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What did I do wrong?

• Robbo81303 417 Posts

  Tue, Apr 1 2014 10:00 AM

  Hole #14 at Oakmont, I've driven the ball about 10 yds right of the fairway into 40-50% 2nd cut rough, the hole is 98 yds away, 2 ft down with 20 yds of green in front, no wind.  I hit a PW (Nike V-forged, L85, 115 yds) full shot, 100% power, dinged, bottom of spin dot lightly nudging the lie, expecting the shot to go 85-90 yds and (hopefully) roll close to the hole.  Instead, it hits a low mound at 40 yds, takes a big bounce, & lands another 14 yds away for a total of 54 yds.  Anyone want to hazard a guess as to why this didn't work & what I should have done differently?  Thank you.

• ApexPC 3,164 Posts

  Tue, Apr 1 2014 10:42 AM

  In 40% - 50% rough (grass) I add 30% to the shot distance, or take 2 more clubs.

  98 yrds x 30% = 29.4 yrds. 98 + 29.4 yrds = 127.4 yrds

  From 40% to 50% rough I also expect the ball to be be in the air a shorter distance than normal and to roll much more after it lands.

  So I would say you didn't use enough club, had unrealistic expectations for the in-the-air flight of the ball, and it landed shorter than you expected on terrain that just made matters worse.

• borntobesting 9,710 Posts

  Tue, Apr 1 2014 11:15 AM

  What I would have done would have been to punch my Nike V-forged L97+ 9 iron it punches to 121. Or the 8 iron that punches to 134. 

  On some courses using the full shot from 40/50% rough will work ok. But it has been my experience that at Oakmont from that heavy rough it is much better to punch it. 

• fatdan 3,379 Posts

  Tue, Apr 1 2014 11:27 AM

  What did I do wrong?

  Robbo81303:

  Hole #14 at Oakmont, I've driven the ball about 10 yds right of the fairway into 40-50% 2nd cut rough, the hole is 98 yds away, 2 ft down with 20 yds of green in front, no wind.  I hit a PW (Nike V-forged, L85, 115 yds) full shot, 100% power, dinged, bottom of spin dot lightly nudging the lie, expecting the shot to go 85-90 yds and (hopefully) roll close to the hole.  Instead, it hits a low mound at 40 yds, takes a big bounce, & lands another 14 yds away for a total of 54 yds.  Anyone want to hazard a guess as to why this didn't work & what I should have done differently?  Thank you.

  And what they said /\ /\ /\ being in the short grass is very important at Oakmont as you found out...a longer approach in the fairway is much better than trying to get close with a risky T-shot

   

• ScottHope 10,450 Posts

  Tue, Apr 1 2014 11:42 AM

  I just tried to reconstruct your shot Robbo and as far as I'm concerned you made a good judgement with regards to shot settings.

  I did the same as you but with an R11 wedge and a luvvy duvvy valentine ball, (yuk!), and the shot flew beautifully a full 96 yards. So I'm guessing you just hit a WGT glitch.

• Robbo81303 417 Posts

  Tue, Apr 1 2014 4:40 PM

  Thanks for the feedback, gents.  I tend to side w/ Scott as a) I've never had issues with Oakmont rough before, and b) have had quite a few doozies today, most notably a shot at St. Andrews out of 20-25% rough with a L80 Cleve 64 wedge & a 27 mph tailwind that went...61 yds!???!  Oh well, here's hoping I wake up tomorrow & find out today was just WGT's version of a bad April Fool's joke.  Thanks again!