What The Open Championship Can Teach American Golfers About Lower Scores
This week, as you watch The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, you’ll probably see shots that look…well, just wrong.
The world’s best players won’t always fly their approach shots directly to the flag. Instead, they’ll intentionally land the ball 15, 20 or even 30 yards short of the hole and let the contours of the course do the rest.
Around the greens, you’ll see putters from well off the fringe, bump-and-runs with an 8-iron and low-running chips that spend far more time rolling than flying.
To many American golfers, those shots seem unusual.
They’re not.
They’re simply the smartest shots for the conditions.
And while most of us don’t play links golf every weekend, the lesson applies every time we tee it up.
Two Different Questions
Golf in the United States is generally played on parkland courses—lush fairways, softer greens and conditions that reward shots hit high into the air.
The question most of us ask is:
Can I fly the ball all the way to the hole?
Links golf often asks an entirely different question:
Where should the ball land first?
Firm turf, coastal winds and fast-running greens make the ground part of the strategy.
Instead of trying to stop the ball exactly where it lands, great links players use the natural contours to help the ball reach the hole.
It’s a completely different way of thinking about the game.
Even the Best Players Change Their Strategy
Heading into this week’s championship, Jon Rahm made an interesting observation about Royal Birkdale.
He explained that trying to overpower a firm links course might work for a hole or two, but rarely works over four rounds. Instead, he emphasized the importance of positioning the golf ball, controlling where it lands and taking advantage of the fairway whenever possible.
That’s a remarkable perspective coming from one of the longest hitters in professional golf.
Distance still matters.
But on a links course…
Control matters more.
Bryson’s Power. Faldo’s Perspective.
That same debate surfaced when Sir Nick Faldo discussed Bryson DeChambeau’s aggressive style of play.
Faldo’s point wasn’t that Bryson couldn’t hit the ball far enough.
His point was that links golf isn’t designed to be overpowered.
It’s designed to be understood.
The best links players don’t fight the golf course.
They use it.
They embrace the bounce.
They use the contours.
They choose the smartest landing area instead of simply firing at every flag.
That’s not conservative golf.
It’s intelligent golf.
The Lesson Isn’t About The Open Championship
Here’s the part I hope you’ll remember after The Open Championship ends.
You don’t have to play Royal Birkdale to benefit from links strategy.
Think about your own course.
- The fairways have baked out during a hot July.
- The greens are firmer than normal.
- The pin is tucked on a back shelf.
- You’re pitching from a tight lie.
- The wind is blowing 20 miles per hour.
Those aren’t Open Championship conditions.
They’re Saturday morning conditions.
Yet many of us instinctively try to hit the same high, spinning shot every time.
Sometimes, the smarter play is simply to land the ball in the right place and let the course do the work.
One Shot. Two Strategies.
Imagine you’re standing about 20 yards short of the green.
Parkland Strategy
- Fly the ball most or all of the way to the hole.
- Use height and spin to stop it quickly.
- Best suited for softer greens with limited rollout.
Links Strategy
- Land the ball well short of the hole.
- Let it release naturally toward the target.
- Use the firmness, slopes and contours instead of fighting them.
Neither strategy is always correct.
The correct strategy is the one the course is asking you to play.
That’s what separates better decision-making from simply relying on your favorite shot.
Great golfers don’t have only one option.
They have the judgment to choose the right one.
Play Smarter This Week
As you watch The Open Championship this weekend, don’t just follow the golf ball.
Watch where it lands.
You’ll notice something remarkable.
Many of the best shots never fly all the way to the flag.
Instead, they land short, take one or two calculated bounces and release toward the hole.
The best players aren’t trying to make golf harder.
They’re making it easier.
This Week’s Scoring Challenge
During your next round, look for one opportunity where your first instinct is to fly the ball all the way to the hole.
Then don’t.
Instead, choose a landing spot several yards short of the flag and let the ball release naturally.
It could be:
- a bump-and-run from just off the green,
- a low-running pitch from a tight fairway lie,
- or an approach into a firm green.
When the round is over, ask yourself:
Did I make the game easier by letting the course help me?
You may discover that your best shot wasn’t the one that flew closest to the hole.
It was the one that used the ground to get there.
One Question
When you’re about 20 yards short of the green, which shot do you play most often?
○ I try to fly it all the way to the hole.
○ I land it short and let it release.
○ It depends on the lie and conditions.
○ Honestly…I’ve never really thought about it.
Click the link below to answer this one question. We’ll share the results with ISZ readers in next week’s edition of Inside the Scoring Zone.
Next Week in Inside the Scoring Zone…
Is Your 3-Wood Really Helping You Score?
Most golfers carry a 3-wood because they think they’re supposed to.
Next week, we’ll explore whether it’s actually earning its place in your bag—or whether another club might help you shoot lower scores.
Our goal at Edison Golf isn’t just to help you buy better wedges. It’s to help you make better scoring decisions. Every week, we’ll challenge one piece of conventional golf wisdom and give you one practical idea you can use to shoot lower scores.
Leave a comment