Sam Burns makes a surprising change to his iron setup in Scotland

Scotland’s trademark links style provides a stark contrast to the aerial game that’s typically successful on American golf courses. Scottish golf courses tend to play firmer and faster, and when the wind is kicking, it’s often best to keep the ball out of the air as much as possible.

Higher-flying golf balls simply have more potential to get blown offline, affecting both directional and distance control.

Hence, PGA TOUR pros often tweak their equipment setups in Scotland to include clubs that flight the ball lower and with less spin. Oftentimes, players who typically use a high-flying, high-lofted fairway wood will switch into a lower-flying and lower-spinning driving iron option. Driving irons help players hit their versions of Tiger Woods’ famous “stinger,” which reduces wind drag and gets the ball rolling more quickly down the firm and fast Scottish fairways.

Sam Burns is among those considering adding a driving iron to the bag at the Genesis Scottish Open. According to Callaway rep Johnny Wunder, Burns is testing a new Callaway X Forged UT driving iron, equipped with a True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shaft. The X Forged UT would likely replace the Callaway Apex UW (Utility Wood) that he carries during weekly PGA TOUR events – and is designed to fly much higher.

Burns recently utilized Callaway Apex TCB irons (4-PW, AW) equipped with Project X 6.5 shafts. This week, though, he is switching his iron shafts into the True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 model.

Thanks to small differences in design between the two steel shaft options, Burns found the X100s to provide the flight and spin characteristics that he wanted, including more spin and control.

“Sam, who has been in the PX 6.5 for a long time, wanted a bit more spin and control on off-speed shots, which was a challenge with the handle-stiff PX,” Wunder said. “The new setup improved his dispersion and distance control.”

So, although Burns is likely to make an adjustment at the top end of his set in Scotland to flight the ball lower with the driving iron, he’s actually making a wholesale change to his entire set of Apex TCB irons to gain spin and control on his off-speed approach shots closer to the green.

Burns is currently ranked 146th on TOUR in Strokes Gained: Approach the Green, and he’ll look for increased spin control to improve that standing.