Merion revisited

[BruceMGF]

Thinking back to this thread:

http://thesandtrap.com/t/67798/merion-the-yale-bowl-and-butler-fieldhouse

Was the spectator problem, at least in part, due to forcing upon Merion a "stadium golf" setup it wasn't designed to handle, or was it too crowded in any case?

[MSchott]

If there was a problem it was because Merion is built on a very small piece of land and that could create logistical issues.

[BruceMGF]

If there was a problem it was because Merion is built on a very small piece of land and that could create logistical issues.

But was it ever considered a problem before the "stadium golf" era?  Major events were held there, and I presume spectators showed up.

[Chilli Dipper]

But was it ever considered a problem before the "stadium golf" era?  Major events were held there, and I presume spectators showed up.

Look at the famous photo of Ben Hogan's 1-iron approach at the 1950 US Open. [IMG]http://www.golfdigest.com/images/golfworld/2013-06/gwar01-ben-hogan-merion.jpg[/IMG] Do you see any TV camera towers? Grandstands? Hospitality tents? Gallery ropes? No, no, no, and no. The infrastructure demands of a modern golf championship are far greater than a half-century ago.

[MSchott]

But was it ever considered a problem before the "stadium golf" era?  Major events were held there, and I presume spectators showed up.

I'm not sure what you mean by the stadium golf era. To me, stadium golf refers to courses specifically built to hold pro tournaments like TPC Sawgrass and most other TPC courses. Not the typical classic major courses like Oakland Hills, Pebble Beach or Oakmont to name 3. I guess you mean courses that can accommodate a lot of fans in general. In reference to Merion, the size of the crowds back then were smaller. The other issue with Merion is the length of the course. They had to make some major revisions to make it long enough and hard enough for the US Open. Many think they messed with the course too much, moving fairways and traps.

[BruceMGF]

I'm not sure what you mean by the stadium golf era.

Mostly thinking about grandstands around greens.

[MSchott]

Mostly thinking about grandstands around greens.

I see. Thanks for the clarification.