Your handicap at Merion

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I'm sitting here catching up on the coverage from last night and was wondering to myself

If I was a member at Merion and had to play that course week in week out under the same setup they have now. What would my handicap be ?

I'm off 12 right now but I honestly think I'd struggle to play to a 28 handicap.

What about you? What you off now and what do you think your handicap would be at Merion ?
 
Yesterday Luke was looking for s sprinkler head about 4 yards into the rough
So the rough would be at least 5 yards less on each side and also cut to more reasonable levels...

Set up like it is this week I doubt many handicap golfers would get to within 20 shots of their number
 
Imurg said:
Yesterday Luke was looking for s sprinkler head about 4 yards into the rough
So the rough would be at least 5 yards less on each side and also cut to more reasonable levels...

Set up like it is this week I doubt many handicap golfers would get to within 20 shots of their number
Click to expand...

I just wonder what the place would play like setup normally. Fairways probably 10-20 yards wider. Greens where you don't need the touch of a surgeon. Rough a mere mortal could get out of.
 
I would be in the hundreds and would require a dozen balls in the bag just in case... If I shot under 100 round there I would be very happy!
 
It can't be enjoyable to play. I don't see many smiles out there.

Now I don't want a birdyfest. But give them half a chance.

And if the fairways dry out at the weekend, as they think it will, how is anyone going to keep the ball on the short stuff.

Going to be a real grind over the next few days.
 
I thought the same when I played at Lytham. The course beat me up Tbh and Id consider myself to be a reasonably competant player.

I wondered at the time how some of the higher handicap members coped with it, surely its no fun looking for balls and hacking out out of the numerous pot bunkers on every hole every week.
I honestly thought at the time that I wouldn't want to be a member there ( They wouldn't have me anyway) as I just wouldn't enjoy it.

Id imagine the same applies at most of these US open courses, Bethpage, Pinehurst, Merion etc. Ok they Set them up tough beforehand but I'd say they're still too much course for the club golfer to enjoy playing week in week out.

Maybe it's not about enjoying the golf though and more about the prestige of being a member there.
 
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Course Rating is 73.5 against Par of 70 and Slope is 149, so right up there with the toughest anywhere!

Conversion of index show a 10-capper here should add 3 shots and a 16-capper should add 5. Their 'Bogey rating (18-capper?) is 101.5, so 13 or 14 shots over handicap!

Personally, if I shot less than 90 off the 'normal' tees, fairways and rough, I'd still be very happy - and I've shot 76 at Carnoustie and 75 at Muirfield!!
 
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if any of us played it i doubt any of us would be able to break 90. if you miss the fairway, it's basically a lost ball. heck, at the moment they're struggling to find them in there with spotters !
 
Probably easier than my home course the PGA (Belfry) ha ha

No the fairways are wider but anything stray of the fairway leaves you in rough and long grass where finding the ball is an achievement in its self.

The 9th...
 

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