19th Hole

Making an ace in Korea is a whole new experience

Published

3 years ago

Jul 22, 2021

There are fewer things more memorable to a golfer than his/her first hole-in-one (other than maybe playing at August National). I am sad to say that I have yet to experience my first ace despite struggling with this great game for 33 years.

However, I did recently get lucky in acing a hole during a round of virtual screen golf. This got me thinking perhaps I should get me some insurance in case I ever do get the ball to drop for a one on a real scorecard.

After 33 years without an ace, I’ll take anything.

Golf Insurance, You Say?

Here in Korea, we celebrate the holy grail of golf score a bit differently than most folks. It involves many steps and can get quite costly for the lucky (?) golfer. Hence, Korean insurance companies have begun offering diverse hole-in-one insurance policies to ensure that our wallets don’t take a critical hit.

Below is what I have learned over the years about the hole-in-one culture here in Korea. In many ways, I find it both fascinating and truly memorable.

Search engine for ‘Golf Insurance’ returns with hundreds of offers for coverage

Ace In The Hole

When an actual hole-in-one is confirmed, all involved parties inevitably get pumped. This is probably no different in most golfing countries, but the next steps surely are not. The accompanying caddie declares the deed to be official and lays a towel in front of the cup. The lucky golfer then kneels and bows to the ball three times to thank it for the good fortune he/she is to receive for the next three years. The accompanying members who witness the ace are also said to be lucky for one year.

The golf course is alerted of the event, and a certificate to commemorate the deed is presented to the golfer at the end of the round. The caddie is usually tipped a healthy sum, and the foursome usually ends up celebrating with a nice dinner, drinks, and general merriment. Pretty standard up to this point, but here is where it gets interesting.

More than a nod to the Golf Gods for good luck!

To further commemorate the wondrous gift from the golf gods, the members of the foursome are expected to pitch in and gift the golfer with a trophy, often adorned with real gold worth between $1,000~$3,000. In turn, the three are treated to a round of golf accompanied by a small gift such as golf balls stamped with the event.

If the golfer happens to be a member of the particular golf club and is feeling particularly generous, they may also opt to plant a tree or a prize bush near the hole to commemorate the achievement for all to see.

Reminder of the feat with the names of all in the foursome placed near the hole.

A trophy is gifted by the foursome members to the lucky golfer, who then treats them to a round of golf with a gift.

Hole-In-One Golf Insurance

From the above, you can guess that the costs associated with a hole-in-one can be quite steep. I have heard numerous golfers jokingly say they are afraid of making an Ace! With such financial responsibilities looming overhead, I have also wondered if an Ace is indeed worthwhile. But luckily, there is help.

The Hole-in-One insurance is exactly as it sounds, aimed at alleviating the financial burden to the joyous golfer who hit the golf jackpot. For few dollars a month, you can be insured against the fortunate(?) event for up to $2000~5000 dollars.

Since I have yet to be so lucky, I had sought a friend who had recently made his first Ace last month. According to him, he had been paying about $20 monthly for the past three years before collecting just under $5000 last month after holing out from 151 meters (165 yards).

I have since found out there are many types of golf-related insurances. The most typical amount is $30/month for $3000 coverage or $50/month for $5000 coverage. The friend above says his car insurance had an add-on golf insurance of an additional $25/month, which he signed up for since it also insured against theft.

Many Korean courses have insurance vending machines for those who feel lucky on the spot.

Over the past couple of years, various insurance vending machines have been popping up on golf courses next to par-3 tee boxes. According to the sign, golfers can insure their foursome for $12 (10,000 KRW) before tee shot. The vending machine is equipped with a video camera pointing at the hole, and the payout is between $2000~$2500 depending on the company offering the insurance. The insurance, of course, is only valid for that specific hole on the day. So if a golfer is feeling particularly lucky standing on the tee, all they need to do is drop 10,000 KRW into the machine, and voila. They’re all covered for any celebrations that may ensue.

There are more types of insurance than what I mentioned above, including apps that sell one-time insurance for aces to albatrosses. But the basic premises are the same: “Good things are expensive, so be prepared” is their motto.

Temptation

As with many insurance cases, I have heard that the golfer insurance is also fraught with fraudulent claims from golfers faking an ace. Tempted by the insurance money, there have been cases where golfers coerce the caddie to back up their claims of a hole-in-one and share in the money.

However, these cases rarely ever succeed. The caddie and golfer, along with the foursome are required to testify to the ace and can face punitive legal measures if false information. In addition, the golfer first also provide to the insurance company all they had spent towards the celebration of the event. Only when all is proven is the insurance money reimbursed to the golfer, so there is little concern of fraud nowadays.

Golf club and companies offers a diverse range of prizes, including art and steaks. Bravo!

But what about those of us with no golf insurance? Most golf clubs offer a variety of prizes to the lucky individual, ranging from golf equipment and massage chairs to local delicacies and apparel. I have heard that many companies offer their products as a prize to promote their brand. This way, both the golfer and the company benefits.

How do you celebrate a hole-in-one in your corner of the world? What special event have you done after your ace? Let me know in the comments section!

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19th Hole

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

Published

1 day ago

Apr 30, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

After another strong showing in Australia, LIV Golf will head to Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore looking to build off of what was undoubtedly their best event to date.

Sentosa Golf Club sits on the southern tip of Singapore and is one of the most beautiful courses in the world. The course is more than just incredible scenically; it was also rated 55th in Golf Digest’s top-100 courses in 2022-2023 and has been consistently regarded as one of the best courses in Asia. Prior to being part of the LIV rotation, the course hosted the Singapore Open every year since 2005.

Sentosa Golf Club is a par 71 measuring 7,406 yards. The course will require precise ball striking and some length off the tee. It’s possible to go low due to the pristine conditions, but there are also plenty of hazards and difficult spots on the course that can bring double bogey into play in a hurry. The Bermudagrass greens are perfectly manicured, and the course has spent millions on the sub-air system to keep the greens rolling fast. I spoke to Asian Tour player, Travis Smyth, who described the greens as “the best [he’s] ever played.”

Davis Love III, who competed in a Singapore Open in 2019, also gushed over the condition of the golf course.

“I love the greens. They are fabulous,” the 21-time PGA Tour winner said.

Love III also spoke about other aspects of the golf course.

“The greens are great; the fairways are perfect. It is a wonderful course, and it’s tricky off the tee.”

“It’s a long golf course, and you get some long iron shots. It takes somebody hitting it great to hit every green even though they are big.”

As Love III said, the course can be difficult off the tee due to the length of the course and the trouble looming around every corner. It will take a terrific ball striking week to win at Sentosa Golf Club.

In his pre-tournament press conference last season, Phil Mickelson echoed many of the same sentiments.

“To play Sentosa effectively, you’re going to have a lot of shots from 160 to 210, a lot of full 6-, 7-, 8-iron shots, and you need to hit those really well and you need to drive the ball well.”

Golfers who excel from tee to green and can dial in their longer irons will have a massive advantage this week.

Stat Leaders at LIV Golf Adelaide:

Fairways Hit

1.) Louis Oosthuizen

2.) Anirban Lahiri

3.) Jon Rahm

4.) Brendan Steele

5.) Cameron Tringale

Greens in Regulation

1.) Brooks Koepka

2.) Brendan Steele

3.) Dean Burmester

4.) Cameron Tringale

5.) Anirban Lahiri

Birdies Made

1.) Brendan Steele

2.) Dean Burmester

3.) Thomas Pieters

4.) Patrick Reed

5.) Carlos Ortiz

LIV Golf Individual Standings:

1.) Joaquin Niemann

2.) Jon Rahm

3.) Dean Burmester

4.) Louis Oosthuizen

5.) Abraham Ancer

LIV Golf Team Standings:

1.) Crushers

2.) Legion XIII

3.) Torque

4.) Stinger GC

5.) Ripper GC

LIV Golf Singapore Picks

Sergio Garcia +3000 (DraftKings)

Sergio Garcia is no stranger to Sentosa Golf Club. The Spaniard won the Singapore Open in 2018 by five strokes and lost in a playoff at LIV Singapore last year to scorching hot Talor Gooch. Looking at the course setup, it’s no surprise that a player like Sergio has played incredible golf here. He’s long off the tee and is one of the better long iron players in the world when he’s in form. Garcia is also statistically a much better putter on Bermudagrass than he is on other putting surfaces. He’s putt extremely well on Sentosa’s incredibly pure green complexes.

This season, Garcia has two runner-up finishes, both of them being playoff losses. Both El Camaleon and Doral are courses he’s had success at in his career. The Spaniard is a player who plays well at his tracks, and Sentosa is one of them. I believe Sergio will get himself in the mix this week. Hopefully the third time is a charm in Singapore.

Paul Casey +3300 (FanDuel)

Paul Casey is in the midst of one of his best seasons in the five years or so. The results recently have been up and down, but he’s shown that when he’s on a golf course that suits his game, he’s amongst the contenders.

This season, Casey has finishes of T5 (LIV Las Vegas), T2 (LIV Hong Kong), and a 6th at the Singapore Classic on the DP World Tour. At his best, the Englishman is one of the best long iron players in the world, which makes him a strong fit for Sentosa. Despite being in poor form last season, he was able to fire a Sunday 63, which shows he can low here at the course.

It’s been three years since Casey has won a tournament (Omega Dubai Desert Classic in 2021), but he’s been one of the top players on LIV this season and I think he can get it done at some point this season.

Mito Pereira +5000 (Bet365)

Since Mito Pereira’s unfortunate demise at the 2022 PGA Championship, he’s been extremely inconsistent. However, over the past few months, the Chilean has played well on the International Series as well as his most recent LIV start. Mito finished 8th at LIV Adelaide, which was his best LIV finish this season.

Last year, Pereira finished 5th at LIV Singapore, shooting fantastic rounds of 67-66-66. It makes sense why Mito would like Sentosa, as preeminent ball strikers tend to rise to the challenge of the golf course. He’s a great long iron player who is long and straight off the tee.

Mito has some experience playing in Asia and is one of the most talented players on LIV who’s yet to get in the winner’s circle. I have questions about whether or not he can come through once in contention, but if he gets there, I’m happy to roll the dice.

Andy Ogletree +15000 (DraftKings)

Andy Ogletree is a player I expected to have a strong 2024 but struggled early in his first full season on LIV. After failing to crack the top-25 in any LIV event this year, the former U.S. Amateur champion finally figured things out, finished in a tie for 3rd at LIV Adelaide.

Ogletree should be incredible comfortable playing in Singapore. He won the International Series Qatar last year and finished T3 at the International Series Singapore. The 26-year-old was arguably the best player on the Asian Tour in 2023 and has been fantastic in the continent over the past 18 months.

If Ogletree has indeed found form, he looks to be an amazing value at triple-digit odds.

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19th Hole

LIV star splits with swing coach after working together for 14 years

Published

1 day ago

Apr 30, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

After fourteen years together, LIV Golf’s Adrian Meronk has decided to part ways with his swing coach, Matthew Tipper.

On Monday, Tipper announced the split via social media.

pic.twitter.com/Q6klxxgyW0

— Matthew Tipper (@Matthew__Tipper) April 29, 2024

“After 14 years sometimes things just come to an end. Last week Adrian decided he wanted to go a new way and I have to respect that decision. I’m proud of everything we achieved together.

“I knew in 2010 he was a great talent and he has only gone to prove that all over the world. To Pietro Gobinho and Stuart Beck, thank you for being amazing caddies when Adrian needed you. Your support and co-operation has been invaluable and I thank you both.

“I want to publicly thank Adrian for allowing me to sit in the best seat in the house for 14 years.

“It’s now time to start my new chapter in the USA alongside my mentor James Sieckmann and I’m excited to go to my first Korn Ferry Tour event later next month. As always tomorrow we begin again.”

Meronk is having a poor season by his standards on LIV. The reigning DP World Tour player had some solid finishes early in the year, finishing T9 and T6 at LIV Las Vegas and LIV Jeddah, but missed the cut at the Masters and has failed to crack the top-10 in his past three LIV starts.

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19th Hole

LET pro gives detailed financial breakdown of first week on tour…and the net result may shock you

Published

5 days ago

Apr 26, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

On Friday morning, Ladies European Tour player, Hannah Gregg, took to social media to share her weekly expenses playing on the LET.

Expenses of my first week on Ladies European Tour:
Flights: $2600
Work Visa: $350
Food: $377
Caddie: $0 because I have an amazing Fiancé
Hotel: $0 because @GregChalmersPGA sorted me host housing for the week! ?
Rental Car: +0 because the Tour Tee guys GAVE me their car ??…

— Hannah Gregg (@hannahbggg) April 26, 2024

“Expenses of my first week on Ladies European Tour: Flights: $2600 Work Visa: $350

Food: $377
Caddie: $0 because I have an amazing Fiancé
Hotel: $0 because @GregChalmersPGA sorted me host housing for the week!
Rental Car: +0 because the Tour Tee guys GAVE me their car
Gas: $165
Entry Fee: $130
Lounge Pass for caddie: $50
Gym: $0
Yardage book: $0
Total expenses: $3672

Made cut, finished 54th, total earned: $1244 Factor in 35% tax on earnings. To break even, needed to finish 24th. To make money, 21st. Guess we have our goals laid out for next event!”

When factoring in Gregg’s free housing, free caddie and free rental car, it’s evident that most LET players would have to finish well inside of the top-20 to make any money.

With ridiculous amounts of money being thrown around in professional golf these days, it’s important to remember the other side of the coin as well. There are countless professionals out there who struggle to get by on their golf salary.