The new course, general views of which are shown, presents an entirely different picture. Where on the old course backgrounds seem to be lacking in many of the holes, a forest, which surrounds the new course, furnishes a background to almost every hole. Where civilization seems to mark the old course, forests, hills and dales mark the new one. Both courses are of championship size, the old of 6,420 yards and the other of about 6,015 yards. The new, although shorter, furnishes equally good golf. It is situated on a tableland of remarkably rolling country, lying between the extension of Ardmore Avenue and the Darby Creek. The ground is wooded on all sides and after rising to a considerable height drops sharply to the valley of the Darby Creek, on the opposite side of which are the tracks of the old Philadelphia and Midland Railway, now the Philadelphia and Delaware County Railway, a practically idle road over which about two trains a day are run.
The soil on the new course is largely composed of micaceous sand, being the result of the decomposition
of the mica schistose rocks of the Fairmount geological formation. Features of the course are the winding creeks which are found here and there in front of many of the holes, and other features are the narrow defiles through which many of the holes are constructed.
The character of the soil has in a way affected the character of the course, the lies on one course varying
from the lies on the other through the fair green and the greens themselves showing considerable variation in the character of the sod. No greater contrast between two courses could be afforded than between these two owned by the Merion Club. The pictures tell the tale, and the varying lengths of holes, the varying character of fair green, the varying character of greens and the varying character of scenery—always in the eye of the golfer—give the player who, having played the east course in the morning, starts at Merion with his eighteen holes in the afternoon on the west course an opportunity to use every club in the bag and every shot in the imagination of the keenest golfer, and all in a day's play.
THE NEW OR WEST COURSE
This course, as has already been said, presents many features that differ from the old or east course. Where in the former the greens are large and slightly rolling, in the new the greens are much smaller and
very markedly rolling, with hillocks, and in some cases deep hollows in them. They are in wonderful
condition, though, as already stated, not as large as those found at the east course. This was done for the purpose of making a variation in the two courses and for the further purpose of assuring accurate iron shots and a greater variety of playing to those using both courses.
The beauties of the new course have to be seen to be appreciated, for even the best of photographs
cannot do justice to some of the wonderful views that stretch themselves before the golfer on hole after hole.
Four of the most interesting holes on the course are the fourth, the sixth, the tenth and eleventh. The fourth is a cleek shot about 200 yards down hill, the green being 40 feet below the tee while the fairway is a narrow stretch cut through the woods. The background to the hole is wonderfully beautiful, with trees stretching back for a long distance. The backing of the trees shows up the hole very prominently
from the tee. So far very little bunkering has been attempted, but as soon as it is known properly the green will be well guarded with bunkers and pits.
The sixth hole is a mashie pitch of 125 yards down hill, with a drop of approximately 70 feet to the green. It is guarded by a brook in front and on the left side and by deep hollows at the back and on the right side. The distance is very deceptive owing to the big drop and the majority of players are at a loss to know what club to use when first playing it.
The tenth hole is a drive and iron and to all intents and purposes it is an island as on three sides there is a small creek and at the back deep bunkers. The approach shot is a difficult one and the green is very undulating, making it difficult to hole out. The eleventh hole, which is slightly dog-legged, is a very interesting one. It is 415 yards long with a drive over the rough country shown in the foreground of the picture and a full second to the green.
The new course will not be destitute of clubhouse facilities, as on Ardmore Avenue a rough log bungalow
has been erected, containing dressing-rooms for men and women, a large central room with an open fireplace and facilities for the entertainment of the inner man.
Summarizing the two courses, as already set out in this article, the old course offers a high-grade, standard golf course laid out in the highest type of modern golf architecture with long holes, large greens,
long carries and features of great interest, especially so far as the quarry holes are concerned. From a
standpoint of scenery, it gives the impression of a flat, rolling country, very little broken and presenting
admirable facilities for the development of the best type of golf and requiring a high skill in the management of the wooden clubs and in the playing of the second shots. The old course is the more difficult of the two, owing to the boundaries, roads across and the fact that the second shots to the holes are longer.
The new course requires more accurate iron play and requires skilful placing of the drives. An interesting
fact on the new course, is that owing to the skilful way in which the various trees have been handled almost every hole has a natural background. The course offers opportunities for skill which should be
greatly appreciated by golfers inasmuch as owing to the country, broken up as it is, the players are in most part concealed from each other and are not interrupted in the skilful pursuit of their daily avocation.
Robert Lesley 1914