Something that all great players have in common is that they know their game – well. One of the things that you’ll see players doing next week at the British Open is altering their set of clubs to fit the challenges that “links golf” poses.
Some characteristics of “links golf” are firm, windy conditions with the courses having lots of contours. This type of golf is not conducive to the 64° lob wedge or the 20° hybrid – because those clubs get the golf ball in the air very quickly where the wind can play havoc and move it off your target line.
The players next week will most likely put more long irons in their bags and perhaps even stiffer shafts to help flight the ball down and keep it out of the wind.
Although you may not be playing in the British Open, you can copy this approach for your own game. Are you playing a course that requires you to add an extra lob wedge (like Phil Mickelson did that this years U.S. Open)?
Maybe you even want to change to a golf ball that spins more (or less) – depending on the conditions that week.
Whatever the case may be, I challenge you to evaluate your own game and experiment with changing your equipment throughout the year for different courses and conditions. See what works, what doesn’t – you’ll know your game better and become a better player because of it.