2013 US Open: A Closer Look at the Merion Golf Club
Apr 22, 2013; Ardmore, PA, USA; A general view of the 4th green during the preview day for the 2013 US Open at Merion Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Eileen Blass-USA TODAY Sports
There has been a lot of talk leading up to the US Open about course length. For the first time in, well, a while, the total course length checks in under 7,000 yards. For some perspective, TPC Southwind, last week’s PGA Tour stop measured over 7,200 yards. With the state of the game today, we typically don’t see courses this short. The technology is better, players are stronger, etc. You’ve heard all that before. Lengthening a golf course became necessary in the past 15 years or so, especially at golf’s toughest test, the United States Open.
With all that said, there are still some MONSTER holes on this golf course. Adding to that, there are only two par 5’s. Scoring should be interesting this week. I really have no idea what the winning score will be. If we get some rain this week, scores could be low. If not, who knows where the winner will end up.
But, let’s look at the facts rather than the hypothetical. Here is my breakdown of Merion Golf Club, site of this year’s US Open. (If you want to see an entire course overview check out the official US Open site.)
Par 3’s
The par 3 set up this week is interesting. For starters, there at three long par 3’s at Merion. Holes 3, 9, and 17 measure 256, 236, and 246 yards respectively. Length like that does not normally equate to making many birdies. Players will be happy with par on those three holes.
Then there is the 13th hole. It measures a minuscule, 115 yards. That’s the go-zone for most PGA Tour pros. On the surface, you would expect to see a flag stick assault on this hole. But not so fast, my friend. While the hole only measures 115 yards, it also features the smallest green on the course and is guarded by bunkers. Being precise off the tee is a must. Otherwise a potential birdie opportunity can turn into a bogey pretty quick.
Par 4’s
The majority of the heavy lifting on this course will be done on the par 4’s. Because there are only two par 5’s, players will need to score here to contend this week. And there are definitely some opportunities. Let’s take the 10th as an example. It measures a very short, and reachable, 303 yards. Players will be tempted to go for the green all week. If not, an iron off the tee will put them in a good position to fire at the flag stick. It will be interesting to see how players take on the 10th.
There are other chances to put up some low numbers too. In fact, five par 4’s at Merion measure under 400 yards. That means irons and 3/5 woods off the tees. As you know, this means the ball will be in the fairway for most guys with a good look at the flag. These 5 holes (1, 7, 8, 10, and 11) will make or break the US Open for most. Taking advantage of these holes is a recipe for success at Merion.
Par 5’s
There are two par 5’s at Merion. In an interesting twist, they will be out of the way by the 5th hole. Holes 2 and 4 at Merion are the only par 5’s on the course. And they are long. The 2nd at Merion measures 556 yards and the 4th is a tough 628. While it may be possible to get home in two at the 2nd, that is probably out of the question at the 4th. At 628 yards, it’s a three shot hole. That makes this hole a wedge contest. Players that can get up and down from around 100 yards will do well on the 4th (and the 2nd for that matter).
The key to the par 5’s is going to be keeping it in the fairway. The tee shot at the 2nd is demanding. You can’t go right, that’s out of bounds. If you go left, you will likely be handcuffed by the rough. At the 4th, there are fairway bunkers that come into play. Hit it there and a really long hole becomes even longer.
Final Thoughts
You will continue to hear that this is a short US Open course. And on the surface that’s true. But as we just learned, just because the total yardage is under 7,000 yards, it doesn’t make this US Open a walk in the park. As always, keeping the ball in the fairway is a must. Plus, it looks like there will be a significant amount of moisture on the course this week, thanks to heavy rains. As you know, that makes a course play a lot longer. On the flip side, we could see some soft greens.
The combination of course length, penalizing rough, and weather are all adding up to make for a unpredictable US Open. Who will be able to take on all these factors and become a champion? I will have my thoughts as we get closer to Thursday.
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