Owlmans Golf betting guide

"I can't play golf, "Pitch and put is my limit", these familiar cries are often used as justification for not getting involved in golf betting. On a personal level, I've never sat on a horse, but this has not stopped me betting on these four legged money carriers.

I commenced serious golf betting two years ago, and my involvement can largely be attributed to 3 factors:

1. My increased use of betting exchanges 2. Invariably my Sunday nights were spent watching golf on SKY therefore having an interest on outcome added to viewing pleasure

3. Around this time I started a more disciplined approach to my betting activities to include record keeping of bets placed. To my amazement, my golf bets were showing greater returns than from what I perceived were my strong suits of horses and football.

If I was obtaining a positive return without really trying - by that I mean little research or form study, I reasoned that theoretically "putting in hours" could only build on an already sound foundation.

I would love to read of of other peoples thoughts and strategies on their betting activities however, here is Owlmans receipe for golf punting success . . .

Preparation Initial background research - all good cooks have a library of cookbooks, golf punters should familiarise themselves with vast mountains of knowledge readily available be it in paper form or at a click of a mouse. Too many cooks can spoil broth, therefore try to avoid not seeing Woods for tees ! . In this context there is perhaps too much info out there to take in, find your favoured sources two PGA tour sites, Racing Post, Keith Elliots annual golf guide, should be enough to satisy everyones thirst for knowledge. (plus this site of course!)

The 2005/06 Premiership season gets underway on August 13th, and if bookmakers are to be believed, title will once again be contested by three teams.

Two of those – Chelsea and Arsenal – meet on 7th August in traditional curtain-raiser to new season, Community Shield. As if any further spice was needed – on-going Ashley Cole tapping-up saga looks set to ensure that meetings between these two London rivals are tense and feisty affairs.

A look at each of three sides can point us in direction of best bets available prior to start of new campaign.

Where better to start than with champions Chelsea. Their first title in 50 years was delivered with games to spare last season, and although bitterly disappointed by their European exit at hands of eventual winners Liverpool (more about them later), season must be viewed as a huge success for Jose Mourinho’s side. One loss, 15 goals conceded and a winning margin of 12 points separating them from second-placed Arsenal says it all.

Add to that growing defensive rock comprised primarily of captain John Terry and keeper Peter Cech, dazzling attacking play of Robben and Duff, plus of course spending power of Roman Abromavitch, and on face of it Chelsea look like being incredibly hard to displace as champions.

Their price of evens is not an unfair price given their dominance last season as well as their ability to go out and buy established and expensive top-class players, however things will surely be tougher for them this time around.