Merion Golf Club (East)

Q: Which hole is hardest at Merion Golf Club (East)?

Hole 6 has stroke index 1 — the hardest hole on the scorecard.

Ardmore, United States

Par

Holes

Yards

7,113

Par 3 / 4 / 5

4 · 11 · 3

Course Layout

191 features mapped — fairways, greens, bunkers, tees, water. Data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Fairway Green Bunker Tee Water

Hole-by-Hole Strategy

Dogleg and layup calls derived from hole centerline geometry. 8 doglegs · 6 layup holes.

#	Par	Yards	Plays Like	Shape	Call
1	4	344	342 -2y · -7ft	Sharp dogleg right (56.6°)	LAYUP Sharp right-hand dogleg (56.6°). Driver runs through the corner — 3-wood or long iron off the tee.
2	5	516	528 +12y · +39ft	Straight	LAYUP Par 5 at 516y — two-shot reach is elite only. Layup to your wedge distance wins scorecards.
3	3	215	214 -1y · -3ft	Straight	Par 3 — pick the club that fits the full yardage, not one short.
4	5	596	577 -19y · -62ft	Straight	LAYUP Par 5 at 596y — two-shot reach is elite only. Layup to your wedge distance wins scorecards.
5	4	397	401 +4y · +13ft	Slight dogleg left (18.7°)	Straightaway — driver safe if you're hitting it well.
6	4	427	439 +12y · +39ft	Straight	Straightaway — driver safe if you're hitting it well.
7	4	352	342 -10y · -33ft	Straight	Straightaway — driver safe if you're hitting it well.
8	4	334	327 -7y · -23ft	Slight dogleg left (23.2°)	Straightaway — driver safe if you're hitting it well.
9	3	161	159 -2y · -7ft	Straight	Par 3 — pick the club that fits the full yardage, not one short.
10	4	295	298 +3y · +10ft	Sharp dogleg left (51.7°)	LAYUP Sharp left-hand dogleg (51.7°). Driver runs through the corner — 3-wood or long iron off the tee.
11	4	355	340 -15y · -49ft	Straight	Straightaway — driver safe if you're hitting it well.
12	4	403	404 +1y · +3ft	Sharp dogleg right (54.7°)	LAYUP Sharp right-hand dogleg (54.7°). Driver runs through the corner — 3-wood or long iron off the tee.
13	3	118	117 -1y · -3ft	Straight	Par 3 — pick the club that fits the full yardage, not one short.
14	4	394	403 +9y · +30ft	Moderate dogleg left (35.9°)	Favor the right side off the tee — opens the angle for your approach.
15	4	406	418 +12y · +39ft	Sharp dogleg right (47.4°)	LAYUP Sharp right-hand dogleg (47.4°). Driver runs through the corner — 3-wood or long iron off the tee.
16	4	418	403 -15y · -49ft	Slight dogleg left (17.4°)	Straightaway — driver safe if you're hitting it well.
17	3	239	239 +0y · +0ft	Straight	Par 3 — pick the club that fits the full yardage, not one short.
18	4	506	501 -5y · -16ft	Straight	Straightaway — driver safe if you're hitting it well.
Total	70	6,476	Distances from OSM centerlines; elevation from SRTM (Open-Meteo).

Course by the Numbers

Calculated from 191 mapped features. Areas are measured directly from the polygon geometry.

122 bunkers

17,615 sq yd of sand — 6.8 bunkers per hole on average.

695 sq yd

Largest bunker on the course — bigger than most tees.

669 sq yd avg green

Classification: Large greens (~6,500 sq ft avg) — tough 3-putt territory. Huge surfaces — a 40-ft putt is a common outcome even from a good shot.

1417 sq yd

Largest green on the course — a three-club difference front-to-back is possible.

6.49 ha of fairway

Total groomed playing surface across 17 fairway zones.

8 doglegs

4 sharp, 4 moderate. Plotting a line off the tee matters more here than pure distance.

6 layup holes

Best played as three-shot holes for anyone outside single figures — chasing them turns pars into doubles.

Hole 4: 596y

The longest hole on the card — par 5. Know your layup number before you tee off.

122 bunkers · 21 greens · 17 fairway zones · 31 tee boxes · 0 water hazards.

What Should You Expect to Shoot?

These expected scores use the World Handicap System formula: your handicap index × slope ÷ 113, plus course rating. Use them to set a realistic target before you tee off.

Championship

Rating 74.5 · Slope 145 · Par 72 · 7,200 yards

Your Handicap	Course HCP	Expected Score	Over Par
5	9	83	+11
10	15	90	+18
15	22	96	+24
20	28	103	+31
25	35	109	+37
30	41	115	+43

Back

Rating 72.5 · Slope 138 · Par 72 · 6,700 yards

Your Handicap	Course HCP	Expected Score	Over Par
5	7	79	+7
10	13	85	+13
15	19	91	+19
20	25	97	+25
25	31	104	+32
30	37	110	+38

Middle

Rating 70.5 · Slope 130 · Par 72 · 6,200 yards

Your Handicap	Course HCP	Expected Score	Over Par
5	4	75	+3
10	10	81	+9
15	16	86	+14
20	22	92	+20
25	27	98	+26
30	33	104	+32

Forward

Rating 72.0 · Slope 128 · Par 72 · 5,400 yards

Your Handicap	Course HCP	Expected Score	Over Par
5	6	78	+6
10	11	83	+11
15	17	89	+17
20	23	95	+23
25	28	100	+28
30	34	106	+34

Scorecard

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Out	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	In	Total
Par	4	5	4	4	3	4	4	3	4	35	4	4	3	5	4	4	3	4	5	36	71
Yards	427	540	385	430	213	413	425	202	427	3,462	428	453	194	587	433	385	177	461	533	3,651	7,113
Stroke Index	7	3	13	11	17	1	9	15	5		8	4	16	2	10	6	18	12	14

Holes That Decide Your Round

Hardest Hole · SI 1

Hole 6

Par 4 · 413 yards

Play for the fat of the green and take bogey off the table. Build your pre-round plan →

Longest Hole

Hole 13

Par 5 · 587 yards

Three good shots beats two heroic ones. Bogey here is a solid result for anyone above 10 handicap.

Scoring Opportunity

Hole 16

Par 3 · 177 yards

Attack the pin — if your wedge game is on, this is where strokes get gained back.

Pre-Round Checklist for Merion Golf Club (East)

Know your average distance off the tee — budget for 11 par-4 tee shots. Check 4 par-3 yardages — pick your go-to clubs now, not on the tee. Plan hole 6 (hardest) for bogey — don't chase birdie there. Hole 13 is long — know your layup number. Arrive 45 min early — 15 range, 10 short game, 10 putting, 10 to the tee.

Your Game Plan for Merion Golf Club (East)

The scorecard tells you the course. The Grand Plan assessment tells you you — which part of your game is actually bleeding strokes. Pair both, and you have a pre-round strategy tailored to this course AND your weaknesses.

Take the 2-min Assessment Try the App Free for 30 Days

Tee Sets

Championship

Yards:: 7,200
Par:: 72
Course Rating:: 74.5
Slope:: 145

Back

Yards:: 6,700
Par:: 72
Course Rating:: 72.5
Slope:: 138

Middle

Yards:: 6,200
Par:: 72
Course Rating:: 70.5
Slope:: 130

Forward

Yards:: 5,400
Par:: 72
Course Rating:: 72.0
Slope:: 128

Other Notable Courses near Ardmore

Aronimink Golf Club

Newtown Square, United States

Par 70 ·18 holes ·7,267 yd

Mapped Strategy

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the par at Merion Golf Club (East)?

Merion Golf Club (East) is a par 71 course with 18 holes measuring 7,113 total yards. Front nine par 35 (3,462 yards), back nine par 36 (3,651 yards).

What is the longest hole at Merion Golf Club (East)?

The longest hole is hole 13, a par 5 playing 587 yards.

Which hole is hardest at Merion Golf Club (East)?

Hole 6 has the lowest stroke index (1). It's a par 4 playing 413 yards.

What should I shoot at Merion Golf Club (East)?

Use the expected-score table above — it's calculated from your handicap and this course's official WHS rating and slope. A 15 handicap typically shoots mid-80s to low-90s depending on the tee set; a 25 handicap mid-90s to low-100s. Track your actual scores against these targets to see how your game travels.