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Alright folks, we're just a couple weeks away from the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open Championship taking place over those famous links courses across the pond. All the top tours pros will be grinding hard to get their bags perfectly tuned up for the unique challenges of playing windy coastal links golf. Now for us amateur players heading over to take on those tests of skill ourselves, I've got four simple gear adjustments that can really help optimize your performance out there.
1. Add a Driving Iron or Low-Lofted Hybrid
First thing I always recommend looking at is adding one of those driving irons or super low-lofted hybrids to the bag. When the winds are blowing all over the place off the ocean, you want something that'll keep the ball hugging the ground on those long shots to avoid trouble. Some solid options there would be TaylorMade's P-UDI or P-DHY hybrid - lower ball flight than the fairway woods but way more control and versatility than a traditional long iron.
2. Choose an SM10 Low Bounce Lob Wedge
Next up, in the scoring areas it pays to have one of those wider-sole, lower-bounce lob wedges. Any of you who have played links golf know it's no picnic taking those pitch marks in the tight lies around the greens. Titleist's new SM10 Low Bounce K grind is perfect - that wide sole and low leading edge means you can really stick an aggressive wedge shot close without fear of skulling it.
3. Adjust Drivers and Fairway Woods Flatter
Also take a look at adjusting' those drivers and fairway woods a click flatter. Folks always ask me if they should play their normal lofts over there, and I say absolutely not - lower launch and spin is the name of the game when the turf is firm and the wind's howlin'.
4. Opt for a Lower-Spinning Ball
Finally, give one of the lower-spinning balls a try, like Titleist's AVX. Every little bit helps when it comes to accuracy in tough conditions, so that flatter ball flight could just make all the difference between reaching the green or the pot bunker.
By fine-tuning gear with these four simple adjustments, amateur golfers can help optimize their performance when taking on the classic test that Scotland's renowned coastal links courses present.
Just a few simple gear tweaks that I promise will have you playing your best golf when you take on those iconic links challenges this summer across the pond. Tune it up and go get after it!
Which gear changes have had the biggest impact on professional golfers
Golf Ball Switches
Collin Morikawa switched to the TaylorMade TP5x golf ball before winning the 2023 ZOZO Championship. The lower-spinning ball helped him achieve the desired launch and trajectory with his woods and long irons.
Shaft Changes
Morikawa also changed to lighter True Temper Dynamic Gold "Mid" Tour Issue shafts in his long irons before his ZOZO win. The lighter shafts, combined with the new ball, helped optimize his launch and spin.
Some pros are opting for heavier putter shafts to help them release the club more naturally and increase spin and launch angle.
Unconventional Iron Designs
Bryson DeChambeau put a set of 3D-printed Avoda Golf irons in play at the 2024 Masters. The irons feature bulge and roll on the face, which is usually only seen in woods, to help reduce gear effect on off-center strikes.
Prototype Irons
Rory McIlroy put a TaylorMade Proto 4-iron in the bag before the 2024 Masters. The cavity-back design launched the ball higher than his previous P760 4-iron with a similar feel to his 5-iron.
References: https://golf.com/gear/four-gear-changes-your-best-links-golf/
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