Southern Hills, Merion, Brookline

[shemp]

Never played any of them. As a television venue, I would probably order them Merion, then Southern Hills close at the top, and then Brookline well behind in third.

Kind of a random post, but I see the 2009 US Am got moved to Southern, and for some reason that prompted me to look up future US Open venues. I was pleased to see that Merion was listed, and then it occurred to me that we were nearing the 100 year anniversary of Ouimet and I didn't see Brookline listed-- in fact, that is the year they are headed to Merion.

Is this a shocker in the world of golf, that they are going back to Merion in 2013? Any thoughts on these courses?

[Troll_Inc]

I spectated the 2005 US Am at Merion and to me it is really a unique course. IHMO super cool that the US Open will be there.

I'm actually quite certain that it will be easier for them to set it up as a Par 70 such that they have a "US Open" tough course (and no -20 scores) compared to the difficulties of having enough room for spectators both on the course and parking.

I plan on taking the whole week off from work.

http://www.usamateur.org/2005/index.html
you can click through to the photo gallery.
I like the wicker basket flag sticks, pretty cool IHMO.

[tuq]

The wicker baskets put me on life tilt for some reason. That and Hale Irwin winning there. He is not a nice man from what I hear. Hale Irwin + wicker baskets = life tilt.

[shemp]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merion_Golf_Club

Nice list of champions. Hale not among them. Trevino & Jack traded punches, I think (I'm probably wrong). And Graham I think led pretty much the whole weekend.

The surprise to me is that they went to Brookline in '63(50th) and '88(75th), but not '13(100th).

edit: I see Trevino won in an playoff.

[ntnBO]

It's not called Brookline, it's called The Country Club and it's located in Brookline, MA.

Personally, I think Southern Hills is quite a bit different from the two Northeast courses, both of which might have lack of distance issues for a professional major. But I do like to see majors contested on these shorter, trickier courses that take the bomb and gouge approach out of the equation.

BO

[tuq]

OK whatever, I stand corrected. Irwin had some sort of hand in the Merion US Open (the links don't lead me directly to the results), and that plus the wicker baskets = pure evil.

[shemp]

[ QUOTE ]
It's not called Brookline, it's called The Country Club and it's located in Brookline, MA.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah. When I was filling in the subject line, it seemed ambiguous so I went with Brookline, and then continued that way for consistency. Seems to me it is routinely referred to as "The Country Club, in/at Brookline" in telecasts, which becomes a mouthful.

[shemp]

I made my peace with Hale a long time ago. It takes some work, but he's a guy that you kind of like for being such a dildo.

[Butcho22]

Agree about the baskets. So [censored] stupid.

Would love to see Sergio bank one off a wicker basket flag thingy into the rough or something coming down the stretch. His reaction and comments afterwards would be priceless.

[Troll_Inc]

[ QUOTE ]
OK whatever, I stand corrected. Irwin had some sort of hand in the Merion US Open (the links don't lead me directly to the results), and that plus the wicker baskets = pure evil.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wicker Baskets > Butcho >>>>>>>>>>>>&g t; Tuq
IHMO