Why baskets for flags at us open

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One thing you should expect to see? Wicker baskets adorning the tops of the flagsticks all across Merion's famed links. Devil Ball put a call into the USGA on Monday morning asking if the traditional wicker baskets would be in play and it was confirmed they would. Why wicker baskets instead of traditional flags? Let the Merion Golf Club website explain it There was a great deal written in , and for three years thereafter, locally and nationally about this new course in Philadelphia.

However, there was no mention of the soon-to-be famous wicker baskets. It could be assumed they were not there. By the summer of , William Flynn, Merion's Superintendent, received patent approval for his wicker basket design. Merion had baskets that fall and from then-to-today.

It could be assumed, due to lack of written proof, that Flynn convinced Wilson to use the baskets, and Merion received its "basket notoriety" the next year during the U. So, yeah, no concrete proof of why they are used, but it's a cool tradition that I'm glad the USGA is sticking with for the '13 U.

According to the book "Miracle at Merion," the USGA went with flags because, as Richard Tufts wrote, "Simply because they are different I think there will be some criticism if the baskets are used. Latest News. Golf news. Heroic caddie helps player dramatically qualify for Korn Ferry Tour status. Launch of iGolf vouchers provides perfect gift for non-club members. Equipment news. Latest Reviews.

How well does it perform? Have you ever seen so much spin? Are they TaylorMade's best iron ever? You might have noticed something odd at Merion Golf Club, home of the U. What is going on with the flag sticks? Merion uses bright red wicker baskets atop its flag sticks instead of, well, flags. They are metal, and heavy and removed at the end of every day so no one can steal them. Wicker basket with trophy for scale. Photo: Matt Slocum, AP. The origin of the baskets remains a mystery, but one story involves Hugh Wilson, the designer of the East Course in Ardmore, Pa.

Wilson, a fine player, had never designed a course so he took a seven-month trip to Scotland and England.