‘Passing Go’ in Atlantic City
By Bill Kamenjar
On a Monday, March 23 in the year 1903 Lizzie Magie entered the U.S. Patent Office to secure her claim for what she dubbed the “Landlord’s Game.” Years later, after becoming a hit with the ‘intellectual’ crowd on several college campuses, the board game now known around the globe as “Monopoly” caught the attention – and subsequent obsession – of a community of Quakers living in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
The rest, as many may know, is history. Inspired by their surroundings, the locals customized the game into a configuration of squares named after the streets of Atlantic City. This adaptation eventually found its way into the welcoming hands of one Charles Darrow. Next, the enterprising Darrow took the now iconic version and showed it to Parker Brothers only to see sales of the mass-produced product take off exponentially. Not a bad deal, seeing as how Darrow received royalties off Monopoly the rest of his days.
Had this saga taken place even 75 years later (and Darrow been a golfer) however, the board game quite possibly would have played itself out somewhat differently. Names like Brigantine, Seaview and Twisted Dune might shine in the place of, say, Marvin Gardens, Baltic and St. James across a few of Monopoly’s now legendary 40 squares. For having been previously known as a city attracting visitors with its casinos, nightlife, boardwalk and Atlantic Ocean beaches, Atlantic City eventually evolved into resort with an arsenal of equally famous golf courses – where access to any of 14 of them is an automatic “Get Out of Jail Free” card no golfer should ever pass go on.
True, the U.S. version of Monopoly may have been inspired by the names and places of Atlantic City prior to the area’s golf boom, but more inspiring these days are the destination’s ‘other’ gaming venues – many of which are fashioned from the visions of world-class golf course architects. Historic names like Donald Ross and contemporary ones like Stephen Kay dot the AC golf course landscape. And as a result, the layout selection is nothing short of remarkable.
Atlantic City is tough to beat in terms of golf variety, due primarily to its multitude of seaside and inland locations. 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 many spins of the roulette wheel you’ve taken in.
But there’s much more to golf landscape than the archetypical seaside routing. For instance, Renault National (located a pleasant 25-minute drive from the city) is where 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 Ross (possibly the most famous golf course architect in the history of American golf) aficionados, you get to enjoy the Bay Course at Seaview Resort and Golf Club, which served for years as the home to the ShopRite LPGA Classic. These options, of course, are just a beginning.
For those seeking immediate attention on golf offerings in and around Atlantic City and the latest package deals, learn more at AtlanticCityGolfTrip.com.
