How do players adapt their strategy and golf bag for the Genesis Scottish Open?

Whether it's simply hitting more stingers into the wind, playing to their strengths or swapping out clubs, there are plenty of ways players adapt their strategy and golf bag for the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club.

With help from Sporting Insights, we've taken a closer look at all the equipment changes made in Scotland this week.

When it comes to equipment changes, some of the most common additions for the Genesis Scottish Open are mini-drivers, extra 2 and 3 irons or utility irons to handle the different conditions and shots required of a links-style course in potentially wet and windy conditions.

Ahead of this week, eight players (Haotong Li, Rasmus Højgaard, Nicolai Højgaard, Max Homa, Tommy Fleetwood, Guido Migliozzi, Sean Crocker and Chandler Phillips) all put a mini-driver in their bag in addition to their regular driver.

Yet one of the most common substitutions this week has been in favour of the Titleist T200 2 utility iron. To name just a few players who swapped things out for that club this week, Ludvig Åberg switched out his TaylorMade Stealth 2 wood for the utility iron, while Sungjae Im switched his Titleist 818 H2 hybrid, Matteo Manassero swapped out his Titleist GT2 7 wood, Billy Horschel substituted his regular 5 wood, Jordan Smith switched out Titleist GT2 5 wood, and Justin Rose replaced his 7 wood.

Antoine Rozner, the only man to be bogey-free for the first two rounds, is also carrying a Titleist T200 2 utility iron this week.

Two of the biggest changes belonged to Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas.

While not necessarily links-golf motivated, Morikawa kept his usual TaylorMade driver, 3 wood and 5 wood combination but switched to a new set of TaylorMade P-7CB irons after testing them on Wednesday afternoon. Thomas also kept his typical Titleist driver, 3 wood and 5 wood combination but added a new driver and putter to the bag this week. It was a decision that really paid off on Thursday, where Thomas carded an eight-under 62 to take the first-round lead.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy also made one very significant addition, including the TaylorMade P-760 2 iron that he had in his winning bag last year, replacing the 5 wood he typically carries.

So how much significance do players place on switching up a club or two when it comes to bag set-up this week?

Rickie Fowler, who often carries a 5 wood, instead added a second 4-iron, a Cobra Darkspeed with 19 degrees of loft, to his bag in order to give him better options in the wind.

"I don't normally carry a three iron, I carry a 5 wood," explained Fowler.

"This is a 4 iron from our game improvement line, with a stock loft of 19 degrees so it says four but plays as a 2 iron. It just gives me better options, lower and stronger flight in the wind."

As for Niklas Nørgaard, who kept his 19 degree hybrid in the bag, strategy and club selection are both things that he's taken into consideration.

The Dane, who ranks fourth on Tour in driving distance with an average this season of 322 yards, said that he's playing to his strengths.

"Well it’s normally a lot more windy and it’s a lot firmer playing these links courses," he said.

"So I’m a lot, using the wind more, always shaping it up into the wind or with the wind. This year I’ve incorporated this fairway finder that I have so I can hit it really, really low and take about 4 to 5pmh off the swing and it just gives me more control.

"But playing links is by far my favourite. You know you’re going to hit those low ones. I’ve never played this course so I don’t know what’s ahead. Today we have firm and fast, tomorrow it’s going to be rainy, so you just kind of have to be prepared for anything out here.

"I would say that I’m just trying to play to my strength, which is as far as possible. But then you have those bunkers out here, and if you’re in these bunkers you’re just, it’s a penalty, so just by all means trying to avoid the bunkers but get as far as possible. But it seems on this course there’s always just this bunker that’s in play, so it’s whatever you do, there’s always one, so it’s just rather get in the one that’s further away."