The exact origin of Golf is still being debated. But many agree that the game has its roots in Europe.
Some historians say that Golf originated from Roman game of Paganica, where players used a bent stick to hit a stuffed leather ball. The theory asserts that Paganica spread throughout Europe as the Romans conquered most of the continent, during the first century BC, and eventually evolved into the modern game.
Another early game that resembled modern golf was known as Cambuca in England and Chambot in France. The game was brought to Germany where it was called Pall-Mall (pronounced "pell mell").
Some observers, however, believe that golf originated from the game of Kolven (a game involving a ball and curved bats). Kolven game started in Loenen, Netherlands, in 1297 to commemorate the capture of the assassin of Floris V a year earlier.
Still, many believe that the modern game of Golf originated in Scotland, where the first written record of Golf is James II's banning of the game in 1457, as an unwelcome distraction to learning Archery.
Today, the sport's popularity continues to grow and with it, fans looking for exciting an exciting bet on Golf.
There are generally three ways to bet on Golf, these are:
Outright Golf Tournament Winner - a bet on which golfer will be the outright winner of a tournament (e.g. bet on this year's British Open winner).
Two or Three Balls - a bet on which golfer, between two or among three scheduled to play together, will shoot the lowest score for a particular round.
Props or Propositions - a is a bet made on the outcome of a Golf tournament or round, but which is not a typical part of the in-game betting. Proposition bets in Golf may include betting on who will be the leader after a round in a tournament, who will be the top European golfer for the year, the nationality of the winning golfer, etc.
In a bet on the outright winner of a Golf tournament, sports betting sites list the competing golfers with their corresponding odds, just like the following:
| Outright British Open Winner | |
|---|---|
| Rory McIlroy | 8/1 |
| Tiger Woods | 10/1 |
| Lee Westwood | 14/1 |
| Luke Donald | 14/1 |
| Martin Kaymer | 20/1 |
| Phil Mickelson | 25/1 |
| Sergio Garcia | 28/1 |
| Graeme McDowell | 33/1 |
| Adam Scott | 33/1 |
| Charl Schwartzel | 35/1 |
Let's say you placed a €10.00 bet on Rory McIlroy to win this year's British Open. If Rory McIlroy wins, at odds of 8/1, your bet wins €80.00 for a total payout of €90.00 (original bet plus winnings).
Sometimes, sports betting sites list only one golfer to go against The Field, like:
| Outright British Open Winner | |
|---|---|
| Rory McIlroy | 1/2 |
| The Field | 6/4 |
The Field, of course, represents all other golfers competing in the event.
Let's say you bet €10.00 on Rory McIlroy. If Rory McIlroy wins the event, at odds of 1/2, your €10.00 bet will win €5.00 for a total payout of €15.00.
In a Two Ball bet, betting sites list two competing golfers with their corresponding odds for a particular stage. Odds on a Two Ball Bet look like:| Player 1 | Player 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Rory McIlroy v Tiger Woods | 5/6 | 5/4 |
Let's say you placed a €20.00 bet on Tiger Woods. If Tiger Woods ends the round with a better score than Rory McIlroy, you win the bet. Your €20.00 bet, at odds of 5/4 will win €25.00 for a total payout of €45.00.
The peculiarity of the Two Ball bet is the Tie (whether the score of both golfers will be tied at the end of the round). Betting sites usually list this as:
| Player 1 | Tie | Player 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rory McIlroy v Tiger Woods | 5/6 | 15/2 | 5/4 |
Let's say you placed a €10.00 bet on the Tie and both Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods end the round with a tied score, you win the bet. Your €10.00 bet, at odds of 15/2 will win €75.00 for a total payout of €85.00.
A Three Ball bet is similar to a Two Ball bet, the difference is instead of picking between two golfers, you have to choose among three. Betting sites usually list a Three Ball bet as:
| Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rory McIlroy v Tiger Woods v Lee Westwood |
9/4 | 11/4 | 5/6 |
Let's say you placed a €20.00 bet on Lee Westwood. If Lee Westwood ends the round with a better score than Rory McIlroy or Tiger Woods, you win the bet. Your €20.00 bet, at odds of 5/6 will win €16.66 for a total payout of €36.66.
Props or Propositions bet can be a bet on anything related to the sport or tournament - who will be the leader after a round, who will be the top European golfer for the year, the nationality of the winning golfer. Odds for a Proposition Bet are usually listed like the odds for the outright winner.
A bet on Golf is certainly as profitable as any other sport bet. In fact many believe that it's easier to win bets in golf than any other sport since you only have to consider the golfer, the course and the weather for a particular tournament. This compared to team sports where aside from looking at outside factors, you have to carefully look at all participating players in the team to come out with a sound pick.
But just like any other sport, the fundamental part of winning a bet on Golf is gaining knowledge about the sport and its players. Meticulously looking at the odds to see which ones will return a solid profit.
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