GOLF BETTING

Golf regularly offers great value betting opportunities for punters. Bookmakers' odds compilers are "in the know" regarding the stars of the sport. However, somewhere in the region of 250 golfers compete each week and rating them all would prove an almost impossible task. For this reason, it is recommended that punters restrict their golf betting activities to the "lesser lights" of the game. The official Tour sites, www.pgatour.com and www.europeantour.com, provide all the information and statistics required and are completely free. Golfers play the last 36 holes of most tournaments in pairs, and bookmakers offer prices on which of the pair will have the better score on the day. Such 2-ball betting is ideal for long-term profits in golf betting.

Recent Form

A player's recent finishes are important statistics in winner-finding in golf betting. For example, a recent final round two-ball between Woody Austin and Joe Ogilvie took place at the Turning Stone Championship in New York. The recent, 10-tournament, strokeplay form of the two players read: Woody Austin 18-70-MC-34-30-44-4-MC-23-MC Joe Ogilvie 31-56-MC-9-MC-12-MC-31-MC-26 The starting point is to separate the finishing positions from the missed cuts. The number of top-10 and top-25 finishes should also be noted. Applying these criteria to the above produces: Woody Austin 18-70-34-30-44-4-23, with 1 top-10 finish, 2 top-25 finishes and 3 missed cuts. This can be expressed as form of 1-2-3 Joe Ogilvie 31-56-9-12-31-26; 1 top-10, 1 top-25 and 4 missed cuts, i.e. form of 1-1-4. These figures suggest that Austin has marginally better recent form than Ogilvie, but there are two further vital statistics that need to be considered in golf betting on 2-ball matches.

Scoring Average

This figure is the average score achieved by the player so far in the season and takes into account all of the measurable parts of a golfer's game. The relevant statistics are Woody Austin 71.49 and Joe Ogilvie 71.07.

Greens In Regulation (GIR)

The "regulation" number of shots for professionals is 1 for par-3s, 2 for par-4s and 3 for par-5s. Both Tour sites express these statistics as percentages. A good GIR percentage is an indication of a player's accuracy and ability to avoid hazards. The relevant statistics for golf betting on the match under consideration are Woody Austin 67.44% and Joe Ogilvie 63.35% To summarise these statistics:

Woody Austin

Form: 1-2-3 Scoring Average: 71.49 GIR: 67.44%

Joe Ogilvie

Form: 1-1-4 Scoring Average: 71.07 GIR: 63.35

Based on a purely statistical analysis, Austin's 10-tournament form is slightly better, with 1-2-3 scoring higher than Ogilvie's 1-1-4. Although Ogilvie has a scoring average of about ½ a shot better than Austin, the latter's GIR percentage is a significant 4% better. Woody Austin is therefore the selection. The other vital factor which has not been considered thus far is value in golf betting. In an ideal world, the layers will price the wrong player as favourite for the match. The golf betting on this match was 21/20 each player, with 15/2 the tie. Woody Austin just about represented a value bet, being joint favourite, but having superior "key" statistics. Austin eventually shot 69, to Ogilvie's 70, making the bet a winner. It is recommended that the golf betting punter tries out the above approach as a "paper exercise" before investing hard cash. Exactly the same principles apply to 3-ball golf betting, but a little more work is involved. However, compensation can be gained from the better prices on offer. Familiarisation with golfing statistics, coupled with some practice, can produce excellent long-term profits from golf betting.