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Golf Betting Explained: Your Path to Smarter Wagers

The fundamental systems, words, and techniques that pertain to wagering on golf, demystified in a straightforward and comprehensive manner.

Betting on golf may not be in vogue, but it certainly isn't disregarded in New Zealand, where the sport can't lay any claim to the sort of following that rugby, cricket, or netball enjoy. Yet the average golf fan's devotion can be matched by few other sports. Week in, week out, punters have the opportunity to bet on a plethora of golf tournaments, all of which are conveniently served up for live viewing via trusty old television and the modern marvel of the Internet. Quite the contrary to being a dead end, betting on golf is full of opportunity and chance. To get the most out of it, reading a solid golf betting sites review is a great place to begin.

HOW TO BET ON GOLF: MAIN TYPES OF BETS

Wagering on golf tournaments generally falls into two large categories. The first compares each golfer with all others. The second pits players against one another in head-to-head matchups. Below are the main types of golf bets.

Tournament Winner

This is a bet on who wins a specific tournament in the end. For instance, if you were to say that a player was quoted at 14.00 to win the Open Championship, it would mean that a 100 euro bet would return you 1,400 euros if they win (1,300 euros net profit plus the stake). If the player finishes second or lower, you lose.

Round Winner

This wager is about who will be victorious in a certain segment (18 holes) of the competition. For instance, putting €100 down on Tiger Woods to be the best on Friday at 10.00 odds means winning €1,000 if he, you know, only scores better than anyone else through those, uh, Friday holes—which, to be fair, is the very definition of winning the round.

Tournament 1X2

You wager on which of two contenders will do better in the event. When there is not a large skill differential, the draw (X) generally carries the best odds because it is statistically improbable that the two will end up with the same score after four rounds.

Round 1X2

Like tournament 1X2, but focused on just one round. Here, the draw odds are more balanced compared to the tournament version. You can also play double chance bets like 1X, 12, and X2, similar to football betting.

Specials

There are numerous unique wagers in golf that truly are a test of your acumen and understanding of the game. These involve predicting, among other things: If there will be a hole-in-one, or not (yes/no). If the tournament will have a playoff, or not (yes/no). Which player will be the top performer from his country (or team). If he will be the best rookie. If the player will be good enough to be the best wildcard (invited player). If he will make the cut (get past the first two rounds of the tournament). If he will win by the margin you predict. Or, if you are really good at this and want to have some fun, by what score he makes it, whether in the round or the full tournament.

MAJOR GOLF TOURNAMENTS

Majors

The four biggest tournaments in golf are the majors, which are equivalent to the Grand Slams of tennis. Of the three that move from place to place, most having to do with the name and style of the course, one stays put:

• The Masters: Held in April at Augusta National Golf Club, Georgia (USA). The course is always the same, and it is oftentimes regarded as the most exalted of the four majors—golf's equivalent to Wimbledon.

• PGA Championship The PGA Championship is usually held the week before Memorial Day in May. It has been put on by the Professional Golfers' Association of America since 1916. The annual event takes place on different courses across the United States every year.

• U.S. Open: Played in mid-June and organized by the USGA. It also rotates courses, although some names frequently reappear.

• The Open Championship (British Open) The only significant tournament that takes place outside the United States—usually in mid-July—under the auspices of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews on a number of different courses in the UK.

GOLF TOURNAMENTS TO BET ON

PGA Tour Events

Most major professional men’s golf tournaments in the U.S. and most of the ones abroad fall under the PGA Tour’s jurisdiction. It does not, however, run the four major championships or the Ryder Cup. Think of it this way—if professional men’s golf were tennis, the PGA Tour would be like the ATP.

European Tour Events

The European Tour, a leading global men's professional golf tour and the second most significant worldwide after the PGA Tour, conducts major tournaments in Europe. A large number of average to above-average professional golfers participate in both this tour and the PGA Tour.

LPGA Tour Events

The governing body for the best women's golf tournaments in the U.S.—and in many cases the world—is the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA). It is the leading women's golf tour that is popular enough to entice serious bettors.

Ryder Cup

This competition, staged every two years since 1927, constitutes a team format wherein the United States goes against Europe. It ranks among the loftiest of golf's many great events.

Solheim Cup

The Ryder Cup for women, also featuring a contest between the USA and Europe, takes place every two years.

GOLF BETTING TIPS & STRATEGIES

Betting on golf is a challenging endeavor due to the unpredictability of the sport. This unpredictability makes the betting odds very high. Differences between the best golfers and those who are merely good are slight, and course-specific, weather-related, or even time-of-day considerations can make a good golfer perform poorly or poorly perform exceptionally well. This means betting on the golfers we have shortlisted as likely winners is even more of a shot in the dark than normal. That said, we have betting strategies. They fall into four kinds of categories, applicable to both kinds of wagers.

Player Suitability

Course vary all over the place. Some favor long hitters, others short-game experts. A player's ability to handle just one facet—bunkers, wind, a particular kind of terrain—that courses throws at them can also be the difference between winning and losing. Most casual bettors go by name and don't really know who these guys are when they place their bets; they're more likely to back someone who fits the course's demands than to place a bet on, say, Rory McIlroy, who has a penchant for not winning at certain courses.

Contrarian Thinking

Golf is a game that places a heavy mental demand on its competitors. Winning once is a tough task; achieving consecutive victories or successfully defending a title is a formidable challenge. This way of thinking makes it unlikely that any recent winner or any of the current crop of favorites will be named when the season's major championships roll around.

Injuries

Even small injuries can greatly affect how well a player performs. A back problem that crops up at the last minute can mean more than any statistic when it comes to how well a player is expected to do. When betting head-to-head, always bet against the player who is injured. This is true even if the injured player is a superstar.

Underdogs

Some gamblers like to support four or five skilled long shots at 50.00. If one does well at the start, you can hedge with other strong candidates. Betting on golf is invigorating but difficult—there's an elite class of at least 20 players who can realistically win any big event.