, Finau had a great chance to win The Masters. I expect him to be hanging around over the weekend once again in 2024.

Gary Woodland Top 20 +550 (DraftKings), Gary Woodland to make the cut -110 (DraftKings):

Last season, Gary Woodland had his best ever finish at The Masters in his eleven tries. The 39-year-old finished T14 and played incredibly steady across all four rounds.

In Woodland’s most recent start at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, he struck the ball incredibly well. He led the field in Strokes Gained: Approach (+8.8) and Strokes Gained: Ball Striking (+10.0).

Gary has been working with Butch Harmon and absolutely flushing the ball both in tournaments and during practice.

Woodland appears to be healthy once again and in a great place physically and mentally. If he can build off his impressive performance at Augusta last year, he can place inside the top ten in 2024.

Additionally, the make the cut number on Woodland seems generous considering the number of players who miss the cut will be relatively small this week. Woodland is striking it well enough to make the cut even if he’s hindered by a balky putter once again.

Thorbjorn Olesen Top 20 +400 (FanDuel):

The Thunder Bear, Thorbjorn Olesen, made his Masters debut in 2013 and finished an incredibly impressive T6 for the week. In the two additional starts he’s made at Augusta National since then, the Dane has continued to be incredibly solid, finishing T44 and T21.

This week, Olesen heads into the week playing some good golf. He gained 3.8 strokes on approach and 5.52 strokes around the green at last week’s Valero Texas Open on his way to a strong T14 finish. Back in January, he won the Ras Al Khaimah Championship on the DP World Tour.

Olesen has the skill set to be successful at Augusta and seems primed for a good performance this week.

Top Nationalities:

Sergio Garcia Top Spanish Player +280 (DraftKings):

I believe Sergio Garcia can get into contention this week with the way he’s striking the ball in addition to his good vibes with a refurbished version of the Scotty Cameron that he used at the 1999 PGA Championship at Medinah.

I am slightly concerned about the emotional letdown he may face after losing in a playoff at LIV Miami, but I believe a veteran and former Masters champion should be able to regroup and focus on an event far more meaningful.

This is essentially a tournament head-to-head with Jon Rahm at +280. While Rahm deserves to be respected this week, the history of the lack of success of defending champions at The Masters is difficult to ignore.

Joaquin Niemann Top South American Player -230 (FanDuel):

While I hate paying this much juice, I don’t see a world in which Joaquin Niemann isn’t the top South American this week at The Masters. Joaco comes in playing better golf than anyone in the world not named Scottie Scheffler and has a serious chance to win the green jacket.

He only needs to beat two players: Emiliano Grillo and Camilo Villegas.

Tournament Head-to-Heads:

Justin Thomas -110 over Collin Morikawa

JT isn’t having his best season but is playing a lot better than he is getting credit for at the moment. In the past three months, there are only six players on the PGA Tour who have averaged 1.7 Strokes Gained: Tee to Green or better. Justin Thomas (+1.7) is one of the six and is currently tied with Rory McIlroy (+1.7).

Morikawa, on the other hand, has been extremely poor with his irons, which is incredibly uncharacteristic for him. I can’t help but feel like something is completely off with the two-time major champion.

Tony Finau -110 over Wyndham Clark

I explained in the placement section why I’m so high on Tony Finau this week. With how well he’s striking the ball, it seems as if his floor is extremely high. I’m not sure if he can make the putts to win a green jacket but I believe he will be in the mix similarly to 2019 when Tiger Woods emerged from a crowded pack of contenders.

Clark is a debutant, and while some debutants have had success at The Masters, it certainly poses a challenge. I also don’t believe Augusta National suits Clark as well as some of the other major championship venues.

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