Merion (East)
Merion (East)
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Course Type
Private -
GOLF Top 100 U.S. Rank (2024-25)
8 -
Year
1912 -
Architect
Hugh Wilson -
Par
70 -
Yardage
7,075
Course Overview
What makes Merion so distinctive is its remarkable variety. Some par-4s are short, others are monsters with the delta being as much as 200 yards. One par-3 is tiny, at 115 yards; the others measure 236, 246 and 256. The famous par-4 11th, where Bobby Jones clinched the 1930 Grand Slam, is slashed by a creek, while the par-4 16th demands a shot over an abandoned stone quarry. In short, Merion has everything, including sub-air and irrigation systems that lend more control over the firmness and speed of the playing surfaces. The recently expanded greens have created a plethora of new hole locations around the greens’ perimeters, and the player’s chess match with the clever design is more intense than ever. (Photo: David Cannon/Getty Images)
3 things to know
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Hole everyone talks about
No. 18, par-4, 462 yards: The closing hole at Merion’s East Course requires a 260+-yard carry over a quarry to reach the fairway, where players then face a tricky approach to an elevated green, which Ben Hogan famously accomplished with a 1-iron at the 1950 U.S. Open. -
Best non-golf amenity
Merion is famous for its Snapper Soup, which is made not from snapper fish but snapping turtles. -
Insider tip
There are no yardage markers to be found on Merion’s East Course, so it’s important to take a club caddie and trust their highly-trained expertise. Also, no mulligans allowed on the 1st tee.
