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I did it Merion. I finally beat you.

• derekortt 669 Posts

  Sun, Aug 18 2013 6:24 AM

  even though 10 is drivable, I only try it when I am having a truly terrible round.

   

  Had about a 15 mph tailwind in my last round. Still went with 3 iron. The wedge shot is one of the easiest in the game. Holed it for eagle.

   

  One thing... ALWAYS pull the flag on that wedge shot. I had one hit the flag and end up in the bunker... ended up making double

• neilecramer 106 Posts

  Mon, Aug 19 2013 2:14 AM

  derekortt:

  even though 10 is drivable, I only try it when I am having a truly terrible round.

  I swore I would never, ever try that again. But hey, I shot 29 on the front and was feeling invincible. The wind was strong out of the right and helping....what could go wrong? Of course I hit my last ball clear off the property. Another good round gone to waste. It's a recurring them at Merion for me.

  I usually pull out the 3W and take a little off. There is a group of divots there as I always seem to have the same exact yardage from the right edge of the fairway. It really is an easy birdie from there. Why mess up a good thing?

   

   

• Willsstrs 632 Posts

  Sat, Aug 24 2013 5:13 PM

  Congratz!!! I myself have a lot of trouble with merion, especially the front 9 for some reason. I can't think of how many times I ruined rounds at 5 or 6 before I finally qualified for the Open...Heck, I  think the first time I played it I just kept thinking "how in the world are you supposed to make a birdie here???"

  an under par round at merion is quite an accomplishment with your clubs! I think when I had starter clubs it would take me the front tees at kia or sta to shoot under par! Great job Ingo!

  ~Will

• BigInigoMontoya 208 Posts

  Sun, Aug 25 2013 12:54 PM

  Willsstrs:

  Congratz!!! I myself have a lot of trouble with merion, especially the front 9 for some reason. I can't think of how many times I ruined rounds at 5 or 6....

  I had forgotten how tricky 6 is, but a recent round with a 4 (four!!!!!!) putt for a double took care of that in a hurry.  Back to back holes with a high probability for a rage quit is never a good thing.

  And my newest gripe about Merion is the 18th hole.  Even with a 275 yard driver, I can just barely reach the fairway when teeing from the Master tees (i.e. the Michelin Challenge).  And I don't recall any extreme changes in elevation either so it just doesn't make any sense to me. Once I have better irons and a better putter I might make a few attempts at the Platinum Merion Masher award -- provided I'm still a Tour Pro - but once/if I reach Master tier I might just give up this course for good.  

• derekortt 669 Posts

  Sun, Aug 25 2013 1:25 PM

  You should easily be able to reach the fairway at 18 with a 275 yd driver from the Master tee. Do you have the L48 R1?

   

  That is what I have and have no issues, even into the wind, of reaching the fairway from the legend tee

• pukiebear 72 Posts

  Thu, Aug 29 2013 2:01 PM

  I totally understand the OPs jubilation.  Merion and Olympic are my 2 'nemesis' courses,  so I felt the exact same way when I shot a -4 on Merion AND had a clean scorecard to boot.  My first ever finish without a single bogey and it happened on one of the toughest courses. 
  
  After that,  I thought I would own Merion, but I couldn't have been more wrong.  Although I have finished under par a couple of more times, I haven't been able  match/surpass my low round and I dang sure haven't finished bogey free.  But at least I can say I've done it before. 

• fatdan 3,379 Posts

  Thu, Aug 29 2013 2:39 PM

  On 10 I hit my driver at 90% w/ full backspin and cut the corner, end up on the fairway or 1st cut of rough every time unless it is a R to L wind, then it is on the green or fringe...

  I use the L48 R1 but also have the L81 G20 10.5, if I ever get there with a old ball I'm going to go for the pin at least once w/ the G20 lol.

  Let me add that the reason I do this is I am better with my 64 wedge around the green than I was with my long wedges and short irons, but I am starting to get them dialed in and there would be no reason to do this if I do...

  Also there is no reason you should barely reach the fairway on 18 with that driver...I use it and usually have about 205-215 to the pin

• JayO92 172 Posts

  Thu, Aug 29 2013 10:51 PM

  The tenth green is not worth going for in my opinion.  As much as I'd love to drive this green (I'm always looking to drive short par 4's and reach par 5's in two),  I have to remind myself that 3-wood, wedge is a high percentage play.  Attempting to drive it brings several dangers into play; the branches to the left near the tee, the bunker in front of the green if you don't make the carry, the bunker at the back if you can't pull it up, the trees to the left of the green if you mis-hit, then there's the distance penalty to worry about if you attempt an intentional draw...

  Unless you get a really unlucky headwind, I see no reason why you can't make the fairway on the eighteenth using the lvl 48 R1.  I had no problems whatsoever making it with my G20 during my attempts at the Michelin Challenge.  In fact, I birdied the hole to cap off my best round ever on this game...

• neilecramer 106 Posts

  Fri, Aug 30 2013 2:00 AM

  Merion has my number lately. Earlier in the month I posted 63, 62, and a pair of 61s at the MC...and then hit the wall at a 100 miles an hour.  Complete trainwreck since then. I wrote earlier about my eagle-eagle start which wound up being a "restart". I had a birdie-eagle start today that ended with a lost ball on 9 in what I could only characterize as an OMGWTFVEM!!11!1 shot that went about 15 yards longer than it should have. Restart.

  Whenever I get hot and get a good scoring round going, it seems like the course toughens up and shots/putts start going wayward for no apparent reason. So I'm gonna wave the white flag and take a break from that course for a while. Let's hope the MC is at Cabo or Andies next month.

  

• gmaster007 2,101 Posts

  Fri, Aug 30 2013 4:46 AM

  last time I enjoyed a 69 like that,
  there was no golf involved :P

  but seriously, it is nice to see someone
  get excited from a -1 at merion,
  my personal best there is -10 (in championship greens mind you)
  and I'm still not too thrilled about it :)

  very refreshing indeed, like some said,
  but you can do better, and now with the mulligans
  I'm sure you will - happy swinging (we're still talking golf right? :D)