Golf Betting Top Sites and Strategies
Golf is often considered a sport of the elite. It has a unique nature for sure, as it stands out from the typical team sports and has more extended events than most people are used to.
Golf competitions can last for days, taking twists and turns that few fans can predict from the start.
This unpredictability is what makes golf such a perfect sport for placing bets. As a punter, you have to apply multiple strategies at different stages of the event, changing your predictions along with the players’ performance.
Some people are excited to bet on golf because they love it and find the competitions exciting; others hope to win some money.
Whether you’ve been betting on golf for a while or you’re just starting out, there are many approaches and strategies you can use to increase your chances of success.
Find the detailed recommendations below and try at least some of them in practice.
Understanding Golf Betting Options
The first thing you have to understand is what kind of golf betting markets exist and which ones appeal to you most. Let’s consider the most common options that punters can choose from.
Outright winner
One of the most obvious choices is betting on which player is going to win the whole tournament.
It’s a risky bet, as you might easily change your opinion the more the rounds progress, but it can bring you a victory even if you aren’t well-versed in golf specifics.
Each-way betting
This bet covers two outcomes at once: you choose a potential winner of the tournament and claim that this person, at the very least, will earn one of the leading places.
Such type of betting makes for interesting strategies, so we’ll discuss it in more detail later.
Head-to-head matchups
This is a particularly competitive type of bet. You’re choosing which player will be ahead of another player, elevating one and dismissing the other.
Top finishing positions
This is a broader type of golf betting market. You decide if a specific golfer will end up taking one of the top 5, 10, or 20 places — the profit might not be big enough, but the possibility of winning is higher.
First round leader
Another option you have is to decide which of the golfers is going to be in a leading position after the first round draws to an end. This requires quick thinking on your part, but it’s also a good warm-up for bettors.
Prop bets
When making a prop bet, you are banking on some specific event taking place. It can include a particular player missing the cut, a hole-in-one occurrence, etc.
Golf betting live
If you have some betting experience and you can tell where things are going before something actually happens, you can try live betting. It’ll give you the thrill of trying to predict the events that are about to unfold.
Some punters have specific preferences. They’ll bet on some outcomes but not on others. If you’ve never tried any of these golf betting markets, experiment with them one by one.
This will allow you to understand which aspects you can predict better.
Key Golf Betting Strategies
So, what strategies can you use to bet on golf outcomes? There are quite a few, but we’ll be discussing the most efficient ones.
Once you master them, you’ll be able to understand much more about golf than you do at the moment.
Each-Way Golf Betting
As we’ve already mentioned above, each-way golf betting is a smart approach that maximizes your safety and increases your winning chances.
Essentially, it’s two bets in one. A part of your stake is put on a person who you think will win the tournament; another one focuses on this same player making it in the top 5 or 10.
Let’s consider a direct example to help you get a sense of each-way betting.
You decided to bet $20 on the unfolding golf event. If you choose each-way betting, $10 will go Player A winning the entire event, while another $10 will be placed on the outcome of Player A finishing the tournament in the top 5.
If there are 25 players competing, the odds for Player A winning will be 25/1. In turn, the chances of them becoming one of the top 5 golfers will be 1/5.
If this person wins as you predicted, you’ll earn $250 for their victory and $50 for them taking one of the prize positions. However, if Player A comes in second, third, fourth, or fifth, you’ll win just $50.
So, the chances of scoring a victory double in this scenario. If you know anything about golf, you’re likely aware that some events include the participation of over 100 players at once.
With such fierce competition, it’s extremely difficult to predict the absolute winner correctly. That’s why each-way betting serves as your insurance by letting you bet on two outcomes at the same time.
Course & Suitability Analysis
Every golf event is unique because the courses can differ tremendously, which has the power to affect the players’ performance.
Sometimes, the distances are long, which is ideal for long hitters. The course itself might be accompanied by challenges, complicating the process and giving an advantage to the highly accurate players.
If the course is short, it will benefit golfers known for their consistency. Pure power behind the strike won’t help here, so the players have to adapt their strength and approach the task from a new angle.
There are other factors, too, and they can make or break someone’s performance. A couple of quick examples:
Surface type. The ball rolls differently depending on the surface: there are bentgrass, known for its smoothness, as well as Bermuda and Poa annua greens — the former is grainy while the latter is bumpy.
Research these types in advance, as golf players’ likes, dislikes, and surface-based abilities can impact the outcome of the round.
Courses and weather conditions. Since golf tournaments take place outside, the weather can play a huge role in them, affecting the results and the performance.
Parkland courses tend to be more sheltered, so the winds are milder there; links-style courses are rougher, so the raging wind can influence the ball trajectory.
Course history. Always look into the players’ golf history. Some golfers do amazing with one type of courses but fail at others; some might feel lost when the layout is unfamiliar, while others easily adapt to whatever location they play at.
Consider these technical details in your approach, and your golf betting will become more accurate.
Full Player Research
Before placing a bet on a player, you have to learn everything about them. Analyze at least 3 or 5 of their performances, especially the recent ones, and determine what led them to success or failure.
What is the accuracy rate of this player? What are their strokes gained statistics? Do they have any surface preferences, and if they don’t, how are they doing across different fields?
Perhaps they had some personal or health problems recently. Look into this matter: any injuries or family issues can break the concentration and lead even the best golfers to a disaster.
Don’t make random bets — base them on informed, research-backed choices.
Fading Golf Stars
Some golf players get a lot of hype, especially the new rising stars. This makes the previously successful older golfers fade into the background. Keep your eye out for them.
Just because they aren’t this season’s favorites doesn’t mean that they won’t show surprising results.
Experience is everything, and when you choose between hype vs. consistency, it’s better to pick the latter.
Lesser-Known Tournaments
Major tournaments always draw a ton of attention. It’s harder to place bets like this, and it’s even more difficult to win a good sum as too many people are competing.
Looking at smaller and lesser-known events, on the other hand, is a potential gold mine waiting to be uncovered.
Research these tournaments and seek out overlooked players there. This will give you an opportunity to reap bigger winnings.
Live Betting
If you prefer to make your betting decisions just as the rounds unfold, there are some tips you can use to maximize your chances.
Bet against first-round leaders. Players who start out strong usually lose their energy and luck as the rounds keep progressing.
Choose strong finishers. As opposed to tip #1, you can bet on those who flourish later. Some golfers tend to show excellent results closer to the third and fourth rounds — see if they have demonstrated this trend before by analyzing their past performances.
Check the weather. As the weather changes, the players’ success might shift, too. If you did previous research into them, you’ll know how and when to adjust your bets.
The odds can change at any moment. If you’re doing golf live betting, be attentive, and don’t miss a second of any round.
Develop Your Personal Betting Strategy
Golf is a complex sport where the stakes can drop or rise easily, so to place your bets successfully, you’ll need to do a lot of research in advance.
Find out everything you can about the players, the tournament, and weather & surface conditions. Avoid wagering spontaneously, as it rarely leads to satisfying outcomes.
If you want to stay safe, try each-way betting to create a personal safety net. Most importantly, always watch your budget. Decide how much you want to spend at the very start and stay within these limits at all times.
