Phila Inquirer on Merion: another in the series of articles is out

[Joe Bausch]

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/golf/20120819_Merion_Golf_changes_ways_to_prepare_for_2013_U_S__Open.html

And a slideshow here:

http://www.philly.com/philly/photos/sports_photos/Merion_Golf_Club.html#photoNumber=0

And Jack was 'interviewed' (via e-mail) by Joe Juliano of the Inky as well:

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/golf/20120819_Nicklaus__Merion_will_make_for_an__interesting__Open.html

[Mark Bourgeois]

Thanks, Joe. Reading about the architectural discussions, the best we can say is it could have been worse.

[Jud_T]

Am I correct in assuming that the fairways will be mowed back out wider for member play after the Open?

[Patrick_Mucci]

Am I correct in assuming that the fairways will be mowed back out wider for member play after the Open?

Jud,

Talk is cheap, time will tell.

[Dan Herrmann]

Quote from the author, "After a decade and a half of feeling sorry for itself, Merion tossed its hat back into the Open ring in the mid-1990s"

Really?

I also noticed they don't include a photo of the new "Stop Sign" tee on #14.

Lastly, I noticed a fan on #2 green.  What's behind that green if they decided to cull some of the trees there to open up airflow?

[Will Lozier]

The only pic that I find totally disconcerting is the view from #2 tee - that fairway looks SO narrow!  And, it looks completely awkward so removed from the fairway bunker.  With only two par-5's, the USGA seems a little too intent on making birdie at #2 so much more difficult.  

I think bringing the creek in play on #11 by shifting the fairway left is clever.

The most recent satellite image I've seen shows the scars of recent work.  #2 is as bad from above as from the tee view - no new bunker?.  #11 appears to have not been altered yet.

https://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF-8&q=merion+golf+club&fb=1&gl=us&hq=merion+golf+club&cid=0,0,5284500612864068508&ei=7-wyULa9OYqQ9QTpiYHoAg&ved=0CJ8BEPwSMAA

Cheers

[Tom ORourke]

The change to #2 is probably not that big a deal as I doubt they would hit driver there anyway. The changes to #5 were not discussed but the left rough has been mowed so balls on the left side will run into either the water or the bunker. And that is the better side of the fairway to come in from so that may impact play more than the other changes. I think #5 will lead the event in doubles and worse.

[Will Lozier]

The change to #2 is probably not that big a deal as I doubt they would hit driver there anyway. The changes to #5 were not discussed but the left rough has been mowed so balls on the left side will run into either the water or the bunker. And that is the better side of the fairway to come in from so that may impact play more than the other changes. I think #5 will lead the event in doubles and worse.

Tom, I would argue that they probably would have hit driver - on a par-5! - with a bit more space on the left.  And isn't taking driver out of their hands on a risk reward hole a huge negative!  It will certainly take the choice out of the second shot.

Cheers

[Joe Bausch]

Another solid piece by Frank Fitzpatrick is out, this one on Hogan's 1-iron shot:

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/golf/20130218_In_1950__Merion_was_the_site_of_golf_s_greatest_shot.html

[Will Lozier]

Another solid piece by Frank Fitzpatrick is out, this one on Hogan's 1-iron shot:

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/golf/20130218_In_1950__Merion_was_the_site_of_golf_s_greatest_shot.html

Joe,

The video piece is not so impressive - talking about the playoff and Peskin's photo.  Fitzpatrick claims you can't see the ball on it's flight to the green when you can quite clearly...and, says Hogan parred the 18th to get into a playoff he "believes" with Mangrum, totally ignorant that it was a 3-way playoff including George Fazio as well.  Not impressive!  His yardages of the hole itself and Hogan's shot are inaccurate as well.  Even his description of Hogan's finish in the photo - straight right arm with his left arm cocked above his head - leaves me to think he should stick with covering the Eagles or anything other than golf.

Then I read his article which is quite informative and well written...and which contradicts his video on multiple occasions!  Strange!

Here is an interesting link to some facts surrounding the '50 Open...

http://theaposition.com/Articles/21/628/1/Strange-But-True-Facts-About-Ben-Hogan-Merion-and-the-1950-US-Open

[Mike Viscusi]

The only pic that I find totally disconcerting is the view from #2 tee - that fairway looks SO narrow!  And, it looks completely awkward so removed from the fairway bunker.  With only two par-5's, the USGA seems a little too intent on making birdie at #2 so much more difficult.  

I think bringing the creek in play on #11 by shifting the fairway left is clever.

The most recent satellite image I've seen shows the scars of recent work.  #2 is as bad from above as from the tee view - no new bunker?.  #11 appears to have not been altered yet.

https://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF-8&q=merion+golf+club&fb=1&gl=us&hq=merion+golf+club&cid=0,0,5284500612864068508&ei=7-wyULa9OYqQ9QTpiYHoAg&ved=0CJ8BEPwSMAA

Cheers

Will, you can see a more current version of the Google aerial if you just zoom in a bit on the link you shared.  You can then see the 11/12 joined fairway and the new bunker on 2, amongst other things.

Mike

[Dan Herrmann]

Mike - I don't think 11/12 fairways are joined at this time.

[Mike Viscusi]

Mike - I don't think 11/12 fairways are joined at this time.

This is the most current aerial, although I'm not sure when it is from...did they experiment with this idea and decide not to go forward with it? 

[Dan Herrmann]

Mike, That may be correct.

[ChipOat]

As I stated before in Dan Hermann's thread, that "joined" fairway on 11/12 is no place to be off the 11th tee as there are big trees blocking the approach to the green.  The good lie is irrelevant.

The good news is that it implies there will be no bleachers left of the 11th green from which George Burns and others got a free drop in '81 for line-of-sight-relief.  Too far left off the 11th tee is never a good place to hit it - even if your ball stays dry.

What IS interesting is that pull hooks off the 12th tee are now more likely to run up the hill into the 11th fairway.  I know "those guys are good", but that is still far from the optimal place to approach Dan Hermann's favorite green.

Even a moron knows that.

[Joe Bausch]

Another article on Merion from the Philadelphia Inquirer is now out, this one by Joe Juliano and is called "How the U.S. Open came back to Merion".  It focuses on Mike Davis.

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/golf/20130318_How_the_U_S__Open_came_back_to_Merion.html

[Joe Bausch]

Another article on Merion is out today by golf writer Joe Juliano, a good read on Trevino and the 1971 US Open:

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/golf/20130407_Fond_memories_of_Merion_from_Lee_Trevino_as_U_S__Open_approaches.html

[Tony Ristola]

Am I correct in assuming that the fairways will be mowed back out wider for member play after the Open?

I recall, but can't recall the source (perhaps The Greatest Game of All (Nicklaus), that the fairways after the Open at Merion were left at their reduced size for the members. I wonder how many courses had this happen?

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