Open season: utility irons
We spoke last week about how tough it is to find fairways at The Open. This short read explores whether we could even see utility irons off-the-tee this week…
Equipment
Would you hit this green?
Love them or hate them, par-3s pop up on every golf course, and they’re a true test of how accurate your iron play is.
For some players, hitting an iron shot is one of the best aspects of their game, and they walk onto a par-3 tee with a smile on their face. Other players may suffer from a bad draw or slice in their mid-range clubs, and can only imagine their par 3 tee shots sailing into danger.
Two factors can get in your head when you’re facing a par-3 hole: any preconceived ideas about how you think your shot will go, and the hazards ahead of you influencing how you approach the hole.
Today we want to give you examples of iconic par-3 holes that are notoriously difficult - even for the world's best players - but also perfectly reachable and scorable on paper.
Hole 1 - 123 yards
On paper, a stroke index 18-hole par-3 that’s only 123 yards in length certainly sounds like the easiest hole on the course. But what if we started to paint the picture in greater detail. This particular green is flanked by 5 small bunkers, and has a notoriously small putting surface. It’s also arguably the most famous hole on the course…
The hole we were describing was the famous Postage Stamp at Royal Troon, we saw plenty of action on this hole when The Open took place just a few weeks ago in July.
Joaquin Neimann, LIV golf star who won both the LIV Golf Mayakoba and Live Golf Jeddah tournaments this year carded an 8 on this hole in his second round having gone in three separate bunkers.
While the distance to the green sounds easy enough, the prestigious reputation the Postage Stamp has will be playing in your head when you’re teeing up your ball, and those bunkers are notoriously difficult to escape from.
Hole 2 - 154 yards
154 yards sounds like the ideal length to hit into a green with 150 yards being the length an average golfer hits their 7 iron. If you’re not a fan of hitting into an uphill green however, you may want to look away now…
If you thought this hole started off sounding like an easy ride, you’d be sorely mistaken. The second hole at Wentworth West is hitting into an uphill green that’s flanked by four sizeable bunkers, one behind each corner of the green. When the BMW Championships takes place at Wentworth, the flag is often seen tucked behind the bunker on the right-hand side. It’s always thrilling to watch players take on this iconic hole!
Hole 3 - 145 yards
This hole is stroke index 18. While this generally means it’s the easiest hole on the course, this is still a very prestigious golf course. Plus, if playing over water really puts you off, you’ll be tempted to club-up when on the tee of this hole…
We’re talking of course about the 16th hole at Augusta National Golf Club, Rosebud. With spectators flanked around this green from dawn till dusk every year at the Masters, this is one of the most televised holes in golf.
This fairly direct par-3 hole features a large pond in the foreground that stretches right up to the green. While the green itself is quite large, it’s also very angular, and shots that make it over the lip at the front generally slide towards the back left. Three sandy bunkers form a menacing triangle around the green. If you play this hole and come away with a par, you’ll be breathing a sigh of relief.
Hole 4 - 248 yards
Links courses provide some of the most dramatically scenic holes in golf, and this one is truly idyllic. Located on the stunning west coast of Scotland, you can take in the views on this tee all day. But we’re warning you, if you’re right-handed and suffer from a hook, you’ll be wincing through your tee shot.
The 9th hole at Trump Turnberry, Bruce’s Castle, seems straight out of a fairytale. Situated on the very edge of the coastline, just to the left of the green you’ll find Turnberry lighthouse. The remains of king Robert the Bruce’s castle are just to the left of that.
If you’re hitting the ball left, your ball will fall into the craggy coastal rocks and undoubtedly find the sea. You’ll be more likely to find the green if you club-up and aim slightly to the right. But be careful, a few greenside bunkers are lying in wait to trap you.
Our point with these examples is that the design of the hole can have a huge bearing on your mentality on the tee. The key performing well on any par-3 is starting with a great iron shot, and the latest golf irons from PING will help you pull off excellent strikes both on the tee and on the fairway time and again.
How the latest PING golf irons will help you
PING is among the best in the business when it comes to making quality golf irons, and those in the Blueprint range are a real joy to play with, and will help you succeed on the golf course.
If you’re a consistent ball-striker and you’re looking for equipment that will help you unleash your pin-seeking potential, the Blueprint T irons are the right tool for the job. This iron is made from a single piece of carbon steel, offering the player an excellent sense of feel on every strike.
Precision-milled grooves on the clubface ensure the consistent player will get the ideal degree of launch and spin they’re seeking on their approach shots. A tungsten screw tip weight offers a slight boost to MOI, ensuring that the face won’t twist on impact with the ball so you’ll be making some very accurate shots.
If you’re a regular golfer and you’re on the hunt for some gear that will help you lower your handicap, the Blueprint S irons from PING will help you get there. PING has actually forged a pocket in the cavity on the back that saves 10g of weight, better positioning the center of gravity to give you effortless launch on your strikes.
PING has also given the Blueprint S an elastomer insert in the longer 3-5 irons, the result being a solid feel and pleasing sound that’ll have you hunting down the green from far out. The scoring irons have also been sized for better control and workability. You’re going to have a lot of fun striking this iron.
Another fantastic iron offering is the PING G430. This iron is perfect for players looking to build up more confidence and consistency in their iron game. The G430 has a clean look at address and a multi-material cavity badge offers a fantastic sense of feel. The bounce angle has also been modified to ensure a cleaner turf interaction when striking through turf.
Golf is always a challenge, but nothing feels a good as when you pull off that perfect tee shot on a par-3 and watch your ball come to rest in a perfect position on the green! We stock all kinds of golf irons in the pro shop, so if you think it’s time your game received an upgrade, we’d be happy to take you through your options.
