Report from Merion GC

[JSlonis]

I had the great pleasure to play Merion this past Sunday in the Golf. Assoc. of Phila. Team Matches, and figured I should give a report to all from the front lines.

Overall the golf course was fantastic.  I realize the look of the bunkers has changed, but from an architectural and playability standpoint, they are quite difficult.  For those that complain that bunkers are no longer hazards, they have not played Merion lately.  I think the new bunkers are more difficult than the previous, mainly due to increased depth.  I think over time the bunker surrounds will take on that aged feel of old.  It appears that they are heading that way from a maintenance standpoint. There also have been some new plantings of the scotch broom in a few of the bunkers. The only rumblings I heard discussed was the removal of the large bunker at the front left of #14.  There is now a large grassed mound (fairway/fringe height) in its place.

If there is a supposed drought in the Northeast, it is not evident by the lush high rough that I unfortunately had to hack out of too many times.  It was US Open penal in many spots on the course, but I don't think unfair. At 6600 yards, Merion still has plenty of defenses.

What I most marvel about the golf course, and have really taken notice of as my interest in architecture has grown, are the 18 absolutely world class greensites.  There is not a bad one on the course, and their difficulty would be hard to match.
If you miss a green in the wrong position, there are many times you where you not only worry about saving par, but also have to figure out how to make bogey at worse. I stared at a couple of chip shots that if hit improperly I knew I would be chipping again.

The golf course continues to be a great test and certainly a must study for any golf course enthusiast.

...almost forgot, the tree removal to the right of the quarry on #16 looked great, and I think it does add to the strategy of the hole.

To Tom Paul:  I know you mentioned before that Merion was looking to add some width back to certain fairways, do you know any holes in particular? I ask this because I didn't notice any that looked that different to me.

[Mike_Cirba]

Jamie,

Thanks for the fine report.  

Although I truthfully can't say that I will ever like the modern, machine-detailed look of the bunkers, or buy into the club's hopeful notion that they will somehow alchemisticaly evolve into weathered "white faces" given enough time, I'm glad to hear that you feel they are still playing as hazards for the better player (like yourself) due to increased depth.  

Still, I wonder how much a little additional depth will bother the players at the top of the game, particularly when matched with a consistency of sand, regularity of contour, and meticulous conditioning that heretofore didn't exist at Merion.  As I'm sure you know, "uncertainty" and "irregularity" seem to get into the head of the better player more so than other factors, all things being equal.  

There is no question that the golf course itself is superb, and particularly the greensites are magnificent, as you aptly point out.  I also have been hoping to see the speedy return of fairway widths as has been stated by Tom and others.  Match that with some firm and fast conditioning, and it can only get better.  Merion is certainly a place where any student of architecture would learn a considerable amount, not the least of which is creating a superb routing on limited acreage.  

As far as rough, I'd certainly have to agree.  Some drought, huh?

[wsmorrison]

J,
I was with an architect last week that was brought in to examine the bunker faces at Merion as they are not holding up  What evidence did you see in this regard?  I played Merion last in October and the bunkers are much deeper.  With some nearly sheer faces and an untested substrate, I wouldn't be surprised if there were problems.  

I landed on the downslope of left side of the far left bunker on 1 and could not get a foothold facing the green without sinking nearly knee deep, was lucky to hack it out a few yards out of the bunker.

That being said, it is a wonderful golf experience with a superb routing and great greens and surrounds.  However, part of me wishes they had problems so they would have to rethink the issues brought up many times here on GCA and go back to the old bunker margins.  

[SPDB]

Jamie - I don't think the fairway widening has taken place yet. I also don't know how definite it is. The talk I have heard from both members and people at Fazio (and Fazio won't be doing the work, but they did indicate the need for fairway widening as part of their exit suggestions), is that at the very least 5 will be widened to bring back into the play the bunker short right of the green. Also, on 14 the fairway has narrowed to such a ridiculous width at the throat that the right fairway bunker is no longer in play, but rather somewhere out in the rough, so they are discussing widening the fairway on that hole as well.

[Mike_Cirba]

wsmorrison;

I find your report a little sad and quite ironic.  After all, wasn't it the club's contention that several bunkers were "caving in" that led them to completely redesign the bunkers AND their surrounds in the first place, as opposed to just fixing drainage and other "infrastructure" issues?  

If they are already having problems with the bunkers collapsing or becoming unstable, I feel badly for the club and hope they are able to easily correct the situation.

I played there the summer before the Fazio/Macdonald work began and to be honest, I didn't see any evidence of bunker collapse whatsoever, although I did note that some type of burrowing hornets had created a nest in the bunkers between 11 & 12.
 
In fact, at the time, the bunkers looked quite magnificent and those that had already been worked on and "restored" by another design group were simply out of this world in terms of look and playability.

In playing again last year, post Fazio/Macdonald, I also noted the change in depth that you mentioned, as well as the almost vertical, thick, bluegrass faces on many of them, which is something totally new and unlike ANYTHING I've seen from any Golden Age architect, anywhere.  Similar to yourself, one in our group actually almost lost a ball in one of them on the first hole (we looked for several minutes) and nearly had to take an unplayable lie because his ball had lodged about 2.5 feet down on the thick, sheer, grass face.    

 

[Tim_Weiman]

SPDB:

The new maintenance team at Merion has been on board for only a short time.  Apparently, the club will also be approving a new Green Chairman before too long.

So, yes, many issues lie ahead, including questions about fairways width.

I like what I heard during a recent tour of Merion, but we need to give the new guys some time to bring their plans together.

[Mike_Cirba]

Rich,

I'd never want to be labelled impatient, so I'll accept your assessment that time will heal all wounds.  

Although, if memory serves, I do recall an expletive-laden comment from you to describe their current look, which I'll not repeat here.  

Since I'm patiently killing time anyway, I have two questions, though...

How long do you think it will take for those thick, vertical, bluegrass faces to erode to a more natural look?  

What similar "teething" problems did you note at PD, Barona, and Applebrook?  Hopefully, they aren't in danger of collapsing as well?!  

[Mike_Sweeney]

I played Merion the Thursday before Easter. The bunkers definitely look very different from the ones I grew up with. However, I was assured by three members that the game plan is to start planting dune grass in the bunkers this Spring with the goal that it will be in prime Hugh Wilson condition by the time the Amateur comes in 2005. I had a strong finish with a 4-4-4 on 16, 17 and 18, so it remains one of my favorite places to play !

[SPDB]

Tim - I totally agree with you. I have heard terrific things about the new super, who, as you and i discussed a while back, is fresh from Pepper Pike. Supposedly, he has a work ethic that would make the Amish blush (and he's a Mennonite!).

We are in accord about giving a grace period.

[SPDB]

Jamie - a quick question: I know you said the rough was lush, but how was the speed of the fairways?

[Mike_Cirba]

Mike Sweeney,

How would you describe the differences in the bunkering from what you recall growing up with?  Is it simply a matter of going from dune grass to no dune grass, or is it more fundamental and deep-rooted than that?  Thanks!

Rich,

Since you've played an interesting variety of bunkers in the past year, with Applebrook, Merion, Barona, and Pacific Dunes, perhaps you can weigh in on what exactly is the same, and what is different about each in terms of design and construction techniques, look, and playability.   For those of us out there expecting things to just weigh out evenly (and for the better) over time, I can tell you that the recent pics of Barona certainly look NOTHING at all like the current Macdonald bunkers at Merion as a starting point....would you agree?  How about the new bunkers at Applebrook and PD in comparision to Merion's, as well?

Are they all starting out the same?  If not, what's different?

[wsmorrison]

Rich,

Thankfully that was not me on 4.  I do hope the work will eventually take on the look it once had.  The bunkering at Merion was special and unique, may it again be so.  I like your optimism.

As Tim states, the new super, Shaffer (sp), should get a chance to work his way into the job as he just started 2 months ago or so.  He was at the CC in Pepper Pike and I believe used to be at Woodcrest, a Flynn course in S. Jersey that used to be a public facility in the 30s and 40s.  I wish him well.

[Tim_Weiman]

SPDB:

I'll probably screw up in quoting Matt Schaffer, but clearly he is thinking long term.  He said something to the effect that work for the Amateur was only the first step and that the course wouldn't really shine until something like a Walker Cup in 2009.

As for work ethic, I think all of Paul Latshaw's guys score pretty high.  They are also quite skilled at instilling it in their own people.

Matt is well aware of how controversial the bunker changes at Merion are, but he is also strongly committed to doing the very best job he can do in the years ahead.

Merion is a special place and one can't help but wish him well.

[Mike_Cirba]

I do hope the work will eventually take on the look it once had.  The bunkering at Merion was special and unique, may it again be so.  

Mr. Morrison;

Amen to that, and I also wish the new superintendent the very best!

[JSlonis]

SPDB,

The fairways were fairly firm, even with rain from thunderstorms a couple of days prior.  The club has done an extensive fairway aerification over the last month which is just about all healed. We played the ball "up" in the fairways due the the aerification holes. I would imagine in another week or so with warm weather the fairways will be perfect. You are correct about the new maintenance team, the initial impressions from the members I played with were very positive.

Mike,

I thought the bunkers looked less machine made than was previously the case.  It seems like the staff is letting the surrounds get a bit more rugged, longer grass, etc. The scotch broom I was told was newly planted over the last month or so. One remark I heard was..."we had to replant the Scotch Broom, it's our LOGO!

[Mike_Cirba]

Rich,

Thanks for explaining your thoughts.  

Although we are hardly construction experts, admittedly, how much of the difference in the look of the bunkering between Merion and the others would you attribute to the inherent differences between dedicated, if time-consuming handwork vs wholly machine-made limitations in creating fine detail?