Official 2013 U.S. Open at Merion Discussion Thread

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by k-troop

I think the fairways are far too wide, and the course is playing too short.  With the ridiculous jacking of the modern ball, any major championship course under 8500 yards is a total joke.  The winner should have to hit driver 15 times per round (yes, at least once on a par-3) so that they're facing the same type of test the average golfer faces on the average weekend, and they should be missing at least 60% of the fairways.

Winning score should be around 300, just like the typical club championship.

Jack is that you?

[BostonBrew]

Originally Posted by k-troop

I think the fairways are far too wide, and the course is playing too short.  With the ridiculous jacking of the modern ball, any major championship course under 8500 yards is a total joke.  The winner should have to hit driver 15 times per round (yes, at least once on a par-3) so that they're facing the same type of test the average golfer faces on the average weekend, and they should be missing at least 60% of the fairways.

Winning score should be around 300, just like the typical club championship.

Is there a course that plays that long?? The course I worked at hosted a Tar Heel Tour tournament once and we got pretty creative to add distance to the course. Our everyday tips played over 7200. But with some creativity, like using the back tee box of hole 1 for hole 10, we added I think another 100+ yards or so. But 8500?

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

What, exactly, in his post suggests to you that he thinks there is anything wrong with even par being the winning score?

You sound like me, in that you're waiting for somebody to complain about the way the USGA sets up their courses to try and "protect par." I think it's great, but know a lot of people that whine about it.

But I don't think Beach was whining, just predicting. :)

Let me make this clear... I'm always whining according to some that know me! :)

But seriously, these fairways are insane.  I'm excited about the tournament.  I enjoy seeing guys whine after the round about the course being hellasciously difficult.  And I'll be sipping on a cold beer, enjoying every minute of it.

[phan52]

Originally Posted by BostonBrew

Maybe it's just the angle, but the tee box beside the bunker looks really sloped... ? As you stated, it won't be used, but I'm still curious.

It's just the angle from where I took the picture. The tees are all very flat.

[Beachcomber]

phan52, keep the pics coming!  Quick question, are you sure that pic is of #8?

Your photo peaked my interest in #8, so I looked it up online and found this flyover from the USGA.  It looks like #8 flyover is a different hole than in your photo though?  As I don't see that tee box with the bunker beside it, etc.  So I was a little confused.  Still, whatever hole that is... A 255yd carry to the fairway is nasty.  Especially for an amateur like myself!

[Chilli Dipper]

It's the 18th tee. The poster was just holding the Shift key as if he was trying to capitalize the first character of the sentence, hence the exclamation point.

[phan52]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

phan52, keep the pics coming!  Quick question, are you sure that pic is of #8?

Your photo peaked my interest in #8, so I looked it up online and found this flyover from the USGA.  It looks like #8 flyover is a different hole than in your photo though?  As I don't see that tee box with the bunker beside it, etc.  So I was a little confused.  Still, whatever hole that is... A 255yd carry to the fairway is nasty.  Especially for an amateur like myself!

Typo. it is #18.

[Beachcomber]

Cool, thanks for the clarification.  I'm not familiar with the course layout, other than looking at a few pics.  #18 is going to be nasty!  Here's a flyover for those interested.

[phan52]

Landing area on #16. The fairway bamks up to the right but it is very narrow and nobody will try to hit it up there. It's a short iron over the quarry to the hole, so they will most probably play short of the quarry from the tee. That bunker on the left is definitely in play.

This is as close as the patrons will get to the 16th green. 16 green and 17 tee will be like 12 green and 13 tee at Augusta, with nobody near them during the tournament.

From behind 16 green. Seriously false front there. Front pin will be deadly.

Back tee on 17. 245 yards.

[BostonBrew]

521 yard Par 4... Makes me start to second guess Luke Donald's chances. That 255 carry will be close for his average distance of 276. He'll be hitting 3 wood or hybrid for his approach shot into that green. Hopefully he can score well enough on the shorter holes and just go into damage control on the longer ones like this.

[Chilli Dipper]

521 yard Par 4... Makes me start to second guess Luke Donald's chances. That 255 carry will be close for his average distance of 276. He'll be hitting 3 wood or hybrid for his approach shot into that green. Hopefully he can score well enough on the shorter holes and just go into damage control on the longer ones like this.

That's the dirty secret of Merion: the course as a whole is short, but the long holes (three par 3s shorter players will be hitting fairway woods into, a 628-yard par 5, two 500-yard par 4s) are SERIOUSLY long.

[BostonBrew]

Just saw a tweet claiming Merion is under a flash flood watch. Andrea is still drenching us here in Virginia, with more to come, and heading up the coast. Hope the course gets a good chance to dry out.

[joekelly]

So Phan. Is it official?  No more spectators, golf fans, or curious amateur golfers but now at the US Open all who paid money to watch  are 'patrons‘？

[k-troop]

Jack is that you?

There needs to be an icon for "stirring the pot."

[Lefty-Golfer]

well it has been raining here in Philly since last night about 530. it has been a solid, steady soaking rain the entire time. there has been little to none in terms of run off...and we have not hit the big storm yet. according to Accuweather Merion is on the western band and is still going to get an additional 1 to 2 inches of rain by tomorrow morning. This is exactly what the course didn't need. in the extended forecast there is a chance of rain or showers on Monday, Tuesday and Friday with temps in low to mid 80's - but extended forecasts are really just a guess.

This is not what Merion needed, they do have a few days to dry out and we had been very dry here the last several weeks. There had been a couple days in the 90's recently and the courses  were fast and tight. this rain could have a bigger impact then most realized.

[turtleback]

Originally Posted by phan52

It's just the angle from where I took the picture. The tees are all very flat.

Nonsense.  The picture makes it look slanted so it must be slanted.  I don't care what anyone who was actually there on the ground has to say.  Pictures never lie.

Just kidding.  And illustrating how ridiculous the conspiracy theorists sounded about Tiger's lateral hazard drop at the Players.

[Ernest Jones]

Nonsense.  The picture makes it look slanted so it must be slanted.  I don't care what anyone who was actually there on the ground has to say.  Pictures never lie. Just kidding.  And illustrating how ridiculous the conspiracy theorists sounded about Tiger's lateral hazard drop at the Players.

Dime-sized Brown Spot.

[HastyElephant]

Just announced! Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and Adam Scott for the first two rounds. What a threesome!