Looking Ahead To Merion

Mark Wogenrich of The Morning Call has an update on the efforts to prepare for the U.S. Open at Merion next year and it sounds, well, complicated. But hey, the corporate hospitality will be close to the course while the players and media are a mile away. Hope everyone soaked up the ease of Olympic Club!

To address capacity problems, the USGA has capped attendance at 25,000 spectators daily. It also will build grandstands to accommodate 17,000 of those fans across the property, hoping people fill those seats to alleviate course crowding.

In addition, the East Course's focus will be almost exclusively on golf. Merchandise, concessions and restrooms will be located on the course's perimeter. Players' locker rooms and practice facilities will be located on the West Course, with shuttles running the mile in between.

"Normally, we try to put facilities in locations where we expect spectators to be," Jones said. "At Merion, it's going to be the opposite. We're putting spectator services on the edges, where we can."

Corporate hospitality, which is being operated by the Bethlehem-based MSG Promotions, will be located at Haverford College and on Golf House Road, which runs along the East Course's back nine. Bridges will be constructed from Haverford to the championship site, and corporate tents will take over some grounds of the posh neighborhood.