Betting without the stripey one

Magnolia Lane, Augusta Georgia. Scene of a thousand cliches. Amen Corner. Ugly fast food restaurants line the streeets. Members badges are rarer than the rarest of hen's teeth. Drinks cups are green, the water's dyed blue. Winner gets to choose the menu (Tiger must be running short on ideas by now). Bigger than Easter, it's the Masters and any right minded golfnut is setting the alarm clock and ready to go for four days of unmissable TV.

Tiger will win, obviously, but from a punting point of view, we're really keen on the "betting without the big five" market from Betfair and have made a very late New Year's resolution to pick some fresh faces for this year.

There's no way that Adam Scott, Sergio, Weir and Immelman/Sabbatini (always get them mixed up) can win, even if they're two or three ahead with a few to go. Less bottle between them than your average new fangled dairy. There's a whole bunch of faceless Yanks who won't win, Howell III, Campbell and Henry to name three. Loads more losers I can;t be bothered to type...just look at the last few Ryder Cup teams for clues.

I reckon we're looking at an overseas winner this year, but unless Vijay finds his old putter, think it might be a first time major winner.

Henrik Stenson is quietly becoming one of the worlds best. Holing the winnning putt in the ryder cup was good, but as WORLD MATCHPLAY CHAMPION he must have something. He still doesn't have the profile he deserves, (a bit like the mighty Kevin Morgan who was again the best XV in the 6 nations)but that just means better prices for us. Must be a chance.

Ditto for Geoff Ogilvy. Way overpriced when compared to his Burberry wearing choking fellow countryman. We'll hope for 80/1 or more.

And whilst real outsiders aren't really the go at the Masters, Kenny Ferrie at 1000/1 now is worth a penny of any currency and of course the Howler at 250/1 tooo good to miss...by the way, smudge the ticket and you can be on David Howell and Charles Howell III...your local Corals won't know...

We'll probably put a few quid on Fred...for old times sake...

Bring it on...

Have you heard the one about...

...the golf tipster who started his year with tipping the Bob Hope Classic?. No Tiger, No Vijay, No Michelle Wie. Let's have a look at the Honours board for the last few years. Perhaps we'll have a few of the hard earned on Andrew Magee or David Bergianio Jr? (who he?). Dammit, even Jesper Parnevik did well here last year when Chad Campbell lumbered to victory.

It's the Bob Hope, it's a New Year, so let's start with comedy names. The whole thing's a lottery. All you can be sure of is that Bill Murray will be hilarious. Ooh my sides...

In the name of comedy if nothing else, have a few quid on one of golf's great new names. Ladies and Gentlemen I give you Mr Boo Weekley. He's not a rookie but has been on the Nationwide Tour. And it's really funny that his name sounds like Lara Bingle's favourite men's magazine. (Imagine if his wife was called Soo?) Honestly, we don't know much else about the Boomeister. The best the PGA website can give is that he's 6 foot and right handed. Go Boo!

Picking a real winner here is tough as ever. There's no real form, the fat Controller is predictably clear favourite having won here a few times and even Betfair are chalking up people like John Senden at 30/1 based on a top 6 finish in 2005. Even Jesper's only 40/1...

So we'll obviously have a dab on Fred at the 100/1 on offer and despite NY resolutions will take the 95/1 on JB. Our long shot money goes on the man who is leading greens in regulation and has the experieince and patience to get the job done, Kirk Triplett. Look out for that bucket hat being raised come Sunday arvo. You can get 140/1 at time of writing. Small change only, we're saying. Welcome back!

keeping the dream alive

Two certainties this week. Someone, possibly many people will tip Adam Scott, Jim Furyk and Sergio to win at Medinah. Many will remember Sergio's epic battle with Tiger seven years ago. I wonder if they remember who won?

Tiger will win again this week. Medinah might be long but the word from the course is that most of the length is in the par fives. And with the average driving distance these days pushing 290, even the longest par fours are nought but a smooth 6 iron away for most of the field. 2 putts, par. Simple really.

We're putting all our time into Betfair's excellent "betting without the top five" market which means no ernie, vijay, tiger, furyk and good old phil, the man who puts the "big" in big five. We're betting as if these guys haven't turned up. Bit like really fancy each way odds...

Here's our top picks:

Rod Pampling is currently 70/1. Bang in form with a string of good finishes, he's one of the first names on our team sheet.

David Howell has had a quiet few weeks after blazing good form saw him win the prestigious PGA championship at Wentworth. He's been in the USA acclimatizing and whilst down the field at the end of the Mickey Mouse Invitational stableford nonsense last week he did shoot plus 12 (whatever that means) in the final round. Howler is 50/1 without the big five, 80/1 without Woods. For the current clear leader of the European tour money list, that's a silly price and almost 50% better than what they'll offer on Monty. Very confident he'll be grinding it out come Sunday.

Can't get away from Nathan Green. Still can't see him actually winning in his rookie year, but he only has to beat everybody but the top five and Betfair will give you 150/1.

I'm also interested in the double figure odds on the following usual suspects to finish in the top ten. JB, Fred, Broadhurst, Ferrie and Senden. And I can't miss the 46/1 about Dougherty to finish in the top 10. He's won on tour and...well what would you rather have...46/1 Nicky D to finish in the top ten or Adam Scott to win with the TAB at 25/1?

SportsBet of the week: TAB treble on Little Stranger at the Gold Coast races, Saturday, Tiger Woods and the All Blacks ht/ft double. Then take your winnings to Warwick Farm next Wednesday. I know I will be. Pip Pip!

singing: "I have a dream, la la la la..."

I did indeed have a dream. On Sunday afternoon, we will be watching Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, The Fist Pumper, and Goose battle out the last few holes of the Open. Woods will win, probably birdieing three of the last four but not until Graeme Mc Dowell and Sergio (he's only 26 you know) have shone brightly. Go and find a bookie who's offering a price on the first four. I know it'll happen but I can't bring myself to do it as I still think one of my three figure specials is going to do a "Todd".

Adam Scott, my friends, "can't win". There, that should do it.

Give us the longshots!

We're buried under an avalanche of emails here at Golftipster Towers, one from a Mrs Trellis of North Wales and another from "CJ", who wrote to say "I didn't get where I am today by tipping short priced favourites!..ludicrously long priced outsiders chosen through laughably thin "research"...that's what the public wants!

Who am I to argue. I think Tiger will win at Hoylake...there's four par fives so he's virtually 16 under already. I'm worried as usual that the Fat Controller's wife and kids will be running onto the eighteenth come Sunday night in another of those USA apple pie moments. But let's not let any of that spoil our punting fun!

There's no value in backing Monty or Howler. Although if you were one of the smarties who backed Kenny Ferrie before (or whilst he was in the middle of) his obvious form showing at Loch Lomond, you may have a great 500/1 e/w ticket current burning a hole in your proverbial. Like me. For the rest of you, here goes a few against the field:

PAUL BROADHURST. He's a Brummie, but he's won here a number of times and he's in the second summer of his career having already won this year in Portugal. With a couple of good finishes under his belt over recent weeks, he'll have this earmarked as the highlight of his season (barring a return to Ryder Cup action). He's on offer at 50/1 a place, kings ransom for a win. Got to be worth a few of whatever it is you spend in the country you call home

ROD PAMPLING. Everybody's famous for one thing according to the Rocking Vicar and whilst everybody knows that Rod Stewart used to dig graves and David Bowie has different coloured eyes, golf bores know that Pamps led at Carnoustie a few years ago only to shoot 86 in round two and tragically miss the cut. He's a much better player than that and has a US Tour win against the A grade at Bay Hill, so he's definitely worth the three figure quote that's out there.

J B HOLMES. Well stranger things have happened. the words "Todd" and "Hamilton" come to mind, closely followed by "Ben" and "Curtis". He's 300/1 fercrissakes..

I won't be at Hoylake. Important business to attend, but will be watching on the other side of the world in the middle of the night. But good luck to all who do go, especially GT visitors and dear friends Mr. Andy and Mr Wenty-Ping. Hope you all have a fabulous time. Pip Pip!

No good at links golf!

We're back (back!) and eagerly looking forward to the Open at Hoylake. We're going to give the Scottish Open a miss for sentimental reasons, but form already suggests that we might be looking at a local winner in the big one next week. I think Els is in the field here and saw Goosen plodding along just now, but the form horses are all Brits. In fact, the best bet for the week is going to again be betfair's "betting without the favourite" market, if only because it knocks Woods and his overweight compatriot out of the market.

Monty! he's apparently no good at links golf (2nd in last years open, used to LIVE at Troon) but we're still very impressed with the way he's swinging and he sounded confident and upbeat yesterday. He's staying at his dad's place this week and then making the short journey down to Liverpool. Back him.

And back Howler too. He's struggling to make the cut in Scotland but he can't be written off.

We must not, repeat must not chase outsiders in the Open. They never win, except Todd Hamilton and Ben Curtis of course. So we definitely won't be taking the three figures on offer about JBH, Philip Price and Nathan Green.