You have picked up the sport of golf, now what? How do I place my bet? Where do I watch the game? How much does it cost to watch a golf match? These are the types of questions that you may ask yourself after deciding to spend your free time playing golf instead of working out or hanging out with your friends. Don’t worry, you are not alone. There are a lot of people who want to know how to bet on golf, and I have decided to tell you exactly how to do it. So without further ado, here is how to bet on golf.
Sign Up For An Account
One of the first things you will want to do is to sign up for an account with a reputable online bookmaker which supports golf. For the sake of this article, we will use bet365, but you can use whatever bookmaker you prefer. You will need to provide an email address and create a password to complete the registration process. Once you are signed up, you can start making deposits and/or placing bets. The nice thing about this bookmaker is that you will not need to have a physical account to place a bet. The minimum deposit for a single bet is £10, so it is easily within reach of everyone. You can use this minimum to start with and then see how you like betting. If you have never gambled online before, you may want to start out with a modest deposit to give it a go, and if you like what you see, you can increase your bet size over time.
Set A Betting Limit
Another important step is to set a betting limit. You should set a limit that is suitable for your investment objectives and expectations. For example, if you expect to win a lot of money from golf, set a higher limit. Conversely, if you are a casual gambler who plays golf on the weekend, a smaller limit may be suitable. Setting a betting limit allows you to focus on the game without getting distracted by large winnings or losses which may affect your enjoyment of the sport. A nice thing about limits is that if you are winning, you can raise the limit to continue the winning streak, but if you are losing, you can lower the limit to try and cut your losses. This keeps things in perspective.
Learn The Basics
In order to place a bet on golf, you will need to understand some of the basic rules and regulations that govern the sport. For starters, the outright winner of a golf match is the person who scores the lowest number of points at the end of the round. In case of a tie, there is additional scoring based on how many strokes each participant had before the match was tied. The player with the lowest score wins the match, and the total number of points combined between the two players determines how the money will be split. There are also several categories which make up the Golf Scoring System:
- Stroke Play
- Efficiency (2 strokes or less per hole)
- Ball Flight
- Green Reading
- Scratch Putting
- Brush Strokes
- Dressing
You should take the time to learn these fundamentals because they will make you a better and more knowledgeable handicapper. Don’t expect to become an expert overnight, it will take some time.
Study The Form
Golf is a sport which can be categorized into four types based on the weather and how the players tackle the course:
- Links (or traditional golf): Played on uncountable courses which are made up of links (or small urban townships). The fairways are entirely made of grass and are quite wide. The rough is also mostly grass but is a little bit higher and thicker. The dog-legged layout of the holes gives a real American feel to the sport. The game is usually played in the early morning or late afternoon to take advantage of the fresh air and good visibility. Due to the width of the fairways and short length of the holes, the game is often described as “a picnic against the wind”.
- Mountain Play (or rough golf): Similar to links, but the terrain is a little more extreme with hilly and rocky areas. The rough is mostly made of stones and sand, and the balls are much smaller than in links golf so that they can be teetottered (or carried) by the wind. The elevation gain and descent limit the number of shots that can be taken on the course. Because the land is more mountainous, there is also more variation in the weather, with hot days and cool nights, so that you can have either long or short days which may end in disappointment or triumph.
- Forest Play (or rough and ready golf): Similar to links and mountain play, but the trees are thicker and the terrain is more unpredictable. The fairways can be very narrow and twisting, making it hard to predict where the ball will go. Since the shots aren’t always clearly visible, it is important to have a sturdy pair of glasses with you so that you can see where your shots will go.
- Wet-Weather Play (or bad weather golf): If there is heavy rain or wind, then the course will be unplayable until the weather clears. This makes for an unlucky day for the players, having to scrap their weekend plans. If the weather is good, however, then the course will be very wet and slow. Balls will be difficult to control, and it will be hard to read the greens.
Each of these types of golf has its own rules and scoring system that you need to learn before placing your bets. For example, in wet-weather play, there is extra penalty for hitting a ball into a lake or pond, and in forest play, all strokes are counted, regardless of whether you play with a stick or a ball. Knowing how these rules and regulations work together will make you a better and more accurate picker of winners. Be sure to study up on all of them before placing your bets.
Now that you are somewhat familiar with golf and how to bet on it, let’s get into some handicapping basics. We will assume that you have already set a betting limit and are ready to place a few bets. First of all, it is important to realize that every game is different and you cannot predict how the outcomes of individual matches will turn out. This is where your experience comes in handy. You will get to know a lot about golf through playing the game and making picks, but at the end of the day, each match is unique and so is the result. Take each game as it comes and learn from your mistakes. Do not worry too much about winning or losing as a beginner, simply have some fun and make the most out of the experience.