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Oakmont

• fatdan 3,379 Posts

  Wed, Aug 14 2013 2:20 PM

  I like playing oak and have shot some decent scores there for me, I more or less learned how to play this game there...I can usually shoot 30-31's on the front 9 because I always par or bogie #9, to lower my score I need to birdie 2 of the 1st 3 holes or #9. I have played Oak #1 at least 150 times and birdied it twice, both were accidents believe me! So I decided to do what I did I Bethpage, play #1 and #2, hit the restart and do it again until I birdied both which didn't take long at Bethpage...so I set out on my quest and on the 63rd restart(yeah 63) I finally birdied it, and also birdied #9 which was what I needed to do to improve my score there, however I forgot to pick up any stroke on the holes I usually birdie and shot 33...

  So I have now played that hole over 200 times and STILL cannot figure out the wind/elevation change/ or even a good spot on the green to get close and have an easier putt...I don't bogie it or birdie it, just par par par par, which is usually ok but to break 30 I need to birdie that $@#%^^&! hole! Any tips? Am I missing something or is the hole just that tough? I'm not doing the restart thing anymore!

• MBaggese 15,367 Posts

  Wed, Aug 14 2013 2:41 PM

  To get you started if pin is in front, adjust about 2 times normal for side winds to account for elevation change, and take about 10 yards off the shot..try not to be left of the pin.

   

  Back pin try not to be right of it...a little short is okay i/e within 12-15 feet, the putt doesn't break too much.

   

  It's always a tough hole to birdie.

• fatdan 3,379 Posts

  Wed, Aug 14 2013 4:27 PM

  Thanks, I should have been more specific, it is the back r pin that kills me...I noticed short was a slow down hill putt but I always seem to be at least 18 ft or better short...left right or past the hole all run away...I have tried almost every putt from every angle and they never seem to break the same assuming I am close to the previous attempts setting which I think I am...I was thinking short had to be the way to go, I got 1 to 6.5 ft short with dots barely moving and it broke a entire hole more than it looked, next one was 9ft w/ little movement and it was dead straight, finally had a 23 ft that I made for birdie (on attempt 63 lol)...that hole must be in a tough spot and I can't get any perspective because of the shadows...again thank you!

  I just can't dial in the distance, take more off the shot, add more, use punch shot, hit a pitching wedge and went over from 142 out, then hit the PW from 140 with a little off and it was 18ft short...the hole kills me but I always par it....same way with #2, always have a short wedge in but can't get close enough to make it easy...

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Wed, Aug 14 2013 5:14 PM

  On the back pin there is a small ridge in the green to the left of the pin. It runs front to back and is about 4-5 feet left of the pin. Anything left of that ridge rolls away from the pin but if you catch it right the ball will trickle down to the pin. Really tricky shot. Play short with top spin to roll up to the pin. On that 142 out I would have hit a PW (135) with enough top spin to keep it rolling.

• BubbaCrusher007 1,567 Posts

  Wed, Aug 14 2013 7:52 PM

  Yeah, 'chokemont'. I gotta love it. I was 7- when I got to #9? Doubled 9!@#$$%

  Fk'n goin for the hole instead of stay under the hole.

• fatdan 3,379 Posts

  Wed, Aug 14 2013 8:55 PM

  Been there LOL

  I figure I cost myself at least 2-3 strokes a round doing stupid stuff and wgt gets me for at least 1...just played Merion, got perfect yardage in the whole round, birdie the 1st 3 holes which I have never done, on 4 a par5 birdie hole the meter freezes as soon as it hits the swing zone for a 150 yrd drive into the weeds hack out of there and bogie it(wgt 1-2 strokes)...

  couple of holes later I dead pull a straight in 6ft'er(1 stroke for me)...get to 15 and stick 2nd shot above hole 3 1/2 ft birdie putt that I already know, power up to 2ft and MISS the ding late, I mean WAY late and push it off the hole(2 strokes for me)...get  to 17 -8 and the meter freezes again at last f'n second, end up in the middle of the green with a ridiculous putt I somehow got to 3.9ft with a slight break 2" up, for some reason instead of ramming it home I decide to do the math and forget to add the elevation and leave it on the lip (3 strokes for me, I take full blame for stupidity)...

  on 18 I have a 16ft birdie putt no break and hit it 8ft, after calling wgt every curse word I could think of it dawned on me I wanted to use the 60ft meter to keep the stroke short and only put it on 30ft(4 strokes for me 1-2 for wgt)...still shot my best score at Merion 64, but it woulda shoulda coulda been 5 strokes better...

  I definitely need to wait until I putt before admiring my work when I get close!

• courteneyfish 15,796 Posts

  Wed, Aug 14 2013 10:22 PM

  One way of playing the 9th is to put your second shot into the bunker and then wedge it close, it sometimes goes in. It's a good way if you just need a par.

• MBaggese 15,367 Posts

  Wed, Aug 14 2013 10:39 PM

  fatdan:

  I take full blame

   

  Truer words never spoken...man, should be a link pasted up with your reply;)

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Thu, Aug 15 2013 5:04 AM

  courteneyfish:

  One way of playing the 9th is to put your second shot into the bunker and then wedge it close, it sometimes goes in. It's a good way if you just need a par.

  Does this work with the back pin we're talking about? Never thought to try that.

• MBaggese 15,367 Posts

  Thu, Aug 15 2013 7:39 AM

  YankeeJim:

  courteneyfish:

  One way of playing the 9th is to put your second shot into the bunker and then wedge it close, it sometimes goes in. It's a good way if you just need a par.

  Does this work with the back pin we're talking about? Never thought to try that.

  I use almost full back spin at about the rated distance from the hole...if you land 4-5 yards short,ball will still roll out to the hole...even missing right or left, is still a much easier two putt than front position.

   

  Edit:

   

  What I wrote above might be misleading...

   

  If I'm 175 out I'll hit 180 club almost full back spin...full back with that club goes about 175 on level elevation, since you can't "stick" the ball, it'll still roll out up towards the hole.