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Houston Open 2021 Expert Picks to Win

Published

4 years ago

November 11, 2021

Another week, another Fall Swing winner from the Golf Digest expert picks column, with both Rick Gehman and Brandon Gdula hitting on Viktor Hovland’s title defense at 19-1 in Mayakoba. Picking up right where we left off in 2020-’21. Not to brag.

This week, we like our chances again, even with just one year of course history at second-year Houston Open host venue Memorial Park. Not sure if you’ve heard, but Brooks Koepka did have a little bit of input on the massive renovation project, which was largely overseen by Tom Doak. It’s made Koepka anything but a sneaky play this week among the gambling community.

While Koepka deserves plenty of attention, there are a ton of intriguing names at the top of this week’s odds board, which the scorching-hot Sam Burns sits atop as the solo favorite. Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Smith, Sungjae Im, Talor Gooch, Matthew Wolff, Tyrrell Hatton and Tony Finau fill in the space between Burns and Koepka. Our experts aren’t straying too much further down the board, because if the Fall Swing has shown us anything it’s that elite players usually win golf tournaments.

Houston Open 2021 picks: Outright Predictions

Anonymous Caddie Picker of the week: Sam Burns (12-1, DraftKings) — It’s crazy to think four-time major champ Brooks Koepka is double the odds of Sam Burns. But Burns has really put on tee-to-green exhibitions all year. He doesn’t get enough credit. He got the win at Sanderson, and I could absolutely see him winning again. He’s motivated to be a star.

Pat Mayo, DraftKings/Fantasy National, Mayo Media Network analyst: Brooks Koepka (28-1, DraftKings) — Forget all that business about him helping redesign the course, that matters not. What matters is that you’re getting the best player in the field at 28-1. Sure, he’s been playing like trash, but this is really no different than his horrendous play before winning in Phoenix in February. And, in the outright betting market, there’s no difference between second place and a missed cut. Go with the guy who churns out those firsts at the highest rate in the field.

Brandon Gdula, FanDuel/numberFire managing editor: Cameron Smith (23-1, FanDuel) — Last year, we saw Memorial Park reward those with great wedge play, and that sets up well for Cam Smith. He’s my win simulation model’s most likely winner but isn’t listed as a betting favorite; there’s value here. The course played moderately tough a year ago, and Smith has a combination of birdie ability and bogey avoidance.

Rick Gehman, data scientist and RickRunGood.com founder: Russell Henley (45-1, DraftKings) — Are there better players in the field? Absolutely. Are there better players at better prices? Probably not. Memorial Park will be stout, checking in at 7,400 yards as a par 70—but that shouldn’t intimidate Henley. He’s made 13 starts in his career on par 70s that are at least 7,250 yards. He’s gained strokes on the field in every start and has four top-10 finishes. His 1.31 strokes gained per round is second to only Koepka of golfers in this field who have played at least 40 rounds under those conditions, per the RickRunGood.com golf database.

Stephen Hennessey, Golf Digest dep. managing editor: Joaquin Niemann (30-1, PointsBet) — It’s tough coming off a few ShotLink-less weeks—we’re flying a little blind without the data. What we do know is Niemann’s playing some great golf this year, with runners-up at Rocket Mortgage and the Sony Open. And he finished fifth after a hot Sunday at Mayakoba. I just think Niemann’s peaking toward another win soon, and his length should be a big advantage at Memorial Park.

Christopher Powers, Golf Digest assistant editor: Brooks Koepka (28-1, DraftKings) — Will go to war with Brooksy one more time before we don’t see him again until 2022. As Pat said, he missed three straight cuts before winning at Scottsdale last year, so the poor recent form doesn’t scare me at all. He’s the best “flip-switcher” in the world, and at 28-1 that’s absolutely worth the risk.

Lee Alldrick, FanShare Sports: Talor Gooch (30-1, FanDuel) — Gooch comes into this event ranked second for strokes-gained/total over the last two months and ninth in the FanShare Sports’ course-suitability ranking. His fourth-place finish here last year will ensure he comes brimming with confidence too.

Houston Open 2021 picks: Sleepers/Dark Horses

Caddie: Sahith Theegala (150-1, BetMGM) — You’ve seen his name on the leader board a few times already in the fall. It will be a continued sight all year. This loaded field might be a tall task for him, but 150-1 just seems too high.

Mayo: Danny Willett (130-1, DraftKings) — The king of mixed results, Willett has started to play much more consistent golf the last two months and even won the Alfred Dunhill Links event a month ago. A terrific scrambler, Willett tends to play better in more difficult conditions, and a par 70 playing over 7,400 yards will afford him that luxury.

Gdula: Charley Hoffman (90-1, FanDuel) — Hoffman finished 29th here last year, giving him course knowledge and success at a still-new track. He’s got the right combination of Bermuda putting and tee-to-green ability to pull off a win as a long shot.

Gehman: Denny McCarthy (180-1, DraftKings) — We are seeing signs of life from McCarthy lately, making the cut in Bermuda then following it up with a T-15 last week in Mayakoba. Now he gets to travel to Houston where he will find Bermudagrass greens. McCarthy has gained 0.82 strokes putting per round on that surface, making him the best Bermudagrass putter on the planet.

Hennessey, Golf Digest: Shane Lowry (46-1, FanDuel) — Andy Lack’s Inside Golf podcast is always a great listen, and that’s true this week despite him having my guy CP on his show. CP and Andy make the case for a bunch of guys who play hard, long golf courses well … Tyrrell Hatton, Marc Leishman, Grace (below). Lowry’s in that category, too, and his price is finally starting to creep above the 30s and 35-1s we were seeing this summer. The Irishman finished T-11 here last year, too. Take the drift.

Powers, Golf Digest: Branden Grace (95-1, FanDuel) — Friend of the “Be Right” podcast Andy Lack convinced me on the South African this week. Grace plays his best golf on tougher courses, evidenced by top 10s at Zozo, Wyndham, the U.S. Open and Memorial, which all came in the last five months.

Alldrick, FanShare Sports: Denny McCarthy (180-1, DraftKings) — Not only is McCarthy the best putter in the field on fast Bermuda greens, he ranks seventh in the FanShare’s course-suitability ranking this week. A pair of 69s last year here at Memorial Park shows just how well he can navigate his ball around here. Two top 20s in his last four events shows he’s current form is solid too.

Houston Open 2021 picks: Players to Fade This Week (who will disappoint)

Caddie: Brooks Koepka (28-1, DraftKings) — That long range session Koepka put in at Mayakoba is probably not a good sign. I’m sure Jena was none too pleased.

Mayo: Sam Burns (12-1, DraftKings) — The betting favorite is likely to have a good week, but generating the same favorite number he saw at Sanderson isn’t quite the same when you glance at the other higher-end options in the field this week.

Gdula: Scottie Scheffler (16-1, FanDuel) — It’s really nothing against Scheffler in particular but more a statement of the value at the top of the field. Aside from Cam Smith, the top of the field rates out as overvalued, via my model, and so it’s hard to recommend a favorite. I’m more worried about Sam Burns than Scheffler, so Scheffler is the least likely bet I’ll have this week.

Gehman: Adam Scott (28-1, DraftKings) — It’s a bit jarring to see Scott’s price shorter than Aaron Wise, Joaquin Niemann, Carlos Ortiz and even Patrick Reed. All of which have either played much better in the short-term or own more historical win equity than Scott. Scott has been a little volatile recently and Bermudagrass is his worst putting surface.

Hennessey, Golf Digest: Aaron Wise (30-1, DraftKings) — Who is going to bet Aaron Wise at 30-1 in a field like this?

Powers, Golf Digest: Matthew Wolff (25-1, DraftKings) — This could end up looking very dumb come Sunday, but I’m not prepared to overpay for Wolff just yet. Would love to see him drift back to 40- or 50-1 this winter and pounce then.

Alldrick, FanShare Sports: Tony Finau (25-1, DraftKings) — Finau ranks just 78th in the FanShare Sports’ course-suitability ranking this week and didn’t even make the top 20 here last year. His recent form has not been great too, ranking just 69th for SG/total over the past two months.

Houston Open 2021 picks: Matchups

Caddie: Mackenzie Hughes (+115) over Maverick McNealy (Bet365) — McNealy’s playing some solid golf in the past few months, but Hughes embraces the long, tough golf course—like we saw at Torrey Pines. McNealy is more of a shorter course savant.

Mayo: Patrick Reed (-110) over Christiaan Bezuidenhout (DraftKings) — Very similar players outside of one very clear difference: When running well, Reed can really drive the ball. Bezuidenhout never really can. That’s a BIG advantage for Reed this week at a longer track . . . assuming he’s not spraying it all over the course.

Gdula: Kevin Streelman (-112) C.T. Pan (FanDuel) — Long term, Streelman separates in this head-to-head in tee-to-green play and in overall ball-striking over Pan. Each are similar putters, so I’ll be taking the edge in tee-to-green here.

Gehman: Matthew Wolff (-130) over Marc Leishman (DraftKings) — We are seeing signs of positive play from Wolff, who has finished T-17, runner-up and T-5 in his three starts this season. His style of play couldn’t be any more different than Leishman’s style and on a 7,400-yard par 70, it’s Wolff’s natural skill-set that creates the edge.

Hennessey, Golf Digest: Sam Burns (-122) over Scottie Scheffler (FanDuel) — Burns is playing as well as anybody in the world right now, and sure, Scheffler had a great week last week—but he also had a T-38 and a MC in his two previous starts. I’ll take the consistency of Burns here.

Powers, Golf Digest: Talor Gooch (-110) over Tony Finau (DraftKings) — Gooch is absolutely cooking right now with four straight top-11 finishes, plus he finished fourth here last year. Finau has hit the ball quite well in the fall but his putting has been abysmal and Bermuda appears to be his least favorite putting surface according to the numbers.

Alldrick, FanShare Sports: Sungjae Im (-122) over Tony Finau (FanDuel) — As you can see above I don’t like Finau this week, Im on the other hand comes into this event ranked second in the FanShareSports CSR and fourth for SG/total over the last two months and third for SG/total over the last two years.

Matchup Results from the Houston Open: Caddie: 1 for 1 (Hovland (-143) over Finau); Mayo: 1 for 1 (Thomas (-105) over Ancer); Hennessey: 1 for 1 (Grillo (-120) over Harman); Alldrick: 1 for 1 (Scheffler (-120) over Koepka); Powers: PUSH (Fowler (-120) over Rose); Gehman: 0 for 1; Gdula: 0 for 1

Matchup Results from this season (Wins-Losses-Pushes): Mayo: 6-1-0 (up 4.52 units); Caddie: 5-2-0 (up 2.66 units); Powers: 4-2-1 (up 1.82 units); Gehman: 2-4-1 (down 2.26 units); Alldrick: 2-4-1 (down 2.32 units); Hennessey: 2-5-0 (down 3.20 units); Gdula: 1-6-0 (down 5.07 units)

Houston Open 2021 picks: Top 10s

Caddie: Sam Burns (+150) — I might as well back up our Burns outright with the top-10.

Mayo: Branden Grace (+550, DraftKings) —The more difficult and gusty the conditions, the better for Grace. While the ball striking is never consistent, he’s seen spike weeks with his irons and his short game is always reliable.

Gdula: Tyrrell Hatton (+310, FanDuel) — Hatton is trending back up and is available at a good number for a top-10 finish. Hatton has great wedge play and is sixth in adjusted strokes gained: tee to green in my database over the past year.

Gehman: Jason Kokrak (+350, DraftKings) — On paper, Memorial Park should be a perfect fit for Kokrak. When things are going well, he’s long off-the-tee and has a putter that allows him to reach his ceiling more frequently than his peers. He’ll need to shake off a run of bad form recently, but his price is depressed and too good to pass up.

Hennessey, Golf Digest: Max Homa (+700, FanDuel) — It seems like oddsmakers regularly forget how good Max Homa is, even after he keeps winning. A difficult, long course is typically where Homa has had success (Riviera, Quail Hollow, for example).

Powers, Golf Digest: Brandon Hagy (+1600, DraftKings) — A bit of a Hail Mary here, yes, but Hagy has so much upside, particularly off the tee, that he’s worth a flyer every week because of how ridiculous his odds always are.

Alldrick, FanShare Sports: Christiaan Bezuidenhout (+550, FanDuel) — Bezuidenhout ranks third in the Fanshare’s course-suitability ranking this week. One of the main reasons for this is his excellent putting on fast Bermuda greens. He ranks second in the field this week for SG/putting on fast Bermuda over the last two years. His form is also good having recorded a 15th, fifth and third-place finish in his last four events.

Top-10 results from the Houston Open: Everybody: 0 for 1

Top-10 results from this season: Powers: 2 for 7 (up 12 units); Mayo: 1 for 7 (up 8 units); Caddie: 1 for 7 (down 4.3 units); Hennessey: 1 for 7 (down 1.5 units); Gdula: 0 for 7 (down 7 units); Gehman: 0 for 7 (down 7 units); Alldrick: 0 for 7 (down 7 units)

Houston Open 2021 picks: One and Done

Gehman: Sam Burns — Every arrow points directly at Burns this week. He’s gained 2.14 strokes per round in his last 24 rounds, second on TOUR to only Jon Rahm. He hasn’t finished worse than T-21 in any of his last seven events while earning a win at the Sanderson Farms Championship in the process. Now he heads back to Bermudagrass greens, which is his specialty. His last four starts on Bermudagrass greens have yielded two wins, a T-2 and a T-18 — per the RickRunGood.com golf database. The year of Sam Burns is going to continue this week in Houston.

Previous weeks: Fortinet Championship: Kevin Na; Sanderson Farms Championship: Mito Pereira. Shriners: Abraham Ancer. CJ Cup: Louis Oosthuizen. Zozo Championship: Hideki Matsuyama. Bermuda Championship: Seamus Power. Mayakoba: Abraham Ancer.

Hennessey: Sam Burns — Ride the hot hand.

Previous weeks: Fortinet Championship: Emiliano Grillo; Sanderson Farms Championship: Carlos Ortiz. Shriners: Abraham Ancer. CJ Cup: Collin Morikawa. Zozo Championship: Takumi Kanaya. Bermuda Championship: Seamus Power. Mayakoba: Aaron Wise.

Powers: Marc Leishman — Leish has been putting the lights out lately and Bermuda greens are where he does his best work.

Previous weeks: Fortinet Championship: Brendan Steele. Sanderson Farms Championship: Mito Pereira. Shriners: Aaron Wise. CJ Cup: Talor Gooch. Zozo Championship: Joaquin Niemann. Bermuda Championship: Patrick Rodgers. Mayakoba: Jhonattan Vegas.

By The Numbers

2.06 – The strokes gained per round by Sungjae Im in his last 24 rounds. That’s second to only Sam Burns and they are the only two golfers gaining 2+ strokes per round.

41.6% – The percentage of time that this event has gone to a playoff in the last 12 years (5/12).

15 – The number of consecutive cuts made by Christiaan Bezuidenhout, the longest active streak of anyone in this field.

7.75 – The average finish for Talor Gooch in four starts this season (T-11, T-5, T-11, T-4).

About our experts

Pat Mayo is an award-winning video host and producer of long and short-form content, owner of the Mayo Media Network and host of The Pat Mayo Experience. (Subscribe for video or audio. Mayo (@ThePME) won the 2020 Fantasy Sports Writing Association Daily Fantasy Writer of the Year and Golf Writer of the Year awards, along with the Fantasy Sports Trade Association Best Sports Betting Analyst award, and was finalist for four FSWA Awards in 2020 (Best Podcast, Best Video, Daily Fantasy Writer of the Year, Golf Writer of the Year). His 21 FSWA nominations lead all writers this decade and are third-most all-time. Mayo is on the board of governors at www.fantasynational.com.

Brandon Gdula, managing editor and analyst for NumberFire, a FanDuel daily-fantasy analysis company, recently won the 2018 fantasy sports-writers association Golf Writer of the Year *(congrats, Brandon!)*. Gdula also co-hosts the DFS Heat Check podcast.

Rick Gehman is the founder of RickRunGood.com and the RickRunGood YouTube Channel, is one of the industry’s leading experts on golf DFS and gambling. Gehman is co-host of the First Cut Podcast and appears regularly on the Pat Mayo Experience golf podcasts. Follow him on Twitter: @RickRunGood.

Lee Alldrick of FanShare Sports started out writing an article highlighting the best bargain plays for fantasy golf under his twitter handle @DKGolfBargains. His success at this prompted FanShare Sports to enlist him as a guest writer, which evolved into him writing the weekly Under The Radar article. As a U.K.-based expert, Alldrick’s insight into European Tour regulars and low priced, low owned plays has provided an invaluable edge for readers when it comes to DFS GPPs.

This article originally appeared on Golf Digest.

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When Golf Meets Supercars: The World Series of Golf Takes Over Skip Barber’s Mexico Resort

World Series of Golf partners with Skip Barber Racing for a two-year luxury sports series at Gran Reserva, Mexico – where championship golf meets supercars starting April 2026.

Published

23 hours ago

November 7, 2025

Bobby Markowitz

Picture this. You’re standing on the 18th green at Gran Reserva, Mexico, finishing a round of championship golf with the World Series of Golf’s signature betting format still buzzing in your veins. The sun’s dropping low. Your heart’s still racing from that final putt.

And tomorrow? You’re driving a McLaren on Skip Barber’s brand-new racetrack.

Two Sports, One Unforgettable Weekend

The World Series of Golf just announced something we’ve never seen before. A two-year partnership with Skip Barber Racing School that transforms their new Mexican resort into the ultimate luxury sports destination. It’s not just golf. It’s not just racing. It’s both, wrapped into an experience that redefines what a sporting weekend can be.

Starting in April 2026, Gran Reserva becomes ground zero for a completely new kind of event.

Year One: The Foundation

The first year lays the groundwork. You’ll compete in the World Series of Golf championship using their patented tournament format – the one that adds poker-style betting mechanics to traditional stroke play and turns every hole into a strategic showdown. High stakes. Real tension. Golf the way it was meant to be played.

But here’s where it gets interesting. While you’re playing, Skip Barber’s building their racetrack right there on the property. You’ll see construction crews working on what will become one of North America’s most anticipated racing circuits. State-of-the-art simulators give you a taste of what’s coming, letting you experience the thrill of motorsports between rounds.

VIP receptions. Celebrity appearances. Curated culinary showcases that match the caliber of the competition. It’s an invitation-only event designed for people who expect excellence and aren’t willing to settle for anything less.

Year Two: The Payoff

Then 2027 hits. The track is finished. And suddenly you’re not just imagining what it’s like to drive a supercar at speed – you’re actually doing it.

McLaren. Ferrari. Mercedes. Lamborghini. Take your pick and put it through its paces on a circuit designed by people who’ve spent over 50 years teaching professional racers how to extract every ounce of performance from a machine. Skip Barber doesn’t mess around when it comes to motorsports education, and this track reflects that pedigree.

You’ll stay in exclusive luxury accommodations at Gran Reserva, network with athletes and industry leaders, and experience both golf and racing at the highest possible level. All in one place. All in one unforgettable weekend.

Why This Matters

Michael Berg, CFO of Skip Barber Racing School, called it perfectly: “Guests will see the racetrack under construction during our first event and then drive world-class vehicles on it the following year.”

That’s the hook. You’re not just attending an event. You’re watching it evolve. You’re part of the story from day one, and by year two, you’re living the payoff.

Robert Davidman, CEO of the World Series of Golf, added this: “This partnership unites golf and motorsports in an elevated format that caters to international fans seeking competition, luxury, and adventure.”

Competition. Luxury. Adventure. Three words that sum up what makes this special.

Why Sponsors Are Paying Attention

Here’s what makes this different from every other golf tournament trying to get your marketing dollars.

The World Series of Golf’s patent-protected format keeps spectators glued to every shot. Shot-by-shot wagering. Antes that double every three holes. Strategic decisions that matter as much as swing mechanics. It’s golf designed for television, and television designed to keep people watching.

Add Skip Barber Racing to the mix and you’ve got something networks actually want to cover. Over 40 hours of TV coverage. More than 15 million media impressions. Five million-plus social media reach. This isn’t a local tournament hoping for some local news pickup. This is a broadcast-ready event with an audience that’s already paying attention.

The demographics tell the rest of the story. You’re reaching affluent golf enthusiasts who also appreciate high-performance automobiles. International travelers who think nothing of flying to Mexico for a weekend of luxury sports. Decision-makers and industry leaders who network at VIP receptions and actually have the authority to sign deals on the spot.

Title sponsorship gets you naming rights, eight playing positions, and premium TV exposure throughout the broadcast. But even smaller packages deliver value. Hole sponsors get exclusive on-course branding and social media mentions for ten grand. Golf cart wraps guarantee TV and photo exposure because every shot of the tournament includes your brand.

The opportunities are limited by design. Only 18 hole sponsors. Three presenting sponsors. One title sponsor. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.

Want the details? Check out the full sponsorship packages at wsg.golf/sponsorship.

The Bottom Line

This isn’t your typical golf tournament. It’s not your standard track day either. It’s something entirely new – a two-year luxury sports series that gives you the best of both worlds and raises the bar for what a sporting experience can deliver.

Year one plants the seed. Year two delivers the harvest. And whether you’re attending as a player or partnering as a sponsor, you’ll be there for both.

For player inquiries, contact events@skipbarber.com. For sponsorship opportunities, reach out to sponsorship@wsg.golf. These events are strictly invitation-only, and opportunities won’t last long.

Golf and supercars. Mexico and motorsports. The World Series of Golf and Skip Barber Racing School.

This is going to be something special.

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Empowering the Next Generation: The Impact of Youth Golf Programs on Shaping Future Golfing Stars

As we tee off into the 21st century, golf, the age-old sport of precision and patience, is witnessing a remarkable transformation.

Published

5 days ago

November 3, 2025

Robert Greenfield

The Rise of Youth Programs: Unleashing the Potential of Next-Gen Golfers

As we tee off into the 21st century, golf, the age-old sport of precision and patience, is witnessing a remarkable transformation. The sport, once considered a domain of the mature and affluent, is now attracting a younger demographic like never before. The driving force behind this shift? The rise of youth golf programs.

These youth-oriented initiatives are not only making golf more accessible to younger generations but are also nurturing the next wave of golf superstars. So, grab your clubs, and let’s explore how these programs are changing the face of golf and paving the way for next-gen golfers to take center stage.

The Emergence of Youth Golf Programs

In the past, golf was often perceived as a sport for the elite, with limited opportunities for young players to learn and develop their skills. However, the landscape has dramatically changed in recent years, thanks to the emergence of youth golf programs.

These programs are designed to introduce children and teenagers to the sport, provide them with necessary training, and help them develop their skills. From local clubs offering golf lessons for kids to national organizations like The First Tee and PGA Junior League, these initiatives are making golf more accessible to younger generations.

The Impact of Youth Programs on the Golf Industry

Youth golf programs have had a profound impact on the golf industry, contributing to its growth and diversification. Here’s how:

Increasing Participation: Youth programs have significantly boosted golf participation rates among young people. According to the National Golf Foundation, more than 2.5 million kids aged 6-17 played golf on a course in 2019, a 20% increase from 2011.
Creating Diversity: Youth programs are also making golf more diverse. They are reaching out to children from different socio-economic backgrounds, providing them with opportunities to learn and play golf.
Developing Talent: These programs are proving to be a breeding ground for future professionals. Young golfers like Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, and Lexi Thompson, who were part of youth programs, have gone on to make their mark in the professional arena.

How Youth Programs are Nurturing Next-Gen Golfers

Youth golf programs are making significant strides in nurturing the next generation of golfers. Here’s how:

Skill Development: These programs provide kids with comprehensive golf training, helping them develop technical skills like swing mechanics, putting, chipping, and bunker play. They also focus on strategic aspects like course management and decision making.
Character Building: Golf is not just about technique; it’s also about character. Youth programs emphasize life skills such as honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, and perseverance – values that are integral to golf and life in general.
Competitive Exposure: Youth programs also provide young golfers with competitive exposure through tournaments and leagues. This exposure helps them understand the competitive nature of the sport, learn to handle pressure, and develop a winning mentality.

The Bright Future of Youth Golf

The rise of youth golf programs has set the stage for a promising future. As more and more young people take up the sport, we can expect to see a new generation of golfers who are not only technically sound but also carry the values and spirit of the game.

Moreover, the increasing participation of young golfers is likely to infuse fresh energy and excitement into the sport, making it more appealing to spectators and sponsors alike.

In conclusion, the rise of youth golf programs is a game-changer. It’s not just about creating a new generation of golfers; it’s about shaping the future of golf itself. So, whether you’re a parent, a young golfer, or a golf enthusiast, it’s time to embrace these programs and support the next generation in their journey towards golfing excellence.

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Unveiling the Mystique: The Enigmatic World of Secret Golf Societies

The Secret Golf Societies: Uncovering the Game’s Hidden ClubsGolf, often viewed as a gentleman’s sport, has a fascinating and sometimes mysterious allure. Beyond the lush greens and meticulously maintained courses lie secret societies, cloaked in tradition and exclusivity. These hidden clubs, often within golf’s highest echelons, have a captivating allure, creating an enigma that both…

Published

1 week ago

October 29, 2025

Robert Greenfield

The Secret Golf Societies: Uncovering the Game’s Hidden Clubs

Golf, often viewed as a gentleman’s sport, has a fascinating and sometimes mysterious allure. Beyond the lush greens and meticulously maintained courses lie secret societies, cloaked in tradition and exclusivity. These hidden clubs, often within golf’s highest echelons, have a captivating allure, creating an enigma that both charms and perplexes the sport’s enthusiasts. So, let’s delve into the enticing world of secret golf societies and uncover the game’s concealed clubs.

The Intrigue of Secret Golf Societies

The allure of secret societies is not a new phenomenon. The idea of a select group, privy to certain exclusive information and practices, has fascinated people for centuries. In golf, this fascination extends to secret golf societies, clubs within clubs that only welcome the select few.

These secret societies often have their own rules, traditions, and rituals, all of which contribute to their mystique. They are not your regular golf clubs; they are societies that cherish tradition, exclusivity, and most importantly, the love for the game.

Unveiling the Augusta National Golf Club

Perhaps the most famous “secret” golf society is the Augusta National Golf Club. With its Magnolia Lane entrance and green jacket tradition, the Augusta National is more than just the home of The Masters. It’s a private club steeped in tradition, where membership is by invitation only.

The club was founded by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts in 1932. Its exclusivity is legendary; the membership list is kept secret, and it’s reported that there are less than 300 members at any one time. The club didn’t admit its first black member until 1990 or its first female member until 2012. While its historical policies have often been controversial, the Augusta National’s allure remains undiminished.

The Ancient and Royal Golf Club

In Scotland, the birthplace of golf, lies the Ancient and Royal Golf Club of St. Andrews. This club, founded in 1754, holds the distinction of being the oldest golf society in the world. The members of this club are known to play by the original 13 rules of golf, enhancing its historical appeal.

The Outpost Club

The Outpost Club is a more modern addition to the list of secret golf societies. Founded in 2011, it’s a national golf society based in the United States. They don’t own any golf courses; instead, they organize events at various courses around the country. Membership is by invitation only, and the club’s emphasis is on camaraderie and enjoying the game in its purest form.

The Seminole Pro-Member

Often considered one of America’s most exclusive golf societies, the Seminole Pro-Member is a yearly tournament that combines amateur golfers with professional players. The tournament, held at the Seminole Golf Club in Florida, is renowned for its exclusivity. The list of past participants reads like a who’s who of golf, including legends like Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer.

Why the Secrecy?

The question arises – why the secrecy? Why are these clubs so exclusive? The answer lies in the traditions of the game. Golf is a sport steeped in history and tradition. The exclusivity and secrecy of these societies preserve the traditions of the game, passing them on to future generations.

Moreover, the exclusivity also provides a unique golfing experience. The meticulously maintained courses, the camaraderie among members, and the opportunity to play the game in its purest form – these factors contribute to the allure of these secret societies.

In Conclusion

Secret golf societies, with their exclusivity and rich traditions, add a layer of intrigue to the game of golf. They preserve the sport’s history, uphold its traditions, and provide an unparalleled golfing experience. While they may be shrouded in mystery, their contribution to the game is undeniable. Whether it’s the Augusta National Golf Club, the Ancient and Royal Golf Club, or the Outpost Club, these societies embody the spirit of golf. They remind us that golf is more than just a sport. It’s a tradition, a lifestyle, and for many, a passion.