A little known fact outside of the golfing world is that more than $10 Billion a year is gambled on golf right here in the United States alone. The only thing bigger is the Super Bowl and the Final Four combined!
This is what my golf lessons are all about – to teach you the different gambling games, the science of betting, strategy, hustling, attitude and more.
Hustling at golf is a lot easier than you think. Learning the games involved in any golf hustle or competition is well worth the few minutes it takes to go over the rules. Having the rules down before hand is key because if you are the expert and explainer of the rules, you’ll start the round with an edge.
This is what hustling golf is all about – betting with an edge. For fun and money, people who play golf like to make things interesting either by wagering money, a soft drink at the end of the round or just plain bragging rights and “pick-up sticks” or “sticks” is a great and fun game to play the next time you get out there on the course.
Sticks is a lot of fun and very entertaining. The game is played match play and for each hole a player loses, he takes one club in the winner’s bag out of play.
The loser of each hole also can reclaim a club taken out of his/her bag on previous holes. Decide beforehand if putters are in play or not. Usually, players agree to keep the putters out of it and leave them alone as they are integral to the game but including them does add to the fun.
Personally, putting with a wedge or a 2-Iron can be easy if you practice for just a few minutes before your next round so I suggest including the putter after just a few drills with your putting.
In fact, after breaking their putters during a round, Fuzzy Zoeller used his wedge and Ben Crenshaw used his 2-Iron on separate occasions. Therefore, if you practice with a 2-Iron or wedge and your opponent does not, you’ll be at a major advantage if you include the putter – again betting with an edge.
Time for a little golf hustle strategy – DO NOT immediately grab the driver from your opponent’s bag as most people do. It is the worst club to take away, period. Most players would actually do better without their driver, using their 3-Wood or 2-Iron to tee off with, leaving them 220 yards in the middle of the fairway instead of 260 yards deep into the rough.
If you know your opponent’s weaknesses before hand, you’ll be much better prepared to choose as you’ve already learned the lessons as to what to choose first.
The best club to take first is the sand wedge, hands down. A lot of players rely on the sand wedge for nearly every shot within 100 yards. It is nearly impossible to get up from any greenside bunkers without that club.
However, look to see if the player carries a lob wedge. If they do, grab that first and then the sand wedge. Clearly, if a player carries a lobber, they rely on that and that’s what The Golf Hustler is all about – betting with an edge.
Although a silly golf game for sure, this is an excellent game to start wagering for fun or profit for beginners. You’ll be forced to create shots, punching a 4-Iron to make it act like a 6-Iron or hitting a running hook to hit a 6-Iron as far as a 4-Iron, etc.
Either way, if you’re prepared, you’ll be in position to win a lot of money (or bragging rights).
Also, the opportunity for “proposition bets” is abundant. If you’ve won several holes in a row, make the bet that you can hit it closer to the pin with your 5-Iron from 60 yards out than your opponent who still has his lob wedge or anyplace else where you think you have an edge, or any similar shot – use your imagination!
As always, good luck, good hustling.
Freddy Kaboot