With The Open well underway on the tough links of Royal Portrush, the old comparisons of golf in the UK compared to America have been rearing their heads and Marc Leishman has now offered his verdict.
Leishman was unhappy in round one of The Open as slow play hindered him and he ended up two over par for his first round.
However, Leishman rallied after going out as the early starter in round two and shot a three under par to ensure he comfortably makes the weekend.
As we all know, links golf is what makes the game so great and often on these courses, we see players who might not normally compete be right up there.
The difference in how to play a links compared to the long courses in America is massive, and speaking on that issue after his second round, Leishman has admitted there are differences.
Marc Leishman says why golf in America is so different to the UK
The courses in the states are generally tailored towards the big hitters and when it comes to translating that type of game into links golf in the UK, top players can come unstuck.
Indeed, according to Leishman, there are big differences which he feels make the game really enjoyable.
“It’s obviously fairly different to play in America. Over here you can bounce it up onto the greens. A lot of courses we play where the greens are firm, the surrounds are quite soft. That’s just the way that the grass has sort of turned out, Bermuda or whatever it might be,” Leishman admitted.
“It’s nice to be able to run it up. Obviously the 2-iron isn’t in the bag very often. I’m enjoying using that this week. I love that club. Teeing off the driver a little bit lower to get it coming out a bit lower. Just control it. You’re not hitting those high bombs that get up in the wind and lose control. You’re just trying to think your way around the course, I think, more than anything.”
Quizzed on if he has to learn certain shots to play in The Open, Leishman admitted it’s something you have to work on over time.
“No, I think you can definitely learn it. Yeah, you can learn anything if you put your mind and some hard work into it. I’ve had to learn how to play out of the long rough next to the greens that we play in in the states. I found that really difficult when I first started playing the Tour. I love hitting the little 5-iron shots out here. I think that’s something that helps growing up doing that,” he continued.
“Yeah, I think you need a lot of imagination out here between the hills and the wind and whatever else is thrown at you.”
Rickie Fowler agrees with Marc Leishman when it comes to links golf
All the American players coming over to The Open often love the challenge but at times, it can also be a hard slog.
With Royal Portrush completely different to anything they have in America, players like Rickie Fowler can get caught out.
And speaking after his own round, Fowler seemed to agree with Leishman’s sentiment about the subtle differences.
“Not really. Good delivery is still good delivery,” Fowler replied when asked if chipping is different.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re on firm, soft, grainy. If you can chip off grainy Bermuda at home in Florida, anything is possible. This is a bit tighter and firmer, but still, the initial contact, that’s basically for me still the same because you’re not really — should be making kind of ball in ground contact roughly about the same time, hopefully ball before ground slightly. So in that case, the surface shouldn’t play as big of a factor with that. Certain shots, obviously in the fairway, it’s not like — it’s tough to hit flop shots when you have that much bounce and different things.
“I would say a lot more square face or not as open as maybe at home because of how much you expose the bounce and what that could lead to because a 10-yard shot could go 40 if you don’t execute properly.”
With Fowler also safely into the weekend, it will be interesting to see if the American can make a run in round three as he looks to reel in fellow USA star, Brian Harman.
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