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Masters Betting: Drive for Show, Putt for Dough

Published

2 weeks ago

April 10, 2025

The phrase “drive for show, putt for dough” is a long-standing mantra in golf that emphasises the importance of putting over driving – specifically driving distance – in winning golf tournaments. But is it true?

While the saying has a clear implication, modern data from professional golf paints a more complex picture. Using the Shots Gained (SG) metric we can compare different parts of a player’s game to see if there really is a formula for winning.

Driving test

Using shot data gained from datagolf.com we can compare the top players in the world (according to the Official World Golf Ranking) over the last 12 months.

Comparing “shots gained off the tee” with “shots gained putting” seems to turn the myth on its head – the top players gain a higher proportion of their shots off the tee than from putting. For players ranked in the Top 10, nearly 0.8 shots are gained from driving as opposed to around 0.3 for putting. Whilst the differential narrows as the players’ ranking decreases, for players ranked 90 – 100, driving still gains more than 0.2 shots more putting.

This ability to reliably gain strokes through driving gives top pros an edge, setting them up for better scoring opportunities throughout a tournament. Over a whole season, this advantage compounds and allows them to stay at the top of the leaderboards.

The long and the short

However, since “shots gained off the tee” includes par 4 and 5s, the metric is not necessarily just a measure of the importance of driving distance, but also a measure of accuracy. So, whilst driving matters, is it the distance or the trajectory that is most advantageous for winning tournaments?

Again, using the top ranked players, it appears that distance stands out as a key factor for success, with Top 10 players on average gaining nearly 10 yards per drive compared with those outside the Top 100 throughout the year. This extra yardage translates into shorter approaches and better chances to attack pins throughout the season.

These findings are corroborated by Mark Broadie in his 2014 book Every Shot Counts, where he shows that for professionals, an extra 20 yards of driving distance is worth about three-quarters of a stroke per round. Relatively speaking, for the rest of us amateur golfers, driving distance becomes even more important for scoring than driving accuracy.

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Putt to the test

While driving distance provides the groundwork for long term success – and is a characteristic that all the Top 10 players seemingly must possess – it doesn’t necessarily “bust the myth” that putting is more important for winning tournaments. Indeed, looking more deeply into the metrics for the outcome of individual tournaments uncovers the fact that putting becomes more instrumental for who comes out on top.

If we look instead at the finish positions in PGA events over the last 12 months, rather than the World Ranking, putting comes to the fore. For players finishing first, putting gained an average of 1.2 shots versus a gain of 0.7 for driving. Even for players finishing 30^th – 35^th, putting is worth more than 0.4 of a shot on average compared to driving. The fact that top finishers in a given event typically post higher gains from putting rather than from driving underscores the vital role of putting during tournament play where players have to capitalize on scoring opportunities and avoid mistakes on the green to win.

The outcome

Fundamentally the relationship between driving and putting reveals a balanced formula for success. Driving creates opportunities and contributes to consistency while putting often decides who makes the best of those opportunities and ultimately wins on a given weekend. In a game of ever-increasing competition and precision, power and finesse must work together to elevate players to the pinnacle of the sport.

With all the attention on these extremes of golf, other aspects are often overlooked. Completing the same analyses and including shots gained for “approach” and “around the green” makes it clear that there is one area that consistently contributes to wins and ranking, making it arguably the most important aspect of a players golf game.

Latest News

Olympia Gaming Launches Mobile Apps, LB Rewards and CF Rewards

Published

4 days ago

April 17, 2025

Adrienn Sarkany

Olympia Gaming, the developer of Casino Fandango in Carson City, NV and Legends Bay Casino in Sparks, NV and Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) today announced the rollout of mobile apps, LB Rewards and CF Rewards. With this launch, Olympia Gaming becomes the first operator in Northern Nevada to deliver the QCI Player App, setting a new regional standard for real-time, mobile guest engagement.

Current Features (Now Available):

Player Account Information – live tier status, point balance, free play, and comp dollars
Offer Listing – view of current and upcoming offers including free play, dining and hotel
Secure Tax Forms – digital retrieval of win/loss statements and tax documentations
Push Notifications & Event Alerts – real-time updates tailored to guest preferences

Future Features (Coming Soon):

Entertainment & Special Event Schedule – full calendar of concerts and events
Host Chat & Service Requests – direct, secure messaging for concierge-level support
Interactive Property Navigation – maps, parking guidance, and way-finding tools
Interactive Prizes – in-app rewards that are redeemable at either casino

“Launching the QCI Player App is a milestone for both Casino Fandango and Legends Bay Casino,” said DeCourcy Graham, Chief Operating Officer at Olympia Gaming. “Our guests can now see their rewards, view exclusive offers, and even access tax forms—all from their mobile device, furthering the value of our rewards program. We are thrilled to pioneer this technology in Northern Nevada and elevate the guest experience across our properties.”

With a combined focus on value and exceeding guest expectations, Olympia Gaming and QCI’s collaboration is delivering on a promise to set a new industry standard, offering capabilities that surpass current market offerings.

“Olympia Gaming challenged us to create an app that goes beyond basic account lookup and truly empowers the player,” said Dr. Ralph Thomas, Chief Executive Officer at QCI. “This successful launch reflects a close collaboration between the Olympia team and QCI, and we are excited to see the QCI Player App drive deeper engagement and new revenue opportunities for both properties.”

The LB Rewards and CF Rewards mobile apps are now available for download on Apple IOS and Google Play store.

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NH Players Wager $20M on March Madness

Published

4 days ago

April 17, 2025

Niji Narayan

New Hampshire Lottery enthusiasts wagered over $20 million on the NCAA basketball tournaments, experiencing a more than 10% increase in wagering from the previous year. Florida secured the men’s championship, while UConn emerged victorious on the women’s side.

Charlie McIntyre, Executive Director of New Hampshire Lottery, said: “What an incredible month of college hoops! We love seeing our players getting in on the sports betting action! Sports betting just adds a little extra excitement to the sports viewing experience, especially during March Madness when there are dozens of games throughout the month—not to mention an expanding variety of ways to bet.”

McIntyre highlighted March Madness as a significant period for sports betting, contributing notably to funding New Hampshire’s public education. Alongside the excitement of March Madness, anticipation is building for the NHL and NBA Playoffs.

During the pre-tournament phase, local gamblers heavily backed Duke for the men’s category and strongly supported UConn for the women’s, with UConn delivering a favorable outcome. Conversely, Florida’s triumph in the men’s championship surprised many, as only 15% had initially placed their hopes on the team. However, by the championship game against Houston, two-thirds of bettors picked Florida, redeeming many bracket predictions.

Since its inception on December 30, 2019, mobile sports betting in New Hampshire has generated over $3.5 billion, benefiting public education by more than $140 million. Residents can place bets via the DraftKings Sportsbook app, available on iOS and Android, or online at Sportsbook.DraftKings.com. Responsible gaming is emphasized, with tools like My Stats Sheet, limit setting, cooling-off periods, and self-exclusion options available on the app.

Canada

Northern Super League Partners with Stats Perform

Published

4 days ago

April 17, 2025

Niji Narayan

Stats Perform, the global leader in sports AI, data and technology, has announced an official data partnership with the Northern Super League (NSL). The partnership will allow world-leading Opta data to be collected live from every NSL league game for the next three years.

Beginning this month, the Northern Super League (NSL) establishes a new era in Canadian sport as the country’s first professional domestic women’s soccer league — an ambitious and transformative initiative co-founded by former Canadian international and Olympic medallist Diana Matheson. Its inaugural season kicks off on April 16 and will feature six teams who have assembled multinational player rosters with extensive club and international experience, including 100-cap Canadian internationals Desiree Scott and Quinn.

Once the action begins, detailed data from every on-ball event, including advanced AI-powered Opta Analytics metrics such as Expected Goals (xG) and Expected Assists (xA), will be captured and distributed via feeds and Stats Perform products, including OptaAI Studio. This will enable various broadcasters, publishers and rights holders to generate stories and insights throughout the NSL season and provide them straight to the league’s fans in real time.

As part of the agreement, the NSL’s League Office and every NSL club will also have access to Opta Search, part of OptaAI Studio. This will allow their content creators to leverage all Opta data collected during the NSL season in the creation of data-led stories on the stand-out performers, and will help them generate key talking points for publication on official league and club platforms. Opta Search will also empower the NSL’s media team to create a range of data visualizations, including player shot maps and touch maps, to visually illustrate the impact of different players’ on-field performances.

Christina Litz, NSL President, said: “We are thrilled to have Stats Perform on board as our official data partner. When we talk about detailed performance data in soccer, Opta is the gold standard, so we are delighted to have it powering each of our official digital channels. As the season progresses, we want to put the spotlight on all the on-field heroes who emerge and having access to world-class data will help us tell their stories and inspire a new generation of Canadian soccer fans.”

Steve Xeller, Chief Revenue Officer at Stats Perform, said: “Stats Perform has been a huge supporter of expansion leagues around the world, so we are very pleased to be partnering with NSL in the lead-up to their first domestic campaign. Seeing a fully professional women’s soccer league launch in Canada is an incredibly exciting development for the sport in North America and we see considerable potential in working proactively with the League’s Head Office to help the competition grow, using the power of AI and data-led storytelling to build fan communities across the continent.”