More Merion Previews

Joe Logan writes about the youth movement in amateur golf. The article also has a link to a nice U.S. Amateur site set up by the club.

Mark Wogenrich in The Morning Call also writes about Merion's desperation to host a U.S. Open.

He picks up this nugget from a recent CBS telecast:

''It's a matter of the USGA sitting down and saying, 'What's important to us,''' announcer Jim Nantz said of Merion and a possible U.S. Open bid. ''Is it more important to sell a lot of hospitality tents or is it important to take our great championship to the best courses in America?''

And here's what the USGA Executive Committee's Craig Ammerman tells Wogenrich: ''We're wary of saying to the corporate community, 'We're having the U.S. Open in Philadelphia, so don't come,''' Ammerman said.

Comments

[Mark Smolens]

The Merion web-site is indeed very nice. I note from the scorecard that the West Course's yardage from the back tees is less than 6000 yards, and the East Course is less than 6500. Did I miss something about the USGA declaring the use of featheries for this event? Admittedly a chop like me (or, should that read "such as" me?) would love to play Merion, just based on the numbers I think the course may be overmatched.

[Jeff Peterson]

Mark,

Merion has been lengthened to just over 6,800 yards in preparation for the Am. Still likely to be overmatched distance-wise, but I'm hoping it defends itself well into and on the green.

(PS: Geoff, a feature request to go along with the new site -- how about an RSS feed?)