East at Merion Golf Club

I was fortunate enough to be invited to play Merion earlier this week and was eagerly anticipating the experience. The course is absolutely perfect! It's not a tremendously long course for a US Open style course, but the rough is very penalizing and the bunkers are nearly impossible.

This is truly a course where if you just keep the ball in the fairway you should be able to get around just fine and enjoy your round. The last three holes are brutal and can easily mess up a good score.

Be sure to show up early and check out the Trophy Room to admire the history of this fine place.

It is not a coincidence that great courses possess great histories. Merion’s East Course is both one of the most celebrated and it is also one of the most unique designs in America. Designed by Hugh Wilson, a 32 year-old club member, who was a good amateur player, but he had never designed a course before. So, in an effort to learn as much as he could, Wilson spent seven months in Scotland (and England) learning everything he could. He experience can be felt in numerous design elements at Merion, including the unique bunkering and the overall efficiency of the layout (remarkably, only 126 acres). Merion’s history is distinctive: Bobby Jones clinched the “Grand Slam” there in 1930 after winning the U.S. Amateur, Ben Hogan’s heroic comeback from a near fatal car accident was complete when he won the 1950 U.S. Open in a playoff (his famed 1 iron approach to the 18th green in the final round is immortalized as the most famous photo in golf), Lee Trevino took down Jack Nicklaus in a playoff at the 1971 U.S. Open at the height of Nicklaus’ dominance, David Graham won the 1981 U.S. Open there and in 2013 the U.S. Open was won by Justin Rose, leaving Phil Mickelson “heart broken.” From its wicker baskets to it’s comfy confines, Merion’s East Course has a place in history second only to it’s place in our hearts.

Played this the day after the final round of the 2013 U.S. Open and started on the 16th hole.

Goodness gracious that was a difficult start - having no chance to warm up before.

There's not much to say that hasn't already been said. I was lucky to play there and felt extremely fortunate to walk the same fairways as most of the greats of the game.

That last stretch is something special, and you get goosebumps looking at the Hogan plaque in the middle of the 18th fairway.

It's a golf geek's paradise.

Merion is a course that should be on every intermediate and advanced player's bucket list. The conditions are pristine and the layout is both fun and challenging. There are quite a few shots with drastic elevation change which is both breath taking and intimidating simultaneously. Some shots that don't seem that uphill or downhill to the naked eye still play longer/shorter than the yardage, respectively. That is why the wicker basket flag sticks are so long in length--it's so you can locate the pins on those approach shots.

If beginners also want to give this course a go, be sure to play from the forward tees as there are quite a few shots that will require carries.