Nick Faldo Says Bryson DeChambeau Has "Zero Clue" About Links Golf Strategy

What Is Happening?

Imagine golf is like a video game with different levels. One famous golfer, Nick Faldo, is complaining that another golfer, Bryson DeChambeau, doesn’t understand how to play a special type of level called "links golf."

• Nick Faldo is a British golfer who won The Open (a big golf tournament) three times.
• Bryson DeChambeau is an American golfer who has won two major tournaments.
• They are talking about golf played on "links" courses — these are old-style courses by the sea with bumpy ground and tricky wind.

Bryson’s Recent Struggles

Bryson is getting ready to play in The Open at a place called Royal Birkdale (in England). But things haven’t gone great for him lately:

• He missed the cut (meaning he was sent home early) in three major tournaments in a row in 2026.
• Last year, at Royal Portrush (in Northern Ireland), he said using his "driver" (the club that hits the ball super far) would be the key to winning.
• He shot a first-round score of 78 (not very good!) but strangely still finished 10th place overall.

Important Point: Even though Bryson said "attack the course with the driver," many experts think that is the wrong way to play links golf.

What Did Faldo Say?

Faldo, who knows links golf really well, told Sky Sports (a TV channel): "I’d say it to his face — DeChambeau has zero clue of strategy."

He explained his own way to play:

• You don’t "attack" a links course like it’s an enemy.
• You "thread" the ball — like sewing a needle — and "feed" it gently down the narrow fairway (the short-grass path).
• The fairway is only about 20 yards wide (like a school bus length).
• You use the humps and bumps on the ground to bounce the ball back into safe spots.
• You should think: "How do I get it on the short grass?" not "I’ll just blast it and hope."

Bryson’s New Gear and Confidence

Even with the criticism, Bryson showed up in England with cool new toys:

1. He has a brand-new set of 3D-printed irons (golf clubs made by a machine that prints them layer by layer).
2. Each iron takes about an hour to print, plus extra work to finish.
3. He told Sky Sports he likes the tough course and said: "If I feel good, I know I can give myself a chance."
4. He reminded everyone he has won twice on the LIV Golf tour this year and been top-three three times.
5. He said the bad major results were just "a couple of weird things happening."

Summary

Nick Faldo thinks Bryson DeChambeau doesn’t understand how to play smart on links golf courses and should be more careful instead of hitting super hard. Bryson has had a rough year in big tournaments but brings new 3D-printed clubs and still believes he can do well at Royal Birkdale. The golf world will watch to see who is right!

FAQ

Q: What is links golf?
A: It’s a style of golf course usually found by the ocean, with bumpy ground, wind, and narrow paths. You need to be careful and clever to play it well.

Q: Why did Faldo say Bryson has "zero clue"?
A: Because Bryson said he would "attack" the course with his driver, but Faldo believes you should gently guide the ball down the narrow fairway instead.

Q: What are 3D-printed irons?
A: They are golf clubs made using a printer that builds them up layer by layer, taking about an hour each to print before finishing.

Q: Has Bryson been doing well this year?
A: In big major tournaments, no — he missed three cuts. But on the LIV Golf tour, he won twice and finished top-three three times.