U.S. Open Course Setup -- Merion hole-by-hole videos USGA

[Asleep]

[sammhk]

Did anyone hear Phil on XM PGA Tour Radio last week talking about Merion and the course setup? He said the made the tough holes tougher, but left the easier holes alone, pretty much. Heard a couple other guys talking about it later on, think it was McGuiness.

Both were of the opinion that with more birdie opportunities, this year will produce a champion score that's much lower than normal. Just wondering what you guys think about that?

For me, I'm still looking forward to watching the 2nd major of the year, but at the same time I don't think it's going to be the same. It's definitely an event I look forward to each year, since it's supposed to be the toughest test in golf. Not sure I'm going to get that this year, by the way they're talking about the course.

Still remains to be seen, but if their words hold true, think this year's U.S. Open isn't going to be one to remember. Thoughts?

[mr smith]

The Open marks the start of the business end of the major season. The Masters is a slickly marketed invitational which always produces plenty of excitement and plenty of birdies on the last day, but imo the real major championships start from this week. I think the Masters lets itself down by letting the host club have such total control of the tournament. Majors should be available to anyone good enough to make the field through qualifiers, not those lucky enough to receive an invite in the mail. I dont like the idea of spots being taken by geriatrics who cant break 100 either.

[richard t]

The Masters is not a PGA/USGA/R&A event. Their club. Their rules. Not saying you're wrong just a different situation.

[mark m]

The weather impacts scoring. So we'll see what happens.

What would you like them do to the short holes?
If the players hit the fairways on those holes, that could mean more birdies if the conditions are benign. Remember that the USGA has standards regarding course set-up. This includes written recommendations for hole locations and green firmness. If they go away from this - they will be highly criticized. (This hasn't happened in years.) Maybe it wll be good Open - and maybe your right and it won't be.

Finally, what really matters for many - is WHO wins. If "our guy" wins - then the course selection and set-up was brilliant. If not, then it wasn't.

[ethanlculver]

The rough is going to be deep and thick for sure I believe. I think I heard they're not cutting it anymore. They've got to do everything to make it tougher now. I expect to see hacking out 50 yards back into the fairway.

[cottonseed]

There is a cool photo tour of the course at The Itinerant Golfer website. Its not the US Open setup but it still gives a pretty good feel for the course.

http://theitinerantgolfer.com/merion-golf-club-east-course/

[sammhk]

[quote name='mark m' timestamp='1370870363' post='7204402']
The weather impacts scoring. So we'll see what happens.

What would you like them do to the short holes?
If the players hit the fairways on those holes, that could mean more birdies if the conditions are benign. Remember that the USGA has standards regarding course set-up. This includes written recommendations for hole locations and green firmness. If they go away from this - they will be highly criticized. (This hasn't happened in years.) Maybe it wll be good Open - and maybe your right and it won't be.

Finally, what really matters for many - is WHO wins. If "our guy" wins - then the course selection and set-up was brilliant. If not, then it wasn't.
[/quote]

I guess I expect a score at or near par to win...from the sound of things, we might not get that this year. I enjoy knowing they are facing the toughest test in golf. Like in 2008 when timberlake and romo barely broke 100 on Torrey Pines. I think it appeals to the david v goliath in me, and I'd actually like to see a first time winner or a relative unknown take the trophy. Adds a bit of excitement, and makes it more american or democratic or whatever you want to call it.

All the majors have their own style really...and the U.S. Open's style is f***** tough. Think they should stick with that.

[sammhk]

[quote name='cottonseed' timestamp='1370871584' post='7204506']
There is a cool photo tour of the course at The Itinerant Golfer website. Its not the US Open setup but it still gives a pretty good feel for the course.

[url="http://theitinerantgolfer.com/merion-golf-club-east-course/"]http://theitinerantg...ub-east-course/[/url]
[/quote]
that was a pretty awesome blog post about merion.

[jmck]

+1 on the weather. I'm not all that far from Merion and it's been pouring for a week, with more rain forecast for the next few days. There is zero--and I mean [i]zero[/i]--chance the course is going to play "firm and fast." I don't know what that'll mean for the set up, but it's so wet here right now you might see lift, clean and place in a US Open. Either that or a bunch of plugged balls.

[t_m_harris]

Greens will be firm, you can count on it. Hearing that they drain well and the weather the rest of the week looks good.
The rest of the course will be soft and lush.
You will never see "lift clean & place" at a US Open, to my knowledge this has never happened. The USGA believes that is not proper golf.

[Wordmixer]

This is one of the shorter US Open courses in years, which means more tee shots will be struck with hybrids / 5-woods / long irons, thus more fairways hit. Coupled with a softer course due to rains, there is a decent possibility that the alltime US Open 18-hole scoring record (63) could fall this week. A 62 by someone on either Thursday or Friday? (Although I don't think anyone will finish the tournament doube digits under par.)

I look for good showings from a couple of guys who've been hot recently: Billy Horschel and Scott Stallings. An Adam Scott win following his Masters triumph would be sweet too...

[Playaway]

That place looks puuss. Nice photo-blog. Had a chance to play there but could not re-arrange the schedule. From the great photo/blog some of it reminds me of Baltusrol Upper; especially on that one hole where he had no chance from above the hole.

With the rough up, that should be a great test.

It being so short it will tempt the player to go for it, but I guarantee you, there are some subtle places there that spell bogey for the player who tries to get her panties off a little to quickly.

I don't know if the Tour players do this but it might be a good idea to talk to some of the caddies there to understand some of these subtle obstacles. There has to be a dozen little tips that only members/caddies know about some breaks, speed issues on those greens.

[laweijfmvo]

[quote name='MrElculver2424' timestamp='1370871174' post='7204466']
The rough is going to be deep and thick for sure I believe. I think I heard they're not cutting it anymore. They've got to do everything to make it tougher now. I expect to see hacking out 50 yards back into the fairway.
[/quote]

i hope so. they say this every year but all we see on t.v. is the great shots out of the impossible rough spinning back pin-high.

[Judge Smails]

There is no question the weather is going to dictate quite a bit, and I certainly was hoping for a hot stretch of mid-atlantic summer weather leading up to and during the event so the course was at its firmest and fastest.

With that said, don't sleep on Merion. I don't think anyone who has actually played the course would be complaining about this not being a great event or a sufficient test. I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to play the east course and it is no walk in the park. There are easy holes to be had, but also incredibly challenging holes that demand absolute precision. Even when the course is set up for members the rough is extremely penal and greens are very firm and fast.

The winning score won't be even par, but I bet it won't be -16 like Rory at Congressional in 2011.

[QMany]

[quote name='sammhk' timestamp='1370872183' post='7204572']
[quote name='mark m' timestamp='1370870363' post='7204402']
The weather impacts scoring. So we'll see what happens.

What would you like them do to the short holes?
If the players hit the fairways on those holes, that could mean more birdies if the conditions are benign. Remember that the USGA has standards regarding course set-up. This includes written recommendations for hole locations and green firmness. If they go away from this - they will be highly criticized. (This hasn't happened in years.) Maybe it wll be good Open - and maybe your right and it won't be.

Finally, what really matters for many - is WHO wins. If "our guy" wins - then the course selection and set-up was brilliant. If not, then it wasn't.
[/quote]

I guess I expect a score at or near par to win...from the sound of things, we might not get that this year. I enjoy knowing they are facing the toughest test in golf. [b]Like in 2008 when timberlake and romo barely broke 100 on Torrey Pines.[/b] I think it appeals to the david v goliath in me, and I'd actually like to see a first time winner or a relative unknown take the trophy. Adds a bit of excitement, and makes it more american or democratic or whatever you want to call it.

All the majors have their own style really...and the U.S. Open's style is f***** tough. Think they should stick with that.
[/quote]
Romo shot 84, similar to what some Pros shot on Thursday and Friday.

[Huskypride28]

All this rain is making me nervous. I'd hate to see Merion get slaughtered like what happened to Congressional in 2011.

[JaNelson38]

It seems like every year we hear something like this that says the US Open is going to play "easier than normal". And then the tournament starts. And on Sunday there's about 10 guys at par or better.

[avrag]

[quote name='DallasPanic' timestamp='1370874668' post='7204818']
You will never see "lift clean & place" at a US Open, to my knowledge this has never happened. [u][b]The USGA believes that is not proper golf.[/b][/u]
[/quote]

......and they are right.

[lumberman2462]

Merion may be under 7,000 yards but these guys are still going to miss fairways. Considering that the rough has been cut for the last time and the rain has been falling for days......it's going to be some of the nastiest rough anyone has seen in a few years.

Here's the thing to watch - those par 3s. 230,240 yards - plus the midget par three isn't exactly easy putting.

[tembolo1284]

If you go over that dinky par 3 you are dead. Instant bogey or worse.

[mesquite2]

Possible thunderstorms today, tomorrow & possible showers Thursday. Friday, Sat & Sun look like great weather. The 11th hole is not being played for today's practice round, water was 6 inches from the putting surface. Just started to rain, AGAIN.

[ilikegolf26]

[quote name='avrag' timestamp='1370883818' post='7206230']
[quote name='DallasPanic' timestamp='1370874668' post='7204818']
You will never see "lift clean & place" at a US Open, to my knowledge this has never happened. [u][b]The USGA believes that is not proper golf.[/b][/u]
[/quote]

......and they are right.
[/quote]
lol....how are they right? If you hit a shot right down the middle of the fairway you shouldn't have to hit your next shot with a massive clump of mud on your ball. All that would do is create a massive variance fest.

[Judge Smails]

[quote name='tembolo1284' timestamp='1370886901' post='7206808']
If you go over that dinky par 3 you are dead. Instant bogey or worse.
[/quote]

Very true. I have been in the front bunker too, it's a seriously deep bunker. It may be short but you better hit the green

[drbonesvt]

Anyone know the carry on 18 to the fairway???, #4 and 18 look like they are going to present significant challenges to the players

[scttrmsy]

Too much is being made of the length of the course. All the old timers say these greens are just about the hardest on tour. Mike Davis isn't going to let this course get slaughtered. No way. I think the USGA is working hard to make a beast of a setup to show that even the best players in the world can struggle on a course that's 6,xxx yards.

[mark m]

[quote name='drbonesvt' timestamp='1370893968' post='7207848']
Anyone know the carry on 18 to the fairway???, #4 and 18 look like they are going to present significant challenges to the players
[/quote]

Used google earth, and both holes from the back section of the back tees look to be 245-250 carry to the fairway, which could be a concern if either plays into the wind.

[dpb5031]

The weather we are experiencing in the Philadelphia metro area is exactly what the USGA and Merion Golf Club[b] did not [/b]want to see. The course is going to be soft for at least the first few days of the championship and only stands a remote chance of drying out some by the weekend. The rough will be absolutely brutal though, so fairways just missed by a couple of yards are going to produce incredibly difficult shots. Hole #5 comes to mind. Players missing that fairway will have no choice but to lay up with a lofted wedge unless they get remarkably lucky and catch a decent lie.

I actually think that wilder shots that find their way into the galleries will yield better lies due to the grass being trampled. Drives that just miss the fairway by a few yards will be severely punished. It really is a shame though, it would have been fun and exciting to see this contested on a dry, fast, and "edgy" Merion.

[drbonesvt]

[quote name='mark m' timestamp='1370894878' post='7207970']
[quote name='drbonesvt' timestamp='1370893968' post='7207848']
Anyone know the carry on 18 to the fairway???, #4 and 18 look like they are going to present significant challenges to the players
[/quote]

Used google earth, and both holes from the back section of the back tees look to be 245-250 carry to the fairway, which could be a concern if either plays into the wind.
[/quote]

I know they carry routinely 280-290+, that's still a poke just to carry

[tembolo1284]

[quote name='drbonesvt' timestamp='1370893968' post='7207848']
Anyone know the carry on 18 to the fairway???, #4 and 18 look like they are going to present significant challenges to the players
[/quote]

From the tippity tips i'd put it at about 265+.

I can't quite reach it with my G20 in the WGT online video game.