By MIKE KERN
There are few places I get more juiced up to play. It’s always been one of my ultimate taste treats, going back to the days when it was private adn owned by the Fraser family. I mean, what’s not to deep like about it? From the setting to the layout to the clubhouse to the views to whatever it is that makes a destination special, AC has it all. That’s why it’s such an experience. And now that round to savor is only getting better.
When Hilton Hotels assumed ownership in 1998, they made a bunch of changes that took AC to another level. Last April, the Ottinger family took control from Caesars Entertainment Corporation. The same family that owns Scotland Run and Ballamor. And one of the first things they did was announce several major construction and renovation projects that are taking place this spring.
These days, of course, AC is open to the public (call or book online), although annual memberships are available. And, not shockingly, it was rated the No. 1 Public Course in New Jersey by Golfweek. Easy to understand. And I didn’t even get a vote.
In case you didn’t know, Atlantic City is now 117 years young. It was the birthplace of the term “birdie,” for all you trivial pursuiters, which was supposedly coined in 1903. Sitting just across the bay from the casinos, it’s a par-70 that measures close to 6,600 yards. It’s hosted six USGA championships, most recently the 1997 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur. It was the site of the 1901 U.S. Amateur and three Women’s Opens, including one, its first, that was won by the legendary Babe Zaharias in 1948. So it’s certainly got more than enough history going for it. And that doesn’t even include the bell that serves as its logo, which was originally used in the early 1900s to remind golfers that the last trolley for Atlantic City was set to leave. They still ring it at the end of each day as a reminder of where you’re at and what it continues to mean.
Did we forget to mention that the inaugural PGA Senior Tour event was played there in 1980? Or even that Don January was the winner? Well, how about this: Bob Hope was an AC regular back in the day. So was Arnold Palmer, in the early 1950s, when he was enlisted in the Coast Guard and stationed in Cape May.
As for the facility, improvements include a complete re-do of the entryway and lobby, the John J. McDermott (U.S. Open champion in 1911 and ‘12) Room, the James “Sonny” Fraser Room, the Leo Fraser Library, the Grand Ballroom, two private dining rooms, an all-new bridal suite overlooking the course and a new exterior facade.
On the course, all greenside bunkers at holes 4, 6, 8, 12, 15 and 17 will be completely made-over and restored. Work is expected to be completed by early May. In addition, a halfway house is being built and should be open for the summer season. There was a time when an older woman operated such a rest stop on I believe the 11th hole, if memory serves. I’m pretty sure it was near one of the short par 3s. Anyway, she served some of the best hot dogs anywhere. Funny the things you remember and miss.
By the way, Scotland Run — which is located in Williamstown — is also undergoing bunker renovations. That project is even larger in scope, since it includes every greenside and fairway bunker on the course.
Both will remain open while the work is being done.
“It is important to the Ottinger family that all of our golf courses are maintained to the highest standard for our members and guests,” said Director of Marketing Liz Norton-Scanga.
That would also include the care that goes into Ballamor, in Egg Harbor Township.
In case you’ve never played Atlantic City, the thing that’s always impressed me the most are the immaculate tee-to-green conditions. You might not play well, but you won’t be able to blame anything except your swing. So who can’t look forward to that?
Hey, I’ve played there in the media day for Ron Jaworski’s annual celebrity tournament, with both him and Mike Quick. So it’s never been dull. The best stretch is probably the closing five holes, although there’s certainly a lot of real good stuff going on before you reachg that point. The 14th is a short par-4 that doglegs right around water. A big-time player can even try to drive the green, but any kind of straight shot or even a slight fade leaves a fairly managable approach. The 15th is a par-3, again over wetlands, that’s pretty stout. Especially if the wind is blowing, which it often is. It’s about 180, but you can hit almost anything from a medium iron to a wood depending on Mother Nature. That’s followed by a 400-yard dogleg right with water all down the right side. The wind can come very much into play here as well. The 17th is an uphill par-3 of about 155 to a hidden green. It can yield a birdie op or a double bogey just as easily. And 18, which once upon a time was a par-5, is a 2-shooter that bends sharply right around the practice range back to the veranda. Which means there’s a good chance somebody might be watching you finish while they’re sipping a cold one. Or two. Enjoy.
If Atlantic City were the only course down that way, it would be worth the trip. But that’s hardly the case. Good for us. Fortunatley I’ve been able to tee it up on most of them.
In you’ve got the right connections in the private sector, Galloway National is about as good as it gets. I think it’s one of Tom Fazio’s best. Surely one of his hardest. I haven’t been there in awhile. My bad. Have to rectify that, hopefully soon. Personally, I’d put the opening 2-hole stretch and the closing 2-hole stretch right up there with any. And I’m not the only one who feels that way. In 2012 it hosted the USGA Men’s State Team Championship. Which was only fitting, since head professional Mike Killian was a member of the victorious 1973 U.S. Walker Cup team.
Hidden Creek is different, maybe a little less severe, but just as entertaining. At either one, you’d better be hitting your ball or you’re going to pay the price. The landing areas and greens are generous here. And this fall it’s going to host its first USGA Championship, the Senior Amateur from Sept. 26-Oct. 1. If people didn’t know as much about it before, they will now. That’s a good thing. And probably overdue. Remember it was owner Roger Hansen who got the USGA to bring the 2003 U.S. Amateur Public Links (which was won by Brandt Snedeker) to Blue Heron Pines East, which is no longer there. Shame. I still miss it.
OK, now in no particular order let’s go through some of my other favorites. Hope you find as much to like about them as I do every time I go back.
Scotland Run, which you can actually play on your way to the shore, is built in and around an old sand quarry. It features expansive waste areas, links-style holes and even cliffs. So in a sense it’s rather unique. And I’m OK with that. There’s a few holes that might bring you to your knees, and others that you can attack. I always like to see if I can drive it over the ravine on the par-4 16th. Makes me feel like a real golfer, even if I mess up my approach. Which I often do. Reality stinks. But somebody in the world has to be a bogey kind of guy.
Ballamor, another former private club, is carved out of woods over some gently rolling terrain. Very pleasant, even though there’s plenty of fescue, waste areas, water and bunkering to test your skill level. What sticks out most about this course are the greens, which are large. In some cases almost too large. And they all have multiple tiers and a good amount of undulation. If you’re on the wrong side of the putting surface you can have serious issues. Trust me, I know. Obviously, there’s a premium on placement of your approaches. Which usually means you have to play it a couple of times to really know your way around. Good luck.
One of the reasons I like Greate Bay so much is the people. OK, to be honest, that’s why I like so many of these places. But at Greate Bay, you might run into Pat Croce or his right-hand man, Mark Benevento, whose son Michael can really play. Or you might be in the group behind Bob Clarke or Steve Coates. It’s that kind of a club. Very welcoming. And they’ve done a lot to keep making it better since they took it over. When the LPGA Shop-Rite Classic was held there, the 18th hole always ranked as the toughest finishing hole on the women’s tour. It’s almost hard to believe I’ve actually parred it the last two times I’ve been there. I must have been playing from the midget tees. But I’ve never had a bad day there, even when it was chewing me up. They offer just about every kind of membership package you could want, from Summer to Weekday to Associate to Social. And the food and ambiance there are so good you don’t even have to be a golfer to make the most of it. It’s first-class all the way.
Shore Gate, to me, is one of the toughest courses at the shore. Especially if you play it from the wrong set of tees. And there’s five to choose from. So pick wisely. This is a terrific test, from start to finish, with more than a few holes that you won’t soon forget. The set of par-3s is strong. And the closing hole on each side will keep you coming back. Unless maybe they punish you a little too much. The ninth is a par-5 that’s got a little Pebble Beach 18 in it. Make a birdie there and it feels almost like an eagle. And 18 is a really good par-4 that demands two keeper shots. And then you still might have a tough time 2-putting if you’re not careful. Wonderful stuff, all the way around. And in Harry Bittner they have one of the top pros down there.
There’s nothing really like Twisted Dune. Unless you go across the pond. There’s nothing subtle about it. Just a whole bunch of dramatic and risk-reward. If you’ve ever played in Scotland or Ireland you’ll know what I’m talking about. It’s so much fun. And extremely treacherous in spots. I could play the 16th and 17th over and over again and never get tired of it. First you’ve got a neat par-3 that’s all carry over some nasty terrain and bunkers all around the green. It plays some 190 from the back. For reasons I can’t fathom, it’s the 18th handicap hole. Go figure. Trust me there aren’t 17 easier holes to make par on. And 17 is a fairly lengthy par-4 where the second shot has to carry similar gunk. You play those two in par-par and you feel like you’ve conquered the world. And if you remember, stop by Chester’s Bakery in Somers Point and bring head pro Scott Dunn some of their sinful donuts. He’s a good man.
I don’t know what I like best about The Vineyards at Renault Winery: the food or the golf. Or maybe even the wine. Tough choices. The golf is sublimely challenging. The work of Ed Shearon, who also did Raven’s Club in the western Philly suburbs. While that one has a little more wow factor, he did a great job here of just letting the layout sort of flow. Nice mix of short and long holes. Some of the shorter ones are really good. And I’ve always felt that’s the toughest thing to create. I got to play there with Ed once, and gaine a lot of insight into what he was trying to do. It’s the kind of course you could play several times a week and not get tired of, which is about the best compliment I can give. Then you can go eat in the award-winning restaurant, or tour the wine shop, or even stay in the hotel. Not a bad trifecta. If the blueberry cheesecake is on the menu, by all means go for it. Doesn’t get any better.
I hadn’t been to Cape May National in way too long. Then last summer I had a chance to revisit the southernmost option along the coast. And I left wondering why I’d stayed away. It’s known as “The Natural” for obvious reasons, since it surrounds a 50-acre bird sanctuary. But that’s not what makes it so good. Many of the holes have made it onto best-of lists. Half the holes have some kind of water hazard on them. Many have doglegs. So there’s a little bit of everything. It’s a shotmaker’s course. You can rest assured it won’t take me anywhere near as long to play my next round there. Well worth the little extra drive, if only for the last green alone. The pin was cut in the front, I hit my approach to the left fringe and then putted into the front fringe. And there was nothing I could do about it. I want another chance. That kind of thing tends to stay with you.
Harbor Pines was another course I hadn’t seen in awhile. Then I played it three times in a little over a month. So sue me. Maybe it had something to do with the burger, wings and beer special in the grill room, which was unanimously given a must-do status with every group I went there with. But trust me, the golf is every bit as good. This parkland course winds every which way, with few parallel holes. There’s water everywhere, and the conditions were just as pristine as I remembered them. Much to be said for that. The greens are inviting, and the bunkering well done. The ninth is about as stout of a par-4 as you’re going to find, long and straightaway with water on the left and woods protecting the opposite side. I think I’ve parred it once. And I might have been forced to use a mulligan. But I’ll keep trying, even if it’s an excuse to eat more wings.
The Seaview Resort, which is now operated by Stockton College, is the site of the LPGA’s Shop-Rite Classic every late May into early June. It’s held on the Bay Course, which might be the more user-friendly of the two tracks there. Unless the wind isn’t cooperating. Then you could be hitting a 3-wood into the second green instead of maybe a 6-iron. It happens. The greens are small, so you have to be accurate with your short clubs. Or else. The Pines Course has lost a good number of trees recently, which really opened things up. It’s still a lot tighter, since it’s cut through woods. And longer. The back-to-back par-3s at 15 and 16 are ferocious. The wind isn’t as much of a factor on that side of Route 9, but you can’t spray the ball around as much either. If you do you’ll be chipping back onto the fairway with regularity. And who really wants to be doing. They also have fine dining in the hotel, which is a throwback to another era. Overall, it’s hard to beat.
And then there’s McCullough Emerald Links, which I’ve grown rather fond of in the last few years. Maybe it had something to do with getting to play there with the guy whose idea it was to turn a landfill into 18 holes, James “Sonny” McCullough. Who knew? But it obviously worked. Plus I also get to play there with a friend of mine and his buddies, who spend the entire round busting on each other. Hard to beat that. I don’t even mind that some of them are New York fans. All I know is the 8th and 9th provide a great finish to the front side, a dogleg-right par-4 followed by a 175-yard par-3 that’s all carry. Nice. The 18th is neat, too, a par-4 off an elevated tee with water all down the right. But my favorite hole, in fact one of my favorite holes at the shore, is the 14th. Based on the fifth at Scotland’s Royal Dornoch, it’s only 285 yards. My kind of length. It’s a dogleg right, around trees. But if you feel up to it you can go for the green. Folks of my ability try to poke it down the middle, which I usually can pull off, and then hit some kind of wedge onto a 2-tiered putting surface and hope you’re on the right tier. I could play it 18 times. That’s what happens when you get old and can’t hit it as far as you used to. A good man has to know his limitations.
Blue Heron was the course that mostly started the public-golf renaissance in the Greater AC area. And since Ron Jaworski took it over in 2013, most folks seem to feel it’s as good or better than it’s ever been. That’s because Jaws came in and cleaned the place out, a much-needed overhaul. A lot of the growth along the periphery of the layout had simply gotten out of hand. And at a public facility, that’s only going to slow down the pace of play. Not to mention take away from the overall look. So now it’s a lot more playable, never a bad thing. Hospitality was never a problem here to begin with, and the presence of the one-time Eagles quarterback has merely enhanced that. There’s plenty of holes where you can score, and just as many that are lurking to seriously mess with your card. The fifth, a really strong par-4, fits into the latter category. As does 10, 12 and 15, three more 2-shotters. The 15th might be the signature hole, with a medium-length approach over water to a difficult green. That’s assuming you’ve hit a good drive. On the other hand, the seventh is a neat little par-4 that doesn’t even demand a wood off the tee. I like short. The 11th measures 120 or so yards, yet I’m always amazed at how many times people make bogey or worse there. Don’t say you weren’t warned. And if you see Jaws please tell him that he still owes me for that bet from last year’s International Network of Golf conference where he said I couldn’t even get my night-golf 9-iron in the air and I hit it to within gimme birdie range. It happens.
Anyway, that’s it for now. Hope to see you down there. We can always do burgers and wings. Or donuts. Knowing me, probably both.
