Here are our top firms for golf betting:
  
Stan James (£25 free) Great all-round golf coverage. Usually, one of the first bookmakers to issue prices on events and these can be competitive too. Check out their outright prices at the start of the week as the early bird really does catch the worm. Along with Paddy Power (£30 free), they offer ‘Top-10 Finish’ betting  and a host of other specials on regular Tour events
 
Ladbrokes (£25 free) Extensive golf coverage and usually first up with their prices, although these are not always competitive. Saying that, you’re more likely to get a decent bet on compared to some other bookmakers (mentioning no names!) and they will hold their prices for longer. They were also one of the first to offer five places for the LPGA Tour, which has now become the industry norm.

VCbet (£100 free) Good coverage of all Tours and some innovative markets, which include ‘72-Hole Handicap Group’ betting. They also have a reputation for offering bigger odds on longshots, so check out their outrights at the start of the week for any ricks.
 
Bet365 (£100 free) One of the most comprehensive golf products around, which includes an Enhanced Win Only market on regular events, and they have been known to price up events on the Asian Tour. They were the first bookmaker to introduce a ‘First Round Leader’ market, which offers punters an early and potentially very profitable betting opportunity. Last but not least, they have an excellent in-running product via their In-Play Console
- definitely worth having an account!
 
William Hill (£25 free) They can hardly be described as innovators but their overall golf coverage is pretty good. However, due to being one the last firms to go up with their outrights, they don’t make many mistakes meaning you are unlikely to find much value. At least they now offer competitive place terms (were very slow to offer five places in regular events), including five places five places on the Champions and LPGA Tours.
    
Paddy Power (£30 free) Not only do they cover all Tours but they also offer the biggest range of golf markets. Think quantity rather than quality, however, as their prices are pretty tight and ricks are rare. Still, they were one of the first to offer ‘Place Only’ betting down to 10 places (top-20 even for the Majors) and they regularly offer generous concessions on regular events - ‘money back if your player finishes second to Tiger Woods’, for example. For 2008, they have started to offer each way betting down to six places on both the main Tours, so an account is a must for all serious golf punters!
 
Blue Square (£25 free) Decent enough coverage of the main Tours, although you are not going to find anything that you can’t get elsewhere. A bit slow getting their outrights prices up but these are reasonably competitive, especially so for outsiders.   

SkyBet (£25 free) Great all-round golf product and possibly one of the most innovative bookmakers to boot - check out their specials at the start of the season. Needless to say all Tours are covered and their latest innovation is transatlantic (European v PGA Tour) match betting. For example, punters can back Padraig Harrington to finish higher in Abu Dhabi than Justin Leonard does in the Bob Hope Classic.  Also offer place only betting on regular Tour events.