[Britt Rife]

A few years ago, it was my desire to find more information about Merion which led me to this wonderful site.  I noticed the site contained no full write-up on Merion, so I settled on reading about Myopia Hunt Club and was hooked.

There have been a lot of informative Merion threads.   I recall from such threads that Messrs. Whigham and Macdonald might have even had a hand in its design [says the author, smiling wryly].  I have learned a lot from the threads, but I too quickly forget what I have learned.

Therefore, I am interested in finding a good book or other resource which puts together good photographs and maps of the course, descriptions of how the course plays, notable features, history, etc.  I suppose I am asking if Merion ever received the treatment which George Bahto gave the NGLA in his excellent book.

I have found on Amazon that there appear to be two books about the course, both entitled "Golf at Merion", one by Desmond Tolhurst and the other by Richard Heilman.  Is anyone familiar with these?  Are they helpful?  I saw mentions of the Tolhurst book in my search of the DG, but it seems as if this is a club history.  I don't know whether it would have the sort of pictorial elements and descriptions of the architectural features which I seek.

Also, I understand that Ran does not like to include famed courses in his Courses by Country summaries if he feels that there is something he does not like.  Muirfield springs to mind as an example of a well-regarded course which I think was excluded for that reason.  From what I have seen on these boards, it would not appear Ran has any doubts about Merion's merits.  Does anyone know why, other than perhaps not having the opportunity to visit recently, Ran has excluded Merion?  Any hope for a "My Home Course" write-up by a member of the site?

[Dan Boerger]

Britt - At the Merion pro shop there is a wonderful hard-bound book about the club, with some stunning photos and a great historical recap of the place. Others can chime in, but I would think you could call the pro shop directly and order a copy.

[TEPaul]

Britt:

I hope it's not too premature to mention this on here but some of us are working with The USGA Museum/Library to start to set up a really comprehensive archive on American architecture and its history. The archive will be at the USGA's new Arnold Palmer History Center that's scheduled to open this June. We also plan a really good Internet component. One of the items we've been discussing doing is what we call "AERs" (Architectural Evolution Reports) which essentially track the entire architectural evolution of a golf course. To do this well and comprehensively obviously you need a rather comprehensive amount of historic documentation on the architectural history and evolution of a course. The fact is Merion has that and they've recently catalogued, inventoried and preserved effectively what they have in its own special room redone for that purpose. We are trying to have at least one really good AER done for the opening of the USGA Arnold Palmer History Center and to get it on the new USGA Architecture Archive Internet component and it looks like that first AER will be on Merion East. Wayne Morrison has also done about a 150 page report on Merion's architectural history and evolution in our Flynn book which has not been published yet.

[wsmorrison]

Britt,

The Heilman book is a short (<100 page) history in paperback, published in 1976.  Desmond Tolhurst wrote Golf At Merion published by the club in 1989 for the 5th National Amateur at Merion.  The book was revised for the 2005 National Amateur improving upon Tolhurst's work.  While there are some inaccuracies, overall it is an excellent book with lots of information, photos and Flynn's blueprint drawings of all 18 holes.  I'm sure the club will ship one out to you if you call the pro shop.

As Tom said, we've gone well beyond the typical club history and have put together a comprehensive architectural evolution report for the club.  There were a great many changes made over the years right from the outset.  Given the wealth of material (hundreds of ground and aerial photographs starting in 1896, architectural drawings, more than 750 newspaper and magazine articles, memorabilia, trophies,  scorecards, films and video, etc representing the history of all the courses, we've pretty much nailed down the evolution of the course.  The Merion Golf Club has an Archives and a library that is open to anyone for research purposes.  This represents nearly 10% of the Flynn book currently being edited by Tom Paul.  Right, Tom?

[TEPaul]

"This represents nearly 10% of the Flynn book currently being edited by Tom Paul.  Right, Tom?"


Uh, yes, Wayno, that's right.

I'm on it although I'm currently in a shut-down mode waiting for West Coast David Moriarty to get back to me on things like ship manifest searches, some terra-server distance analysis on some of the old holes, just one last go-around on Macdonald Cape and Alps hole analysis and a renewed look at whether Philadelphians shafted Macdonald and Whigam regarding their influence on the architecture of Merion.

I don't know why he isn't responding. Do you have any idea? Maybe they're having some earthquake scares out there or something. The other day I offered on a post here to call or email David Moriarty for Shivas to see if he would like to play Rustic Canyon with him this Sunday and somebody out there read that and IMed me that I was a "f....ing asshole.

So I don't know what's going on Wayno, but I'm on it. It is important, though, to first be sure that  Macdonald and Whigam didn't design Merion before we credit a bunch of novices like Wilson and Flynn with it.

[Jeff Doerr]

We eagerly await the magnum opus!

Seriously, it will be great to have the book leading up to the Open.

[Joe Hancock]

I'm wondering if they publish under their pen names of "Piss Boy" and F...ing A..hole"

 

[wsmorrison]

Come on, Tom.  I've met a lot of f...ing a..holes, and your a much better a..hole than they are   

You know how you like to watch the director's cuts and all that ancillary jazz they put on DVDs, including alternate endings.  Why don't we just have an alternate ending?  We can have one where Macdonald and Whigham are the architects and Wilson and Committee just sat on the upper terrace drinking Pine Valleys and saying, "Good show, Charles."

[TEPaul]

"You know how you like to watch the director's cuts and all that ancillary jazz they put on DVDs, including alternate endings.  Why don't we just have an alternate ending?  We can have one where Macdonald and Whigham are the architects and Wilson and Committee just sat on the upper terrace drinking Pine Valleys and saying, "Good show, Charles."


I think I can go you one better there. I think we should have that alternate ending but only with the stipulation that the old orginal #10 Alps green can be restored on the other side of the road. It could even be a pretty cool reverse hazard for Tiger to drive over on #1 in the 2013 US Open. I don't know if Charlie Blair Macdonald designed that original abomination but we could make it look like he did and then he might get the credit around here some on the Left Coast think he should have for Merion East.

What about it? I'll support it if you will or should we ask David Moriarty first? You know if we can get both Moriarty AND MacWood to support the restoration of the old Alps 10th green on the other side of Ardmore Ave I can't imagine how the club or the USGA or anyone else could  possibly turn it down. Then we can give Merion its proper architectural attribution as a Macdonald/Wilson golf course.

[TEPaul]

"I'm wondering if they publish under their pen names of "Piss Boy" and F...ing A..hole"


Joe:

Do not kid yourself--if we could find a publisher who would publish under those pen names we'd definitely do it.

[Joe Hancock]

"I'm wondering if they publish under their pen names of "Piss Boy" and F...ing A..hole"


Joe:

Do not kid yourself--if we could find a publisher who would publish under those pen names we'd definitely do it.

Promise me you two will sign my copy accordingly....

Joe

[wsmorrison]

Joe,

No problem, though when it goes on eBay in 2085, it'll take Tom MacWood VII to figure out which one is Piss Boy and which is F...ing A..hole 

By the way, Tom.  Steve says he's nearly finished with the addition to the chapter on his course and should have it completed soon.  It is almost time to make another trip up there for some fun, discuss the publication and if it is in early Spring, some great photo ops.

[TEPaul]

I think we can manage that promise Joe, even if it may turn out to be non-specific.

Last week I heard from one of my sources that Wayne has been claiming he is no longer my pissboy and he may've gone so far as to say I'm his pissboy. I was in New York at that point and of course I immediately called him on the phone and told him he was a f...ing asshole for saying that.

So, we promise to sign that way and you can decide for yourself who's who.

The question becomes what they will call us when they give us the Pulitzer Prize?

You might think that's a stretch but I'll challenge you on that. I'm all for historic accuracy in its most stringent form and I have not given up while editing this book on the idea of a complete return to blatant political incorrectness as it was in Flynn's day.

I figure if I do a good enough job it will create an instant sea-change in our entire culture and I will kill this namby pamby age of political correctness dead as a smelt all by myself.

If that doesn't deserve a Pulitzer Prize I just can't imagine what does.

[wsmorrison]

Forget the Pulitzer, Tom.  You're talking Nobel Prize now!

[TEPaul]

That's funny, Wayno--very funny.

I was trying to explain some of the, shall we just say, alternative forms of humor to someone today but I  have a sneaking suspicion he either didn't get it or just didn't agree. 

[TEPaul]

Now lets get back to some serious architecture issues Wayne Morrison.

Considering that Ardmore Ave is going to be closed to automobile traffic during the 2013 US Open DO YOU or DO YOU NOT agree that holes #2, 10,11,12 should be restored to their original glory and the US Open competitors should play across the road four times? This would of course require the restoration of the original "Alps" 10th. I propose Moriarty should be parachuted in from California without a parachute as a highly compensated architectural consultant. There's no question in my mind the guy is so talented he can obviously fly too. Would you agree?

[D_Malley]

is this the book about that guy "greenkeeper flinn"?

[Joe Hancock]

Speaking of historic accuracy, Tom, how do you remember what you originally wrote for this book? The book will be a historical text before it is even published!

I think the apostle Paul wrote some of his stuff to the church of Corinth after you and Wayne began your book. And he's been published for centuries now, in several languages......

Joe

[David Stamm]

"I'm wondering if they publish under their pen names of "Piss Boy" and F...ing A..hole"


Joe:

Do not kid yourself--if we could find a publisher who would publish under those pen names we'd definitely do it.

Promise me you two will sign my copy accordingly....

Joe

I'd like to be second in line for that!

[Tony Ristola]

Tom Paul,

Are you also planning AERs for all the McSignature work out there too?

Perhaps calling them AERers?

[TEPaul]

"Tom Paul,
Are you also planning AERs for all the McSignature work out there too?"

Tony:

Nope. Probably only just a select few. They should be basically up to the clubs to do if they want. I don't know if they will be called AERs (Architecture Evolution Reports). Originally I called them DERs (Design Evolution Reports) but perhaps the acronym DER (Dept of Environmental Resources) has sort of a bad ring in the golf architecture business. 

[Britt Rife]

Tom and Wayne:  Thank you so much for the information.  Like many others, I am looking forward to see what you've unearthed.

And I am terribly happy that my thread has resurrected references to one of the finest, overwrought, hilarious, cruel, bizarre, mind-numbing, out-of-bounds, emotional and longest GCA threads of all time. 

Mission Accomplished.

Notwithstanding all this, accept this post, Ran, as my plea for you to cover Merion in the Courses by Country section.

[TEPaul]

"And I am terribly happy that my thread has resurrected references to one of the finest, overwrought, hilarious, cruel, bizarre, mind-numbing, out-of-bounds, emotional and longest GCA threads of all time."


Britt:

Those are some pretty diverse adjectives that make up a pretty comprehensive collection. I guess it was all of that.   

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