Merion Golf Club: East

Ardmore, PA Private

Overview

Merion East has long been considered the best course on the tightest acreage in America, and when it hosted the U.S. Open in 2013, its first since 1981, the present generation of big hitters couldn’t conquer this clever little course. They couldn’t consistently hit its twisting fairways, which are edged by creeks, hodge-podge rough and OB stakes and couldn’t consistently hold its canted greens, edged by bunkers that stare back. Justin Rose won with a 72-hole total of one-over-par, two ahead of Jason Day and Phil Mickelson. With Gil Hanse's extensive two-year renovation making even more improvements at Merion's East Course, the design should be even more polished when the Open returns again in 2030.

About

Holes 18
Length 6996
Slope 151
Facility Type Private
Year Opened 1912
Designer Hugh Wilson/(R) William S. Flynn/(R) Gil Hanse

Awards

100 Greatest
Best Courses in Every State

Ranking history:

100 Greatest: Ranked every year since 1966.
2023-'24 ranking (and previous): 6th.
Highest ranking: 5th, 2015-2016.

Best in State: Ranked first in Pennsylvania four times (1989-1990, 1995-'96, '99-2000, 2015-'16). Ranked second in every other edition.

Current ranking: Second.

Panelists

Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists

4.9

100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES

Shot Options
8.3637
Character
8.8102
Challenge
8.3524
Layout Variety
8.5339
Fun
8.0675
Aesthetics
8.2416
Conditioning
8.3055

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