You’ve seen the photos of the wicker baskets. They look sort of whimsical, honestly. Like something you’d find at a high-end picnic in the 1920s rather than on a championship golf course. But don't let the lack of flags fool you. Merion Golf Club East Course is a brutal, claustrophobic, and brilliant piece of land that has embarrassed some of the greatest golfers to ever pick up a club. It shouldn't work. By modern standards, it’s tiny. It sits on a mere 126 acres—compare that to a sprawling beast like Erin Hills which covers over 600.
But Merion doesn't care about your expectations.
The East Course is basically a masterclass in how to use terrain to mess with a player's head. Located in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, just outside Philly, it’s a place where the history is so thick you can almost feel it on your skin. This is where Bobby Jones completed the Grand Slam in 1930. It’s where Ben Hogan hit "The Shot"—that 1-iron into the 18th green in 1950—just months after a car accident that nearly killed him. It’s a sacred site.
The Layout That Defies Logic
Hugh Wilson, the man who designed the East Course, wasn't even a professional architect. He was an insurance man. He spent seven months in Scotland and England studying the greats before returning to Pennsylvania to move some dirt. Maybe that’s why it feels so different. It’s eccentric.
The routing is weird. It’s categorized into three distinct phases: the drama of the opening holes, the "short" middle section where you're supposed to make your birdies, and the punishing finish through an old stone quarry. Most courses try to maintain a steady rhythm. Merion is more like a jazz composition where the tempo changes mid-measure and then ends with a heavy metal solo.
Take the first hole. You’re teeing off right next to the clubhouse porch. People are literally eating lunch a few feet away from you. The pressure is immediate. If you hook it, you’re hitting someone’s Cobb salad. If you slice it, you’re in the trees. It’s a short par 4, but it sets the tone: Merion is watching you.
Why the Wicker Baskets Actually Matter
Everyone asks about the baskets. Legend says Hugh Wilson saw them on a trip to Europe and thought they were more practical because they didn't blow in the wind, meaning golfers couldn't tell which way the breeze was gusting at the green.
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That’s a massive disadvantage.
When you’re standing 160 yards out on a windy day, and the "flag" is a rigid red wicker basket that isn't moving an inch, you’re guessing. You have to look at the trees or throw grass in the air. It adds a layer of mental fatigue that most modern players aren't used to. It’s a small detail, but Merion is a game of inches.
The Myth of the "Short" Course
In 2013, when the U.S. Open returned to Merion Golf Club East Course, the "experts" were predicting a bloodbath. Not for the players, but for the course. People thought guys like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson would tear it apart with wedges. They said it was too short for the modern ball.
They were wrong.
Justin Rose won that year with a score of 1-over par. One over! On a course that barely clears 6,800 yards. The reason is the greens. They aren't just fast; they are tilted in ways that feel illegal. If you leave yourself above the hole on the 5th or the 11th, you’re essentially looking at a guaranteed three-putt. The slopes are subtle until they aren't.
Then there’s the rough. Merion’s "Cobb’s Creek" winds through the property, but it’s the thick, gnarly fescue that truly breaks hearts. It’s the kind of grass that wraps around your hosel and turns a simple chip into a nightmare.
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Navigating the Quarry Finish
If you manage to survive the middle stretch—holes 7 through 13—you hit the wall. The final five holes at Merion are arguably the toughest closing stretch in championship golf.
Holes 16, 17, and 18 are played in and around an abandoned limestone quarry. It’s spectacular to look at, but a terror to play. The 16th, "Quarry," requires a blind shot over a massive pit. If you’re short, you’re dead. The 18th is a 521-yard par 4. Yes, a par 4. It requires a massive drive just to see the green, followed by a long iron or wood into a green that sits in the shadow of the clubhouse.
It’s where Hogan hit that 1-iron. There’s a small plaque in the fairway marking the spot. Standing there, looking at the distance and the narrowness of the target, you realize how insane that shot actually was. Most of us couldn't hit that green with a 7-iron, let alone a long iron with the U.S. Open on the line.
The Complexity of the Greens
We need to talk about the greens specifically because that’s where Merion wins. At most courses, you can miss on the "correct" side. At Merion, there often isn't a correct side.
- The 5th hole: A long par 4 with a fairway that slopes severely from left to right. Even a perfect drive leaves you with a side-hill lie to a green that slopes away from you.
- The 11th hole: This is where Bobby Jones finished his Grand Slam. The green is surrounded by the creek on three sides. It’s tiny. It’s nervous.
- The 13th hole: A par 3 that is barely 120 yards. It sounds like a birdie hole. It’s actually a defensive struggle. The green is a "thumbprint" design, and if you miss the center, your ball is scurrying off into a bunker or deep grass.
Preservation vs. Modernization
One of the coolest things about Merion is its refusal to change. While other clubs are buying up neighboring land to extend their courses to 8,000 yards, Merion is stuck. It’s landlocked by suburban Philadelphia homes and a train line.
They can't get longer. So, they get smarter.
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The club has done extensive work to restore the original bunkering and ensure the turf conditions are lightning-fast. They rely on the architecture rather than sheer distance. It’s a testament to Hugh Wilson’s vision that a layout designed over a century ago can still frustrate the best in the world.
It’s a walking-only course. No carts. You take a caddie, you walk the hills, and you feel the history. It’s intimate. You’re so close to the other fairways that you have to watch for stray balls from three holes over. It feels like a community, albeit a very exclusive and difficult one.
How to Actually Play It (If You Get the Chance)
Getting a tee time at Merion is famously difficult. It’s one of the most private clubs in America. You generally need to know a member or be part of a high-level amateur tournament. But if you do find yourself standing on that first tee, keep these things in mind:
- Throw the driver away. Seriously. On many holes, a long iron or hybrid is the play. Keeping it in the short grass is the only way to survive.
- Respect the baskets. Don't guess the wind. Look at the surrounding trees and the clouds.
- Stay below the hole. It is better to be 20 feet short of the pin than 5 feet above it. Downhill putts at Merion are like putting on a marble foyer.
- Take a moment at the 18th fairway. Find the Hogan plaque. Look at the clubhouse. Realize that you’re standing on the most hallowed ground in American golf.
Merion Golf Club East Course isn't just a sports venue. It’s a museum where the exhibits are designed to make you cry. It’s beautiful, historic, and incredibly mean. And that’s exactly why we love it.
Actionable Next Steps for Golf Enthusiasts
If you're fascinated by the history and challenge of Merion, there are ways to engage with its legacy even if you aren't a member:
- Study the 1950 U.S. Open: Read The Longest Shot by Neil Sagebiel. It provides incredible context on Ben Hogan’s comeback and why the East Course was the perfect stage for it.
- Visit the USGA Museum: Located in Liberty Corner, New Jersey, it houses a significant amount of memorabilia from Merion’s various championships, including artifacts related to Bobby Jones and Ben Hogan.
- Explore Philadelphia School Architecture: If you can't play Merion, look for "hidden gem" public or semi-private courses in the Philadelphia area that share similar design philosophies, such as those influenced by William Flynn or A.W. Tillinghast.
- Watch for Future Championships: Keep an eye on the USGA schedule. Merion is slated to host future U.S. Opens (including 2030, the 100th anniversary of the Grand Slam) and U.S. Women’s Opens. Attending as a spectator is the best way to see the "quarry holes" in person.