Golf may be the most bettable sport on earth. A tournament runs for four days, the field is often well over a hundred players, and the leaderboard changes with every gust of wind. Add a dress code that rewards a bit of style, and it is no wonder the game attracts both fashion brands and bookmakers.
Dressing for the course
On the course, clothes need to move. A technical polo or a cotton Oxford shirt, stretch trousers or tailored shorts where the club allows them, a merino quarter-zip and a proper waterproof cover most conditions. Collars are still required at most clubs, and many ban denim. Our original golf outfit guide lists the classic pieces, from argyle knits to tartan trousers.
Dressing to watch
As a spectator, you will walk several miles a day on grass, often in changeable weather. Choose waterproof shoes or trainers with grip, layers you can tie around your waist, a cap and sunglasses. At the Ryder Cup, crowds wear their team colours with pride, and the grandstands become a sea of blue or red, white and blue.
The golf betting calendar
| Event | When | Where |
|---|---|---|
| The Masters | April | Augusta National, Georgia, every year |
| PGA Championship | May | Rotates between US courses |
| US Open | June | Rotates between US courses |
| The Open | July | Rotates between links courses in the UK |
| Ryder Cup | Every two years, in September | Alternates between Europe and the US |
How golf betting works
Outright and each way
An outright bet is on a player to win the tournament. Because fields are big and even favourites usually win only a small share of events, prices are long, and many bettors prefer each-way bets. These pay out at a fraction of the odds if the player finishes in the places. The number of places, often five to ten or more, and the fraction vary between bookmakers and events, so it pays to compare the each-way terms as well as the price.
Top finishes and matchups
Markets such as top five, top ten or top twenty finish let you back a consistent player without needing them to win. Matchups, including two-balls and three-balls, ask only which of two or three players will score best over a round or the tournament.
First-round leader and specials
First-round leader bets are settled after the first day, and there are plenty of special markets, from hole-in-one bets to winning margins.
Ryder Cup markets
The Ryder Cup is match play between twelve-man teams from Europe and the United States over three days, with 28 points available. A team needs 14.5 points to win outright; at 14–14 the holders retain the cup. That creates some unusual markets:
- Match result: Europe, USA or a tie.
- Correct score: the exact final points total, such as 15–13.
- Top points scorer for each team or overall.
- Individual matches: win, lose or halve, in foursomes, fourballs and the Sunday singles.
Europe won the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York 15–13, after building a big lead and then holding off a dramatic American fightback in the singles. The next match is scheduled for September 2027 at Adare Manor in County Limerick, Ireland, and early betting markets on it opened soon after the last putt dropped at Bethpage.
