How much dirt was moved to create Merion?

[Tim_Weiman]

We have had so many historical debates about the construction of Merion, but unless I missed something, I don't recall ever reading how much dirt was moved to create the Merion golf course.

Does anybody know?

Are the details documented at any particular source?

How much documentation exists of the property prior to construction?

[Dan Herrmann]

IIRC, Wilson blasted rock to create an area for 16 green.   But overall, I doubt much land was moved.   It feels a lot like the surrounding area.

[Dan Herrmann]

From Tom Paul:
-----------------------
Tim:
 
It is an interesting question you ask about how much dirt was moved to create Merion East. Merion East utilized one of the first PRE-construction topo (contour lines) survey maps I'm aware of in architecture but unfortunately it has not been found. Therefore we are not able to compare natural grade on that site against the contours that existed after the course was built.
 
Some of us feel there was a whole lot less earth moved to do Merion East (particularly before the bunkers were put in somewhat later) than most anyone might at first suspect. The incomparable Bill Kittleman who arguably knows more about both courses than anyone alive now has said he thinks there is a lot more "architecture" on Merion West than there is on the East Course.
 
But the only thing that could really answer your question would be that 1911 PRE-construction contour map the Wilson Committee used. If we found that particular contour survey map and it had a date on it and also showed the specific linear dimensions of the proposed road on its western border that enclosed the site to the 117 acres Hugh Wilson spoke about when he sent the survey map to Russell Oakley on Feb 3, 1911, it would also answer other questions such as when and how that Francis land swap idea occurred, or more accurately at what date it could not have occurred before. In other words if the dimensions of that triangle on the topo survey map were the same as the dimensions on that Nov. 15, 1910 land plan, then we would know for sure that Francis's fix idea did not occur before Nov. 15, 1910 and that it did not create that triangle but merely adjusted the triangle's dimensions by adjusting the linear configuration of the road from Ardmore Ave to College Ave and consequently the acreage that was swapped for land already purchased, as well as the three acres that were added to the final acquisition of the property (from 117 to 120) that was passed by deed from Horatio Gates Lloyd to Merion Cricket Club Golf Association Corporation (MCCGA Co) on July 19, 1911.

[Sean Remington (SBR)]

Just enough     Couldn't resist.

Looking at the hole progressions in "The Nature Faker" it looks like there was quite a lot of change in the first 20 or so years.  I recall reading that the vast majority of the bunkers were added  after the Wilson layout was complete.  I guess my point is that minimal earth movement was done and when it was it likes was generated from construction of the bunkers.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Looking at all those old photos, and doing some very rounded math, it appears to me that most greens were built with on site materials and would take no more than 300-900 CY per green, depending on size.  Tees would be a little less, maybe half.  If we average 500 per green and 300 per tee that would be less than 15,000 CY, a pittance by today's standards.  That presumes that they didn't move much fw dirt, as the announcers all said.  And, there are many cross slopes and partially blind holes to suggest they didn't move much.

One exception to the greens was the Alps on 10, which looks to have at least 5,000 CY of earth in it.  I always wondered where they got that dirt.  We know they blasted the quarry, and it was not atypical to use large mounds to bury boulders, although typically not under greens.  But, they could have conveniently decided that the back mound was a good place to bury quarry rock.  Normally, most builders would bury it closer to the source.  Another possibility is if there was any known grading for Golf House or Ardmore roads (or other early subdivision roads, but I thought those came later)

As with everything else, we probably wish we knew more.