Golf Betting Strategy

Published: 30th July 2018
Author: Josh Stewart
Last Updated: 12th January 2021
Golf Betting Strategy graphic

Golf Betting Strategy

Even though it is not as dynamic as football for example which is by far the most bet on sport, golf is rather appealing for punters and tipsters who are into somewhat more analytical betting.

Golf offers plenty of room for different strategies that you can employ to enjoy success with betting on this sport. As a sport played and enjoyed all over the globe, golf offers a wide range of events which include over 150 players and 72 holes of stroke-play. This, ultimately, presents punters with diverse betting options. Follow our beginners guide to golf betting and also find where you can get the best golf betting odds.

Free Golf Betting Tips

Before you get engaged in golf betting one thing you should most definitely do is to lay down some ground rules – which can be applied for betting on any sport and not only on golf – and to make a strategy that works best for you.

  • Select a bookmaker you can trust
  • Set your limits
  • Choose the best odds

Apply the strategy that works best for you

The first rule of betting is to select a golf betting website that you can trust. It can be a challenging thing to do as the list of available betting sites is getting larger every day, but a smart thing to do is to do a little research and find out which bookmaker is considered to be most reliable, secure and with greatest values on odds and markets.

Another wise thing you should stick to is a staking plan. Choose the odds and markets you want to bet on and shuffle the stakes, which by no means need to be the same every time. They can vary, but make sure they remain within the previously set frame as you do not want to exceed your limits.

Self-discipline is an important aspect of betting and definitely one to bring you success if applied with the right betting strategy.
As a sport played almost every day throughout the season, golf offers plenty of betting possibilities and one of the betting options you should definitely explore and include in your overall betting strategy should be the Pre-Tournament Winner Markets. Bettors usually get higher values for pre-tournament betting and grabbing an early bet could go on to pay you back generously. Similar to the aforementioned general betting strategy, betting on golf involved several different stages.

  • Do your research
  • Explore the course
  • Stay objective
  • Analyse current form

Explore players’ historical performance

One of the most important aspects of betting on golf is to make sure you know what you’re doing. And there is no better way to prepare yourself than to do thorough research on all aspects of the game that could be of great relevance to help you win. The more you know about the players, venue and courses the more informed you are, the better your chances of coming out on top.

Golf Betting Selections

A good tip for golf betting is to avoid big names at big championships. We know that firm favourites at a course can be enticing, but they often can be misleading as well and there has been plenty of proof to attest to this in the past few years. Sitting in the shadow of big-name players there are often names that are likely to be the dark horses at a tournament and every bettor should make it their own personal agenda to try and reveal them for a higher return on their stake.

Golf Course Tips

Next up is the course analysis but straight up it is important to mention that playing conditions often depend on the weather so these two go hand in hand with the analysis. Take some time to visit the European and PGA Tour websites and the golf club itself if possible, to get a more detailed look at the course and holes to gain a better insight into the betting possibilities.

By getting to know the course, you will also get a good knowledge of the holes and therefore you will know which of the venues will be good to bet on ‘catch-up’ golfers and which will provide good value in betting on the frontrunners and favourites. Certain players are best suited to particular courses and different weather conditions as not all of them like to play in the desert as much as they enjoy pounding it on the coastal courses.

Form & Statistics

Prior to making a bet, it is extremely important to stay objective and to leave your emotions out of the betting process. You cannot expect to win if you can’t make yourself to bet against the player you like when all of the betting aspects speak against him or, on the other hand, to back a player who you would never think can do anything on the course.

Subsequently, research on a player’s current form will help you get rid of the biased aspect. Form is a key aspect, as in any other sport. Should you find players who are regulars with top-10 or top-20 finishes, those are often worth taking a look. In addition to form analysing a golfer’s strengths and weaknesses can offer deeper insight into which course and which player go best together, ultimately allowing you to make better and bolder predictions. Some bookmakers will offer a bit of a form guide on golfers and show you their current run of form and whether they have the ability to win an event that you are betting on.

Similarly, a look at a player’s statistics and historical performance at a course are worth having a look through. History can be an important element of the game of golf since it will reveal quite nicely whether a certain golfer is suited or not to a particular course. A look at the historical performance gives you a valuable edge over your betting competition since you will be able to tell exactly when a player might achieve great results. Chances are that players who enjoy a particular venue, or a bunker around the green, will once again be successful and do well again. These are profitable golf strategies so do bear them in mind.

Golf Outrights

Betting on some outright competition winners for Golf can always be fun. Some of the biggest golfing competitions get huge attraction and popularity drawn to them. Here are some of the golfing outrights that you can bet on:

  • Arnold Palmer Invitational
  • US Masters
  • US Open
  • The Open Championships
  • PGA Championships
  • Ryder Cup
  • Commercial Bank Qatar Masters
  • Hoag Classic
  • Limpopo Championships
  • NZ PGA Championships
  • Specials
  • Race to Dubai
  • LPGA Money List
  • PGA Money List

Best Bookmakers for Golf Betting

With Golf being a highly popular sport, most, if not all, bookmakers will offer golf as a sport to bet on. There is a range of competitions and specials that players can bet on within Golf. With it being such a popular sport, it is going to be difficult for you to find the top sites to place your sports bets on. Here are some of the best Golf Betting Sites:

William Hill: William Hill are a bookmaker that you will find listed near the top of all best online sports betting bookmaker lists. They have everything you need. Although at the present stage there are no golf specific promotions, players can still access offers such as enhanced odds on your favourite markets, such as golf and also a wide variety of golfing markets, with great golf betting odds.

Paddy Power: Paddy Power offer different promotions to their customers on a range of sports, golf being one of them. They know that in the golf world, there is a huge following. For certain golfing competitions, Paddy Power is offering pay out for more places. For example, they are paying out on 8 places for some golf majors.

Ladbrokes: Ladbrokes have one of the biggest ranges of markets to bet on within the sport of golf, out of any other bookmaker in the industry. Ladbrokes also have some of the best odds for their customers to take advantage of. Also, they have a great welcome bonus to get you started.

The aforementioned aspects are only those that should be considered crucial in golf betting. Creating a viable strategy is a highly important aspect of betting on golf and hopefully, some of our insight will help you form your own and get success the next time you place a wager on golf. Take a look at our other sport betting guides, betting previews and betting systems, including How to Bet on Football and Betting on Horse Racing.

josh stewart profile pic

About Josh Stewart

Josh Stewart lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, and works as a website editor. He has previously worked for several prominent online sites and, as a former professional golfer, specialises in sports and iGaming. Josh has almost a decade of experience as a freelancer and has received excellent reviews from current and previous clients.