Golf is an enormously popular sport, with plenty of unexpected twists and turns on the course. It’s a great option for a flutter but with so many markets to play where do you start? Here is our handy guide on how to bet on golf.
Tournament golf explained
Most golf tournaments are what are known as strokeplay events, played over four rounds from Thursday to Sunday, except for events on the LIV Tour which are three rounds. Each round consists of 18 holes, with the player shooting the lowest score overall being declared the winner. If two or more players finish tied with the best score then a sudden-death play-off is usually played to decide the winner.
Tournaments vary in size and importance, but the most high-profile are the four men’s Majors – The Masters in April, the US PGA Championship in May, the US Open in June and The Open Championship in July.
Some events are matchplay, which means players play against each other on individual holes. These are sometimes played for individual glory, but often as part of teams, with the Ryder Cup between players from the USA and Europe being by far the most famous example, as well as the women’s equivalent, the Solheim Cup.
Types of golf bets
By far the most easy to follow and popular golf bet is the tournament bet. This involves betting on the player you believe will win. You can also back them each-way so that you can still scoop a fraction of your return should they finish close to the winner.
Here are some of the other bets you may wish to consider:
Match bets: Whether player A will beat player B over the duration of the tournament
‘Tops’ bet: Special markets where golfers are backed to come out on top of a particular category – eg Top American, Top Amateur, Top Englishman, Top debutant etc
Two or threeballs: A bet where you back one player to score lower than the one or two players he is playing alongside over that day’s round
Winning margin: By how many shots will the winner triumph
Finishes: Will a player finish in the top ten or top 20. Often a great way to back big outsiders who you think could play well
Specials: Encompassing pretty much anything else from whether there will be a hole-in-one in the tournament to whether Tiger Woods’s first drive will land on the fairway.
What should I be looking for?
With many golf tournaments accommodating fields of up to 156 players, it can be a minefield to select which players you want to bet on, but here are some areas you may want to look at in an attempt to try and make the picture a little less fuzzy. Many of the tournaments are played on the same course each year and each player will have their favourites where they have performed well in the past.
That can be a good guide, particularly if they have done so consistently, but remember this does not apply to all tournaments. Some, like the US Open and Open Championship are played at different courses in different years. Recent form is also worth noting. Anyone who has ever played golf will know how valuable confidence is and good results can produce strong future performances.
Players have particular skill sets so it is a good idea to keep abreast of those. Become acquainted with who are the big hitters, who are accurate types, who are great at finding fairways and who are having a bad spell. Different courses require different skills, so it can be a case of marrying them up.
Always keep a close eye on the weather forecast. For instance, those who struggle with driving distance may be at a disadvantage on a wet course. There are plenty of things to consider, but then that is half the fun.
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Please note that the information provided in this article is for entertainment purposes only. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided. Any action you take upon the information on this article is strictly at your own risk, and we will not be liable for any losses and damages in connection with the use of our article. We do not encourage gambling and remind you to gamble responsibly.
18+ | BeGambleAware.org
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