2024 Golfing Magazine Spring Issue - New Jersey / Pennsylvania Edition

Now Playing

When I started this Publication over 23 years ago it was in the height of “Tiger Mania”. New courses had been, and continued to, open up all over the county and especially here in New Jersey. It was a very exciting time as the golf industry was anticipating a huge boom in public golf play. As it played out over the years following, the boom never happened and in recent years the trend has been for way more golf courses closing and no new courses opening. That is until now!! For the first time in 20 years a new public course is set to open here in New Jersey. Old Bridge Golf Club at Rose- Lambertson, affectionally called “The Rose”, is set to open this Spring in Old Bridge New Jersey.

The Rose is a partnership with Old Bridge Township and 2020 Acquisitions, with 2020 Acquisitions funding the $15+ milliondollar community project along with an additional $32+M in public infrastructure improvements at no cost to taxpayers.

Some of the highlights:

• Par-71, 18-hole public golf course that offers a fun and fair experience for beginners and challenge to highly skilled players

• Designed by New Jersey-based Stephen Kay, whose golf course architecture firm is based in Egg Harbor City

• Unique layout driven by the existence of wetlands with numerous ponds built to support irrigation and water conservation

• Illuminated miniature golf course and driving range available on a first-come, first-serve basis that allows for night time activities (the club will be open until 10 p.m.)

• 6,000-SF clubhouse featuring a pro shop, concession area, cart barn, restrooms and 110 parking spaces

•

As Architect Stephen Kay told us. “The Rose is a very special project. The impact it will have on the community, and for golf in Middlesex County, is going to be incredible. I feel very blessed that it happened.”

I for one cannot wait to get out and play this course!!

Spring is here and it is time to hit the Links…get out and play this amazing game!!

Cheers,

Sean Fitzsimmons Publisher

New Jersey Pennsylvania

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“The Rose” Old Bridge Golf Club At Rose Lambertson

New Jersey’s First Public Course in 20 Years

By, Sean Fawcett

Old Bridge has a new golf course. Old Bridge Golf Club at RoseLambertson, more commonly known simply as “The Rose”, Old Bridge’s brand-new golfing complex is, also, New Jersey’s very first public golf course to open in over 20 years.

Some 17 years in the making, and spanning 218 acres of land owned by Old Bridge Township in Middlesex County, The Rose is a championship-caliber par-71, 18-hole course with a first-class illuminated 30-bay driving range combined with a high-end miniature golf course with lighting highlighted by unique water features and varying terrain.

Planned, developed, constructed and managed by 2020 Acquisitions, a private real estate firm based in New Jersey, The Rose broke ground in the Spring of 2022 and rapidly transformed from a long-held vision into reality. A soft opening of the driving range, putting green and miniature golf areas was launched in late September 2023, with the golf course opening in mid-October with limited tee-time availabilities and no carts. The course is slated

to open soon, starting in April 2024 with preferred-rate fees being offered to Old Bridge Township residents, active military personnel and seniors. A tiered fee structure also will be in place for New Jersey as well as out-of-state residents.

The Rose is a partnership with Old Bridge Township and 2020 Acquisitions, with 2020 Acquisitions funding the $15+

million dollar community project along with an additional $32+M in public infrastructure improvements at no cost to taxpayers.

“ Old Bridge Township never wavered in their commitment to achieve this objective, it was just a matter of how and when,” said 202 Acquisitions’ sole principal and CEO

Efram Gerszberg. 2020 Acquisitions is also a managing partner in Titan Golf, a golf course holding company.”

As Mayor, I would like to express my appreciation to all who played a role in making this long-awaited golf course a reality,” said Old Bridge Township mayor Owen Henry. “ Their efforts, along with the unwavering dedication, have created a jewel that will provide social and economic benefits for the foreseeable future.”

“ When the opportunity to forge a public-private partnership presented itself, the township’s Redevelopment Agency named 2020 Acquisitions-which has extensive experience in developing and managing golf courses-as redeveloper of the RoseLambertson Tract,” added Gerszberg.

Award-winning Egg Harbor City-based architect Stephen Kay, who built NJ’s last municipal public golf course to open, Egg Harbor Township’s McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links, designed the par 71, approximately 6,500-yard, layout that’s both fun and fair to beginners and casual golfers and a challenge to highly skilled and more experienced players. The course measures round 5,00 yards from the Front, or White< tees to just over 6,100 yards(6,120) from the Black,

or Middle, tees.

The Rose features generous links-styled fairways with wetlands and ponds, sustainable irrigation, several Risk-Reward opportunities and sloping greens, including a rare Biarrittz green, an unique putting surface with a raised Back and Front portions with a deep valley right in the middle.

“The goal was to make a course that everyone could play and enjoy playing,” said Kay. “ It’s a strategic course, but one with wider fairways than most, and small bunkers which are easier to maintain and that help players from being penalized too harshly. The course is demanding enough to challenge anyone who can break 75 while helping golfers who can just about break 100 to break a hundred.”

“ One of my favorite holes is the 10th,” said Old Bridge Golf Club-Rose-Lambertson’s Director of Golf Ryan McDonald. “ It’s just a really good Risk-Reward Par 5 with water front and left that goes straight up a steep hill with terrific views all around the property.

“ Fifteen, the Par 3 with the Biarritz green, is another tremendous hole. The green is our largest, around 17,000 square feet, and has the raised front and back sections with the valley in the middle. The locals are call-

ing it “The Half-Pipe”. It’s incredible. I love playing it.”

The Rose’s lighted 30-bay driving range and miniature golf course are, also, prime features that local and visiting golfers and the general public are going to love, as well.

“ The property has a little of everything for everyone,” said Kay. “ The range and the miniature golf course are very family friendly. Our side job is bringing up the game for the next generation. Parents and grandparents are going to love bringing their kids and grandkids to play miniature golf, then hit balls on the range, and then, eventually, bring them out onto the course to learn to play the game.”

“ One of the great things about The Rose is that it’s going to be a focal point for recreation for the community,” said McDonald. “ The miniature golf course, the lighted range, the course, the people of Old Bridge are really going to enjoy being here.”

“ The Rose is a very special project,” said Kay. “ The impact it will have on the community, and for golf in Middlesex County, is going to be incredible. I feel very blessed that it happened.”

Old Bridge Golf Course at RoseLamberton Amenities

• Par-71, 18-hole public golf course that offers a fun and fair experience for beginners and challenge to highly skilled players

• Designed by New Jersey-based Stephen Kay, whose golf course architecture firm is based in Egg Harbor City

• Unique layout driven by the existence of wetlands with numerous ponds built to support irrigation and water conservation

• 9th hole placement that does not return to the clubhouse; instead it flows around the 200+-acre property

• Illuminated miniature golf course and driving range available on a first-come, first-serve basis that allows for night time activities (the club will be open until 10 p.m.)

• 6,000-SF clubhouse featuring a pro shop, concession area, cart barn, restrooms and 110 parking spaces

• Roadway entry at Lambertson Road, which has undergone upgrades as part of the golf course development

• 5,000-SF maintenance building with 10

parking spaces at the southwest corner of the site

• Golf carts with GPS screens

Tickets on Sale for the 2024 ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer

June 7-9 at Seaview in Galloway, N.J.

Tournament officials announced today tickets are now on sale for the 2024 ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer – Atlantic City’s largest sporting event and one of the longest-running events on the LPGA Tour schedule –taking place June 7-9 on the Bay Course at Seaview, A Dolce Hotel in Galloway, N.J. Tickets are available for purchase now exclusively at www.ShopRiteLPGAClassic. com/tickets.

ShopRite, the longest-running title sponsor on the LPGA Tour, will once again offer Price Plus Club card holders two (2) free daily grounds tickets with a valid Price Plus Club card. Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and its subsidiary, Braven Health, also will offer all card holders two (2) complimentary free daily grounds tickets, valid during competition rounds.

Tournament officials also announced today all military (active, retired, reserve and veteran), first responders (police, fire, EMS) and accompanying family (4 tickets maximum) will receive complimentary ad-

mission to the three days of competition at the 2024 ShopRite LPGA Classic (June 7-9), courtesy of SERVPRO. In addition, they will receive admission into a special hospitality area – the SERVPRO Hero Outpost. Complimentary tickets are available at www.ShopRiteLPGAClassic.com/tickets. All military and service personnel must show proper identification at the main gate and at the SERVPRO Hero Outpost to gain entry. Children ages 17 and under will also be admitted free into the tournament with a paid adult.

“The ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer is a Jersey Shore tradition, serving as the kickoff event for the summer in Atlantic City. We are excited to once again return to Seaview to host one of the longest-running events on the LPGA Tour,” said Jeremy Friedman, media director for the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer. “We look forward to welcoming our great fans during tournament week, as well as celebrating our military and service personnel for everything they do to keep our country and families safe.”

The 2024 ShopRite LPGA Classic will be a 54-hole championship Friday-Sunday, June 7-9, featuring a field of 144 of the world’s best female professional golfers competing for a share of the $1.75 million purse. Major champion Ashleigh Buhai returns to the ShopRite LPGA Classic as defending champion. She captured the 2023 title in come-from-behind fashion by turning in a final-round 6-under 65 to capture the title by one stroke, highlighted by a closing birdie on 18.

For more than three decades, the ShopRite LPGA Classic has been a launch pad for several of the game’s preeminent players to kick start their LPGA Tour careers, including Paula Creamer, Brooke Henderson and Lexi Thompson. The tournament annually boasts one of the strongest fields on the LPGA Tour and has featured many of the game’s greatest players as past champions, including Juli Inkster, Betsy King, Dottie Pepper, Seri Pak, Annika Sorenstam, Cristie Kerr, Stacy Lewis, Karrie Webb, Brooke Henderson and Lexi Thompson

Tee Off at River Marsh Golf Club

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o t h e d r i v i n g r a n g e . P l u s , i n d u l g e i n a s h o p p i n g s p r e e w i t h 1 5 % o f f r e g u l a r l y p r i c e d m e r c h a n d i s e a t t h e

R i v e r M a r s h P r o S h o p , a n d e n h a n c e y o u r g a m e w i t h 1 5 % o f f g o l f l e s s o n s . C r u i s e a r o u n d t h e c o u r s e i n s t y l e w i t h a c o m p l i m e n t a r y g o l f c a r t r e n t a l f o r t w o . T o t o p i t o f f , q u e n c h y o u r t h i r s t w i t h a r e f r e s h i n g 2 c a n s o f O f f T h e R o o k B e e r o r s p i k e d

A r n o l d P a l m e r . V i s i t o u r w e b s i t e t o b o o k y o u r u n f o r g e t t a b l e g o l f g e t a w a y !

* T e r m s & C o n d i t i o n s A p p l y B o o k b y D e c 3 0 , 2 0 2 4 . O f f e r C o d e U N L G L F

Stunning Nemacolin is a Feast for the Senses

Two Magnificent Pete Dye Courses Highlight a Must-Visit Resort Experience

Traveling to play golf takes you to some pretty amazing places. And if your tastes often take you beyond the ordinary, Nemacolin is word you should know and a singularly spectacular resort experience from the moment you arrive through its gates.

Perched among the picturesque Laurel Highlands one hour southwest of Pittsburgh, Nemacolin simply exceeds just about every expectation you can set. As first impressions go, Nemacolin sets the tone for the bold and dramatic with the scale and architectural splendor of its Chateau, the first hotel structure you come to and enter to check in for your stay. Talk about a sense of arrival. Patterned after The Ritz Paris, the vast Chateau welcomes guests not with cold, museum-like austerity, but with warmth and whimsy. When we passed through the entrance, we were greeted by a giant giraffethemed topiary and friendly faces who offered us a welcome glass of sparkling wine. If we didn’t know by now, we would soon find out that this place is characterized by indulgent fun and bountiful art at every turn.

The Château is just one of the places you can stay at Nemacolin, along with the awardwinning Falling Rock and the newly reimagined and The Grand Lodge. Nemacolin is world-class on all fronts, but we soon learned that it got that way, because it’s constantly improving its guest experience and its infrastructure. Fabulous new guest suites and reinvigorated common spaces within the Grand Lodge make Nemacolin somehow even more special. The luxe Circle Bar and the brilliant new restaurant concept Fawn & Fable have infused a burst of energy and refined panache to this incredibly fun place.

Nestled in the splendid Allegheny Mountains, Nemacolin is home to long views and Mystic Rock and Shepherd’s Rock, two imaginative championship courses designed by the legendary Pete Dye. Both courses take ample advantage of the area’s vast, rugged topography, lush terrain and majestic sweeping vistas. Just down the road from architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s acclaimed masterpiece Fallingwater and Fort Necessity National Battlefield (site of the opening action of the

French and Indian War in 1754), Nemacolin is making its own distinctive brand of history in those nature-rich Laurel Highlands.

Owned by the visionary Hardy family who founded and operate 84 Lumber, Nemacolin has an attraction for any mood or interest you’ve probably ever had, including a diverse and internationally acclaimed art collection, the Hardy Room cigar lounge, Tea Room, The Patisserie for coffee, pastries and essentials. The Michelin-caliber dining at Lautrec has returned with the re-opening of The Grand Lodge and the debut of Fawn & Fable. We enjoyed a transcendent seafood meal at the chic Aqueous we’ve revisited in our heads many times since. In one’s spare time they can enjoy luxury shopping boutiques, art walks and even a 1950s-style ice cream parlor. Beyond golf, outdoor adventurers can enjoy the Field Club (soon to be renamed Rod and Range); Wildlife Academy that features everything from safari tours to dog sledding; The Peak Adventure Center (complete with zip lines and climbing wall, paintball field and cosmic bowling); and Jeep Off-Road Driving

Academy, fly fishing as well as antique auto and aircraft collections.

You’ll find artwork and sculptures at almost every turn at Nemacolin. It’s a feast for the senses that somehow fits seamlessly along with the 2,000-acre resort’s breathtaking natural surroundings. Nemacolin offers guests 320 luxuriously appointed guest rooms, suites, townhouses and private upscale homes, including Falling Rock, a AAA Five Diamond boutique hotel with rooms overlooking the Mystic Rock course.

Before rounds on Mystic Rock, Shepherd’s Rock, we took time to check out all the stateof-the-art toys inside The Nemacolin Golf Academy. The all-season entertainment and game improvement space is a great place to play and learn on TrackMan or get a lesson or custom fitting from director of instruction Mike LaBella and his team.

Teeing it up at Nemacolin means being ready to tackle the crafty Pete Dye and walk in the footsteps of the PGA Tour players who competed in the 84 Lumber Classic from 2003 to 2006, including champions like Vijay Singh Open Championship winner Ben Curtis.

Mystic Rock is a sterling example of a more subtle and cerebral side of Dye. He lets the rolling land dictate the routing and shot values here with ample landing areas, walkability and serene sight lines. There are very few daunting forced carries, but endless riskreward scenarios and plenty of ways to make the round more complicated than it needs to be. Positioning off the tee and hitting to the correct parts of the green comes into play routinely as Dye plays with angles, misdirection, false fronts and greens that run off the sides or back if you mis-club.

There’s a great mix of short par 4s like the first hole, the sneaky-long, uphill fourthwhich is one of the few holes that asks for a tee shot to carry water – and more humbling long holes like the daunting 476-yard ninth with water left off the tee and a narrow, sloping green. You can gain momentum early in the round with manageable par 5s at the fifth and eighth holes and a wedgeshot par 3 at number seven, but beware the geometry Dye throws at you on holes like nine,

the winding, 439-yard par-4 10th and the long, dogleg-right uphill par-five 11th. After a satisfying stretch of par fours at 13, 14 and 15. Mystic Rock closes with a fun risk-reward par 5, a long, challenging par 3, with water lurking left, and uphill par 4 that demands solid strikes and respect of the angles of play. Mystic Rock belongs in the conversation with some of Dye’s best work.

At Shepherd’s Rock, the mischievous side of Pete Dye and his associate Tim Liddy come out to play. You’ll find yourself playing shots 40 feet from the hole to allow Dye’s slopes to (hopefully) do their work and you’ll come to respect false fronts that can send even well struck shots that look pin high back down the

front edge of the green and toward the man who hit it. What you probably won’t figure out on the first try is the wildly sloping greens or the ideal angles into those greens.

That said, there’s a great collection of beautiful holes that rise up hills and plunge down valleys. The crafty and postcard-worthy 11th is one of the handsomest holes on the property while views from fifth, seventh, 16th and 17th holes are extraordinary places to enjoy the nature around you. The 18th hole is a terrific and memorable par 4 that demands a strong drive that is safe from ponds and marshes right and trees left. The waterfalls and majestic setting near the green while inspire to return for another challenge.

Nemacolin’s entertainment and adventure offerings are so creative, you can’t help but feel the Hardy family’s personal touches all over the grounds. It’s like they’ve invited you to hang out at their estate and let your hair down for as long as you like.

Set in an area steeped in rich American, architectural and agricultural history, Nemacolin is carving out its own distinctive legacy in the nature-rich Laurel Highlands. To learn more about this oneof-a-kind destination, visit nemacolin.com.

Heron Glen Spices the Golfer-Course Experience with Noteefy

By, Jy Alexander Goudie

The banes of existence in golf are aplenty.

Often atop the list for golfers’ frustrations is when the tee times they want are already taken. For golf courses, it’s difficulty re-booking tee times which are cancelled, especially last minute.

Houston, we have a problem.

Not so much, says Tim Ward, General Manager of Heron Glen Golf Course in Ringoes, New Jersey.

“We hear so often that golfers have to continuously check our website for open tee times, which is never fun,” he says. “That’s one reason why it was a no-brainer for our course to leverage the power of the Noteefy waitlist technology.”

Here’s the simplicity of Noteefy (pronounced “Notify”): Golfers input their playing preferences directly on Heron Glen’s website, then automatically receive text and

e-mail alerts when the tee times become available due to cancellations.

In its most understandable form, Noteefy is the OpenTable and Resy notification product for golf.

In the first six months of Heron Glen on the Noteefy platform, the municipal course operated by KemperSports re-captured a healthy amount of what would’ve been lost revenue due to cancellations.

KemperSports is so pumped with Noteefy’s results that it’s rolled out at more than 50 properties across the company’s portfolio. Its leadership is keenly aware that many courses suffer from up to 20% of all tee times falling victim to cancellation, causing loss of $100,000 or more annually no thanks to unfilled slots.

“What’s cool is that signing up to be on our tee time waitlist has taken off among not just millennials and Baby Boomers,

but golfers in their 70s and even 80s,” says Ward.

Now his staff lifts nary a finger trying to re-book tee times. No picking up the phone, no one-by-one e-mails, or texts. The power of Noteefy’s automation allows them to focus on guest experience tasks at hand.

Noteefy is making its way through New Jersey like wildfire. Company Founder and CEO Jake Gordon estimates more than 50% of the state’s public courses will put Noteefy in play, servicing more than two million golfers by the end of 2025.

Noteefy could be the greatest troubleshooter for golfers and golfers alike. New Jersey is much better for it.

For more information go to www. noteefy.com

Heron Glen GC

Cream Ridge Is A Must Play

By, Sean Fawcett

Everyone loves a good comeback story, and the comeback of Cream Ridge Golf Course is one of the very best in New Jersey Golf. A CORE GOLF property, Cream Ridge GC in Cream Ridge, near Allentown, offers a terrific, challenging and fun golf course with ultra-friendly customer service making for a memorable and enjoyable day on the course.

“ Cream Ridge Golf Course can be very challenging at times,” says Cream Ridge GC PGA Professional Kevin Figa. “ There are moments when you need to be aggressive and then times when you need to relax and be in control. If you can get past the first five holes with decent scores, you’re on your way to a good round.

One of my favorite holes is right out of the gate. A straightforward hole, with trouble left and right, The Par 5 First Hole is an excellent par five. Most of the time it’s a three-shot hole, unless you happen to bomb one down the middle with no fear keeping in the fairway. I recommend using a 3-wood or a rescue. A controlled 220 off the tee is perfect. If you manage to be in good position off the tee, your second shot is going to be a nice short iron focusing on hitting it at the 150 marker. This will leave you with another short iron shot to a green protected by water on the left. If you miss short or to the right side of the green, it’s okay. Hopefully you hit the green in regulation, make a 2-putt par and move on to the next hole.”

Holes 2, 3, 4 and 5 add to the exciting Beginning with No.2 and, maybe even more so No.4, both par 3s with water, grabbing your attention. Hole No.3, perhaps Cream Ridge’s Signature Hole, will test your nerve playing blind over a crest and then downhill to a small pond strategically situated about 250 yards from the tee box and right before the green. A lay up tee shot of not much more than 150 yards will set up for a short iron or wedge approach. You don’t really need, and I wouldn’t recommend, much more than that since the bottom half of the

fairway runs straight down to the water. Hit Driver, or stroke a tee shot of about 200 yards on the fly, and you’re likely going to be having to fish your ball right out of the H20.

Hole No.5, one of my personal favorite holes, tees up high from an elevated tee close by the 15th green over water with a sharp dogleg to the right. Long hitters who can play a fade, or especially a cut, can get close to the putting surface, or maybe even land it, making a look at eagle, and a chance for birdie, potentially possible. A well-hit, straight drive will likely run through the fairway, though, so make sure to curve your ball left-to-right, or hit 3-wood just to be safe.

The rest of the Track is just as much fun to play as its Start. Tricky, sloping greens on the 10th and 12th holes, both mediumsized par 4s, are highlights of Cream’s Back Nine. The par three 13th, which tees up downhill over water, and the par four 15th, with its fairway sloping severely downhill and from right-to-left, are fun and welldesigned. The par-5 Eighteen, meanwhile, which doglegs left to right around water with water just short and right of the green

is, in my opinion, one of the very best Finishing Holes you’ll find. If you go for the green in two, you have to miss left. You’ll have no chance hole high and right, and might only get lucky landing it dry short of the front.

Entering now its six season, after five full years of very successful upgrades and renovations, Cream Ridge is a fair, but challenging, and a sublimely scenic golf course that all players of all levels can play and will love coming back to over and over and over again. Together with its first-rate restaurant, The Roost, featuring traditional pub fare and up-scale entrees to satisfy every taste, Cream Ridge Golf Club really has it all

“Cream Ridge was a family built and run golf course and continues to be,” said Core Golf General Manager Bob Lowrie. “ Our top priority is to treat people like friends and have them just enjoy their time here.”

Job done.

Tee it high and let it fly at Cream Ridge GC today.

www.CreamRidgeGolfCourse.com

Industry Giant Troon Golf

Continues to Increase its Footprint in New Jersey.

By, JOHN TORSIELLO

You might say that Troon Golf Management gave birth to the term “country club for a day.” The company says its target audience is the traveling golfer accustomed to having a private club back home or just the average golfer seeking a better golf experience. That strategy says the company, has proven to be “prescient and profitable for decades to come, and all but created an entirely new golf course category: upscale daily fee”.

Troon is a leader in the golf course and private club management industry, claims the company, operating at 825 plus locations throughout the world. The company used its foundation in golf facility management to extend its vision beyond the golf course with a diverse portfolio that includes 12 distinct brands.

Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Troon maintains satellite offices in Alabama, California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Texas, Virginia, Washington and internationally.

Dana Garmany. with more than 40 years of industry experience developing and operating golf facilities worldwide, founded Troon in 1990, and today serves on the

Board of Directors, after his retirement as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. His leadership at Troon helped create a company that continues to lead and set standards for domestic and international daily fee, resort, and private golf courses.

Ryan Phelps, Vice President of Operations at Troon, said of the company’s mission statement, “Our approach is centered upon creating extraordinary guest and member experiences by delivering superior service, amenities and playing surfaces. In order to consistently achieve these results and maximize success for each client, we’re dedicated to hiring and training quality associates and providing an unparalleled depth of expertise from our team of corporate resources. When you combine these experienced resources with cost efficiencies through our procurement network and revenue generating power through proprietary strategies, Troon creates a winning formula for success that is cost neutral or accretive to the business’ bottom line.”

In addition to golf management, Troon specializes in the management of food and beverage operations, homeowner associations, private residence clubs, racquet courts,

lodging, aquatic centers, fitness centers, spas, marinas, and more. Supplementing the four primary brands that are focused on full club management (Troon Golf, Troon Privé, Troon International, Indigo Sports), we are also equipped with specialty brands to support all of our client’s needs. These include CADDIEMASTER, the world’s premier provider of caddie management services; True Club Solutions, offering solutions through a menu of customizable advisory services; Cliff Drysdale Tennis and Peter Burwash International, the leaders in tennis management for resorts and private clubs; Real Food, specializing in building guest and members experiences within the food and beverage industry; Casa Verde Golf, focused on golf course construction and renovation projects of all sizes and scope; and ICON, the leader in amenity and community association management services. “Troon currently has 23 properties in The Garden State and we are always looking to add to our family of clubs” said Phelps. “This past year, New Jersey was one of the largest areas of growth for Troon. Troon’s vision is to create unparalleled experiences fueled by a passion for enabling fun. Backed

up by some of our core values that include being consciously kind, infectiously energetic and relentlessly dedicated to name a few.”

Dave Wasenda, Founder and President of Applied Golf Management, based in New Jersey, spoke to the purchase recently of his company by Troon. “We could not have chosen a better organization than Troon to help carry on what we have built over the past 17 years,” said Wasenda. “With Troon’s resources, expertise and growing portfolio of managed properties; it is an exciting time for all of us to become part of the Troon family.”

Wasenda and other Applied Golf Management staff members have transitioned smoothly into Troon. “This is exciting because the Troon purchase allows us to offer additional superb services to our clients,” he said. “It really is a win-win for everyone. It allows us to continue and grow our legacy that we have established during the 17 years we have been in business. We had been approached by other firms but it didn’t seem like the right fit. Troon had everything we were looking for. They have superior senior management leadership,

they are an innovative company, and always put the client first.”

Here’s a brief look at some of Troon’s daily fee portfolio in New Jersey.

MORRIS COUNTY

Berkshire Valley Golf Course is located on 600 acres in the picturesque Highlands region of northern New Jersey. The 18-hole, par 71, 6,800-yard golf course presents unique challenges atop the ridge of Green Pond Mountain. The topography and spectacular views of this course make especially pleasing. It is considered a unique golfing experience and a “must-play” for every golfer. www.BerkshireValleyGC.com.

Flanders Valley Golf Club features two 18-hole layouts to choose from. The Blueto-White is a more traditional layout with very few grade changes and is a par-72, 6,417-yard course. The course is tree-lined on either side and extremely difficult to play in spots. The 379 yard par-four, fifth hole, is a slight dog leg left and is bordered by a pond on the entire left side of the fairway.

The Gold-to-Red, par 72, 6,429 -yard course has a hillier design and the 475-yard, par-four 16th hole may be the hardest of all 36 holes at the club due to the woods on

both sides and the varying conditions. The course garners four stars from Golf Digest’s “Best Places to Play,” and achieved recognition by the Zagat Golf Guide the past four years. Flanders Valley Golf Course was awarded the “Top 100 Must Play Courses” by Golf Styles Magazine, and the site of the USGA Eastern Regional Qualifying RoundWomen’s Public Links tournament. www. FlandersValleyGC.com.

Pinch Brook Golf Course is an executive length layout designed by the worldrenowned development firm, Rees Jones Inc, and offers the advantage for players who want to get on and off in less time than the championship-length courses. However, this shorter course is not short on challenges. The 190-yard, par-three sixth hole forces players to hit around a pond, mainly because it is shaped like the state of New Jersey. The par-65, 4,996-yard course gained three and a half stars from Golf Digest’s “Best Places to Play,” and “Top 100 Must Play Courses” by Golf Styles Magazine. Water hazards enhance the majority of holes, and elevated, undulating greens are sure to test the skill of the most seasoned golfer. www.PinchbrookGC.com

Sunset Valley Golf Course is regarded as one of the premier golf courses in New Jersey. It is consistently rated among the best Public Courses in New Jersey with four stars from Golf Digest’s “Best Place to Play,” and one of the “Top 100 Must Play Courses” by Golf Styles Magazine, and recipient of “Top Women-Friendly Courses Award” by Golf For Women magazine. Sunset Valley, designed by Hal Purdy, has a challenging design and fast greens. The course plays to a par of 70 and is 6,483 yards in length. The final three holes are among the best finishers n the state, according to many golfers. The 16th through 18th holes each present a challenge to even the expert golfer. The 16th is a 555-yard, par-five that goes uphill. The 17th and 18th holes are both par-fours and play 420 to 430 yards. www.SunsetValleyGC.com.

MIDDLESEX COUNTY

Meadows Golf Club boasts improvements made during the prior off-season. The greens staff has worked hard to improve golf course conditions by adding drainage to areas, working on the second hole tee box and cleaning-up various unsightly areas. The course has seen improvements on both the 5th and 12th fairways, the seventh hole tee complex and bunkers. Golfers will also notice the addition of out of bounds and hazard stakes throughout the course. www. MeadowsGolfLincolnPark.com.

Raritan Landing Golf Course is a 3,300yard, par-58, 18 hole track designed by Stephen Kay and opened on Oct. 1 1999.

It offers players a premium on shot making and accuracy, with small greens and narrow fairways. Raritan Landing provides a true test for all golfers despite its short length. www.MiddlesexCountyGolf.com

Tamarack Golf Club features two 18-hole championship golf courses designed by Hal Purdy. The East (Gold and Blue) course is a 6,226-yard, par-71 course and the West (Red and White) course is a 7,025-yard, par-72 course. Tamarack also has locker rooms, electric golf carts and a superb practice facility. The driving range features 34 stalls, five target greens, tees and tee pads. There are also two large putting greens. MiddlesexCountyGolf.com.

OTHERS

Cranbury Golf Club is a classic-style, 18-hole golf course featuring small undulating greens that are well bunkered. Built in 1964 by Gary Rhenn, but recently redesigned to include all new green-side bunkers, the course offers excellent playing conditions. Unique to Cranbury are the six par-threes. From the fourth hole, which plays to a yardage of 225 yards over water, to the 12th hole at 155 yards over the “Bog” players will find some of the best three shot holes in the area. Don’t let the par 70 deceive you because the course still plays well over 6,200 yards. www.CranburyGolf. com.

Fox Hollow Golf Club offers a challenging par-70 golf course with extensive practice facilities and a clubhouse that offers an elegant backdrop suitable for any special event or a casual drink or meal after your round. Fox Hollow was voted one of the top Northeast golf courses by readers of Garden State Golf. www.FoxHollow GC.com.

High Bridge Hills Golf Club is home to championship golf in the British-Irish tradition. The par-70, 6,500-yard course provides golfers an authentic true-links layout on spectacular terrain overlooking the scenic Spruce Run Reservoir. Elevation changes are aplenty, including the dramatic par-three 8th hole with a tee-to-green drop of nearly 100 feet over a natural gorge. www.HighbridgeHills.com.

Hyatt Hills Golf Complex is a golf haven with a nine-hole golf course featuring bentgrass tees, greens, and fairways, and bluegrass/fescue roughs. A putting and chipping area allow you to work on all short game shots. With a 50 station driving range, including 11 covered and heated, you can always work on your game. There’s also an 18-hole miniature golf course. www. HyattHills.com.

Royce Brook Golf Club has two championship golf courses. The East Course at

Royce Brook is open to both the public and members of the Club, and is rated “Four Stars” by Golf Digest’s Places to Play, and is rated as one of GolfWeek’s “Top 10 Golf Courses” among public courses in the state of New Jersey. Featuring a 6,946-yard, par-72, parkland-style layout, the course’s wetlands and wild native grasses intertwine with abundant wooded areas, traditional shallow bunkers, and wide fairways.

The West Course at Royce Brook is restricted to member play, and features a 7,158-yard, par-72, rugged links-style layout with open terrain, fescue grass, and dramatic bunkering style. The course is ranked among Golf Digest’s Top 20 Golf Courses in New Jersey, and has received the coveted “Four Stars” as well. www.RoyceBrook.com.

Seaview Golf Resort’s Pines Course opened in 1929 and was designed by William Flynn and Howard Toomey. Unlike the Resort’s Bay Course, the Pines winds its way through New Jersey woodlands, presenting elevation changes and bountiful doglegs. The course measures 6,800 yards, and it features large bunkers and expansive, sloping greens. The 16th hole was the site of Sam Snead’s miraculous 60-foot chip-in to win the 1942 PGA Championship, his first major.

The Bay Course opened in 1914 and

was designed by Hugh Wilson and Donald Ross. The 6,300-yard layout is less a test of length, and more a test of imagination, accuracy and short game. The Bay Course presents a Scottish-links feel, dramatic seaside views, deep pot bunkers and small undulating greens. It is the current host of the ShopRite LPGA Classic, as well as nine holes in the 1942 PGA Championship. www.SeaviewGolf.com.

Knob Hill Golf Club is one of New Jersey’s premier semi-private golf club and its members and the public an exceptional club experience. Knob Hill Golf Club is a Mark McCumber designed facility. It is McCumber’s first design in the Northeast. McCumber has reflected, “It is important to design a course that would showcase my talent in the Northeast. I am tickled about the way Knob Hill turned out.” www. KnobHillGolfClub.com.

Concordia Golf Club is a challenging 6,200-yard championship 18-hole course designed by Brian Ault and Tom Clark. Concordia boasts three sets of tees, a grass driving range, a practice putting green, a clubhouse, and a newly renovated restaurant. Accuracy and shot-making is a must at Concordia. www.ConcordiaGolfClub.com.

Chiang Mai Highlands Golf & Spa Resort

The Intersection of Golf and Pickleball Continues to Surge

While the skyrocketing growth of Pickleball is hard to quantify today, players from all walks of life and at every age are now playing the game, and many of the world’s most popular athletes and celebrities, such as Lebron James, Kevin Durant, Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes and Drew Brees, play the game and have assumed own ership stakes in professional teams that compete in Major League Pickleball.

Pickleball is an exciting sport that combines elements of Tennis, Badminton, and Ping Pong, and the recent growth numbers are staggering. Participation is not only surging, but the business side of pickleball is exploding, with TV rights deals, player salaries, endorsements, equipment inno vation, and facility development, among other sectors.

Moreover, the intersection of golf and pickleball is real, and as the popularity of the sport continues to rise, country clubs and golf resorts, as well as local munici palities across the country are building new courts and retrofitting tennis courts in record numbers. Additionally, based on consumer demand, pickleball programming for all ages and levels is being integrated into the line-up of racquet sports activities to complement golf programs.

The 71st PGA Show, which took place at Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL (Jan 24-26) brought together 30,000 golf industry professionals from 84 countries and all 50 U.S. states, includ ing more than 7,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals. This year, Pickleball enjoyed an expanded presence at the Show, highlighted by two full-size courts on the exhibit hall floor. Selkirk Sport, a leading brand at the forefront of Pickleball’s growth, hosted a series of exhibition matches and clinics with professional Pickleball play

Ron Jaworski’s Running Deer Golf Club to Host U.S.

Open Qualifier May 7th

Ron Jaworski’s Running Deer Golf Club has once again been selected by the United States Golf Association (USGA) to play host to a U.S. Open Qualifier on Tuesday, May 7, 2024. A field of 66 amateurs and professionals will be vying to advance a sectional qualifier, the final stage before qualifying for the 127th U.S. Open, which will be held May 30-June 2, 2024, at Pinehurst (NC) Resort and Country Club.

Running Deer is one of 109 local qualifying sites in 44 states and Canada. Only two other New Jersey clubs were selected to be Open qualifying sites this year, Fairmount CC in Chatham, and Crestmont CC in West Orange. This marks the second time that Running Deer has been selected by the USGA as an Open qualifying site, the previous occasion being in 2017.

Kansas and Gambia (Africa). The format is 18 holes of stroke play. Amateurs must have a handicap index of 0.4 or better in order to gain entry into the qualifier.

Several players with local ties will compete in the qualifier at Running Deer. The field includes players from all over the east coast from Florida to Connecticut and also includes entrants from Ohio, Michigan

“We are honored to have been selected by the USGA to host such a prestigious event leading up to the U.S. Open Championship,’ said Ron Jaworski, CEO of Ron Jaworski Golf. “We’re confident that the competitors will have a great experience here and will enjoy the challenge presented by Running Deer in their quest to qualify for the U.S. Open.

Located in Pittsgrove Township, Salem County, Running Deer Golf Club is an 18-hole, semi-private golf course that opened in 2000. Besides the championship caliber golf course, Running Deer Golf Club is also a popular and highly acclaimed venue for weddings, banquets, and dining. The club’s Seven Tap-Tavern restaurant features exceptional pub style fare and is also home to holiday special events.

About Ron Jaworski Golf

Ron Jaworski Golf owns and operates eight premier daily fee golf clubs in South Jersey and Pennsylvania: Blue Heron Pines Golf Club in Galloway, NJ, RiverWinds Golf & Tennis Club in West Deptford, NJ, Running Deer Golf Club in Pittsgrove Township, NJ, Valleybrook Country Club in Blackwood, NJ, Ramblewood Country Club in Mt. Laurel, NJ, Honey Run Golf Club in York, PA, Downingtown Country Club in Downingtown, PA, and Back Creek Golf Club in Middleton, DE. For more information, visit www.ronjaworskigolf.com

America’s Summer Golf Capital Teeing Up Spectacular Memories

Who would have thought that one of the most northern States in the USA would rank #5 in most courses per State! Only Florida, California, Texas and New York have more than Michigan! When it comes to summer golf seasons there are not many places in the USA that has a more desirable climate and world class golf than Northern Michigan.

Spanning approximately 60 miles from one end to the other and a driving time of approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes are 3 golf destinations, Traverse City, Boyne Golf and the Gaylord Golf Mecca, that make up America’s Summer Golf Capital

It is Northern Michigan’s premier golf experience, a collection of 8 resort properties representing 26 golf courses, designed by some of the world’s finest golf architects, including Nicklaus, Palmer, Player, Fazio, Smith, Matthews and Tom Weiskopf. We will give you a sampling of a few.

Flying or driving, getting here is easy. Traverse City a community connected by water and nature, on the south shore of

Grand Traverse Bay, part of Lake Michigan could be considered the gateway to the region. Its Cherry Capital Airport (TVC) has developed into one of the most welcoming boutique style Airports. The little airport that just keeps growing, today, welcomes nonstop flights from 20 cities across the United States.

You only have minutes to go from the airport in Traverse City to get to Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, one of Michigan’s premier golf resorts. At first site you will be awestruck by the golden Tower rising high above the lush surroundings of the resort, its three championship golf courses, views of Old Mission Peninsula and East Grand Traverse Bay.

The Bear was the only course we got to play on this visit. A Jack Nicklaus design, opened in 1985, year after year it continues to be ranked as one of the toughest in Michigan. Nasty Nicklaus as I like to call it, but still love it. Golf Digest had ranked the Bear as the 18th toughest in America!

The Wolverine a Gary Player’s signa-

ture course offers two very distinct nines. Much tamer than The Bear, the front nine is constructed on lowland terrain with water and wetlands. The back nine is constructed on highland terrain with hardwoods, rolling hills, and views of East Grand Traverse Bay. Spruce Run the Resort’s original resort course winds among rolling hills and large woodland trees that surround the Hotel.

Accommodations are a plenty at the Resort. Whether it be in the Hotel, the Tower, or a spacious condominium, you are sure to find a setting that provides comfort and ease.

Resort guests can enjoy the 100,000-square-foot Health Club featuring indoor and outdoor pools, cardio and weight rooms, plus indoor and outdoor tennis/pickleball courts. The Spa at Grand Traverse is a full-service spa, includes a head-to-toe list of services that will have you feeling refreshed.

For more information on Grand Traverse Resort: www.GrandTraverseReosrt.com

Approximately 45 minutes to the south

of Traverse City in a 1,500-acre Village setting you will find Crystal Mountain a 4-season family resort. One of Michigan’s most popular ski destinations, and for golfers, home to 2 exceptional and distinctly different golf courses.

The premier Mountain Ridge course, whose fairways are carved out of the majestic pines of northern Michigan, taking you from a valley setting to where you will enjoy panoramic vistas as you transition to the heights of the mountain. Fairways are generally wide and receptive, tightening as you climb. Considering the mountain setting greens are pure, not crazy with undulations.

The Betsie Valley Course with its recent renovation is more scenic and allows one greater opportunity for lower scores. Here you will find tree lined fairways, smaller greens are well protected by strategically placed bunkers and of course you are always distracted by the views. Located right out the Pro Shop door golfers are welcome to ride in a cart or walk Betsie Valley.

Both courses have received the prestigious 4-Star rating from Golf Digest Magazine, with Mountain Ridge playing host to the Michigan PGA Women’s Open for over 20 years.

The village of Crystal Mountain is designed as pedestrian and bicycle friendly. Park the car and forget about it! All

the different summer activities are within the 1500-acre property as are restaurants and shops.

The resort offers a variety of lodging options, from spacious townhomes at the top of the mountain, a cottage tucked away in the peaceful woods, or a cozy hotel room at the Inn at the Mountain. My personal favorite would be a cozy condo in the Scottish style castle, Kinlochen which just happens to be above the Golf Pro Shop, steps from the first tee of the Betsie Valley Course and the fine dining of The Thistle.

For more information about Crystal Mountain visit www.CrystalMountain.com

At the eastern end of the region is Gaylord,

MI, roughly one hour and 20 minutes from the Traverse City airport, approximately 3 hours north of Detroit and conveniently located off I-75. The Gaylord Golf Mecca (www.GaylordGolfMecca.com) is anchored by 2 resorts, Treetops Resort with 5 courses and Garland Lodge & Golf Resort with 4 of their own. The Mecca boasts 16 courses and 20 lodging partners. You can call it a town; some might like to refer to it as an Alpine Village. Not to be overlooked is the fantastic collection of 19th holes in downtown Gaylord. The Alpine Tavern & Eatery is a fun stop with great food too, or one of the local breweries – Big Buck Brewery and Snowbelt Brewing Co. both are 2 great hangouts for ales and a great meal. Mexican on your mind? Maybe a super sized margarita and delicious food, El Patron is right on the main street.

At Treetops , the Robert Trent Jones Sr. The Masterpiece the first course here and The Premier a Tom Fazio design were on our itinerary.

The Masterpiece : the most challenging and arguably the most unforgiving course at Treetops. Fairways weave you through natural beauty enhanced by elevation Treetops Resort, Threetops, 8th Hole

Grand Taverse Resort, Bear Course

changes and newly renovated bunkers. Keeping your tee balls in the center of the fairways is critical to a good round. Stray tee shots and you could find yourself in deep ravines or water hazards. Greens are fairly large and undulating, be prepared for mountain style drifts.

The Premier: As a fan of Fazio designed courses this was a little more to my liking with big wide rolling fairways, plenty of doglegs, risk reward holes and elevation changes to deal with as well. Greens are large and undulating to say the least. Some might be considered to have their own elevation changes.

Threetops: It is just something that you have to do at Treetops. It’s 9 of the most scenic and fun Par 3 holes that you may ever play. There is a reason why it is consistently rated as the #1 Par 3 Course in America.

At Treetops, everything is right there, from fine dining, a couple of Taverns and a Sports Bar with a sunset! There are accommodations to satisfy all, from hotel style at The Inn or Lodge, cottages, chalets and condominiums. www.TreeTops.com

You would not be the first to be mesmerized by the enormity of the log cabin style lodge at the Garland Lodge and Golf Resort, about 35 minutes south of Gaylord in Lewiston.

Set on a natural backdrop of 3,000 acres of unspoiled Michigan wilderness, Garland’s four world class courses all play out of one pro shop. Each course weaves through pristine terrain teeming with wildlife, rolling meadows, lakes, streams, mature hardwoods, and towering pines are the framework.

Two, of the 4 courses here challenged our skills, if we can call what we have skills.

Monarch Course: The longest at over 7,100 yards and arguably the most challenging. Fairways are lined by pine forests dissected with streams and dotted with ponds, small lakes and bunkers. Fear not the greens are large and not nearly as undulating as those in a mountain setting.

Fountains Course: With six par 3s, six par 4s, six par 5s, there is plenty of water in play. What would you expect with a name like Fountains! Beautiful and maybe the most fun to play. You won’t find much in the way of elevation changes on this course or any at Garland. The Fountains greens were large, undulating and plenty with double breaks.

Garland offers 3 primary refuelling options at the heart of the resort. The Tiki Bar with its large outdoor bar is a golfer’s favorite, just as you come off the course. Antlers Bar and Grill has that sports bar

feel and for some finer dining, Tamarack Dining Room.

The main lodge is a stunningly beautiful building that proudly hails as the largest log structure east of the Mississippi. In addition to guestrooms in the main lodge Garland offers a wide variety of villas and cottages throughout the property ensuring that accommodations are available to fit the needs of any guest or group. For more information: www.GolfGarland.com

You could consider Boyne Golf, the center piece of America’s Summer Golf Capital. It’s 10 courses and 3 resorts are located northwest of Gaylord (30 minutes) and depending which resort you are destined for at Boyne. From Traverse City, the most it would take you is about 1 hour and 10 minutes, to the northeast.

A smorgasbord of great courses. Minutes from what might be considered the main resort at Boyne, Boyne Mountain Resort you will find in a mountainside setting The Alpine and The Monument perfect to ease you into your Boyne Golf vacation.

The meat and potatoes of Boyne Golf is played out of The Highlands Resort about 20 minutes from the Boyne Mountain Resort in Harbour Springs. Two favorites we did not play on this trip:

The Heather: The 1st course at Boyne designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. in 1966. The Donald Ross Memorial: an unforgettable experience, playing 18 of Ross’s best-known holes from some of the most renowned courses in the world. The Moor: Parkland in style and with wider fairways more in the “fun” fashion of resort courses. One of the flatter layouts but it certainly makes up for the lack of elevation change with doglegs galore.

And here we played my favorite out of the Highlands: Arthur Hills encompasses everything that Northern Michigan golf has to offer, generous fairways winding through thick forest, a great selection of holes with plenty of sand and water to keep you on your toes throughout the round. Looking back, what you don’t forget here is your uphill climb from the 11th green to what could be the highest peak in the State. Boyne’s Mount Everest – the 13th tee and signature hole. It’s all down hill from here, in a good way! Guessing that it is at least a couple of hundred feet of drop. I liked this hole so much I played it twice, and talk about spectacular panoramic views! A fun Par 5, and yes even I was able to get there in 2, twice!!! The closer, 18, is the Monster at

577 yards. Big drive sets up a delicate second shot where you have a small lake and narrow landing area to flirt with. A long narrow green protected by large bunkers on the right and water to the left. Cold beer tastes mighty fine right about now.

The Boyne Highlands Resort partially ivy covered, reminiscent of an English country estate is certainly a most convenient place to stay with all the dining options you might want. Four of the 10 Boyne courses play out of Highlands, from the Lodge you can walk to The Heather, the Donald Ross Memorial Course. Arthur Hills and The Moor Course play out of clubhouse minutes away. Here you will also find a massive practice complex here to get you ready for your round.

The creme dela crème of Boyne Golf. Three very different nines designed by Arthur Hills play out of the Bay Harbor Golf Club. We played the Links / Quarry combination which might be considered the Pebble Beach of Northern Michigan. The Links is situated on the beautiful Lake Michigan shore, accented by towering bluffs, windblown dunes, with miles of uninterrupted views up and down the lakefront.

Golf, Bay Harbor Golf Club, Quarry Course

The Quarry epitomizes Arthur Hills’ unique ability to leverage existing terrain in the creation of something distinctive - and spectacular. Located in and around the remains of a massive shale quarry, this one-of-a-kind course claims some of the golfing world’s most dramatic features, from 40-foot gorges and stone cliffs to natural ponds and a gentle waterfall. www.BayHarborGolf.com

Only minutes away from the bay Harbor Golf Club on the shores of Lake Michigan is the spectacular Inn at Bay Harbor, an Autograph Collection Marriott Hotel with panoramic views overlooking the lake. There are not enough words that can do justice to this property or setting, from the oh so well-appointed rooms, suites and cottages, the fine dining, to the surrounding beauty. An experience unto itself.

For complete information on Boyne Golf: www.BOYNEGolf.com

For information on America’s Summer Golf Capital: www.AmericasSummerGolfCapital.com

Boyne

Golf Growth in Scotland Scotland’s Top 100 Courses – 2024

When the pandemic first hit, many foresaw a difficult path for golf. With the worst of that behind us we can reflect that the opposite was the case.

The numbers playing golf has increased and Scotland has shown particularly positive signs in terms of participation. And the golf tourism bounce-back.

While it may not be a result of this growth, the development of new courses in Scotland has certainly picked up the pace with three big developments underway (Trump Aberdeen, the Jack Nicklaus Stonehaven project and a Tom Doak course at Cabot Highlands) and more in the pipeline.

The Coul Links, not far from Royal Dornoch, looks like a possibility once again while Machrihanish Dunes is looking at a second course and a new hotel. These all emphasise the destination that Scotland has become and the level of golf and luxury that travellers desire. These new courses will not appear in this guide – not yet, at least –but our 2024 guide does include 100 exceptional courses*. Some are clustered together to the point they run into each other, while others sit miles from anywhere, clinging to a peninsula or tucked away on the islands that sprinkle the coastline like confetti.

Rich pickings are to be had and your toughest decision will be choosing where to start. Scotland boasts six excellent golfing regions. I have my favourites, just like any

golfer, but wherever I’ve played I have always been thrilled by the courses this country has to offer – indeed, many of them don’t even appear in this Top 100, emphasising the country’s quality in depth. Scotland is not only about golf. It is a stunningly beautiful place to spend time and explore, and it boasts a proud and rich history… and even richer whisky. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to combine all of these on one visit and sometimes on one course, so use this guide to map out the perfect golf trip. The people of Scotland will welcome you with open arms.

Click to view Scotland’s Top 100 Courses: https://joom.ag/PlAd EDITORS CHOICES 2024:

South West / Ayrshire: Irvine – Western Gailes – Kilmarnock Barassie – Prestwick. Islay: Machrie.

Perthshire & Hearthlands: The Dukes –Dumbarnie – Montrose – Forfar.

South East / East Lothian: Royal Musselburgh – Glen – Longniddry.

North East / Aberdeen: Trump International Aberdeen – Murcar.

Highlands / Inverness: Muir of Ord –James Braid Trail – Highlands Golf Escapes.

To view all of our Golf Guides, visit: www.destinationgolf.travel

Kevin Markham – Scotland Editor. Destination Golf Media Ltd.

Prestwick Golf Club

Trump Aberdeen

Argentario Offers Tempting Tuscan Fare Alongside Championship Golf With its ‘Farm to Table’ Half Board Package

The Argentario Golf & Wellness Resort, a 5-star destination in the Maremma, is offering tempting Tuscan fare alongside championship golf with its ‘Farm to Table’ Half Board Package, with prices starting at $449 for two people per night.

The half board option, which includes a daily 4-course dinner and buffet breakfast, gives golfers the chance to embark on a gastronomic journey that places emphasis on local cuisine made with organic produce from the Resort’s own vegetable garden and orchard, plus carefully selected seasonal specialities from local farms in the Maremma region. Many of the dishes, created by the Resort’s award-winning chef Emiliano Lombardelli, are unique to the Argentario kitchen, which prides itself on producing delicious, healthy dishes accompanied by wine from the region.

Golfers can enjoy 18 holes over the par 71, 6,218 metre course that features a front nine that weaves in and out of natural Mediterranean vegetation and ancient olive groves on the inward nine holes. Testament to its quality and its facilities, Argentario joined The PGA’s growing list of exceptional branded resorts as the ‘PGA National Italy’ in 2019 and earlier this year it was announced that the golf club would host the Italian Open on the DP World Tour in 2025.

In the evening, guests can indulge in Emiliano’s delicious dishes at the stylish Club

House Restaurant that overlooks the 9th green with views of the Orbetello Lagoon. Here each meal is begun with local homemade bread and the extra virgin spicy olive oil, made from fruit harvested from the ancient olive trees that line the Argentario golf course.

Some of the Club House Restaurant’s mouth-watering plates include traditional Roman pinsa with cured ham and organic mozzarella and roasted octopus as an antipasto, followed by pastas such as homemade green ravioli filled with pink shrimps in Mediterranean sauce and tortelli filled with ricotta cheese and chard in ragu Maremma style.

For the second course, one of the standout dishes is braised veal cheek in wine sauce accompanied by celery root. The gastronomic experience concludes with a choice of homemade desserts such as the Club House tiramisu.

“Our menus change in line with the seasons and according to the vegetables and aromatic herbs harvested in our vegetable garden. At Easter, for example, we will have asparagus, artichokes, courgettes and various types of aubergines that are paired with all our Mediterranean aromatic herbs including basil, thyme, parsley, sage and marjoram.

The package also includes an element of wellbeing as all guests have access to the 2,700 metre square spa and all its services and facilities, as well as the use of the golf driving

range, padel and tennis courts, mini football pitch and jogging paths around the property,

For those seeking an alternative dining option outside the Half Board package, the Resort is also home to the Dama Dama Restaurant. This fine-dining haven celebrates the fusion of traditional local ingredients with premium international products, including the likes of Tahitian vanilla and Sichuan pepper. Each dish is carefully presented in a creative and modern fashion, ensuring that the dining experience at the Dama Dama is a captivating journey through both the local terroir and cuisine; a sensory experience that excites the palate and takes you to the heart of gastronomic delight.

Argentario is the first 5-star Resort in Italy and one of the few Golf Resorts in Europe to belong to the golf portfolio of the largest and most prestigious hospitality group in the world, the Marriott International group. As a member of Marriott Bonvoy, guests benefit from a loyalty program that allows all travellers to collect points and transform them into benefits, free stays and much more.

Argentario is just 90 minutes by car from Rome Fiumicino Airport and two hours from Rome Ciampino Airport.

To book a Tuscan vacation, call the Resort on t: +39 0564 810292 or email: booking@argentarioresort.it

www.ArgenrarioResort.It.En

Brocket Hall, England

Offers ‘Stay & Play’ Golf Packages for 2024

With Spring in the air, one of England’s most complete golf destinations, Brocket Hall, has launched a selection of ‘stay & play’ golf packages for the 2024 season. The packages give golfers the option of playing one or two rounds of golf, choosing from the Melbourne and Palmerston courses, and the opportunity to stay overnight in the historic Melbourne Lodge. A full Traditional English breakfast, taken in The Melbourne Club, is of course included in all the packages with one-round, one-night packages starting from just (US$236) per person.

Lunch, before or after golf, and supper are additional and can be taken in the The Melbourne Club or the acclaimed fine-dining restaurant, Auberge du Lac, both conveniently located on the Hertfordshire estate. For those staying longer, there are further dining options at three excellent local pubs that offer food and refreshment within easy driving and walking distance of the estate.

“We are now fully geared up again to host visitors at Brocket Hall so we are looking forward to welcoming golfers to the estate. In addition to playing golf over our two parkland courses, the charm of the property’s characterful old buildings, the extensive picturesque grounds and the excellent food and wine at the Auberge du Lac make a ‘stay & play’ getaway here a really pleasurable and unforgettable experience,” comments Michael Longshaw,

Managing Director at Brocket Hall.

Opened in 1992, the golf club boasts two of England’s most picturesque courses, both appropriately named after two notable Prime Ministers who once resided at Brocket Hall, Lord Palmerston and Lord Melbourne. Both are quintessentially British by design, but at the same time offer a completely different challenge for golfers of all abilities.

The par 72 Melbourne Course, designed by former Ryder Cup golfers Clive Clark and Peter Alliss, was opened in 1992 whilst the more technically-demanding Palmerston Course, created by Donald Steel alongside Martin Ebert who managed the design detail and construction, was fully open in 2000.

With its stunning views over the property’s glorious stately home and lake which is straddled by a magnificent bridge, the Melbourne guarantees visitors a highly-enjoyable and memorable day. It crosses the River Lea on four occasions as it follows the natural contours of the estate grounds before finishing in front of the Hall after a short ferry ride to the 18th green.

In contrast the par 73 Palmerston suits golfers looking for a more strategic, challenging round of golf. Unlike the Melbourne, this tree-lined track does not feature the river at all. Instead, it meanders around the Capability Brown-inspired woodland of rare hornbeam, Scots and Corsican Pine, monkey puzzle and 500-year-old oak trees that create some spectacular hazards alongside the fiendishly-placed

bunkers and large undulating greens that ensure a true test of golf.

The golf club is in a massively advantageous position to other Hertfordshire courses as its two courses are generally open 365 days per year.

The history of the Brocket Hall is both complex and enchanting. The neo-classical stately home, established in 1760 and now available for exclusive hire, looks out over the Melbourne Course, a magnificent ornamental lake the iconic Paine Bridge which forms an integral part of the layout whilst the rest of the estate grounds and buildings are a delight to wander around.

Details of the ‘Stay & Play’ packages are: From Monday to Thursday

• 1 Night & 1 Round – From $236 pp

• 1 Night & 2 Rounds – From $354 pp

• Friday to Sunday

• 1 Night & 1 Round – From $273 pp

• 1 Night & 2 Rounds – From $428 pp

• 1 Night & 2 Rounds (Sunday Driver) –From $350 pp

For further information, please see www.brocket-hall.co.uk or for stay & play packages, please email golfevents@brocket- hall.co.uk or call +44 (0)1707 368700.

Brocket Hall Golf Club

CHASEGOLF

Custom Golf Trips to Europe

If you are looking for that European Golf Vacation and not where to start??? Read on.

CHASEGOLF was founded by Fanny and Joey Chase who met on the magical island of Bermuda 15 years ago. At the time Fanny was working at the Pompano Beach Club and Joey was renovating Port Royal Golf Course, a PGA Championship venue. Today, they bring a long-standing savoir-faire within the golf, travel, and hospitality industries in different capacities. Their experience in the field includes working at top luxury hotels, premier golf courses, travel agencies, and organizing major golf tournaments with golf institutions.

It is a golf tour, but they know it is so much more. At CHASEGOLF, they know it so much more than just a golf tour. They go

out of there way to combine the best golf and travel experiences on & off the greens in the British Isles and Continental Europe. Each trip is custom-made upon our clients’ preferences and requirements so they can relax and enjoy a stress-free vacation. We are masters at creating the best off-thebeaten-path adventures and love crafting atypical itineraries for couples, friends, and families, whether our clients are golfers or non-golfers.

They have been known to pour their hearts and souls into creating the most beautiful itineraries where every detail counts and everyone joining is excited. Visiting family in Italy and want to play some golf? We will organize it all, from transfers to hotels, from private sightseeing day trips to food and wine tours, from beach days to playing golf at the top courses in the country.

CHASEGOLF’s destinations include Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands (The), Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland). Trip arrangement services require a 5-night minimum stay.

Fanny Chase is a Certified Travel Coach by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) through the Travel Coach Network and a Certified Travel Associate (CTA) by the Travel Institute. CHASEGOLF is also a proud member of the IAGTO, the International Association of Golf Tour Operators.

To connect with Fanny Chase: info@chasegolftravel.com www.ChaseGolfTravel.com

Praia Del Rey, Spain