S p ecial
A d vertisi n g
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courierpostonline.com
GUIDE 2015
links
Time to hit the
8 COVER STORY:
Wedgwood Country Club celebrates half a century.
10 RUST REMOVAL:
Get your swing back on track after a long winter.
14 JERSEY GIRL:
Joanna Coe, on the mend and full of confidence. S U ND A Y A P R I L 1 9 2 0 1 5
Golf Guide
2015
A Gannett Newspaper 301 Cuthbert Blvd. | Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 www.courierpostonline.com
Joseph Calchi President and Publisher Tom Martino Sales Manager tmartino@courierpostonline.com (856) 486-2516 Mary Price Content Solutions Manager Advertising mcprice@courierpostonline.com (856) 486-2920 Matt Barber Account Executive mbarber@courierpostonlie.com (856) 317-7803 Golf Writers Kevin Minnick Josh Friedman
Directory
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Atlantic City Country Club Avalon Country Club Ballamor Golf Club *Beckett Golf Club Blue Heron Pines Buena Vista Country Club Cape May National Golf Club Centerton Golf Club Deerwood Country Club Eastlyn Golf Club Freeway Golf Club Frog Rock Golden Pheasant Green Tree Country Club Hamilton Trails Country Club Hanover Golf Club Harbor Pines Golf Club **Heritage Links Indian Spring Kresson The Links at Brigantine Beach The Links Marlton Mays Landing Country Club McCullough’s Golf Links Ocean Acres Country Club Ocean County GC at Atlantis Pennsauken Country Club Pinelands **Pines at Clermont Pitman Golf Course **Pomona *Ramblewood Country Club Rancocas Golf Club RiverWinds Golf & Tennis Club Running Deer Golf Club *Sand Barrens Sea Oaks Golf Club Seaview (Bay) Seaview (Pines) Scotland Run Shore Gate Golf Club Springfield Golf Center Town & Country Golf Links Twisted Dune Golf Club Valleybrook Country Club Vineyard Golf at Renault Wedgwood Country Club Westwood Golf Club White Oaks Country Club *Wild Oaks Golf Club Willowbrook Country Club Woodcrest Country Club
Northfield Cape May Court House Egg Harbor Twp. Woolwich Twp. Egg Harbor City Buena Cape May Pittsgrove Mount Holly Vineland Sicklerville Hammonton Lumberton Egg Harbor Twp. Mays Landing Jacobtown Egg Harbor Township Ocean View Evesham Voorhees Brigantine Marlton Mays Landing Egg Harbor Twp. Manahawkin Little Egg Harbor Pennsauken Winslow Twp Clermont Mantua Pomona Mount Laurel Willingboro West Deptford Pittsgrove Swainton Little Egg Harbor Twp. Galloway Twp. Galloway Twp. Williamstown Ocean View Springfield Township Woodstown Egg Harbor Township Blackwood Egg Harbor City Turnersville Woodbury Newfield Salem Moorestown Cherry Hill
* means 27 HOLES ** means NINE HOLES
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accountryclub.com avalongolfclub.net ballamor.com beckettgc.com blueheronpines.com allforeclub.com cmngc.com centertongolf.com deerwoodcc.com eastlyngolf.com freewaygolf1967.com frogrockgolf.com goldenpheasantgc.com greentree.aclink.org hamiltontrails.com hanovergc.com harborpines.com golfheritagelinks.com indianspringgolf.com golflink.com brigantinegolf.com thelinksgc.com mayslandinggolf.com mcculloughsgolf.com allforeclub.com co.ocean.nj.us/GolfCourses pennsaukengolf.com allforeclub.com thepinesatclermont.com co.gloucester.nj.us/golf pomonagolfcourse.com ramblewoodcc.com rancocas.americangolf.com riverwindsgolfandtennis.com runningdeergolfclub.com sandbarrensgolf.com seaoakscc.com seaviewgolf.com seaviewgolf.com scotlandrun.com shoregategolf.com springfieldgc.com tcgolflinks.com twisteddune.com valleybrookgolf.com vineyardgolfatrenault.com wedgwoodcc.com westwoodgolfclub.com whiteoaksgolf.com wildoaksgolfcourse.com golflink.com woodcrestcc.com
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GUIDE 2015
Check your spikes. Change your grips. It’s time to play golf in South Jersey. Following are some public and semi-private courses in our area.
Riverwinds Greens fees: Call for most updated rates. Course: Par 72, which plays between 5,301 and 7,072 yards Favorite hole: The par-3 17th plays about 130 yards from an elevated tee. The peninsula green sits in the Delaware River. It’s short, but given the always blowing wind and the deceiving depth of the shot, It’s no gimmie. Why we recommend it: The layout of this course brings the Delaware River and some challenging wind into play, especially on holes 14 through 17. Make sure to take some time to look around and enjoy all that this course offers from wildlife to the view of Philadelphia to the planes arriving and leaving PHL. Anyone who enjoys a solid challenge along with great scenery must play here. Scotland Run Greens fees: Call for most updated rates. Course: Par 71, which plays between 5,010 and 6,810 yards. Favorite hole: Usually, it’s the par-5, 502-yard 18th, which is a spectacular way to finish off the round. But don’t overlook the par-4, 434-yard (white tees) 12th. From an elevated tee, there is sand on the left, but the landing area is quite generous. On your approach shot, there is sand down the left and water down the right, which can play mind games when you’re hitting a long club to the green. The putting surface has a flat area in the front center and is raised all around that. Why we recommend it: There are holes that meander through the trees, out in the open, and ones that incorporate the abandoned quarry. Putting these undulating greens will offer a challenge. The 19th hole is pretty outstanding, too. Ballamor Country Club Greens fees: Call for most updated rates. Course: Par 72, which plays 5,238 to 7,098 yards Favorite hole: The par-4, 286yard 3rd hole is narrow on the
drive and the approach to the green will likely have to carry part of pond that fronts the two-tiered green. You can birdie this hole and you can easily double-bogey it. And there in lies the fun. Why we recommend it: Who doesn’t want to putt on South Jersey’s best greens? They are fast, full of undulation and roll so smooth. Golden Pheasant Golf Club Greens fees: Call for most updated rates Favorite hole: The par-3, 170yard 11th plays from an elevated tee over the access road to a green situated between Eayerstown Road on the right and trees on the left. The only miss is short and that’s not great. Accuracy on the tee shot is at a premium here. Why we recommend it: It’s a fun layout that’s perfect for golfers of varying skill levels. The course cuts through heavy woods next to the Flying W Ranch Airport. Running Deer Golf Club Greens fees: Call for most updated rates Course: Par 72, which plays between 5,510 and 7,074 yards Favorite hole: There’s a few contenders, but it really is hard to top the par-4, 361 yard 3rd hole. The tee shot isn’t the problem, as it only requires a hybrid or long iron. But the short second shot must hit a large, rolling, four-tiered green that must be putted to be believed. Why we recommend it: This course continues to thrive under the watchful eye of Ron Jaworski Golf Management. This was always one of, if not the, best layouts in South Jersey. Years of neglect under the previous owners left it nearly unplayable, but it has been restored for its former glory. Don’t forget to check out the back tee on No. 9. A plaque tells you it was built with dirt from the infield at Citizens Bank Park used when the Phillies won the 2008 World Series. (cont. on p. 11)
LGPA
Tour Schedule 2015
APRIL 23-26—Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic Lake Merced GC, San Francisco APRIL 30-MAY 3—Volunteers of America North Texas LPGA Shootout Las Colinas CC, Irving, Texas MAY 14-17—Kingsmill Championship Kingsmill Resort (River Course) Williamsburg, Va. MAY 29-31—ShopRite LPGA Classic Stockton Seaview Hotel and GC (Bay Course) Galloway, N.J. JUNE 4-7—Manulife Financial LPGA Classic Grey Silo Golf Course Waterloo, Ontario *JUNE 11-14—KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Westchester, N.Y. JUNE 26-28—Walmart NW Arkansas Championship Pinnacle, CC, Rogers, Ark. JULY 9-12—U.S. Women’s Open Conducted by the USGA Lancaster, Pa. JULY 16-19—Marathon Classic Highland Meadows Golf Club Sylvania, Ohio JULY 30-AUG. 2—Ricoh Women’s British Open Turnberry, Scotland AUG. 13-16—Cambia Portland Classic TBA, Portland, Ore.
AUG. 20-23—Canadian Pacific Women’s Open Vancouver, Canada AUG. 27-30—Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic Prattville, Ala. SEPT. 10-13—The Evian Championship Evian Masters Golf Club Evian-les-Bains, France *SEPT. 17-20—The Solheim Cup Sankt Leon-Rot, Germany OCT. 1-4—Reignwood LPGA Classic Pine Valley Golf Club Nankou, Beijing, China OCT. 8-11—Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia Kuala Lum pur G&CC Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia OCT. 15-18—LPGA KEB-HanaBank Championship Sky 72 GC (Ocean Course) Incheon, South Korea OCT. 22-25—Blue Bay LPGA Hainan Island, China OCT. 29-Nov. 1—Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship Taipei, Taiwan NOV. 6-8—LPGA Japan Classic Shima-Shi, Mie, Japan NOV. 12-15—Lorena Ochoa Invitational TBA, Mexico City, Mexico NOV. 19-22—CME Group Tour Tiburon GC, Naples, Fla. *-tentative
I celebrates Wedgwood Country Club
half a century
n 1965, Jack Nicklaus won The Masters, a gallon of gas was 31 cents and Wedgwood Country Club broke ground. Fifty years later, with its sprawling, tree-lined golf course — featuring bent grass tees, greens and fairways — Wedgwood Country Club is still the choice for those seeking upscale yet affordable play. The family-owned and -operated public golf course in Turnersville, a home away from home for tristate-area golfers of all levels, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this season. Plans are in the works for a celebration in late summer. “Our turf and layout rivals any of the private golf courses in South Jersey,” said owner/manager Mark Santerian. “We are very proud of this property.” In fact, Santerian says golfers flock to the club from a 20-mile radius, taking full advantage of a wide variety of affordable membership packages.
“Our course is challenging yet fair,” he said. “There are no blind shots.” The traditional layout, reminiscent of some of Philadelphia’s most prestigious courses, was redesigned in 1996. The course has four sets of tees, ranging from 7,100 to 5,550 yards from the hole. “We have golfers of all ages and abilities, including those with single-digit handicaps,” Santerian said. The family-friendly club is a popular spot for senior citizens and is the host course to Washington Township High School’s championship Minutemen golf team. Convenience is an integral theme at Wedgwood. Open seven days a week year-round, the club only closes on Christmas and New Year’s Day. Members also have the perk of booking
by Jan
L. Apple, For the Courier-Post
tee times online. As a section member of the Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP), Santerian said there are a number of events — such as team matches — where members seeking a competetive challenge have the opportunity to partake. Besides testing a golfer’s skill while navigating rolling terrain, the country club has a full-service catering and banquet facility. With four distinct rooms to choose from, Wedgwood accommodates parties, fundraisers, business outings and events for up to 225 people. “We host different groups,” said Santerian, “meetings, luncheons, christenings, chambers of commerce, funerals, weddings.” The club is also home to Divots Bar and Grill, known for its casual fare and friendly ambiance. Santerian is happy to announce that construction is nearly complete for its latest addition — a full-service restaurant, which will include a new dining room, kitchen and a chef who will introduce an enhanced menu. The restaurant is scheduled to open this summer. “Wedgwood holds a special place in our hearts,” said Santerian, who along with younger brother Michael Santerian, owns and operates four other golf properties in the tri-state region. Wedgwood was the first of these properties for the Santerian family. Mark Santerian was just 12 when his dad, Ned Santerian (who passed away in 1994), began managing Wedgwood Country Club in 1973 through a lease/purchase arrangement. In 1984, he purchased the 155-plus acre property, handing the reins to Mark in 1988. Suffice it to say Santerian knows golf. Even before his dad managed Wedgwood, Mark would often tag along on golf outings to area clubs. Along the way, he not only acquired the skills and knowledge to manage golf courses, he also grew to love the game. Looking back over the decades, Santerian shared an indelible memory from what he calls Wedgwood’s heyday. “It was 1974 or 1975; the Philadelphia Flyers had just won the Stanley Cup. At about the same time, Wedgwood hosted a Flyers ProAm tournament. The Flyers players were here and throngs of crowds came out. As a young kid, it was really exciting to be a part of that celebration.” Looking ahead, Santerian aspires to increase interest in the game of golf while continuing to provide the highest-quality product at an affordable price. “Our goal is to be around for another 50 years.”
Wedgwood Country Club 200 Hurffville Road Turnersville, NJ www.wedgwoodcc.com (856) 227-5522
50
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• 7 Distinct Membership Plans Available. •5 Great Payment Options. •Weekday Earlybird Specials Monday - Friday. • Leagues and Golf Outings Welcome. • Expanded Bar and Restaurant Coming Soon. Visit us at WedgewoodCC.com and save up to 40% off Greens Fees
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Wedgwood Country Club Play More!… Don’t Pay More!! Weekday Cart and Greens Fee Peak Rate… $49.00!!
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Wedgwood C ountry Club
200 Hurffville Road Turnersville, NJ 08012
Ph (856) 227-5522 | Fx (856) 227-5543 www.wedgwoodcc.com
Rust Removal: Getting your swing back on track
“ The biggest problem is rushing onto the golf course and not hitting enough balls and not getting your swing into a groove.”
Remember in October when your golf game was at its peak? You spent an entire summer honing your swing, lowering your scores. Maybe you broke 100 for the first time, possibly 90, and if you’re really good, maybe you cracked 80. But that’s when it stopped. Winter came and your golf clubs went in the closet. And now that spring is in the air, you’re looking to get back out there expecting last season’s form. That’d be a huge mistake. “Even a tour pro, if he hasn’t played for three or four months, he’s not going to hit it good at first,” said Francis Mulholland, head pro at Atlantic City Country Club, which was rated the No. 1 public course in New Jersey by golf. com last year. Steps need to be taken to round back into golf shape. Mulholland and Dick Smith — who runs the Dick Smith Golf Academy with his brother Tom out of Valleybrook Country Club and RiverWinds Golf Club — have some advice to get you back on top of your game. “The best thing that I particularly tell people is that you really need to stretch and return your golf swing back to the size it was when you stopped playing last fall,” Smith said. “Many golfers go out cold after a 3, 4, 5 month layoff, and physically they’re not equipped to resume the play they might’ve enjoyed in the preceding season. “I like to call it a resizing of the golf swing. In other words, making the golf swing as full as you can from the beginning. You don’t even
by Josh
-Francis Mulholland head pro at Atlantic City Country Club
need to hit a ball.” Smith recommends taking numerous swings and stretching and rotating your hips so you can make a “fuller, more unrestricted swing” when you get back on the course. Back muscles are like a rubber band, Smith said. They shrink in the winter and you have to stretch them back out. “Of course everybody wants to hit it long and far from the get go, and the reality is the swing won’t allow you to do that,” he said. “It’s kind of an exercise more than a ball-striking thing, just trying to make a full rotation of your golf swing. In other words, the left shoulder under the chin going back, the right shoulder under the chin going through and finish full. Make a full follow through and that’ll make your swing function better.” This shouldn’t be done on the links though.
“The biggest problem is rushing onto the golf course and not hitting enough balls and not getting your swing into a groove,” Mulholland said. Mulholland recommends making 50 to 100 swings on the range before getting back onto the course. That way you can work some kinks out first. However, don’t expect for your game to drastically change. “If you hit a slice last summer, you’re going to hit a slice when you get out there this spring,” he said. That’s why Smith tells golfers to focus less on the results early on. “Your focus is striking the ball, not necessarily hitting it to a target or hitting it a certain distance,” he said. “In the process of making your swing bigger, your focus should be on strik-
ing the bottom back of the ball with the center of the club and not worrying about where it’s going because there’s no pressure on you.” To help make up for some errant shots off the tee and fairway, both Mulholland and Smith recommend spending some extra time working on your short game before getting on the course. “Chipping and putting, definitely (are important),” Mulholland said, “especially when you haven’t used your swing in a while. You’re going to miss a few more greens than you’re used to.” And if you want to make an even quicker return to form, getting some added advice doesn’t hurt. “It’s a good time of year to start to see your local PGA professional again,” Mulholland said, “before all the bad habits creep in again.”
Friedman , jfriedman@thedailyjournal.com and follow Josh @JFriedman57 on Twitter.
GUIDE 2015
Woodcrest Country Club Green Fees: Call for most updated rates. Course: Par 71, plays as short as 5,395 to 6,528 Favorite Hole: The 538-yard, par-5 9th hole is dogleg left in which the third shot for most golfers is over a pond for error here. Par is good. Why we recommend it: Now that you can get on this course, take advantage and give yourself a challenging round. Blue Heron Pines Golf Club Greens fees: Call for most updated rates. Course: Par 72, which plays between 5,853 and 6,805 yards Favorite hole: The par-3 11th plays to about 115 yards. It may be short, but don’t underestimate it. Anything short of the green will find either a deep bunker, or worse,
water. Going long is no bargain as ground falls away over the back. Even once on the large green, par is no guarantee. Why we recommend it: It’s a wonderful layout with a variety of par 4s of differing lengths that will keep your interest. Valleybrook Country Club Greens fees: Call for most updated rates. Course: Par 72, which plays between 5,332 and 6,384 yards Favorite hole: The par-4 16th is the No. 1 handicap and the 342 yards (from the white) seem to play a bit longer because of the dogleg left with trees down the left side and the water hazard that runs near the front of the elevated green, which is guarded by bunkers on the right and rear. Why we recommend it: A fun and forgiving layout for golfers of all skill levels.
Ramblewood Country Club Greens fees: Call for most updated rates. Course: The Red and White nines share similar design characteristics, both having been built on gently rolling pasture land and opened in 1962. Both nines feature generous landing areas and large greens with very subtle undulations and strategically placed bunker complexes. While forgiving fairways abound, the challenge comes in the form of forced carries over water on 12 holes. The Blue nine opened in 1972 and has the feel of a core golf course throughout, with hole corridors carved through the pines. Favorite Hole: We like the 8th hole on the Red course. This par 4 measures 409 yards. A wooded stream winds its way in front of the tee and then up the right rough.
Why we recommend it: This is 27-hole parkland-style championship golf course. With three separate 18-hole combinations to choose from, variety is the spice of life at this southern Jersey golf course. Town & Country Golf Links Greens Fees: Call for most updated rates. Course: Par 71/72, which plays between 3,499 yards (family tees) to 6,496 yards. Favorite Hole: The course’s signature hole No. 13 measures 165 yards from the gold tees. The island green, save for a narrow walkway from the right side, must be hit or you’ll be wet. Why we recommend it: Town & Country Golf Links offers a traditional links-style front nine featuring generous fairways and wide greens, and a more challenging back nine favoring accuracy and shot making. (cont. on p. 15)
The Crump Cup The first Crump Cup tournament was held in 1922. It is named for George Arthur Crump, a hotelier and golf course architect primarily known for designing and building Pine Valley Golf Club. The format for the four days is two rounds of stroke play qualifying, followed by four rounds of match play. Players are flighted according to their qualifying position, and a separate Senior flight includes two of those flights. The final round has traditionally been held on the last Sunday in September. It’s the only day of the year when the public is invited to the grounds of Pine Valley; golf lovers are bused in to enjoy the grounds and watch top-level golfers compete.
DID YOU KNOW? Jay Sigel has won the event the most times, with nine victories between 1975 and 1993.
This year’s 93rd annual Crump Cup is at Pine Valley Golf Club September 25-28. The grounds are opened to the public only once a year. Last year, Michael Muehr, of Potomac Falls, Va. captured the 2014 Crump Cup title with a 2-and-1 victory over Michael Castleforte of Chicago. This was Muehr’s second win Crump win. He also won in 2008. 2002: Randy Haag 1989: O. Gordon Brewer, Jr. 1973: O. Gordon Brewer, Jr. 1949: Arthur W. Byxbee 1934: J. Ellis Knowles 1922: George V. Rotan 2003: Pat Tallent 1990: Marvin Giles, III 1974: A. Harcourt Kemp 1961: George H. Rowbotham 1950: James B. McHale, Jr. 1935: Arthur F. Lynch 1923: Maxwell R. Marston 2004: Michael McCoy 1991: R. Jay Sigel 1962: George H. Rowbotham 1975: R. Jay Sigel 1951: Robert J. Riddle 1936: W.B. McCullough Jr. 1924: Francis Ouimet 2005: Michael McCoy 1992: David Eger 1979: Jerry Courville 1963: James D. Skyes 1952: William Hyndman, III 1937: Maxwell R. Marston 1925: William M. Reekie 2006: Carlton M. Forrester 1993: R. Jay Sigel 1980: O. Gordon Brewer, Jr. 1964: Charles J. Anderson 1953: Robert J. Riddle 1938: J. Ellis Knowles 1926: Charles Evans, Jr. 2007: Michael McCoy 1994: Jerry Courville, Jr. 1981: R. Jay Sigel 1965: William C. Campbell 1954: William Hyndman, III 1939: W.B. McCullough, Jr. 1927: Francis Ouimet 2008: Michael Muehr 1995: Paul A. Walsh 1982: O. Gordon Brewer, Jr. 1966: William J. Patton 1955: John O. Levinson 1940: Maxwell R. Marston 1928: Andrew H. Kaye 2009: Skip Berkmeyer 1996: William L. Hadden, III 1983: R. Jay Sigel 1967: William Hyndman, III 1956: George H. Rowbotham 1968: William Hyndman, IV 1941: Ralph Bogart 1929: Alexander Knapp 2010: Michael McCoy 1997: David Eger 1984: Randy Sonnier 1957: Harry H. Hall, Jr. 1945: W.B. McCullough, Jr. 1930: Joseph H. Bapchelder 1998: Willliam J. McGuinness 2011: Stephen Summers 1985: R. Jay Sigel 1969: William Hyndman, III 1958: H.H. Haverstick, Jr. 1946: Richard T. Hale 1931: C. Bayard Mitchell 2012: Michael McCoy 1999: Spider Miller 1986: R. Jay Sigel 1970: James D. Sykes 1959: W.B. McCullough, Jr. 1947: Robert J. Riddle 1932: T.A. Torrance 2013: Gene Elliot 2000: Randy Haag 1987: R. Jay Sigel 1971: Edgar M. Tutwiler 1960: W.B. McCullough, Jr. 1948: W.B. McCullough, Jr. 1933: W.B. McCullough, Jr. 2014: Michael Muehr 2001: Rett Crowder 1988: Robert C. Lewis, Jr. 1972: Edgar M. Tutwiler
Coming May 1, the New
Beckett Golf Club (For Details, visit us at: BeckettGC.com)
• 7 Distinct Golf Membership Plans Now Available.
• Visit Us Online and Save Up To 40% Off Greens Fees!
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Beckett Golf Club | 2387 Kings Highway | Woolwich Township, NJ 08085 Ph (856) 467-4700 | Fx (856) 467-3609 | www.beckettgc.com
You Go Girl Joanna
Mays Landing’s Coe on the mend and confident Joanna Coe loves to compete. So when the 2007 Oakcrest High School graduate felt a pop in her right knee last May, she knew it would be some time before she’d be able to return to life as a professional golfer.
“When I sat down with the surgeons, they said I might be ready by February.” -Joanna Coe
Photo Credit: Scott A. Miller
by Kevin
A Mays Landing native, Coe suffered her first torn ACL in the same knee as a high school senior. The rehabilitation process was a big question mark back then, but knowing what she would have to go through a second time gave her the knowledge necessary to complete the grueling sessions. Coe was never going to give up on her career. “Same pop as high school,” she recalled. “It ended my (high school) soccer career. I didn’t want it to end my golf career. “I didn’t realize my knee was still vulnerable. It was awful; one of the worst days of my life again.” Spending much of her time in Florida, Coe is a member of the Symetra Tour — the minor leagues of the LPGA Tour. She was in the midst of a solid season when she fell awkwardly and reinjured her knee. She had surgery last June and went through weeks of rehabilitation and physical therapy. “I rehabbed longer and it was more painful,” she said when comparing her two injuries. Coe was able to start swinging a club again in August. And although not 100 percent healthy, she played famed Merion Golf Club in September. “I knew what to do, the little tricks. I knew how to control the swelling,” she said. “Rehab was really hard. For the first month it was real upsetting, painful.” Coe returned to Florida in October and began to prepare for the cur-
DID YOU KNOW?
2
Coe WAS a four-time NCAA Division II AllAmerican and the Division II individual national champion as a freshman at Rollins College. rent season. She received a full medical extension from the Symetra Tour, meaning she didn’t have to worry about her playing status or go through Qualifying School. In late February, Coe made her return. She finished T25 at the Gateway Classic, her first event since that dreadful day last spring. “I looked at the game differently,” she said. “I never had that kind of break before. I learned a lot about the golf swing.” Coe has played in three events this season and recently participated in the Curacao Masters, a pro-am event to help promote tourism and golf.
Photo Credit: Associated Press
She’s taking her comeback slowly, not expecting too much of herself but looking for steady improvement and ultimately solid results. “I have to play a little by ear. I need to make sure I’m careful and not exhausting myself,” said Coe, a four-time NCAA Division II All-American and the Division II individual national champion as a freshman at Rollins College. “I’m taking it one week at a time, small goals. “My expectations are low. I don’t want to get too high because I haven’t been out here for a while. I struggled in the first few events, but I’m playing pretty well and feeling pretty good.” Coe likes where she’s at as far as her career is concerned. She appreciates the opportunities the game has provided her and wants nothing more than to compete at a high level. “When I sat down with the surgeons, they said I might be ready by February,” she added. “It was easy to get ready because I wanted to beat that goal. “I’m looking forward to things. I missed it because I love competing and I’m confident.”
Minnick, COURIER-POST, Kevin Minnick at kminnick@courierpostonline.com. Follow him on Twitter @cp_varsity
GUIDE 2015
Rancocas Golf Club Greens fees: Call for most updated rates. Why we recommend it: Rancocas demands a lot of different shots be played. The front is fairly open, but the back is much tighter. Favorite Hole: The par-5, 13th is a long, uphill, dogleg right that measures 545 yards from the middle tees. The second shot must climb toward the green leaving a short third shot to a deep but narrow green with a bunker on the left. A member of the original Courier-Post Dream 18. Shore Gate Golf Club Greens fees: Call for most updated rates. Course: Par 72, which plays between 5,284 and 7,227 yards Favorite hole: The 577-yard par-5 9th hole requires three well-struck shots to a green that isn’t as deep as it used
to be, but still is narrow and adorned with a few bunkers. When the hole plays into the wind, look out. Suddenly, bogey is a good score. Why we recommend it: Shore Gate has always seemed like South Jersey’s best riskreward course. There are several holes where you can decide how much of a water hazard you want to carry to have a shorter second shot. Other than that, it’s just a spectacular layout. White Oaks Country Club Greens fees: Call formost updated rates. Ask about senior, military, fire, law enforcement, junior and walking discount rates. Course: Par 71, which plays between 5,195 and 6,510 yards. Favorite hole: No. 17 is a 240yard par 3 that was part of the original Courier-Post Dream 18 and Par-3 Challenge. Long,
tough with a difficult green. Why we recommend it: For one, the challenge of the monstrous par-5 621 yard (blue tees) 7th hole with a dogleg right will test every golfer. But White Oaks also demands accuracy such as the par-4 11th hole(409 white) where trees cramp the fairway. Atlantic City Country Club Greens fees: Call for most updated rates. Course: Par 70, which plays between 5,349 and 6,577 yards Favorite hole: The par-3 15th is appropriately named Tidewater as it heads back to the bay. At 172 yards and often into the wind, picking the right club is only the beginning of the fun. There’s not much room to miss. Can’t go right or long, short is iffy. Walking off with par will make you feel good. Why we recommend it: Nice layout, great setting.
What’s not to like? Enjoy negotiating a fun tract that has three par 5s and five par 3s. This remains the ultimate in countryclub-for-a-day feel. Everything about Atlantic City is top notch. The price is steep, but if you want to indulge once in a while, this is the place to do it. The Links Golf Club (MARLTON) Greens fees: The Links in Marlton is now a semi-private course. Call for most updated rates. Course: Par 71/72, which plays between 5,485 and 6,725 yards.