[Matthew Prince]

As a disclaimer, I LOVE Merion. Outstanding golf course, unique vibe/aura, special history. It's a privilege to play. I love, love, love it.


That being said, I am always confused when I hear Merion's 13th described as one of the best short par 3s in the game. What's so special about it?  It's a wedge to a fairly circular, back-to-front sloped green. I can think of a slew of short par 3s that I think are more interesting and strategic. Can someone sort me out as to why this is considered such a great hole?

[Ronald Montesano]

There is a great deal of internal contouring. It asks you to squeeze your sphincter and hit a nice wedge in. Recoveries from anywhere off the green are challenging. It's a great use of an otherwise-worthless piece of the property. It transitions well from the three short-iron holes (10-12) to the daunting finish, where you shouldn't have a short iron in your hand for your approach.


I played MEast on consecutive days. On day 1, I pulled my tee ball on 13 into the left bunker and had to play out sideways. I pitched out, pitched onto the green and (if memory serves) holed the putt for a four. On day 2, I hit the green, was 15 feet above the hole, and putted so gently to preserve my 3.


A short par three can only be so unique. If you go to Bandon Preserve, you can see how challenging it is to come up with a variety of them. I suspect that Tom Doak will have the same challenge on his short course at Bandon.

[Ed Brzezowski]

Well let's see. It serves as a great connector to the best five finishing holes in golf. The bar is very close after play of the hole also.

The green surface is not visible from the tee and it adds some suspense and drama. The bunkering is great, I know from a lot of experience. Birdies abound but it can also ruin a good back nine. I agree the green surface is rather flat but it does have some character.

I think all you have to do is look at the struggles during the 13 Open there. Phil would have been the champion if he could have pared it a few times.

[Jeff Bergeron]

Among the highlights of my golfing life was the time our foursome walked off 13 with a total of 8 strokes. 1,2,2,3. Beats the endless number of times the group has walked off with 16 total strokes......Or More.

[Jon Cavalier]

Among the highlights of my golfing life was the time our foursome walked off 13 with a total of 8 strokes. 1,2,2,3. Beats the endless number of times the group has walked off with 16 total strokes......Or More.

Barring some kind of heroic up and down, I hope you gave the 3 guy some shit. (Unless of course, you made the three, in which case, nice par).

[Jason Lietaer]

One of the things that I like about this hole is that you get excited to play it on the drive in...not very often do you drive into a golf course (especially one like merion) and have a short hole laid right in front of you.   A couple hours later, when you get there, you've been thinking about the shot and making what looked like an easy two.  After having been pounded a bit by merion by then, you realize it's not gonna be as easy as it looked.   And if memory serves, the face of the cross bunker hides a lot of the green, making it tough to make a good solid swing.    Fun hole that leads to a world class finish. 

[Sean_A]

I don't understand the connector comments when there is a long walk to the next tee. 


So far as the 3s go at Merion...13 is not of the same class as 3 or 9.  I don't think its a brilliant hole by any stretch of the imagination, but it is good and can cause grief. 


Ciao

[Tim Martin]

The hole supplies a contrast in yardage as 3,9, and 17 are all north of 180 yards.

[Dan Boerger]

Smile on a corpse is what this hole is!

I really appreciate it in the context of the round. Cross the road and look at a flip wedge (or thereabouts) to fairly generous green that you cannot see. But, tug it left, right or leave it short and an up and down is really hard. Knowing what lies ahead absolutely makes this hole more difficult. 14 - 18 are VERY challenging for me. I actually left that green 6 over one day and carded an 88.

[Ed Brzezowski]

I don't understand the connector comments when there is a long walk to the next tee. 


So far as the 3s go at Merion...13 is not of the same class as 3 or 9.  I don't think its a brilliant hole by any stretch of the imagination, but it is good and can cause grief. 

Probably used the incorrect word, in my mind it connects the holes from one side of the road to the other. A little pathway between buildings. Plus it sits all by itself, in a way disconnect from the rest of the course. I guess I better go back to English class.


Ciao

[Tim_Weiman]

One of the things that I like about this hole is that you get excited to play it on the drive in...not very often do you drive into a golf course (especially one like merion) and have a short hole laid right in front of you.   A couple hours later, when you get there, you've been thinking about the shot and making what looked like an easy two.  After having been pounded a bit by merion by then, you realize it's not gonna be as easy as it looked.   And if memory serves, the face of the cross bunker hides a lot of the green, making it tough to make a good solid swing.    Fun hole that leads to a world class finish.

I agree on the drive in issue.

[Rich Goodale]

Unfortunately, I came in from the other end, after a quick dip in the pond, per Sean's advice....

[MCirba]

Rich,

The Lurker knows all the back roads to the local clubs.  Did he also comment on how Golf House Road bulged at the top and narrowed near the clubhouse?   

[JESII]

Hard to fathom, but over the last 10 or so rounds (all competitive) there I'm about 6 under par on #6 and maybe 18 over on #13...

So go tell someone else it's a blah flip wedge...

[Joe Bausch]

Hard to fathom, but over the last 10 or so rounds (all competitive) there I'm about 6 under par on #6 and maybe 18 over on #13...

So go tell someone else it's a blah flip wedge...

Funny how that works, Jim.

I may have my data incorrect, but I believe in all the USGA events over the decades at Merion, there are zero aces at the 13th hole.  In fact, there is only one ace total, on the 17th hole (a somewhat lucky shot at the 2013 US Open).

Go figure!

[Peter Pallotta]

Hard to fathom, but over the last 10 or so rounds (all competitive) there I'm about 6 under par on #6 and maybe 18 over on #13...

So go tell someone else it's a blah flip wedge...

I play a hole that sounds like the 13th, except it's fronted by a pond, and I used to have the same results. Now I either punch an 8 iron when the pin is up front or chip a 6 when it is at the back. It seems to work okay, but then I don't have the same kind of expectations as you. A putt from the fringe, any fringe, is enough to make me happy.

[Matt Schiffer]

There is a great deal of internal contouring. It asks you to squeeze your sphincter and hit a nice wedge in. Recoveries from anywhere off the green are challenging. It's a great use of an otherwise-worthless piece of the property. It transitions well from the three short-iron holes (10-12) to the daunting finish, where you shouldn't have a short iron in your hand for your approach.


At 125 yards, if it's not squeezing your sphincter, it's not doing its job.  See also #13 at SFGC.  Hit the green -or else-.

[Jeff Bergeron]

Among the highlights of my golfing life was the time our foursome walked off 13 with a total of 8 strokes. 1,2,2,3. Beats the endless number of times the group has walked off with 16 total strokes......Or More.

Barring some kind of heroic up and down, I hope you gave the 3 guy some shit. (Unless of course, you made the three, in which case, nice par)



He was a 22. The rest of us were single digits. We all walked away satisfied. In particular the member who made the ace.

[V. Kmetz]

Hello,


1. It's an inchoate thing, but I feel the tug of history (on old, respected championship venues such as Merion) to be greatest on a hole like this. I find a charm that Jones, Hogan, Nicklaus, Trevino, etc had to face this modest, solvabale test just like me...or better said, it's really on a hole like this where I can be in their shoes a bit.


2. I also think it kind of fits in Merion's character better than it would Oakmont's or WF's or even Pinehurst. The first twelve holes at Merion have some short, but tricky, kinds of shots (1,8,10,11) and so there is build-up.


3. The raw walk may obscure the note (as some have observed) but I agree that it's a massive transition hole (or at least an end point)...I can't recall another great course where the transition is so abrupt (if you're engaged in your golf) between #s13 and 14 at Merion. In some ways, it's like #s14-18 are the seniors on the varsity team...very few can hope to tackle them in level numbers and so 13 is when you leave the confident pleasantries in your round, and move on to the hard last questions on the SAT.


4. I do think it is the easiest one-shot hole of any in recent major/Open, PGA rotation for me or elite championship players. I suppose #7 at Pebble can be made a bit shorter, but conditions can make that a terror.


cheers
[size=78%]vk[/size]

[JESII]

Nice explanation of the true transition nature of the hole VK. I've heard it put that way before and it's absolutely spot on.

[Sean_A]

VK


Your comments don't explain specifically why 13 is a good hole. Any easish, short hole fits your description. What exactly makes 13 special?  I still contend that it isn't a special hole (probably the least engaging par 3 on the course if not the least engaging hole on the course), nothing that can't be found on a great many courses. 


Ciao

[V. Kmetz]

SA,


I don't know that it is a "good " hole, but it's a fun hole, an apt (for the course) hole in that is has some nostalgia, some charm and makes sense in the routing...plus if you make a poor shot, you'll kick yourself.


And that last element needs to be present too.


cheers
vk

[JESII]

I guess a couple thoughts now that we're really digging to the core of the hole;

Would "cool" be a better word for it than "great"? The hidden nature of it in its own small amphitheater and that gigantic front lip make it a really cool hole to play.

I don't actually recall anyone referring to it as one of the greatest short par 3's in golf. None of this threads participants have either.

I think it fits perfectly well on an undeniably great course...but if I were to rank that courses holes 13 would be 17 or 18.

[Sean_A]

SA,


I don't know that it is a "good " hole, but it's a fun hole, an apt (for the course) hole in that is has some nostalgia, some charm and makes sense in the routing...plus if you make a poor shot, you'll kick yourself.


And that last element needs to be present too.


cheers
vk

VK


What else but a short 3 will fit into that routing?  To me its seems like a shoe horned hole, which isn't a bad thing in and of itself.  Its quite different from the remaining 3s, but more like a hole which treads water rather than progresses the routing.  From my PoV, it is hard for me to grasp why every par 3 can't be very good.  13 to me seems a slight let-down and not up to the standard of the course as a whole.


Ciao

[MCirba]

Perhaps they should restore the original 13th hole but considering today's technology, use the present tee.  Clubhouse is OB.

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