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| 2013 US Open Apparel & Accessories presentation by GolfGirl via Polyvore |
The quote is an amusing ode to the Golden Age golf course where, in 1971, Trevino won his second US Open in an 18-hole playoff over Jack Nicklaus.
Nicklaus himself has admitted to a longstanding love affair with the Pennsylvania beauty, as have countless players, writers and fans.
However over the past few decades, the beloved Merion, has come perilously close to becoming a victim of her historical layout.
Some felt it could no longer stand up to the demands of a US Open; that modern equipment... and increasingly athletic golfers... had made the 135 acre course obsolete. Others cited the logistics of a 21st century tournament, with massive merchandise tents and huge corporate hospitality installations.
However Merion's magnetism... combined with the determination and creativity of it's members... ultimately won the day. Holes were lengthened, bunkers added and fairways narrowed down... and innovative solutions were put into place to handle logistics. In less than five months the US Open will again be contested on the fairways and greens of Merion's East course.
What will not be changed in Merion's transformation to a 21st Century Open venue, are the club's red, wicker-topped pins. It seems there had been thoughts of replacing the iconic baskets with traditional flags, but members voiced their concerns and... I'm happy to say... the distinctive red orbs will remain.
That brings me to the subject of the golf swag. I happen to love Merion's logo, which features the curious aforementioned flagstick, set against a tuft of scotch broom, which features in the course's landscape. It's wonderfully rendered for the 2013 US Open and the Lee Wybranski design will be available on all sorts of items for sale at the tournament and online.
The poster is particularly wonderful and though I fully intend to make to Merion in June I've already ordered mine.
Lee Trevino is something else. We haven't had anyone like that playing the game for quite a while.
ReplyDeleteMerion in June. How exciting. Wishing I could go!
ReplyDeleteYou should come Monique! :-)
Deleteyes.........those baskets which resemble Q-TIPS were intended to allow the WIND to be an unknown factor for the player to self-determine and guage......completely different from a FLAG that readily indicates the direction and intensity of the WIND
ReplyDeletefrankDftliquordalesoFLA33316
As if we needed another unknown factor in golf \(>_<)/
Deleteas for the US open and our historic courses.............only the masters has the authoritative autonomy to, at some point, decide if a special tournament ball be used there, so that technologically superior results in equipment in gaining distance are offset or negated, because augusta simply doesn't have much more land to encroach upon to further lenghten its course
ReplyDeleteotherwise these old courses, once surgically enhanced, are no longer what they once were anyway, except in name
the other thing, of course, is the modern day opens require another 200 acres just for parking and tents
one of the shortest courses on tour was WESTCHESTER country club and never was it in its forty year or so history of professional tour play thought of as anything less than a real test of golf (hole twelve could make long hitter like jim dent look absolutely into defeat) BUT even with the $15,ooo annual credit to each member for the two-week use of the facility, they finally wanted their course for themselves without all the hassle and traffic and interuption at their club......and it is a typical mood, i would imagine, at merion
remember two weeks may sound short, but summers are only twenty week ends long in the northeast and factor out the required family time and the occassional weather related stuff and the summer is gone
I LOVE Westchester Country Club and one of the main reasons is that it has maintained a unique old-fashioned sensibility ... and yes hosting these events is definitely a double edged sword. Prestigious and exciting as it is it certainly quite disruptive both to the members and to those who live in the immediate vicinity. I was a bit surprised to hear about Winged Foot for 2020 as I spoke to so many people there who didn't see it happening again in their lifetimes. Winged Foot is another place I love... again old fashioned, historical. But then you know these clubs/courses quite well I gather. :-)
DeleteI am very excited about this post.Its looking very helpful for every golfer.skycaddie golf gps
ReplyDeletepatricia,
ReplyDeletewith my then boss rick d'arcangelo (past president of NYS society of CPAs and founder of d'arcangelo a co CPAs) he, as a pillar of the westchester county club, along with many many other members, i had it very good indeed doing accounting and audit work for country clubs, including ridgeway (where i first had DERMA) and directly across was westchester hills, and regular access to ardsley (friends worked there) and siwanoy (home high school course) among others such as the american home of golf, st andrews on jackson in yonkers
in the recent past, a buddy since elementary school dayz, tommy hughes (past executive committee DEUTSCHE BANK) has hosted The Wall Street Charity Golf Classic held at Winged Foot Golf Club, but before that i again had quite a few connections, although there we had to be on our GOOD behavior, not like at leewood (where i caddied as a kid) or interlaken now lake isle country club both in eastchester
despite all the high-falutin places to play in westchester, i have stated SPRAIN LAKE is my favorite both as an architectural marvel (try designing a course on a 45 degree angle without being a billy goat) and simply just good golf period and as kids we trudged around in winter as well on that course always walking and always had great fun
i guess the point is i was just very very lucky to grow up in westchester during a time access to the game for a young kid was welcoming
frankDftliquordalesoFLA33316
In 1971 i saw that match of Trevino. When he won his second US Open in an 18-hole playoff over Jack Nicklaus. Really that was awesome. I feel proude of him.
ReplyDelete2013 US Open will be so adventure and thrill some.
ReplyDeleteMerion will test the Pro's,if it is firm. There is no intermediate cut,just fairway and rough.Some fairways are 27 yards wide and the greens can be diabolical.The problem with the rough is that it is hard to get your club to the back of the ball.My interest is how well they score,it can now be be extended to 6990 yards.The pro's are use to letting the ball fly.The winner will hit more fairways and keep the ball below the hole more then the other guys.Will be very interesting can't wait to see.
ReplyDeleteI am really excited to attend this 2013 US open.It's venue is my favorite place.
ReplyDelete