The boys at Far Hills have to be ecstatic! They once again proved they can set up a golf course so even the best golfers in the world can’t play it. Merion is a difficult golf course but most of the time normal golfers play the course. I find it hard to believe that the 156 best golfers in the world hit that many bad shots. In my humble, or unhumble as the case may be, opinion much of what was done to the course created an artificial environment. For instance Tiger Woods said; “The rough was up. They were raking the rough up every morning into the grain.”  Into the grain means that they always had the grass growing against them. That never happens naturally. Yes you have some shots into the grain but you also have some with the grain. When missing a fairway or green by a foot produces essentially an unplayable shot that brings a huge element of luck into the equation.

Some of the news coverage opined that Merion had won. I disagree – the USGA setup won. If a course has to be set up that penal to host the U S Open, maybe the course does not belong in the rotation. Some will say that with Merion’s long history hosting USGA events statements like that is heresy. So be it, but if I want to watch a bunch of guys hack it around I don’t have to watch it on television. I can go to most any golf course.