The hidden art of preparing for a U.S. Amateur at Merion

Preparing for a prestigious amateur event like the U.S. Amateur, especially at the iconic Merion Golf Club, demands more than just refined technique; it requires deep strategic thinking. Joey Wuertemberger, a GOLF Top 100 Teacher, has shared his unique preparation insights for his four players competing at Merion and Philadelphia Country Club. His goal isn't to standardize their games but to help each player maximize their potential by leveraging their individual strengths and mitigating weaknesses within the context of the specific course.

A Tailored Approach for Each Player

"Walking into a U.S. Amateur with four players gives you a unique perspective on preparation," Wuertemberger notes. "They’re playing the same golf course, facing the same conditions, and competing for the same championship, but that doesn’t mean they should prepare—or play the golf course—the same way. That has been one of my biggest focuses this week at Merion and Philadelphia Country Club."

Wuertemberger's four players possess distinctly different games. One boasts tremendous power, another excels with patience, positioning, and putting. A third relies heavily on precision and his scoring clubs, while the fourth is a well-rounded competitor who simply loves to compete. The coach's role isn't to provide a uniform game plan but to guide each player in understanding where their strengths offer an advantage, where their weaknesses won't be exposed, and how their particular game fits Merion.

"At a championship like the U.S. Amateur, we aren’t trying to rebuild golf swings during practice rounds. We’re trying to create a unique game plan that each of them can execute under pressure," Wuertemberger emphasizes.

1. Learning the Course: Beyond Just Numbers

Much of the work at Merion had little to do with the golf swing itself. The primary focus was on course management: identifying opportunities for aggression, recognizing when patience was key, determining when par was a great score, and, crucially, pinpointing where misses were absolutely unacceptable.

For approach shots, the objective went beyond simply getting yardages to flags. Players needed to understand how far the ball needed to fly onto each green, where it should land, how the green's contours would influence its roll, and what constituted a "proper miss"—a miss that still allowed for a manageable next shot.

"The fifth hole is a great example," Wuertemberger explains. "Players are hitting longer clubs into the green, which already makes controlling the approach more difficult. The green also has significant slope from right to left. If you miss on the right side, getting the ball up and down can become almost impossible because you’re recovering from the wrong side of the slope."

Therefore, instead of merely asking, "What’s the number to the flag?" players were prompted to ask better questions: "How far does the ball need to fly onto the green? Where should it land? How will the slope move it once it gets there? And if I don’t hit this shot perfectly, where can I leave it and still have a reasonable next shot?"

"That is what a practice round should accomplish. By the time a player faces that shot during the championship, I don’t want him discovering the answer. I want him to already know it," the coach concludes.

2. Sometimes Less Is More: Power in Restraint

One of Wuertemberger's players possesses a clubhead speed close to 130 mph, enabling him to execute shots most others cannot. However, a significant focus of their discussions revolved around patience. With such power, the temptation to seek the most aggressive option off every tee is strong. At Merion, this isn't always necessary; in fact, his power sometimes allows for a more conservative approach.

"The 11th hole is a perfect example. The priority for him is hitting the fairway. He can hit a 5-iron from the tee and still leave himself a wedge into the green. Why introduce additional risk when his length has already created the advantage? If he misses the fairway, the hole becomes significantly more complicated."

"The 12th presents a similar decision. It’s a slight dogleg to the right, and missing the fairway to the right can make getting the ball onto the green extremely difficult. Again, the question isn’t, 'How far can we hit this tee shot?' It’s, 'Where does this tee shot need to finish?'"

"His advantage isn’t simply how far he can hit the driver. It’s what his speed allows him to hit next. He can choose a more conservative club from the tee and still have a scoring club in his hands for the approach. We talked about being willing to make a lot of pars and not getting greedy."

"There will certainly be moments when his power creates an opportunity other players don’t have, and when those opportunities come, we want him to take advantage of them. But he doesn’t need to overpower Merion on every hole. Sometimes the smartest way to use power is knowing when you don’t need it," Wuertemberger summarizes.

3. Positioning Is Key

The strategy for his second player differs. Constant emphasis was placed on maintaining position. Being on the fairway is paramount, even if it means foregoing the driver. Gaining an extra 20-30 yards holds little value if it results in playing the next shot from an unfavorable location. The player is encouraged to think one shot ahead: "Where does this tee shot need to finish to give me the best opportunity with my approach?"

This mindset extends to play around the greens. Considerable discussion focused on avoiding the "short side"—the side of the green opposite the flag, making recovery shots more challenging.

"There will be hole locations where the flag simply isn’t the target. The correct play may be the middle of the green or an area that leaves the easiest possible next shot if the approach isn’t perfect. That style fits his personality and his game. He’s comfortable being patient, understands that par is a good score, and is a very good putter. He doesn’t need to manufacture birdies," says Wuertemberger.

"If he continually keeps himself in position, he can allow his putting to become an advantage and let opportunities come to him."

4. Don't Compound Errors

For the third player, the message is perhaps the simplest: "We can’t afford big numbers." His strengths lie in accuracy, his scoring clubs from 50 to 150 yards, and his short game. The strategy aims to maximize opportunities for these strengths. This might involve selecting more conservative clubs off certain tees, but the more critical conversation addresses what to do when things go wrong.

Merion has the potential to punish the instinct to immediately try to recover every errant shot. If a player finds themselves out of position, often the best decision is simply to return the ball to the fairway. Accept the situation, aim for a par save or even a bogey, and move on.

"That’s where emotional control becomes part of course management. One poor swing doesn’t have to become a poor hole, and one poor hole certainly doesn’t have to affect the next one. For him, eliminating big numbers isn’t only about execution. It’s about eliminating the decisions that turn a small mistake into a much bigger one," Wuertemberger explains.

5. Stay in the Moment

The fourth player is unique because he excels at nearly every aspect of the game. He possesses ample power, is an excellent ball-striker, keeps his game relatively simple, and, most importantly, loves to compete. With him, the coach aims to avoid overcomplication. Their discussions have centered on staying present and accepting that shots don't always have to be perfect.

"A U.S. Amateur at Merion is going to create uncomfortable situations. There will be difficult lies, awkward shots, and moments when a good swing doesn’t produce the result you expected. The challenge is not allowing those moments to create frustration. Accept where the ball finished, understand the situation in front of you, make the next decision, and compete."

"Part of that is having an honest understanding of both your strengths and weaknesses. Great course management isn’t just knowing the golf course. It’s knowing yourself well enough to make decisions that fit your game. For him, I want to keep the message simple: Stay present. Accept imperfect shots. Compete from wherever the ball finishes," says Wuertemberger.

6. Don't Under-Read on the Greens

The greens at Merion prompted another crucial conversation applicable to all four players. Wuertemberger consistently reminded them to play sufficient break, particularly on putts longer than 20 feet. On greens this fast, an under-read can quickly lead to costly misses.

Once a putt misses on the low side, the slope can take over, causing the ball to roll away from the hole. Suddenly, a 25- or 30-foot birdie putt can transform into a 5- or 6-foot comeback putt.

"From longer distances, we’re not simply thinking about making the putt. We’re thinking about controlling where the ball finishes when it doesn’t go in. Playing enough break allows the player to use the slope and match the read with the proper speed instead of fighting the slope by hitting the putt harder. Great lag putting isn’t simply about how hard you hit the ball. Your read determines the speed you need to use."

"Over 36 holes of stroke play, eliminating those unnecessary five- and six-foot comeback putts can be just as valuable as making a few extra birdies," Wuertemberger concludes. This comprehensive approach, blending strategy, psychology, and a deep understanding of the course, is the key to successful preparation for the U.S. Amateur at Merion.