"Mike,
Just saw Brookside mentioned. I don't get out there much but that is the course thinking through the clues. I still think Merion was a close second
Has two par fives in the first 4 holes, both with a creek crossing? Merion does
- Has a par three in a quarry, followed by a hole where the drive must cross the quarry for a reasonable second? Merion does
- Has an Alps-type hole where BOTH the drive AND the approach are completely blind, playing steeply uphill to a punchbowl green? This one disqualifies it. Always did, despite what some have contested
- Has a number one handicap hole where there is a six foot elevation change from the front of the green to the back? Merion's #5 is #1 handicap and side to side the elevation change is steep. But not back to front
- Was designed and built during the Golden Age? Merion was
- Maxes out at just over 6600 yards from the tips? Who knows what the back tee yardage is at Merion these days. It keeps changing. It maxes out more than that (just over 6600 would be just the added length on 5 and 6) but less than 7000
- Has at least 10 holes that turn or dogleg so significantly that the green is not visible from the tee? Didn't think it through too closely but it might be right. Nope. Many are visible even from the back tees. You can see 1 green, part of 5 and 6, 7, not 8, part of 10, 11, not 12, not 14 or 15 and 16
- Has a par three of 116 yards from the tips?
Merion's #13 is more like 125 yards but it's close. 132
- Has greens as small as 19 paces front to back and as large as 38 paces front to back?
Possible 8 green may be that small front to back; the largest is 3, which is 48 yards front to back"