British Open 2024: Bryson blamed his equipment for his woes on Day 1—does he have a point?

After a challenging opening-round 76 at the British Open at Royal Troon, Bryson DeChambeau attributed his performance to equipment issues. He explained, “I’m going to go figure it out. It’s something equipment related. The golf ball is … look, I’m not at 190 ball speed, so particularly when I’m hitting driver or 3-wood, those clubs are built for around that speed, that 190 ball speed, and my 3-wood around 180, so in colder, firmer conditions, the golf ball is not compressing as much. … I felt like I was swinging it somewhat OK, just the ball wasn’t coming off in that window that I normally see, so it was a weird day.”

DeChambeau’s comments highlight the challenges he faced due to the cold weather at Troon. His Krank Formula Fire Pro driver has just 5 degrees of loft, and his “3-wood” has 9 degrees. These low-loft clubs require high swing speeds to launch the ball correctly. Cold temperatures in the 50s and 60s affect golf balls due to the coefficient of thermal expansion, which changes how materials react to temperature. Golf balls are optimized for performance in warmer conditions, and DeChambeau’s choice of the Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash, a lower-spinning ball, may not have been ideal in the cold.

Cold air is denser than warm air, creating more drag on the ball. The late USGA technical director Frank Thomas noted that a 10-degree temperature drop can reduce carry distance by about two yards. Trackman research indicates a significant reduction in driving distance from 100 degrees to 40 degrees, mainly due to air pressure changes. On Thursday, DeChambeau’s driving distance was 294.1 yards, much lower than his PGA Tour average of 328.3 yards and his LIV average of 322.5 yards.

His main issue seemed to be approaching greens with different clubs than expected, leading to less accuracy. He was 55th in driving accuracy, hitting eight fairways, and 122nd in strokes gained/approach, losing 2.19 strokes to the field. Cold temperatures also impact players’ flexibility and swing speed, further reducing ball speed. Phil Mickelson once told Golf Digest that he changes to softer, lower compression balls in the cold because they compress more easily and go straighter.

DeChambeau might consider switching to a higher-spinning ball or increasing the loft on his long clubs. One thing is almost certain: he will likely adjust his setup for Round 2.