Daily Fantasy Golf Course Primer: Butterfield Bermuda Championship
We'll get our third look at Port Royal Golf Course on the PGA Tour for this week's Butterfield Bermuda Championship.
By distance alone -- 6,828 yards -- this is the shortest course in the regular PGA Tour rotation. How does that affect the key stats and expectations for the week? Let's dig in.
Port Royal Golf Course Course Information
Par: 71
Distance: 6,828
Average Green Size: 6,000 square feet
Green Type: Bermuda
Stimpmeter: N/A
Past 2 Winning Scores: -15, -24
Past 2 Cut Lines: +1, -2
There aren't many PGA Tour courses that will register shy of 7,000 yards, but Port Royal Golf Course does. The average par 71 on Tour rates out around 7,300 yards, so this course is nearly 500 yards shorter (or about 94% as long) as the average par 71.
The short course features Tour-average green sizes and pretty low scores to net a win.
In 2019, it was Brendon Todd netting the win at -24, though he did beat Harry Higgs (-20) by 4 shots, and Higgs beat the field by 2 strokes himself.
Heavier wind gusts kept scores lower last year during Brian Gay's 15-under playoff win over the big-hitting Wyndham Clark.
Port Royal Golf Course Hole-by-Hole Breakdown
| Port Royal Golf Course |
Par | Yards | vs Average PGA Tour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 438 | 102% |
| 2 | 5 | 553 | 98% |
| 3 | 3 | 148 | 75% |
| 4 | 4 | 458 | 106% |
| 5 | 4 | 380 | 88% |
| 6 | 4 | 370 | 86% |
| 7 | 5 | 517 | 92% |
| 8 | 3 | 213 | 108% |
| 9 | 4 | 383 | 89% |
| 10 | 4 | 350 | 81% |
| 11 | 4 | 443 | 103% |
| 12 | 4 | 383 | 89% |
| 13 | 3 | 235 | 119% |
| 14 | 4 | 393 | 91% |
| 15 | 4 | 412 | 96% |
| 16 | 3 | 235 | 119% |
| 17 | 5 | 507 | 90% |
| 18 | 4 | 410 | 95% |
| Total | 71 | 6828 | 94% |
There are two long par 3s to deal with, but other than that, we have seven holes that are only 90% of -- or shorter than -- your average hole at the same par on the PGA Tour.
This trend of short holes can definitely put us on the distance angle, but the data overall says that's not the primary way of getting around Port Royal.
Key Stats for the Butterfield Bermuda Championship
- Strokes Gained: Approach
- Strokes Gained: Off the Tee
- Driving Accuracy
- Birdie or Better Rate
- Strokes Gained: Putting on Bermuda
There's, as expected, an inverse relationship with distance and the importance of driving accuracy across the PGA Tour, and short courses tend to be better for more accurate drivers. datagolf's course fit tool shows this to be true, as well.
I won't fault you if you look more at just driving accuracy than strokes gained: off the tee, but there is always a chance of wind at a course like this, so perhaps we should emphasize more than just fairways.
Golfers With Course History at Port Royal Golf Club
These golfers have played here at least twice and have gained at least 1.0 strokes per round at Port Royal, according to FantasyNational.
- Brian Gay (3.4)
- Hank Lebioda (2.5)
- David Hearn (2.5)
- Ryan Armour (2.5)
- Denny McCarthy (2.4)
- Kramer Hickok (2.3)
- Russell Knox (2.0)
- Scott Stallings (1.5)
- Beau Hossler (1.4)
- Michael Gligic (1.0)
