Belt and Suspenders at Merion?

[Pete Lavallee]

After watching today's US AM tv coverage I was very impressed by the architecture at Merion. The last 3 holes have fantastcally bold greens that really confounded the particpants. The chance to see the first 4 holes in the playoffs was a real treat; I was hoping the Harmon match would continue so we could see the much discussed 5th hole! Everything I saw indicated that the greens control the scores; many players struggled to stay on the green from the ideal position in the center of the ribbons they call fairways.

My question is does Merion need that much rough to challange the participants? Wouldn't players with a less than ideal angle pay a severe penalty for an overly ambicious shot?
I feel they could get into more serious trouble with a bad angle and a good lie than a marginal one.

Greenside rough seems very one dimensional also. If the rough was trimmed back I could imagine players would be confronted with many more greenside shots than the hacks we are witnessing.

Am I nieve to think that scores would be that different if players were given enough rope to hang themselves at Merion East?

[TEPaul]

PeteL:

The fairways of Merion aren't particularly narrow, and a number of them have been expanded recently. The only two I'd like to see expanded and significantly are nos #14 and #18.

[Lawrence Largent]

I watched the entire telecast today on the TGC and I really can't remember to many pars. I hope most of guys playing taped it so they can understand to play short of 18 green and let the ball run on LOL. It seems to me they are worried about defending par most of the guys need to worry about defending bogey. The only shot I seen hit remotely close to the hole was Kyle R. from Wake Forest hit it for a gimme on 17. I thought the course played great thought its awesome to see the interviews because the players look like they have just had the Hell beaten out of them.


Lawrence