Interview: Tony Jacklin talks Lynx Golf

Why should golfers be buying Lynx products?

What attracted me to Lynx was that it is smaller than the mega-big companies and I thought that I could make a difference. I like the products and they have multiple choice across the board and it’s good quality.

Everything is done in a top-class, professional manner and when I had the opportunity I said to my office – there were other brands, bigger brands – but I wanted to go somewhere I could make a difference.

And they get juniors involved as well. You can come as an eight year old and get fixed up and we’re all interested in growing the game.

Obviously the name’s been kicking around for a long while. I just didn’t have any hesitation.  

It’s a family business essentially. These guys, they follow through with their promises, they deliver. Everyone is passionate about what they do and the whole team is passionate about delivering the best they can.

With Ernie Els and Fred Couples playing Lynx in the past, it’s a very nostalgic brand. Why is the brand relevant in 2014?

I love the look of the irons, and I’m a traditionalist - they're some of the best around. This is the first time I’ve seen all the clubs together and it looks outstanding.

I’m playing the Boom Boom ball and I find it equal to any ball out there. Putters - they’ve got a great line with Harold Swash who has been a friend of mine for 40 years – nobody knows better than him.

They’ve worked with lots of people and there is something for everyone. My jacket won’t fit you and golf clubs are the same, you  need what you need for you. There is multiple choice and it’s nice to know that you can pick and choose what suits you.

I think it’s an iconic name in golf and to me it’s one of the big names in the sport. It’s still there with its reputation, even up against these mega-brands, and I felt drawn to it to raise the profile.

We all need that. It’s fascinating because I’ve been living in Florida for 20 years and I went with my new management company and the first thing they wanted me to do was raise my profile, hence the reason I went on Strictly Come Dancing and all that!

Most people know what I did but there is a generation, certainly the younger generation who probably needed reminding – you know, who’s Tony Jacklin?  I need it and in this modern world we all need the same consideration. 

You’ve prospered on links courses in the past – can you tell us the key to playing on links courses?

You need to embrace the conditions. The last thing you need around this golf course (Birkdale) is a rescue club because the game is played on the ground. I know that seems to go against all this modern technology, obviously the driver is the club which has changed the game the most but you don’t want the ball up there.

The irony is it’s hard to buy a 2-iron these days. They stop at a 4-iron and go into the rescue clubs but it’s not a requirement on a links course. You hit the ground with a 2-iron…you’ll get 70 or 80 yards of run out of it. You want the distance to come on the ground and not in the air.

Links golf has not changed one iota. It calls for a lot of imagination and enormous patience. Everybody’s going to get bad bounces. It’s just about minimising the mistakes and inventing shots. Yardage is meaningless. Controlling ball flight is the key. 

For more information about the brand head to the Lynx website