Mercer Oak golf course

Mercer Oak east golf course, New Jersey

趁著美國memorial連假安排一場球，因為是假期，所以打算開遠一點去紐澤西的球場。因為上次打Cream ridge球場，球場難度OK但很有意思，很多細節讓我打起來感覺有味道。現在我對球場的評估，不在於它的難度、挑戰和狀態，而是打下來是否讓你覺得，喔，原來是這樣啊....。比賽型的球場設計大致都差不多，距離長，球道和果嶺的地形、坡度設計等。

說實在的，這些比賽型球場打多了就是那樣，不會讓我有太多的記憶或回味。但一些球場的細節設計，同時利用地形或天氣，把挑戰和問題放在裡面，等你到了，才會恍然大悟。這才是可以品嚐回味的地方，而不是把你搞得接不上氣的才是好球場。所以我不太追大比賽型球場，就是打一些有特色和好玩的場子，才能讓我充電。

Mercer Oask也是和我上次打Cream ridge球場附近，所以開車從法拉盛要快2個小時，約70多英里距離。開球是11點，這個球場有東、西2個球場，西場比較火，但也比較難訂。我只訂到東場，也是每天刷訂場看看有沒有空位？通常每天都會有一些位置會放出來，我老婆就順手幫我訂下來。連假的第一天是天氣最好，氣溫在20度左右，有熱但舒服的打球天。

紐澤西的球場多是平地球場，在球道上做一些起伏和坡度設計，來增加挑戰和樂趣。Mercer Oak是比較典型的比賽型球場設計，距離比較長，西場有7000多碼，東場有6700多碼。但我今天是打白tee 6300多碼，也是OK。今天打球人多，我就沒有去衝藍tee，加上同組另外兩個球友也是自己推車打，這樣我壓力也比較輕，不需要趕。但他們都跟得上，我們3個打的都在線上，反而都等前組。

另外2位一起打的都是在地的白人球友，年紀應該都在60歲上下。但一個很高，應該超過180公分了。有身材優勢，距離就妥妥的，只是他的開球不是很穩。如果他打到甜蜜點會比我遠個10碼，沒有打到點就是我遠他20碼。另一位的身材和我差不多，最大的特色就是他開球是大slice，瞄左邊，球就是會落在球道上，我都說他的球有GPS，會導回球道上，但距離就約210～220碼範圍。

本文未完，下集請待續。

After I played Cream ridge golf course in New Jersey, I decide to book another outing during the memorial holiday long weekend. This time I pick Mercer Oak in Allentown, it's about 2 hours driving from Flushing, NY. I book 11am Tee time for east course, I can get back around 5pm. It's so hard to book Mercer Oak but people give better comments on West. I am going to try next time.

I am not the tournament style course fan. Mercer Oak is typical tournament course with long distance, bunkers and slops. I'm not really into those big tournament-style courses. I prefer the ones with character, the ones that are just plain fun and recharge my golfing batteries. The east course is over 6300 yards in white tee and I pretty much use 7i and pitching wedge for the second shot in most of par 4s.

i pair with other two senior golfers and the one with big slice driver shot can make the tee shot on the fairway, the other gentleman with over 6" tall can get the distance of the clubs without problem. However his driver wasn't always consistent. We all walk through 18 holes without rush and have great time. I hardly ever need to use fairway woods or long irons unless it's a par 5 over 500 yards.

The fairways were wide enough, not too tricky, but they still had their challenges. Distance is key to play this course. Finding your ball in there was no picnic. And even if you did find it, getting it back onto the fairway was a whole other story, like those thick roughs you find on links-style courses. One ball I lose is on 13th hole with tee shot directly to the thick roughs.

Another thing about this course, there were a lot of bunkers. They were everywhere, on the fairways, around the greens, you name it. And let me tell you, I found myself in quite a few of them today. Four times, to be exact – twice on the fairways and twice near the greens. Getting out of them wasn't too tough, but it definitely added some spice to the game.

to be continued...

Mercer Oak east golf course, New Jersey! 上集
https://www.peargolf.com/article/mercer-oak-east-golf-course-new-jersey-shangji

下集開始。

這類比賽型球場有距離就好辦，白tee就是開球加7鐵或P桿上。有時打歪就在一個短桿切回來，這就是我不喜歡打白tee，用不到球道木和長鐵。除非5桿洞超過500碼，才能用到3木。開球就是一個穩，了無新意。鐵桿今天好多了，上果嶺比例也高了，穩定成長。但今天的推桿就鳥了，很多洞都來3推，明明打的不錯但推桿就是滑過洞口。

球場的球道也算寬，不是太難，但還是有一定難度。因為在球道和球道都會有草叢，讓你找不到球，就算找到，也不容易打出來，像林克斯球場那種草叢。我以為用了上一場沒有掉的Chrome soft球，一直到第13洞才開球有點失神，開到右邊草叢裡，也懶得去找。因為球皮已經有一個刮傷，順便換掉。第二個掉球是第17洞第二桿，球在長草，第二桿被草絆住，球拉左進草叢，也是不找了。

另一個特色是沙坑多，在球道上，果嶺前後左右，都是你很有可能會進去的地方。因為我今天打白tee，距離位置都是容易掉的地方，今天進沙坑4次，2次在球道上，2次在果嶺旁。要打出來不難，就是會讓你吃一點苦頭。再來就是果嶺的難度也是非常有感，2層果嶺，高低半個人落差。幾個洞，都把旗桿插在斜坡位置，要一推很難，所以我幾次三推都是這樣。

果嶺狀況不錯，速度9左右，可能我今天推感不好，線也不是抓的精準。今天只有一個三桿洞，抓一鳥。其他就是par和bogey。打這類比賽型球場，距離是標配，準度還好都過的去，就靠短桿和推桿來救。喔今天的短桿還不錯，都切的比較到位，也比較敢把力量放下去，這樣球的彈道就發揮出來。過去都不太敢把力量放進去，現在比較有經驗和技巧，會更敢下手。

雖然說這個球場球友評價不錯，但我覺得還可以，不會讓我覺得印象深刻。就是典型比賽型球場，維護也不錯，可以測出你的實力，如果可以我會覺得打藍tee會更好玩。這個球場比較類似南方德州球場風格，寬、長和少樹林。走下來真的有累，加上今天沒有風，但溫度沒有悶熱。是不會像南邊那樣爆熱，太陽是溫和、舒服。

Then there were the greens, which were a challenge in themselves. Two-tiered, with some serious elevation changes on a few holes. And to make things even trickier, the pins were placed on slopes, making putting a real test. As a result, I had my fair share of three-putts today. I did not have a good putting that's made me frustrate.

Overall, the greens were in decent shape, running at about a 9 on the stimp meter. Maybe my putting wasn't up to par today, or maybe my aim was a bit off. I managed to birdie just one par 3; the rest were pars and bogeys. When you're playing these tournament-style courses, distance is a given, and accuracy is usually manageable.

It all comes down to your short game and putting to save strokes. Oh, and speaking of short game, mine wasn't too bad today. I was getting my chips nice and close to the hole, and I was really putting some power behind my shots. In the past, I was always a bit timid with my swings, but now that I've got more experience under my belt, I'm not afraid to go for it.

Again, it's typical tournament style course with great condition to play with. You definitely pay what you get for, but if your handicap is over 20, I would say bring more balls for this course. Your skills need to be average in order to get things going. I think West should have more fun with longer distance and I will try next time for blue tee.

Course distance over 6500 yards will allow you perform more in long irons, woods on second shot. It's really challenge for you to leverage all the golf clubs you have. That's why I enjoy for long course to test my ability on managing all kinds of golf clubs. Then you will know which club you should work more in order to get the real performance.

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Mercer Oak east golf course, New Jersey! 下集
https://www.peargolf.com/article/mercer-oak-east-golf-course-new-jersey-xiaji