Butch Harmon’s Playing Lessons, (16) Hole 16 - Merion Golf Club, Par 4: 407 Yards, Notes

Post date: Apr 20, 2018 1:04:52 PM

Butch Harmon’s Playing Lessons by Butch Harmon with John Andrisani

(16) Hole 16 - Merion Golf Club, Par 4: 407 Yards

• 1. Tee Shot

     1. Even if the fairway is generous, pick a small spot near the center of the fairway as a target and focus concentration on it. Always keep the swing smooth and deliberate, swinging the clubhead level through the ball.

     2. To help put some draw-spin on the ball, as well as gain maximum distance. Tee it a touch higher than normal. Stay loose prior to the takeaway, swing freely, and make pure contact.

     3. To avoid chopping down on the ball with long clubs and costing a lot of distance, hit the back of the ball while the sole of the club is traveling parallel to the ground. To have a better chance of sweeping the ball off the tee with a level blow, turn the left knee inward on the backswing. This allows the weight to shift correctly on the backswing, then onto the left foot coming down. This will also enhance the turning actions of the shoulders and stop the right one from dropping down dramatically.

  2. Approach

• • 1. Add five yards to the total distance for a slight uphill shot. Add another five if the pin is in the back. Factor in the wind as well.

    2. To play a fade, weaken the grip slightly by moving the hands toward the target slightly.

    3. Always study the design of the hole and play the type of shot that the hole asks for. In this case, it’s a low flying iron that lands in the front half of the green. Even if it doesn’t release and stays on the lower level of the green, we’re still better off than in the rough over the green.

    4. To hit a 3-iron, set up to the ball just a trifle open (aligned about 20 feet left of the target.) Position the ball about one ball-width farther forward than normal, directly opposite the left heel. Make a smooth, level swing here to apply the 22-23 degrees of loft on the face of the 3-iron squarely through the ball. Never try to ‘muscle’ the long irons. Instead, make square and precise contact. Concentrate on keeping the head very still and behind the ball at impact. This allows the ball to be clipped neatly off the turf rather than digging too deep. Strive for a full, high follow through. For long iron shots into the green, just make a normal 9-iron swing.

    5. If it becomes necessary to lay up, lay up correctly. The goal is to play the third shot from the fairway with only a wedge left into the green.

    6. If caught between clubs, hit a less lofted club and play a 3/4 swing rather than a hard swing with a more lofted club. The intent being to land the ball on the lower tier and letting the ball run up, maybe even close to the flag. Play the ball in the middle of the stance (or slightly behind the centerpoint.) Choke down on the grip an inch for control, and make a compact, firm swing.

    7. When setting up for shots from the fairway always account for the terrain. Whether the ball is above or below the feet, uphill or downhill, always take a good look at the shot from behind the ball. As a general rule play the ball more towards the higher foot (on a downhill lie off the right foot and on an uphill lie off the left foot). Also, tilt the body perpendicular to the slope so the shoulders are parallel to the slope, to create a flat lie in effect. Swing within the self to maintain balance. When the ball is above the feet, aim right to allow for the draw flight that results from this lie. Below the feet, aim left to allow for the fade flight. Making these adjustments will allow more greens to be hit, leading to more pars and less bogies.

• 3. Greenside

• • 1. To lob the ball over the rough and fringe line, hit a lob. Aim the sand or lob wedge toward the landing spot, 4-5 feet left of the direct line of the hole. Take a narrow and open stance. Make a slow wristy backswing so that the clubhead moves up quickly and returns fairly steeply down onto the ball. Keep the head still until well beyond impact.

• 4. Putting

• • 1. Hitting through the putt, with the club moving straight along the target line at impact, is a technical must. To encourage this path, keep the arms and hands closer to the body and the putterhead moving low to the ground:

       1. DRILL for encouraging a straight back and straight through short-putt stroke: Plant two parallel rows of six tees in the green, the rows about three inches apart. The width of the path between them should be only slightly wider than the width of the putter. Practice swinging the putter back and through without hitting the tees. In no time, the drill will get rid of the out to in cut stroke.

    2. When putting up to a cup on an upper tier, get in the habit of reading these putts carefully from a side angle, well away from the line of the putt. This gives much better perspective on how much force is needed in the stroke.

    3. A right-to-left breaking putt that is slightly downhill can’t be ‘gunned.’ Instead, play an inch of extra break and try to roll the ball at a speed that will just trickle it past the hole (if it doesn’t drop.)