Irons for links golf

[inthehole]

If you played golf mostly at links courses , are some irons better than others ? I suppose its not just as simple as having a slightly lower launching one ? What about the soles … .. does that make a difference ( are wide soles harder to use at all due to tight lies ?) and what about spin rates..... does that make a difference due to the wind ? Never really thought about it much before..... and most people I talk to wouldn't know anyway !!

 

[clubchamp98]

If you played golf mostly at links courses , are some irons better than others ? I suppose its not just as simple as having a slightly lower launching one ? What about the soles … .. does that make a difference ( are wide soles harder to use at all due to tight lies ?) and what about spin rates..... does that make a difference due to the wind ? Never really thought about it much before..... and most people I talk to wouldn't know anyway !!

My mate plays links golf (West Lancs) all the time what he has done is get a regular set of irons and adjusted the lofts 2* strong this reduces the bounce on the clubs .
It does reduce the spin rates but obviously they are a tad harder to hit.
He says he hits the ball cleaner with this set up.
You need a good club fitter to gap your irons and wedges if you go down this route.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I'm sure some irons are better suited to links or parkland or whatever but look at it this way......I don't believe any of the pros change their irons when they play in the Open. They may change the odd club, for example put a driving iron in the bag but if the best ball strikers in the world don't notice much difference then I don't think a club golfer will.
If you are going to play mainly links then perhaps get yourself fitted for a set that launches low and keeps the ball down and they will generally have a thinner sole as high launching clubs usually have more weight at the bottom of the club.

 

[pendodave]

I think that wedge set up is where the most differences are found. Different bounces both for shots off tight lies and getting out of nasty bunkers. Links sand comes in many different types - I remember playing at Dunbar and it's some weird shell based material that plays completely different to courses just down the road.

 

[Foxholer]

For me, it wasn't the heads so much as shafts that 'needed attention'. The PX ones I was fitted for (from S300s that felt dull in combo with the heads) caused pain in the bones of my hands after a weekend's golf. A change to standard Rifles (and blades) sorted that!

@pendodave. I seem to remember a hole on Gullane #2 (5?) that had 3 different types of 'sand' (including shells) on the same hole. I believe the shells are used because the 'breeze' is likely to remove simple sand. That hole also has a bunker way to the left that I couldn't see any possible reason for, but sure as eggs, I put a ball in it!

 

[jim8flog]

I have always preferred clubs with narrow soles and find they are well sited to any course where the grass can be very tightly mown with a hardish base underneath.

The only club I have ever bought specifically for playing on a links type golf course is a RAM Tom Watson Troon grind 52 wedge , just 1 degree bounce and the back end of the sole is ground away to leave only about half an inch width.

 

[patricks148]

TBH i don't think there are any specific type of irons for any course, it depends on you ball striking and your angle of attack.

One of the best players i know uses great big hulking ping shovels around my home course (links). Bounce is also not that simple if you are a digger with a steeper angle of attack, you may find no bounce will cause the same problems on a links course as they do a parkland. My own wedges which i switched to last year have more bounce that the previous set. now had 52/10 and 58/14 and hit these way more consistently than the 50/6 and 56/10 they replaced

 

[Britishshooting]

Where I play the front 9 is like a parkland course and fairly protected from the wind and then from hole 9 to 10 you have to make a huge ascent (buggy drives you up as its knackering).

The 10th hole plays similar to a links course (albeit not next to the sea) along with a few other holes on the back 9 because you are at the top of a valley and the wind blows a gale.

I wouldn't say the iron choice makes much difference for me I switched to blades and whilst I do hit a lower ball flight it's not that low that it penetrates through all wind conditions that can be witnessed on the course especially a links course on a blustery day. It become more about shot choice for me and I'll hit stingers, punch shots, low cuts, low draws and even some high ones where of benefit to counteract the fairways that slope towards the rough.

Thats why I have my 2 iron in the bag, it's a club i'm happy to play a range of shots with off tee knowing the vast majority of the time i'm going to be safe. Something I can't guarantee with the driver with how high I hit it.

 

[Jacko_G]

TBH i don't think there are any specific type of irons for any course, it depends on you ball striking and your angle of attack.

One of the best players i know uses great big hulking ping shovels around my home course (links). Bounce is also not that simple if you are a digger with a steeper angle of attack, you may find no bounce will cause the same problems on a links course as they do a parkland. My own wedges which i switched to last year have more bounce that the previous set. now had 52/10 and 58/14 and hit these way more consistently than the 50/6 and 56/10 they replaced

Agree, despite playing links golf and being a "sweeper" I prefer a bit of bounce on my wedges too.

 

[Fish]

I think it’s more important to get the right waterproofs, windstoppers & longjohns 😜

 

[Grant85]

I think you will naturally tend towards clubs that suit your home course.

At a previous club I was a member at, there were 8 par 3's. 5 of them were of the 200 yard variety. Hence I used to hit a lot of hybrids off tees. There were also 2 pretty straight par 5s where you could hit a 2nd shot with a hybrid (and sometimes a 3rd if you'd hit a couple of poor ones).

Now, at a more conventional layout, I hit basically no hybrid off of tees, and even the 2 par 5s don't necessarily call for a hybrid.

Obviously if you play links golf, it will be important to have a low ball flight and so you are probably going to naturally look for clubs that promote this for you.