If I can ask some innocent questions, as I don't know much about Merion--
1. When the course was built, did Wilson and Flynn have set fairway widths, and/or rough heights, and have the fairway widths increased or decreased over the past 85 years or so?
2. (Related to #1); I don't know how the course plays, or how good players play it, but in the case of just bringing the fairways in and rough up--ok, it's an automatic pitch-out, especially where the ball sits down. But, would it provide for more exciting competition if competitors had the option to attempt to advance the ball?
From what I read about the greens there, they are rather fast, so I'll take an educated guess that a shot from the rough may or may not hold the green.
3. I haven't been able to ascertain from this post-are the fairway bunkers in the fairway here, or are they several yards out, in the rough?
4. What are the standards for rough height here, for member play and for championships? What will the primary rough be cut at?
I'm just curious--thankfully, we'll get to walk it in the Amateur.
Thanks, all who may answer.
DRB