Latest Golf Odds

The popularity of betting on golf is rising across the US. Golf’s ascent as a betting vehicle is especially evident in live betting, which allows for betting on every hole — and on every shot.

There are live professional golf events you can bet on most of the year. Even during the winter, you can usually find some options for futures betting on golf tournaments set for after the snow thaws.

With the legalization of sports betting in the Hawkeye State, Iowans enjoy online betting on sports.

Here’s a comprehensive guide for how to bet on golf in Iowa. We will run through the different golf bets, where to find the best odds and bonuses and some tips to make your golf betting as smooth as Ernie Els’ swing.

Betting odds for next PGA Tour event

Check our real-time golf odds feed from Iowa online sportsbooks to see the latest odds for upcoming PGA Tour events and Majors. Use the drop-down menu to see the various odds boards, including To Win, Finish in Top 5/10/20/30/40, Leader after Round 1, etc.

Click on any odds to head straight to the sportsbook, claim your bonus (see under logo) and start making your bets. Below is a snapshot of the Top 20 on the odds board; to see the full list, check the main live odds board.

 

How to download an IA betting app and bet on golf

To start online golf betting in Iowa is mostly the same as in other legalized betting states:

1. Downloading

Downloading an Iowa sportsbook app follows mostly the same procedure as any other app. To be frank, Apple users will struggle to discern any difference.

For Apple users:

• Using your mobile device, click one of our links above. Make sure to note any bonus codes we have and be exact about spelling and capitalization.
• Choose the button with the Apple logo.
• You should now be on a familiar place. It should look the same as download pages for any other type of iOS app.
• Click “Get” to begin the download.

Android users, however, will need to work around Google’s ban on gambling apps in the Google Play Store:

• First, set your device to accept downloads from “unknown sources.” You can toggle this option in the security section of your device’s settings menu.
• Click one of our links above. Make sure to write down any bonus codes we have and be exact about spelling and capitalization.
• Click on the button with the Android logo. It should take you directly to the sportsbook’s site.
• Either you’ll be on the sportsbook’s download page, or the site itself will auto-prompt you to begin downloading the app. Make sure to start the process.
• The app should install (mostly) normally now. You may have a warning pop-up, but all the sites you see here are legal, regulated and safe, so don’t worry about confirming that you want to proceed.

2. Registration

Regardless of the type of mobile device you have, everything is the same from here. Look for a large button in the top-right corner of your app that prompts you to register, sign up, join or get started.

The button will take you to the registration section of the app. Enter your personal information in the blanks provided. If there is an optional space for a betting bonus code and you wrote one down, make sure to enter it here.

After that, you should be good to go. The app will either prompt you to make your first deposit or it will plop you into the lobby.

In play or live golf betting

Perhaps the biggest difference between retail and online sports betting is the advent of live betting. Live betting, or in game betting, allows you to wager on events as they are happening. Live betting options cause single golf tournaments to go from only one or two bet options to dozens.

The most common type of bet you will make on golf is a futures bet. In golf, there is no accrual of points, and the sheer number of competitors in the field means that creating a spread bet or moneyline is all but impossible.

However, live betting on golf is a bit different because tournament play is so episodic. Because there are gaps between play (i.e., each day of the tournament), non-live bets actually occur in the gaps between days.

What live betting adds to golf is a much more granular set of betting options. Instead of merely betting on the tournament’s eventual winner, you can wager on the outcome of individual holes or, in some cases, individual shots.

Even though golf’s pace is considerably slower than other sports, you will still need to use an online sportsbook to participate in live betting. Retail sportsbooks simply don’t have the facility to offer very much after the tournament is underway.

One thing to keep in mind is that the live odds on a golf tournament will change from hole to hole and round to round. Golfers must deal with quite a bit of variation in their results — even from day to day. Simple things like hole placement and changes in weather can have a profound effect on results — and that’s before we consider that some days you simply feel better (or worse).

Golf betting offers, free bets and odds boosts

Although golf is usually never the top of the heap for a sportsbook’s priorities, you can still find promotions, bonuses and odds boosts for the tournaments in progress.

One of the easiest promotions that a sportsbook in Iowa may offer on golf is an odds boost. Odds boosts are adjustments that the sportsbooks make to existing odds in order to offer a bigger payout for the same bet. Needless to say, the book hopes that making the payout more attractive will inspire more wagering.

Since the primary bet for golf is the moneyline bet, i.e., who will win the tournament, it’s easy enough to boost the payout for a particular player to win or finish in the top tier of players. You may see something like this:

To finish in the top 20

• Brooks Koepka  -125  +100

All of a sudden, this bet might seem quite attractive. Instead of requiring you to lay money (pay $125 to win $100) on Koepka, the book is now offering even odds. If Koepka is already in the top 20 (or 10) of the tournament, this one is a no-brainer.

You could also see bonuses designed as (more or less) throwaway bonuses to get you playing on the site. One sportsbook offered new customers the opportunity to receive $100 in free bets. All they had to do was make a $1 moneyline bet on any golfer during the Masters. Then, the only requirement to receive the bonus was that somebody, not even the wagered golfer, makes a birdie.

Again, a promo like that is a no-brainer, even if you’re not planning on staying with the sportsbook offering it. The thing to do is to remain alert when the PGA Tour is in season — particularly if one of the four majors is on tap.

How to bet on golf’s major tournaments

Obviously, the four majors in golf are the most-watched tournaments each year. Unsurprisingly, they are also the most-wagered.

To refresh your memory, there are four tournaments designated as the most prestigious in all of golf. To win one of these events usually cements a golfer in the history books. We often measure careers, in part, by how many majors a golfer has won. The four majors in golf are:

1. Masters
2. US Open
3. Open Championship (aka the British Open
4. PGA Championship

The pandemic of 2020 created unique situations for all these tournaments. The British Open was canceled, which had not happened since World War II. All three of the other events were delayed and took place without spectators.

Needless to say, hopes are high that things will return to normal in 2021.

Bet on the Masters

Of the four majors, the Masters is the most prestigious. It is also the best-known golf tournament in the world. Its exclusivity, traditions and natural beauty place it above any other event.

The Masters is also the only one of the four majors to be played at the same place each year — Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. Only about 100 players are invited to play in the tournament each year.

The 2021 Masters is set to return the tournament to its traditional schedule in the first week of April. Here are the relevant details:

• Dates: April 8-11, 2021
• Location: Augusta National Golf Course, Augusta, GA
• Prize Pool: $11,500,000
• Incumbent Champion: Dustin Johnson

Outlook

2020 was a banner year for Dustin Johnson and saw him win three tournaments, including the Masters. He also had several other high finishes, including the runner-up position at the 2020 PGA Championship. There is no reason to assume that he will fall out of his top form before April 2021 rolls around. It would be foolish to think that he could not repeat his win.

Other possible contenders for the green jacket include Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and Collin Morikawa. All five are bright young stars on the PGA Tour and could easily put together a winning performance at Augusta in 2021.

Lastly, though he’s not a favorite, you cannot ever count out Tiger Woods to put on a throwback performance as he did in 2019. His win proved that even after the numerous injuries and personal battles, the world’s most famous golfer can still play at an elite level — even if he shot a 10 on the par-3 12th at the most recent Masters.

The US Open

The US Open is notable for a couple of reasons. For one thing, it welcomes both professionals and amateurs, provided that the amateurs maintain a handicap of 1.4 or better. Players can join the field either by being exempt (by virtue of various championships or designations) or by qualifying through specified tournaments. One hundred and fifty-six players compete in the US Open each year.

The tournament is also known for its inhospitable course conditions. The courses are long and often engineered with tight fairways, extremely thick rough and tremendously sloping greens. As a result, it is not uncommon for winning scores to be at or over par. In the 2010s alone, +1 was a winning score three times.

The US Open is typically the third major to occur and usually takes place in mid-June. Though the 2020 event occurred in September, the 2021 event is set to return to its normal slot:

• Dates: June 17-20, 2021
• Location: Torrey Pines Golf Course, La Jolla, CA
• Prize Pool: $12,500,000
• Incumbent Champion: Bryson DeChambeau

Outlook

Bryson DeChambeau signaled his readiness for prime time with his 2020 win at Winged Foot. The long bomber should have similar success at Torrey Pines, which is probably more suited to his game than Winged Foot was. He will also have the confidence and inspiration of a current champion defending his crown.

Of course, the other top golfers in the world will have something to say about DeChambeau’s dreams of a repeat. Notably, Dustin Johnson looks to continue playing golf better than just about anybody in the world right now. Other challengers for the US Open should be familiar faces, like Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka and Jon Rahm. We would also be remiss if we didn’t mention Xander Schauffele as a potential contender, as he has shown a particular affinity for the US Open in the past.

The Open Championship

The Open Championship, or British Open, has many attributes to distinguish it from the other three majors. Obviously, the biggest one is its location — it is the only major not to be played in the US. It is also the oldest of the four, having held its first event in 1860. The Open Championship is the only major administered by The R&A, which is the governing body for all golf not inside the US or Mexico.

The Open is always played on a links-style course along the coast of either Scotland, England or Northern Ireland. The chosen courses are often some of the oldest in existence, including St. Andrews — the reputed birthplace of golf. If any achievement challenges a Masters’ win for prestige, it is a victory at St. Andrews in the Open.

The Open is the latest-played of the four events and usually takes place in the latter half of July. As implied by its “open” name, both professionals and amateurs can participate. However, like its US counterpart, most of the competitors are invited to play, and there are strict entrance requirements. The Open Championship was the only major not to occur in 2020, so the 2021 event is certain to bear special significance.

• Dates: July 15-18, 2021
• Location: Royal St. George’s Golf Club, Sandwich, Kent, United Kingdom
• Prize Pool: $10,750,000
• Incumbent Champion: Shane Lowry (2019)

Outlook

One truth about the Open Championship is that its eventual winner is a bit harder to predict. The influx of talent from the European Tour means that players who are not as prominent in the public eye can rise to the top. In the last 10 years alone, champions have come from six countries.

So, while it’s tempting to say that Dustin Johnson’s reign will continue at Royal St. George’s, the fact is that DJ will have to succeed against different players on a different style of course than he typically plays. That doesn’t mean that he cannot do it, but there will be some stiff competition.

Other notable names that are likely to challenge Johnson and the rest of the world’s best are Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm. McIlroy already has an Open Championship win under his belt and is certainly no stranger to playing in the UK. Rahm is always strong and is still looking for a breakthrough tournament, and this one could have the magic for “Rahmbo.”

The PGA Championship

The PGA Championship is the fourth golf major and is likely the least-known of the four. Although it bears a large purse and exemptions to the other majors, it often seems to be a bit of an afterthought in terms of a golfer’s legacy.

Part of the tourney’s obscurity may stem from the fact that it is the only major to exclude amateur entries. Two of the other majors are open tournaments and have pathways for amateurs of all stripes to enter, and the Masters commonly invites six top amateur champions to compete for the Silver Cup, a trophy awarded to the lowest-scoring amateur of the tournament.

The PGA Championship’s dark horse status could have also been partially attributed to its up-until-recent position in the calendar year. Until 2019, it occurred in mid-August as the last of the four majors. Now, the tournament has been moved to late May, but the 2020 pandemic pushed that year’s event to early August. So the 2021 event will be only the second to occur in the PGA’s new time slot — presumably.

• Dates: May 20-23, 2021
• Location: Kiawah Island Golf Resort, Kiawah Island, SC
• Prize Pool: $11,000,000
• Incumbent Champion: Collin Morikawa

Outlook

There is no doubt that Collin Morikawa could successfully defend his PGA Championship from 2020 at Kiawah Island. Morikawa is one of the 10 best golfers in the world and has the champion aura surrounding him.

However, Morikawa secured his 2020 victory, in part, by putting together the greatest final 36 holes in PGA Championship history. If a repeat requires him to shoot 65-64 on the weekend again, it might prove quite difficult to claim the title once more.

To be honest, even a repeat performance might not be enough, given the way that Dustin Johnson is playing right now. There is no finer golfer in the world at the present time than DJ, and he could easily zoom into South Carolina with a new green jacket from the Masters to boot (figuratively — green jackets never leave Augusta National).

There will also be some noise from the other top 10 golfers like Rahm, McIlroy, Thomas and DeChambeau. Any one of those guys could put together a winning set of rounds on Kiawah Island.

Golf betting tips for each major

Obviously, it’s easy enough to pick one of the players mentioned above as your “horse” and bet on that player to win each major outright. There would be nothing suspect about, say, placing single bets on Dustin Johnson each time, at least on its face.

However, golf is a game of nuance, and our betting should reflect that. With that in mind, you must understand some of the key indicators of success for each event.

Betting the Masters

The site of the Masters, Augusta National Golf Course, is one of the most celebrated golf courses in the world for its lush, rolling green grass and beautiful azaleas. However, from a golfer’s point of view, it has its own charms and challenges.

Until the end of the 20th century, Augusta’s fairways were known as being fairly wide, inviting and receptive to creative play. However, course designers have attempted to keep up with the increasing length that modern golfers possess by planting extra trees to narrow the fairways and a second cut of thicker rough.

What hasn’t changed is Augusta National’s famously undulating greens that can repel wavering approach shots. Even a normally well-placed iron into one of the dance floors might end up rolling into the first cut.

So, when you’re looking for players to back for the Masters, favor driving accuracy and short game over the length off the tee. Bombing it from the tips is great, but dragons are lurking off either side of the fairway, and top golfers need a soft touch on their second and third shots to get up and down.

Betting the US Open

The US Open is traditionally the most difficult major to play, and the 2021 event figures to be no exception to that. Armed with 2019 renovations, the South Course at Torrey Pines will demand both length and accuracy from its competitors.

To start with, this year’s US Open figures to be the longest of the four majors. In some configurations, the South Course can stretch to 7,800 yards.

Of course, since it’s the US Open, players will also have to be mindful of the heavy cuts of rough. Torrey Pines is a links course, so players can expect varying wind conditions, too. The club website even mentions the sight of hang gliders and paragliders off its cliffs as possible distractions.

Naturally, you’re going to want to back the most complete golfers in the field. Any glaring deficiencies in games will be discovered at Torrey Pines, so look for players who rank at the top of the lists.

You should probably also favor those with championship wins and experience under their belts. Because the course conditions are so hostile, it will take a mentally tough player — one who can handle the inevitable setbacks during the four rounds — to come out on top.

Betting the Open Championship

The Open Championship always comes with its own set of challenges. Notably, as every version of the tournament must occur on a links course, there are always issues with variable weather and wind conditions. Perhaps used to golf as a spring or summer game temperature-wise, American players might find themselves shivering through 72 holes in the UK.

The venue for the 2021 Open Championship, Royal St. George’s Golf Club, comes with its own set of challenges. In fact, the course fell out of favor due to its many blind and semi-blind shots. It has been ten years (2011) since Royal St. George’s has hosted the British Open.

It is also the shortest of the four majors this year and is a true links course. There are few trees and water hazards, but the roll of the hills and wind from the sea more than make up for it.

So, for betting, you might not want to back a long bomber. A more cautious approach, with a willingness to leave the driver in the bag off the tee from time to time, is more likely to be successful. You should also look for someone with a strong short game, as links greens are notoriously quick and could see balls scampering farther than they normally would.

Betting the PGA Championship

American golf courses are always a mixed bag, even at the championship level. The 2021 PGA Championship is no exception, as its venue — the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort — will lend a decidedly British feel to playing due to its status as a links course.

To be fair, the Ocean Course is more than 600 yards longer than its British Open counterpart, Royal St. George’s. So, in addition to all of the challenges that golfers face with a links course, they will have to navigate a longer set of holes.

The most glaring difficulty on the Ocean Course is its variable wind, however. The approachability of playing 18 at Kiawah Island is directly affected by how much breeze is blowing in from the Atlantic Ocean. It also features holes that slope dramatically, as befitting a links course.

Because of its unpredictability and length, the Ocean Course enjoys some of the highest course and slope ratings in the US. According to the course’s website, there can be as much as an eight-club difference from round to round due to the wind.

So, the golfer(s) who find success here are likely to be long-but-accurate hitters. You’re going to need the right combination of distance and accuracy to stay in the fairways.

In addition, you might want to look for golfers with extensive experience with links golf, like Rory McIlroy, who won the PGA Championship in 2012, the last time it was on the Ocean Course. The winds at Kiawah Island can make the course nigh-unplayable, but with a little luck, the bombers might be able to do some damage.

Golf betting odds explained

Few sports are more conducive to betting than golf. The sport seems to bring out the bravado in many players, even if they are not very good. Heck, there’s even an entire type of golf match based on gambling.

The kind of betting that we’re describing, however, is not that. You are unlikely to mistake betting on golf in a sportsbook for the betting that you do with your friends as you approach the tee. Those bets could be considered props, but it’s generally not the same.

Instead, golf betting is much more similar to handicapping in horse racing than anything else. You study the different elements — the players, the course, the recent history — and pick a “horse” to back. Most golf bets have this intrinsic infrastructure underlying them, even if the terms of the bet stray a bit from the concept.

For those who may have only bet on golf when beers at the clubhouse were on the line, here are some of the common types of golf bets you’ll encounter at Iowa sportsbooks:

• To Win: This bet is the simplest for golf bettors and is plain to understand. You are placing a futures bet on the player you think will win the tournament. However, those golf odds can change between rounds, so you might be able to find some opportunities as the leaderboard begins to take shape.
• Versus the Field: A bet of this type is more of an either-or proposition. A player or players will be pitted against a larger group of players or the entire field, and you can bet whether the player(s) will prevail.
• Head to Head: If you’re looking for a bet that is more like a moneyline, the head-to-head bet might be the thing for you. Two golfers are pitted against each other, and the sportsbook offers odds about which player will have the lower score.
• Each Way: The each-way bet is a “to win” wager, but with more places involved. You can bet whether the golfer will place in the top three, top five or top 10.
• First Round Leader: This wager is simple. You have the entire field in front of you, and nobody’s played yet, so you don’t know how everyone feels this week. You then pick which player will have the low round on Thursday.
• Group Matchups: This type of bet is similar to a head to head, but with more players on both sides. Instead of wagering on the outcome between two players, you can bet on three or four who, all things considered, are about equal in skill level.
• Nationality: Golf, like soccer, has a strong country-of-origin component. Both the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup place golfers of different nationalities against one another, and there’s always an argument about which country produces the best players. So, for a tournament, you can bet on which country the winner will be from or bet on which player will be the best of his countrymen.

How to bet on The Match: Champions for Charity

One thing that you may overlook when you’re watching professional golfers is that, by and large, they are just guys playing golf. They get competitive, they talk trash, they get angry and they like to make bets with one another. They’re simply better at playing golf than everybody else.

Thus, the concept for The Match was born. Two of the most famous golfers ever to play the game, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, would go head-to-head with each other in a match play event for $9 million. The Match, which ended up taking place on Nov. 23, 2018, at Las Vegas’ Shadow Creek Golf Course, also allowed the two players to make side bets with each other and featured trash talking between the two golf greats.

Needless to say, the show was a tremendous success. Mickelson ended up winning after 22 holes of play, and the two bet nearly $2 million in side bets out of their own pockets.

Since then, The Match has returned each year (in 2019 and 2020) and has expanded to allow non-professional golfers to compete. Mickelson has played all three events, and has partnered with Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and NBA great Charles Barkley in 2019 and 2020. Woods competed in the 2019 event with NFL legend Peyton Manning, who, in turn, partnered with NBA superstar Stephen Curry to take on Mickelson and Barkley.

Based on some Twitter exchanges between golfer Justin Thomas and Barkley, a fourth incarnation of the event seems more likely than not. Mickelson is still interested, and the rumor is that Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes would be the fourth.

If and when the 2021 version of The Match takes place, there will undoubtedly be betting options on Iowa sportsbooks. In addition to the standard golf bets that you’ll be able to make on the duos — to win, group matchups, etc. — you’ll probably be able to join in on the side bets that the golfers propose as live bets. It will allow you to experience a sporting event at a closer level than is usually possible.

How to bet on the Ryder Cup/Presidents Cup

The Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup are basically the same tournament. In both biennial events, a team of golfers from the US competes against a team of players from other countries. The Ryder Cup involves European players, and the Presidents Cup is for everyone else.

The next of these events to occur will be the 2021 Ryder Cup. This tournament was originally scheduled for 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic caused a year’s postponement and pushed the Presidents Cup back into even years. The two events previously switched in 2001 as a result of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The 2021 event is scheduled to take place on Sept. 24-26 at Whistling Straits Golf Course in Wisconsin. The European team currently holds the cup after its convincing seven-point victory in 2018.

Neither of these events has a winner in the traditional sense, so group matchup and head-to-head bets will rule the day when September 2021 rolls around. You’ll also have the ability to place live bets on individual holes during play.

Betting on other PGA events/other tours

Betting on golf is not confined to the four majors or, for that matter, the PGA itself. Along with the PGA, you can also bet on tours around the world and, occasionally, a prominent lower-tiered tour here in the US.

Other PGA events

First, let’s talk about the PGA Tour itself. Each season, the tour plays host to between 20 and 30 tournaments, depending on the weather. Obviously, the four majors are the biggest deal, but not all other PGA events are considered equal, either. Here are the bigger PGA Tour non-major events that you might want to consider:

• The FedExCup Playoffs: This entry is a three-tournament series where the fields are cut each time. The top 125 golfers in the FedEx Cup points standings will meet for The Northern Trust at Liberty National Golf Course in New Jersey in 2021. The top 70 finishers for that tournament will move to the BMW Championship at Olympia Fields Golf Course in Illinois. From there, the top 30 golfers will meet for the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Georgia. The winner of that tournament will take home the FedExCup and a $15 million payout.
• The Players Championship: The Players Championship is sometimes called the “fifth major” because of its prize pool and its famous course. Top players on the PGA Tour meet to battle for a share of $15 million at TPC Sawgrass, one of the most famous courses on tour.
• The Waste Management Phoenix Open: This event’s ascension as one of the premier tournaments on tour is nothing short of remarkable. Its garbage collector sponsor is not glamorous, and although TPC Scottsdale has a certain rugged charm, it is far from the lush green and rolling hills most golf fans prefer. However, the Phoenix Open has become one of the most famous tournaments because of the unmatched raucousness of its spectators. There may be no louder hole on tour than the 16th at this tournament, which features a completely enclosed par 3 with a grandstand surrounding it.

Other tours

Along with the PGA, there are several other prominent tours around the world. None is more prestigious than the European Tour, which features players on par with or exceeding the PGA.

The US is also home to the LPGA, the PGA for women. It represents the highest level of play for female golfers.

In addition, golfers over the age of 50 become eligible to compete on the PGA Champions Tour. This tour offers a chance to see past superstars who are, even in advanced age, better golfers than most of us will ever dream of being.

The PGA also maintains a relationship with the Korn Ferry Tour. It is a developmental tour that serves as a training ground for aspiring PGA Tour pros, and it has previously been known as the Web.com Tour, the Nationwide Tour, the Buy.com Tour, the Nike Tour and the Ben Hogan Tour. Korn Ferry Tour alums who have gone on to have successful careers include former World No. 1 Tom Lehman, Masters winner Zach Johnson and up-and-coming star Im Sung-jae.

Other professional tours around the world include:

• Asian Tour
• Japan Golf Tour
• Korean Tour
• PGA Tour Canada
• PGA Tour China
• PGA Tour Latinoamérica
• PGA Tour of Australasia
• Professional Golf Tour of India
• Sunshine Tour
• ALPG Tour
• Ladies Asian Golf Tour
• Ladies European Tour
• LPGA of Japan Tour
• LPGA of Korea Tour

Not all of these tours will have events that appear on Iowa betting boards. However, it’s good to have an idea about what you’re seeing if you see them mentioned.

Nearest PGA Tour events to Iowa

Unfortunately, Iowa is not home to any upcoming PGA Tour events in 2021. Although there are some wonderful courses in the Hawkeye State, none of them currently hosts any of the big professional events.

The nearest PGA Tour stop to Iowa is certainly the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, IL. Silvis is a suburb of Moline, IL, and is across the border from Davenport, IA. Davenport and Bettendorf residents have only fifteen miles across the Mississippi separating them from some of the world’s best golfers. Illinois has sports betting, too, so you might be able to make your bets all the same.

The next big-time event in or around Iowa is a PGA Champions Tour stop. The Principal Charity Classic will occur between May 31 and June 6 in Des Moines. The Wakonda Club will play host to the 50+ event.

You can also watch the US Senior Open Championship on July 5-11 if you feel like driving to Omaha, Nebraska. The Omaha Country Club is about a two-hour drive from Des Moines, so it’s doable, if not a hop, skip and a jump.

Best PGA golfers from Iowa

Iowa is not a particular hotbed for golfers, but there have been a few notables who have come from the Hawkeye State.

The most famous Iowa golfer has to be Zach Johnson. The Iowa City native and Cedar Rapids product has cemented his place in golf history with two major championships. He won the 2007 Masters and the 2015 Open Championship. The two wins are among 12 PGA Tour victories that he has to his name.

Another Iowa native on the PGA Tour is Troy Merritt. Although he was not raised in Iowa, he was born in Osage in 1985. Merritt has had two PGA Tour wins so far and, at age 35, still has plenty of time to put more on his resume.

Other Iowa golfers who have won PGA Tour events include:

• Tom Purtzer (5)
• Jack Fleck (3, including the 1955 US Open)
• Jack Rule, Jr. (2)
• Judy Kimball (the 1962 LPGA Championship)
• Steve Spray (1)
• Barb Whitehead (1)

Betting on the LPGA

As mentioned earlier, you will have opportunities to bet on LPGA events, too. This tour represents the pinnacle for female golfers and is the counterpart to the PGA itself.

Although LPGA tournaments are not usually as widely known or publicized as their male counterparts, many Iowa sportsbooks will still offer action on them. For certain, the five LPGA majors will be on the slate. They are:

• ANA Inspiration
• The Evian Championship
• US Women’s Open
• Women’s British Open
• Women’s PGA Championship

Top golf betting tips for beginners

Since sports betting in general is still fairly new in many states, it’s likely that there are still quite a few who are not comfortable with it. Each sport has its own quirks, and golf is no different. Here are a few tips to help you get started with betting on golf.

1. Know the tournament and its course. Every single tournament on tour is different. They have different conditions and different difficulties, and course managers never stop revamping them every few years. All players are not going to find an event a fit for their abilities, no matter how good they are. Study the tournament and its course, and try to arrive at a conclusion about the type of player most likely to find success there.
2. Know the players in their current form. Although every professional athlete goes through ups and downs, few suffer more volatility than PGA golfers. For instance, Jordan Spieth had an all-time great season in 2015, winning five tournaments, including the Masters. He was considered the world’s best golfer four separate times for a total of 26 weeks. Five years later, at an age when he should be reaching his peak (27), Spieth is 78th in the world and hasn’t won an event since July 2017. All that is to say that you need to consider golfers in their present incarnation, not by reputation. The list of those in top form can change from year to year or even month to month.
3. Predicting a major is probably easier than the lower events. Trying to pick out which golfer(s) will win a tournament is difficult. The fields are large, and most golfers in the PGA have the ability to catch fire and put together four sparkling rounds. However, major tournaments are probably a bit easier to bet because you can dismiss a portion of the field. Of the reigning major champions, only one of them was not a top 10 golfer (Shane Lowry, at 33rd). That’s not to say that only the best can win majors, but generally speaking, the cream of the crop (at that moment in time) tends to rise for the big events.
4. Betting the favorites is OK, but betting value picks is better. Right now, there is no better golfer in the world than Dustin Johnson. Accordingly, sportsbooks have him as the favorite to win each of the four majors in 2021. Putting all your money on DJ for each event is probably all right, but it’s not always optimal. The better idea is to look for golfers who are undervalued by the oddsmakers. For instance, Viktor Hovland is currently the 14th-best golfer in the world, according to the most recent Official World Golf Ranking. However, DraftKings has him as a 50/1 underdog to win the 2021 Masters. Maybe there’s more nuance to the oddsmaking, but it sure seems like a golfer who is one of the 15 best in the world has a better chance than 50/1 against. So, even though you won’t win as often as you might (repeat: might) betting on the favorites, you’ll get much better payouts for the times that you are right.

Why bet on golf over other sports?

Though golf has its moments, it is not the cavalcade of sports action that you’ll find with basketball or football. So you may be wondering why you’d bet on golf tournaments when there’s so much more opportunity and excitement elsewhere.

• You should bet on golf because it’s not popular. More popular sports draw more attention from oddsmakers and sharp bettors. The lines and opportunities that you see for, say, an NFL game have already been heavily analyzed, scrutinized, adjusted and pounded to their natural spots by the big money. By contrast, a lower-tier PGA event or lower tour event is unlikely to have gotten the full measure from either group. Both mistakes and inaccuracies in line setting are more likely, and those are the best place to find value for your money.
• The slower pace means more time for decisions. An average hole on the PGA takes 10 minutes to complete, and an entire round takes the pros roughly three and a half to four hours to finish. There are also hours between rounds. As a result, you will have plenty of time to do your homework and make your choices. Even live betting, though a quick spot, will be more deliberate than live betting options on other sports.
• The margins of victory are so small that there are rarely “bad” choices to win, especially in later rounds. The 13 events that have taken place in the latter portion of 2020 have featured margins of victory of 3, 2, 6, 1, 1, 0 (Playoff), 2, 1, 0 (Playoff), 2, 5, 0 (Playoff) and 1. Oddly, only the two majors (the US Open and Masters) featured dominant wins by their eventual champions. You should be as smart and educated as possible before you bet, but even lower-ranked PGA golfers can wake up as Jack Nicklaus on a given week.