Why Merion is so Special, Golf's Best Trees & Scottie Dominates in Memphis

Smylie Kaufman is back home after broadcasting the U.S. Amateur at Merion, and he and Charlie Hulme spend the front half of the show breaking down the course — its unusual routing, the brutal 14-18 closing stretch, the debate over how much green-complex slope can survive modern speeds, and why it's such a compelling preview for the 2030 U.S. Open there. Jack Whaley beat Jay Leng Jr. for the title, with Ryder Cowan and Carter Loflin standing out as names to know. From there, the guys run their favorite trees in golf — a loose, hilarious countdown through Merion, Pebble Beach, The Renaissance Club, Cypress Point, TPC Sawgrass, Panmure (where Ben Hogan prepped for the 1953 Open), Prairie Dunes, Seminole, Monterey Peninsula, and the tree at Augusta National. Plus: the case for Scottie Scheffler as the clear Player of the Year after his 8-shot win at TPC Southwind, what the PGA Tour's new playoff points structure means for players fighting to stay inside the top 50, and the fallout from Jon Rahm's reported LIV Golf exit — including what it means for the DP World Tour, the Challenger Series, and the sport's shifting global landscape heading into 2027. Don't forget to like, comment, subscribe, and follow us on socials @thesmylieshow! Chapters 0:00 Intro & catch-up: fresh off the U.S. Amateur at Merion 2:59 Merion's unique routing and standout holes 7:47 Tangent: the Bobby Jones cinematic universe 11:33 Merion's brutal closing stretch and the 17th green debate 12:49 Setting up Merion for a 2030 U.S. Open 18:46 The story behind Merion's wicker-basket logo 22:27 Merion trivia: director-of-golf tenure & clubhouse details 27:05 Best trees in golf: the debate begins (Merion's 8th) 29:03 Pebble Beach's 18th hole cypress 31:58 The Renaissance Club's 11th hole 33:16 Cypress Point: Walker Cup picnics & the 17th tree 36:47 TPC Sawgrass's tree-lined holes 38:29 Panmure: where Hogan prepped for the 1953 Open 40:08 Prairie Dunes' "The Shoot" at 15 42:15 Seminole's 16th hole palms 43:42 Monterey Peninsula's 11th hole 45:54 The Tree at Augusta National & honorable mentions 48:10 U.S. Amateur standouts: Ryder Cowan & Carter Loflin 50:26 The case for Scottie Scheffler as Player of the Year 59:07 PGA Tour playoff points shakeup & the scramble for top 50 1:04:41 Jon Rahm, LIV Golf, and the DP World Tour's shifting landscape 1:19:11 Sign-off: Bob McIntyre preview, Ryder Cup to the South & JT's Firestone flashback #golf #pgatour #smylieshow #scottiescheffler #Merion