Golf Betting: Key Tournaments, Essential Statistics, and Game Tactics

The Geography of Golf and the Biggest Tournaments

Golf has a history that is far from chivalrous. In the 14th century, Scottish shepherds herded sheep across vast fields and, to amuse themselves, invented a game — hitting balls into rabbit burrows with sticks. The rabbits likely had no joy in it.

The oldest golf course in the world is also located in Scotland — the Old Course. To play there is the ambition of every young golfer. Scotland boasts itself as the birthplace of the sport: the Scottish town of Gullane was where the first formal golf rules were drawn up, and the first tournament was organized in Prestwick.

Ten years ago, the four most prestigious golf events were so-called "majors":

• Masters Tournament (USA)
• US Open (USA)
• The Open Championship (Scotland)
• PGA Championship (USA)

Golf made its Olympic debut in the Rio Games and was accepted as an Olympic sport. There are now five major tournaments in order of significance since then.

Today, golf is a global sport — it is played on every continent. There are tournaments on every continent, below the majors but significant achievements for those who aspire to the top. As more and more people wager on golf across the globe, players turn to golf betting sites to place wagers and follow tournaments in real time.

To grasp why golf is so popular, just think that Tiger Woods has become the first athlete ever to have earned $1 billion. Not long ago, he was also listed as 6th among the best sportspersons of the 21st century.

Golf rules seem simple at first glance — one hits a ball (or hits several times) with a club into a hole. To place accurate bets, however, golf terminology, swing techniques, and clubs need to be understood better.

Types of Golf Bets

Before wagering on golf, players (also known as cappers) would be wise to study the kinds of results that can be wagered on. Since golf is an individual sport, sports betting is unique compared to team sports in many basic aspects:

• Stage Winner: Golf tournaments consist of several stages, and up to 200 competitors can compete. Early favorites don't necessarily play up to their potential, and gamblers can net huge payouts by wagering on a long shot.
• Top Finishers: The punter can predict the winner of the competition or the best few finishes (top 3, top 5, etc.).
• Head-to-Head (Who Finishes Higher): Popular in sports where an individual faces another. Players select two golfers and predict who finishes higher in the standings.
• Top National Player: Especially in the major tournaments, sportsbooks offer this market. The punter anticipates which player from a given nation will perform best.

Golf Betting Strategies: Things to Remember

There are no strict, always strategies to bet on golf. The bettor is normally of two minds — use general betting strategies (e.g., loss chasing or the Martingale system) or use in-depth analysis. Major analysis issues are:

• Player Form: The recent performance of a golfer matters more than previous success. Check out their latest scores — if they played poorly in recent tournaments, they won't suddenly play well.
• Course History: Big events are usually held on the same course every year. The bookie can observe how some golfers play on particular courses.
• Weather Conditions: Weather conditions can ruin a golfer's game. Some courses are prone to windy conditions, which could unsettle even experienced players. It is vital to know who handles stress and weather better.
• Experience: Experience beats youth when it comes to golf. Even though young upcoming talent may be present, experienced golfers dominate the tournament scoreboard.

How to Bet on Golf

To effectively bet on golf, you need to have a quality sportsbook and offer quality analysis so that you do not lose your bankroll. Golf stats and infographics are readily available, but what you do with them counts.

Key Golf Betting Statistics

In conducting golf performance analysis, remember the following statistics:

• Driving Accuracy: This statistic measures the number of tee shots that land in the fairway or the preferred "playable" area.
• Driving Distance: Measures the average distance a golfer's drive goes. A long drive can be beneficial but needs to be precise.
• GIR (Greens in Regulation): There is a green around each hole — a short grass pitch perfect for putting. The GIR stat indicates the percentage of times a golfer gets the ball on the green within the number of strokes expected.
• Putting Average: It is the average putts per hole. Since putting finishes the play, a lower average says a lot about more accuracy and experience.

There are still some other statistics, so expert gamblers normally study theory first, observe how the players perform, and then move towards practical betting.