A Golf Trip with Proper AC
by Bill Kamenjar
I still laugh every time I think of my old Subaru with its broken down air conditioner when I went to trade it in. That’s because the car dealer told me, “you still have 260 AC at least.” I asked, “what’s that?” He replied, “that’s two windows at 60 miles an hour!”
Well, it turns out I didn’t get much for my beloved beater on a trade in, but looking back on the story of my forlorn ride does remind me of one thing: throwing my clubs in the Subaru’s hatchback, rolling down the windows and heading out with a golf buddy to some of my most cherished golf destinations the East Coast had to offer. And some of the coolest (pun intended) recollections are the times I steered my trusty cruiser towards the coastal breezes of Atlantic City, New Jersey.
The golf trip, like society, like technology, like the distance we can all hit the golf ball (at least until they roll that back on us as well), has come a long way across my years of driving down the highways. Like the Oldsmobile, the journey has changed. It is no longer of my father’s generation – hate to admit it but it’s not even mine of “260 Air.” And I suspect it will continue to evolve as the world continues to evolve with every passing golf season.
What we have today are collections of well-maintained, fully established golf courses each with an array of avenues at their beckon call in which to plan your trip and even handle all of your arrangements. The trick is to find the right destination … and then start Googling. But if you need a head start, here are some ideas for this particularly strong destination:
Atlantic City, with its signature boardwalk along the ocean, is (in terms of golf and gaming or at least enjoying one’s self) tough to beat due primarily to its multitude of seaside and inland challenges. The closest course to the downtown casinos is the Links at Brigantine Beach located just across the bay from the city’s world famous boardwalk. With clubhouse views over the water, this true “links” design also offers shot across native marsh and gently rolling, nearly treeless terrain. Built in the 1920s, the timeless design will open your eyes no matter how bleary they are from your time at the slot machines and gaming tables.
But there’s much more to the AC golf landscape than the archetypical seaside routings. For instance, at Vineyard National at Renault (located a pleasant 25-minute drive from the city), you can play through an actual vineyard and finish near a winery with roots dating back to the Civil War era. Or, you can choose to swipe your way across the hills and dales of a former landfill at McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links where an Irish-Scottish replication unfolds before you. For all of you Donald Ross (possibly the most famous golf course architect in the history of American golf) aficionados, you can enjoy the Bay Course at Seaview Resort and Golf Club. But these options are just a start.
For those looking for a challenge with an even a bit more of an unusual feel than most you’ll see in the region, check out this one. Tucked quietly off exit 17 of the Garden State Parkway, Shore Gate Golf Club’s entrance welcomes you to West Coast of New Jersey. What?
Well, not quite, but Shore Gate is the only course in the area designed by a California architect firm, that of Ron Fream and David Dale.
The goal of the design team was to build a golf course that was pretty dramatic and different to give people something special – something they will remember. They had a really great piece of land with which to work and great ownership.
Though situated only a couple of miles from the beach, the landscape at Shore Gate is remarkably rolling and plays across one of the region’s more unusual pockets of land with its natural variation.
Seven ponds adorn the layout, which features a loop of three holes – Nos. 13,14 and 15 – that should be called the “Freamdale Loop” for their creators. The par 5, No. 9 is considered a signature hole.
As a very natural golf course, Shore Gate’s park-like setting often reminds players of courses in the Carolinas. You could take this golf course to Pinehurst and it would fit right in. To put it more Jersey terms, it also has a “vibe” that is similar to Pine Valley.
