By MIKE KERN
I was there when Shore Gate, which is located just off Route 9 right outside Sea Isle City, opened in 2002. Then again, I’ve been fortunate enough to be at most golf courses at the South Jersey shore from the start. It comes with the job description.
So I’ve seen them evolve over time. And Shore Gate is no different. You could tell it was something special from the moment you set eyes on it. And it’s only gotten better, which isn’t easy to say when you were already so good to begin with.
Every time I go back, I’m left with pretty much the same impression: it’s probably the hardest public golf course down there. Especially if you play it from the wrong set of tees. And trust me, there’s more than enough to choose from, which in this case is a very good thing. I used to be able to play it from the Regulars, which measure about
6,400 yards. And I could handle that reasonably well. But that was when I hit the ball considerably longer than I do now. So you adapt. I had a chance to play it recently  during my annual summer vacation in Ocean City, for the first time in awhile. So I looked at the scorecard and figured the Seniors, which is more like 5,900, was much
more condusive to my skill level. Truth be told, what I’ve found is really the best way for me to proceed is to go to each hole and see what might work best. On some there’s not enough difference between the White or Yellows to warrant moving up, since there’s five par 4s of 350 or less. I can still handle that. And there’s a par 3 on the back
nine, No. 14, which is really short so I can actually go back to the Championships and not feel the least bit intimidated. Same with No. 5, where they had the tees pretty far up on the day I was there. So my advice is use your best discretion, see how you’re striking it and don’t necessarily try to bite off too much. As I’ve discovered, it’s a lot
more fun using a 7-iron into greens rather than a steady diet of fairway woods. And that goes for any course. And it is, after all, supposed to be fun, right? If it’s not, then why are you out there in the first place? Just saying. I’ve seen way too many guys playing from the Blues who had no business being back there. And they’ll shoot in
the 100s and complain about how unfair it was, when the real problem was with their
vanity. Or whatever. I can’t figure it out. I’d rather at least try to enjoy myself to some
degree. You still have to make shots, whatever the distance. But it doesn’t have to be
pure torture.
Anyway …If you don’t like sand, then Shore Gate might not be the place for you.
Because there is a decent amount of it, and much of that is in spots where players tend
to put their balls. Funny how a well-thought-out design works like that. So just be
careful, although it can be nearly unavoidable at times. Just try to go with the flow.
After a rather innocuous opening hole, No. 2 gets you right into the swing of
things. It’s a medium-length par 4, but you have to place your tee shot over water to a
narrow fairway that has the wet stuff on the left and trees on the opposite side. So fire
away. It’s a matter of what you feel comfortable trying to carry. And even if you’re in a
good position, the approach is hardly a gimme. And there is a bunker to carry. At least
the green is generous. You make a 4 there and you’re doing well. Trust me.
The third is another solid 2-shooter, a dogleg left over water with bunkers on the
right. And the closing three holes on that side are a wonderful stretch. The seventh
is a dogleg right over a quarry, with woods on the left. And the green can be tricky,
even if you get there relatively unscatched. The eighth is a fairly long par 3 with sand
in the front and sand on the left. And No. 9, the signature hole, is their version of the
18th at Pebble Beach. It’s a par 5 that keeps bending left, around a lake, to a green
that’s well-guarded and is a good two clubs in length. So pay attention to where the
pin is. A big hitter might be able to get close in two. Most people figure to be left with
a short to mid-iron approach. And once you get on the putting surface your work is
just beginning.
The home nine, which offers a nice mix of short and long, starts with a really
stout par 4 where you might have a semi-blind uphill second shot. Then there’s a few
holes that are a little more user-friendly before you end with a finishing kick that’s
just as challenging as that on the first nine. The 15th is a par 4 that demands two
well-placed balls. Off the tee is fairly open, although water can come into play on the
right and there’s bunkers to contend with if you go too far left. The second is about a
150-yarder to another 2-club kind of green, with water still on the right and sand to
the left. If you can block out all the danger it’s probably not that tough at all. Yeah,
right. The 16th is a par 5 that’s managable, though it does bend at the end to the left,
which can cause issues if you’re too far left on your second. Like who would ever do
that? The 17th is another mid-range par 3 where players of my ability will be using
hybrids or woods. So be it. A good shot will be rewarded, a not-so-good one might
lead to a double bogey. And the line between the two is thin. And 18 is a bona fide
keeper, particularly for an 18th. Just a longer par 4 that moves slightly left-to-right.
But you can’t go too far right because of the treeline. There’s nothing guarding the
front of the green, which helps. But there’s sand left and right, so there is that. You
make a 4 here, it gives you a reason to feel good about the rest of your day. If you don’t,
well, it’s really more of a par 41/2 anyway. Just keep telling yourself that. Works for
this balding midget.
While Shore Gate is certainly one of my favorites, I have no shortage. And many
of them are within a short drive of my rental house in OC. Always a good thing. You can tee off early and be back in time to do the family stuff on the beach. Win-win.
Twisted Dune, on Ocean Heights Avenue in Egg Harbor Township, could be
the second-hardest course in those parts. Like Shore Gate, a lot depends on where you choose to play from. Twisted Dune is unlike mostly anything you’re going to play this side of Scotland. And I love Scottish golf. So I can’t get enough of this place. It’s simply that unique.
If you can manage to keep your ball out of the nasty stuff, you can navigate it. And they’ve cut some of the nasty stuff out through the years, which has given it better definition. But it can still bite you if you’re not careful, just because. Sort of like Scotland.
The fairways and greens for the most part of accessible. It’s one of those deals where what you see all around you can play tricks with your mind. That’s what architects do. It’s a between-the-ears battle. But if you really look at it, Twisted Dune doesn’t have too many forced carries. The trouble tends to be to the sides. And it can
be penal. So by all means try not to go there. If only it were that simple.
From the Whites it plays like 6,300. It’s about 500 less from the Yellows. So
guess where I went. The fun really starts on No. 2, a mid-length par 4 that seems to
play longer. The third is a long par 3 that’ll test your nerves more than a little. But for
all its many teeth, it gives you chances to get back at it, too. Like No. 5, a short par 4
that bends left into an inviting putting surface. Even I was somehow going for birdie
there. Maybe they need to do something about that, like stick a moat in front. Only
kidding. I have to take them where I can get them, because these days there’s not as
many. Yet the next three holes are each doable in their own right, although for some
reason everything appears to play longer than it says. Go figure. The eighth is a short
par 4 with a bailout area right. But even there they can put the pin in certain spots
that can cause headaches. And 9 is a par 5 with water all down the left and no bailout
right. The green slopes severely from right to left, so a right pin is downright nasty.
Still, I saw a guy I was playing with make an up and down from some serious cabbage
that was as good as it gets. It happens, I guess.
The 10th is another three-shotter that bends right around a hill, which means
the second shot is blind. Enjoy. The 13th is a par 3 that’s not too long but contains
trouble every which direction. I hit a 7-wood pin high left, which of course meant I
short-sideded myself and was left with a downhill bunker shot to a green that rolled
away from me toward the water. I made 4 and ran to the next tee. The 15th is a par
4 where the second shot is all downhill to the green, very interesting and different.
What follows is a really good par 3 over a ravine to a green that runs away from you
and uphill. There’s sand all over. But the green is at least large. Then you get a par 4
that’s every bit as memorable. The second shot is uphill to a smaller green, and you
have to carry a bunker. Nice. The last is just real long. I hit what I thought were two
decent shots, but my 3-wood still came up just short. It’s a good thing I can chip, and
I ran one up to about 3 feet for a rare par there. Felt good. Might even make me want
to go back. As if I needed to have my arm pulled.
McCullough’s Emerald Links, which is just down the road from Twisted, is a
course that’s grown on me. It was built on a landfill, and to be candid the first couple of times I played it I wasn’t what you’d call overwhelmed. But my perspective has changed. I’m not going to tell you it’s the top course in the greater Atlantic City region, but it can sure be a lot of fun. Lot to be said for that.
Each of the holes is inspired by something famous that exists elsewhere,
predominantly in the British Isles. The first, for instance, is supposed to resemble No. 1 at Royal Portrush. Not an exact replica, but in the vicinity. The biggest difference is a grass bunker in front of the green instead of sand, to cut down on the difficulty starting out. And you’re off. It’s not an easy assignment to pull off, and I’ve seen examples where it’s failed miserably, but Stephen Kay pulled it off rather well. He even
dedicated No. 7 to Alister MacKenzie (Augusta National, Cypress Point), who won an
award for the design but never saw it get built. Not shockingly, it’s the signature hole.
And so it proceeds along. There’s a rendition of the Biarritz hole that’s been redone
many times by C.B. Macdonald and Charles Banks. There are elevation changes here
that you rarely find in South Jersey, and some of the holes are downright hard. Usually
there’s a ton of wind going on, which only adds to the difficulty factor.
Some of the streteches that stand out are 8 and 9. The first is a par 4, where you’re
driving off an elevated tee to a wide fairway that has water on the left and garbage
on the right. It’s a dogleg right, to an open green with some decent undulation. Well
done, and based on the 10th at Turnberry. Next is a medium-length par 3 that’s all
carry, with wet stuff on the left. So there’s not much margin for error. And there’s four
bunkers in front. Like the 10th at Royal Dornoch.
The 10th is another Royal Dornoch (No. 14), it plays like a 41/2. The green is
treacherous, especially if they put the pin in the wrong spot. The 11th is a neat short
par 4, with a blind uphill tee shot. The 12th is a long par 4 with all kinds of sand
issues. Then comes a cool par 3, downhill kind of over water, to a two-tiered green.
You can’t go long, nor can you be short. And there’s a trap on the left.
I could play the 15th 18 times and call it a round. It’s a dogleg right par 4 of
about 285. A good player can try to drive the green. But there’s risk. The short or even
smart player hits it down the middle and wedges it up and might still have a great shot
at birdie. The green can give you fits, but hey, it’s only 285. Deal with it. And 18 is a
nice way to finish, a managable par 4 as long as you don’t push your tee ball right into
the water. It all depends how much of the dogleg you want to chew off. Shades of the
fourth at Prestwick, which I’ve played. I’m a lucky guy.
Greate Bay Country Club, in Somers Point just across the Ninth Street Bridge
from OC, is private. But they have a bunch of associate membership plans available for people who folks who might want to play there but aren’t full-time residents, etc.
If that sounds like you, it’s worth it. Greate Bay hosted the LPGA’s Shop-Rite Classic
for many years, and it’s way improved since those days. So by all means check it
out. When I played there the greens were in absolute pristine condition, as had been
promised. I mean, they rolled as well as anything I’ve played in some time. I wouldn’t
make that up. But the layout itself can stand on its own as well.
The 18th, a par 4 that bends slightly right and then downhill through treelines,
was also rated as the hardest finishing hole on the LPGA Tour. That’s a fact. I’ve only
made a few 4s there. And I’ve had plenty of opportunities. Some of my other faves are
No. 2, which I have trouble getting on in two anymore but where I once saw the club’s
head pro, who was playing in our scramble, drive the green (we made eagle). The fifth
is another tough two-shotter, which was made famous when Bob Clarke won a bet
with Steve Coates to have a tree guarding the right side of the fairway cut down a few
years back. Good thing, since Annika Sorenstam later told Mark Benavento, who runs
the place for Pat Croce, that it was the proper move. See, I can name drop with the
best of them. The 7th, which runs in the same direction, is equally imposing. And
9, one of the holes that have been added over time, is a picturesque par 3 over water.
The 12th, another addition to what was there when the women played, is a
wonderful par 4 that bends left around water. The second shot is uphill to a large,
well-protected green. And 14, which plays longer, offers a tricky approach into a green
that slopes from front to back. Even two good shots can leave you with a potential
3-putt. Don’t say you weren’t warned.
Those, of course, are merely a sampling of what’s available. They were just the
ones I happened to play on my latest week away from home. If I had more time, I
would’ve have played till my arms fell off. Atlantic City, which is under new ownership,
has always been one of the places that literally get my heart pounding when I know I
have a tee time. It’s that indelible. And it’s always been in impeccable shape. I’m sure
that’s still the case, which is why I can’t wait for my next photo op. The holes along
the bay are particularly memorable. But there might not be a bad one on the premises.
If you’ve never been, it really should be on the old wish list.
I get to play the Bay Course at Seaview each spring as part of the annual media
day they hold for the new home of the Shop-Rite. It remains a taste treat, and not
because our group has won the scramble two years running. The setting across the
bay from AC is sublime, and so is the layout. The greens are small, the wind usually
blows, and you have to make shots. You can’t ask for much more. There are birdie
chances, but then there’s holes like the second, where you can be hitting 4-iron into
the green one day and maybe an 8 the next, thanks to Mother Nature. And the third,
a par 5, can become an eagle waiting to happen. Nothing wrong with that. And the
best lady golfers on the planet seem to enjoy it. The sister Pines course, which is inland
just across Route 9 in back of the resort’s timeless hotel, is quite a contrast. I think it’s
harder, even though they’ve taken out a bunch of trees to make it more playable. You
still have to hit a lot of shots through woods, and there’s an endless supply of doglegs.
There’s quite a few holes that’ll definitely test your skill level, particularly toward the
finish line. It’s the perfect place to do a 36-holer, sandwiched around lunch. I suggest
the crab cakes. But you could go almost any way and not be disappointed. Heck,
staying the night might be an unbeatable topper.
There’s two others I would heartily suggest, both of which are situated a little
further away from the beaches: Blue Heron Pines and the Vineyards at Renault
Winery. But please don’t let the proximity factor deter you. I’m merely pointing it out. I’ve gladly made the drive to both, without thinking twice. Blue Heron was the course that was responsible for starting the higher-end public boom a little over two decades ago, and since Ron Jaworski took over in 2013 it’s dramatically benefitted.
He came in and removed most of the excess/unnecessary growth that had begun to make it a little too unplayable. Not only does it have a much cleaner look these days, but the pace of play has noticeably improved. The routing has never been a problem.
The back nine especially has some dramatic holes, such as 10 and 14. Me being me, I’ve always thought the short 7th was one of those holes you don’t see enough of but need more of. And No. 4 is a stellar par 3, followed by what might be the best par 4
there except for 14.
I’ve always had a fondness for Renault, which is subtle rather than overpowering.
Ed Shearon has done some real good stuff, such as Raven’s Claw. This is right up
there. He doesn’t knock you over the head nearly as much at the Vineyards, but the
experience is just as unique. There’s a lot of spots where the difference between a great
shot and semi-disaster is a few feet. And you have choices. There’s a lot of risk-reward.
There’s a hole with a dual fairway. There’s a par 3 where the teeing area keeps bending
around to the left to make it easier the more you move up. Why can’t more holes be
like that? I mean, there’s no reason for the 18-handicapper to be hitting over water
like the big hitter, even if it’s from 50 yards closer. Right? One of the best holes might
be 17th, which looks like a gimme. But looks can be deceiving. There’s a big falloff
on the green, and if you’re on the wrong side you’ll mostly be trying to avoid bogey
instead of going for bird. The 18th is a par 5 with a double dogleg and water to the
right of the green. There’s another hole on the front side that actually winds around
the vineyards. The fifth is another goodie, a short par 3 surrounded by bunkers with
perhaps the most difficult green on the course. But if you find the right slope off the
tee you’ll probably have a real good look at 2.
There you have it, some of my thoughts on heading down to the South Jersey
Shore. The fall is one of the best times to be there, since the weather tends to cooperate
and the tourists