Restored Merion To Be Restored After '13 U.S. Open!

The USGA Member Clubhouse hosted an engaging, standing-room only roundtable Monday afternoon as persistent spring rains pelted the tent just off of the USGA's main "Spectator Square." Hosted by Jimmy Roberts, the hour-long discussion featured guests Curtis Strange, Merion historian/member John Capers, USGA Executive Director Mike Davis, architect Tom Fazio and '13 U.S. Open General Chairman Rick Ill.

The program kicked off a series of daily events in the clubhouse that include a Rich Lerner interview of Ray Floyd (Tuesday), a 2009 Walker Cup reunion Wednesday with Rickie Fowler (among others), Billy Casper Thursday and tantalizingly, a Thursday chat called the "USGA's Position On Technology And Golf Equipment" featuring Championship Chair Tom O'Toole and Managing Director of Equipment Standards John Spitzer.

But the real bombshell in the Merion conversation was dropped by Ill, who revealed after a discussion of Merion's decade long restoration (tree removal, bunker work, etc...) that following the 2013 U.S. Open, several of the "restored" bunkers--which were actually shifted to pinch landing areas on holes like 2, 15, 16--will be restored to their previous positions.

Also of note was Fazio's prediction that after this week, the world of golf will be having a "very different" debate about the ball because of his belief that Merion will show that a course under 7,000 yards is plenty relevant in today's game. Relevant, that is, until the restored landing area bunkers are unrestored.