Forums

"Merion"

• BlackGibbon 349 Posts

  Sun, Jun 2 2013 10:50 AM

  KittyWumpus:

  YankeeJim:

  TarheelsRule:

  even 13 at only 135 from the back is very difficult to judge and getting above the hole is death.

  Try the 8i punch full and use spin to compensate for the wind. 

  Awesome!!! TY!!!

  I just tried this with my L79 Bladez, worked like a charm! It will take some play time to get a good feel for it, but I dreaded this hole previously.

  nikki

  Great advice...just tried it for the first time with the same L79 Bladez and 0.8ft from hole!!!!!Only just started to incorporate punch shots into my game but feel it will be a great asset once learned how to use properly....

                                      Al.

   

• TarheelsRule 5,566 Posts

  Thu, Jun 6 2013 10:18 AM

  I gave this a shot as well and it did control the distance much better than the 9 iron, which by the way is rated at 135 and should be the perfect club for this shot.

  The punch shot is very important in WGT, I use it a lot to get closer to the number with a full shot.  For example my 100 wedge will go 84 with a punch, my 80 wedge goes 68 so I can use it to fill in the yardage between clubs when necessary.  The wind and slope do effective the punch shots a little differently but once you get that down it is very useful.

  Also of course in the deep rough a punch can get you on the green when a full shot goes nowhere.

• Hoangvn10 162 Posts

  Thu, Jun 6 2013 10:57 AM

  Merion green is brutal. Maybe hardest. The more I play it the worst result i got (:

• borntobesting 9,709 Posts

  Thu, Jun 6 2013 11:32 AM

  YankeeJim:

  TarheelsRule:

  even 13 at only 135 from the back is very difficult to judge and getting above the hole is death.

  Try the 8i punch full and use spin to compensate for the wind. 

  I have played  #13 4 or 5 times since watching Jim play that punched 8 iron in an A/S match and almost hole it out. 3 or 4 birdies and 1 2 putt par and 1 of the shots lipped out or it would have been a hole-in-one.  One of the best bits of advice I have ever received. That and AvatarLee,Jake and YJ talking about the punched wedges. 

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Thu, Jun 6 2013 11:37 AM

  TarheelsRule:

  For example my 100 wedge will go 84 with a punch, my 80 wedge goes 68

  I find myself using these very 2 shots a lot at Merion and the only time I use spin is when I want them to roll more-like getting to 87-90 with the 84 and upwards of 72 with the 68. They stop nice without help and are really easy to learn distances with but what I like most is they won't throw you way off the target when you miss the ding and the wind doesn't push them all over. Very useful shots.

  One example is right on the first hole. Miss the drive and find yourself in that trap in 30-40 sand 51 away. 68 punch with top spin puts you inside 3 feet. Another is the 7th hole where a drive puts you 70 +/- yards out. Instead of choking a wedge, put fts on the punch and pull the pin.  :-)

• MartyFlanagan 2,488 Posts

  Thu, Jun 6 2013 12:57 PM

  my first double eagle / albatross, got it on merion

  Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

  http://www.wgt.com/replay.aspx?ID=c3e42de6-ef42-472b-b83d-a1d3000076b9

   

• TarheelsRule 5,566 Posts

  Thu, Jun 6 2013 2:27 PM

  Same here YJ, I think Merion has more punch shots than any other course.

  Awesome DE on Merion.  I couldn't see the replay but I assume it was on the 2nd hole, I hit the pin on it the other day and stopped within a couple of feet, which I turned into an easy birdie with a bad putt.

  Most of the time my ball is going to hard to get close on that hole.

• KittyWumpus 345 Posts

  Fri, Jun 7 2013 2:51 PM

  Thanks once more for the H13 8i punch on Merion YJ. To take that a step further, the (Tour) Master tees are back 11yds (124yds, IIRC). A friend who is TM and has the L79 Bladez was on the tee, and I asked him to try a punch with his 9i (120yds), compensate for wind. Worked like a charm!

  I have been using punch shots for quite awhile now, ever since I read about "try to shoot closer to a full shot for greater accuracy/less deviation, and many times a punch will provide that" (paraphrased). RSG Tournament with no wind (Legend/TL only for no wind?) has been brilliant for finally observing a more true observation of my clubs, especially trying various shots with my wedges. And seeing how punches affect carry/roll for the clubs.

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Fri, Jun 7 2013 4:26 PM

  KittyWumpus:

  A friend who is TM and has the L79 Bladez was on the tee, and I asked him to try a punch with his 9i (120yds), compensate for wind. Worked like a charm!

  That's called paying it forward. Good on you.  :-)

• RootsRo 419 Posts

  Fri, Jun 7 2013 11:21 PM

  Never thought of a punch shot on 13. I use full top PW with any tail wind and full BS 9 with side wind. With a head wind i was at a bit of a loss gonna try that punch next time thx YJ.

  Merion a a rly odd course indeed. There are about 10 easy birdies but a few holes are also easy to bogey. You have to be good with your wedges on Merion and the punched wedge shots are a must like some mentioned. Some holes are best to lay up for par if your score is low enough already. You have to know your landingnspots around the pins, these greens can be brutal. Even from within 8ft. Good course management is key.