Merion East Among Nation's 10 Best Courses, Golf Magazine Says

Ardmore, PA — Golfers looking for top-tier courses in the Philadelphia region don't need to travel far to find prime links.

According to Golf Magazine, one of the nation's best golf courses is right here in Ardmore.

The publication recently listed the best courses in the country, among them Merion East at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore.

Golf Magazine listed Merion East at No. 8 on its list.

Designed by Hugh Wilson, Merion East opened in 1912.

"What makes Merion so distinctive is its remarkable variety," the magazine wrote about the course. "Some par-4s are short, others are monsters with the delta being as much as 200 yards. One par-3 is tiny, at 115 yards; the others measure 236, 246 and 256. The famous par-4 11th, where Bobby Jones clinched the 1930 Grand Slam, is slashed by a creek, while the par-4 16th demands a shot over an abandoned stone quarry. In short, Merion has everything, including sub-air and irrigation systems that lend more control over the firmness and speed of the playing surfaces. The recently expanded greens have created a plethora of new hole locations around the greens’ perimeters, and the player’s chess match with the clever design is more intense than ever."

Located at 450 Ardmore Ave. in the Ardmore section of Haverford Township, Merion has hosted numerous professional and amateur golf championships, including five U.S. Open championships, the 2009 Walker Cup, U.S. Women's Amateur championships, and the U.S. Girls Junior Championship.

Merion is scheduled to host the 2030 U.S. Open and the 2034 U.S. Women's Open.

Other courses in Pennsylvania to make the list include Oakmont (No. 5), Fox Chapel (No. 82), and Aronimink (No 84).

See the full list from Golf Magazine online here.