Getting the odds right

Bookmakers are not noted for their philanthropy but the truth is there was a pretty packet to be made during 2000, simply by betting that Tiger Woods would perform like Tiger Woods. Those of you who have finished on the debit side to your local Jimmy the Greek, may be interested in what you missed.

Prior to the US Masters last April, Victor Chandler, official bookmaker to the European Tour, offered these odds about Woods: 1/2 To win a major; 6/4 Not to win a major; 11/2 To win two majors; 66/1 To win three majors; 500/1 To win four majors (Grand Slam). You may recall that he won three.

Interestingly, for individual majors, the longest odds were 6/1 against a USPGA win, his closest call.

Then, for the USPGA Tour, the betting was: 5/4 Four wins or less; 9/2 Five wins; 11/2 Six wins; 6/1 Seven wins; 7/1 Eight wins; 10/1 Nine wins; 20/1 10 wins or more. He won nine.

Joke: The two beginners, Pat and Mike, had completed the first hole. "How many strokes did you take," enquired Pat. "Six," came the reply. "I had only five," said Pat, "so I won the hole." After the second, Pat asked the same question of his colleague, who admitted to taking seven. "I had six," said Pat. "That means I'm two up." As they left the third green, Pat was about to repeat the procedure when Mike interjected: "Not so fast. It's my turn to ask."

This day in golf history . . . On December 30th 1933, Bobby Jones accepted an invitation to play an Atlanta municipal course named after him. By way of dedicating the layout, Jones shot 67, three years after his official retirement from the game.

Teaser: A player's original ball strikes and moves his provisional ball. What is the ruling? Answer: Rule 19-5 (Ball at rest moved by another ball) does not apply because the provisional ball was not in play. Rule 19-2 does not apply because the provisional ball is not the equipment of the player. In equity (Rule 1-4) and by analogy to Rule 19-5a, the player shall play the ball as it lies and no penalty is incurred except that, in strokeplay, if both balls lay on the putting green prior to the stroke, the player incurs a penalty of two strokes.