Divot Lab Research

Original studies on
models and markets.

Calibration audits, market efficiency tests, and what we learn trying to find an edge in professional golf — including the findings that went against us.

DataGolf calibration chart — predicted vs actual top-10 finish rate
Study 01 June 2026

Conservative by Design

A six-year calibration audit of DataGolf's prediction model — 292 events, 36,656 player-event records. The model is well-calibrated overall, but it systematically underestimates elite players by 5+ points.

Read the study →
DataGolf vs Pinnacle win probability scatter chart
Study 02 June 2026

The Market Already Knows

Measuring DataGolf's edge against Pinnacle's closing line across 284 events. The win market is fully efficient — but the less-liquid top-10 market hasn't caught up to the model.

Read the study →
Popularity premium chart — book markup ratio for elite players vs. the full field across eight sportsbooks
Study 03 June 2026

Same Number, Higher Price

Eight sportsbooks, one signal. Recreational books price as accurately as Pinnacle — they just charge roughly double for it. And the "popularity premium" everyone assumes exists runs backwards.

Read the study →
Study 04 August 2026

The Model Moves the Market

Seven seasons of opening and closing prices. The model’s picks shorten before the market closes — every market, every threshold, 48 out of 48 measurements. Whether that edge clears the hold is a different question, and the honest answer is that seven seasons cannot yet separate them.

Read the study →