GOLF

Daily Fantasy Golf Course Primer: The RSM Classic

The RSM uses two courses for the first two rounds. How does that impact everything this weekend?

Drink in the PGA this weekend because we'll have a month-and-a-half hiatus from DFS after this event, the RSM Classic.

The RSM utilizes two different courses in the first two rounds to avoid issues with darkness delays. However, three rounds will be played at Sea Island Resort (Seaside), with one at Sea Island Resort (Plantation).

How does this change everything? Let's dig in.

Course and Tournament Info

Okay, so the Seaside course is a par 70 that spans a hair over 7,000 yards (7,005 is the measurement), and that'll be the more important course to hone in on, as that's where they'll play this weekend (if your golfers make it through the cut).

The Plantation course is a par 72 that runs 7,058, making it one of the shortest par 72s that the PGA Tour will see this year. As for the scoring (relative to par), it's been about as easy as you can ask for. The Seaside course has been trickier.

Year Difficulty Rank Course Par Yds Avg Score Avg O/U Par
2017 35 Sea Island Resort (Seaside) 70 7,005 68.889 -1.111
2017 48 Sea Island Resort (Plantation) 72 7,058 69.763 -2.237
2016 29 Sea Island Resort (Seaside) 70 7,005 69.313 -0.687
2016 42 Sea Island Resort (Plantation) 72 7,058 70.806 -1.194
2015 28 Sea Island Resort (Seaside) 70 7,005 69.422 -0.578
2014 21 Sea Island Resort (Seaside) 70 7,005 70.255 0.255
2012 36 Sea Island Resort (Seaside) 70 7,005 69.281 -0.719
2011 31 Sea Island Resort (Seaside) 70 7,005 69.571 -0.429
2010 33 Sea Island Resort (Seaside) 70 7,005 69.366 -0.634


Either way, the courses have played under par in the two seasons that both were used, and the Seaside course isn't overly problematic. So which stats should we focus on this week?

Key Stats

Strokes gained: tee to green and strokes gained: putting are always worth considering when building lineups, but these stats stick out as the most important for this week's event.

Key Stats for the RSM Classic at Sea Island Resort
Good Drive Rate
Greens in Regulation
Strokes Gained: Around the Green
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee
Par 4 Scoring


Accuracy and placement off the tee popped as vital for success here at Sea Island Resort. You can look to driving accuracy if you want, but good drive rate actually correlated best with success in the past.

Good drives are really just fairways hit plus fairways missed that still result in greens in regulation, so there's overlap between greens in regulation and good drive rate. Be careful not to give both too much weight in your research.

This course actually had a pretty weak correlation with strokes gained: around the green among all golfers who made the cut, but those who finished in the top 25 had good marks around the green, so throw strokes gained: around the green or scrambling on your list.

Event History Studs

Charles Howell III has played this event seven times since 2010 and has strong form in that span: 6th in 2010, 32nd, 7th, 27th, cut, 9th, 13th.

Six other golfers have played here seven times in the past seven years, as well: Zach Johnson, Chris Kirk, Davis Love III, Chad Campbell, Brendon de Jonge, and Heath Slocum. In the past two iterations, when they used the alternating courses, Johnson and Slocum missed both cuts.

Campbell finished 9th and 13th, though, and Kirk won in 2013, was 4th in 2014, and was 18th in 2015.

Mackenzie Hughes won his debut at this event last year. Kevin Kisner won the year prior (after a 4th and 20th in 2014 and 2013), but he missed the cut last year.

Jamie Lovemark was sixth last year and ninth the year prior in his only two tries. Bill Haas is four for four on cuts: 2nd in 2010, 22nd in 2014, 33rd in 2015, and 13th in 2016.

Matt Kuchar missed the cut last year after finishing 25th, 22nd, 7th, 20th, and 25th in prior tries.