Tom,I have played the ninth from the back right tee just a few yards right of the eighth green and it is great for a left hole setting. The left tee is great for a right setting. I think that all of Merion is great and if they'd ever get their fairway lines corrected, it might be not just my favorite finish, but my favorite course in the world. Having said that, the 18th is often too severe given its length and demands of the second shot to a green that slopes away. Most times I play there it takes me 30 minutes to decompress because of the way I've played 14 in.