WINTER 2013/2014
page 4
w w w. N J G o l f N e w s . c o m
VOL 23, NO. 3
page 3
page 9
page 11
Great Golf Stories Inside… Advice from the Professionals on Ways to Keep Your Game in Shape During the Winter By Richard Skelly
Here in New Jersey, where generally we don’t have the luxury of a 12 months-a-year golf season like many southerners do, many weekend golfers complain it often takes them until mid-June to feel fully warmed up and back in the swing of things when the season starts up again in the Spring. We asked a few professionals what they do to keep their games in shape through the winter months, as well as their recommendations for the average weekend warrior. Frank Esposito, Monroe Township; Brooklake Country Club, Florham Park, NJ; winner of 2013 NJPGA Championship, NJSGA Championship and NJ Senior PGA Championship; [photo here] “I don’t have a house in Florida, but that doesn’t mean I don’t go down there,” said Frank Esposito, the 2013 NJ PGA Player of the Year (the fifth time he has reached this accomplishment). While raised in Old Bridge and originally from Staten Island, Esposito has the fortune of a good friend, North Jersey Country Club head professional Chris Dachisen, who does have a property in Florida, so Esposito tries to get down there for a month or so every winter. “But nowadays we have heated stalls and enclosed spaces on driving ranges, so you can get out and hit balls up here whether you are a professional or amateur,” he said. “I work on mental things and I’ll work on some posture and ball positions here and there, When I’m up here I go hit balls and have access to an indoor gym and so when
the spring season comes around, my muscles are ready to go, they’re toned and they haven’t been sitting around for months.” He continued, “Anything you do that’s golfrelated, like swinging a weighted club is fine. Because as you get a little older (Esposito is now a “senior” – in golf tournament terms, over 50), as I am now, you make some swings in the spring and you can hurt yourself. Just focus on keeping the golf muscles moving and loose.” “This year I’m going to Florida for a month and a half, starting in January. I do like to take some time off and everybody should do that. It’s nice to take the month of February away from golf and then, all of a sudden, you can’t wait to get back into it in March. Chris and his wife have been gracious enough to let me stay at their house with them,” Esposito said. “We
drink some wine, he sometimes plays his guitar in the evenings and it’s wonderful.” “Most weekend golfers don’t work too much on their putting, so that’s one thing they can do. I work on my putting in my basement, I’ve got that felt strip that I got for my kids and I’ll just putt toward the hole.” “Before I had access to a place in Florida, I did go hit balls in heated stalls for many years,” said Esposito, who honed his skills and his approach to competition at Glenwood Country Club in Old Bridge. “Personally, I make it a point to go to the gym throughout the calendar year to work on strengthening core muscles and maintaining my flexibility,” added Ray Bridy, another longtime PGA golf professional in New Jersey. “As I have gotten older, I have needed to focus more so on fitness to stay competitive with today’s younger and stronger players. I do what I can when the weather permits to get onto the golf course to keep my short game sharp. As far as swinging the club is concerned, I work with video cameras and mirrors to reinforce what I am working on. If weather permits, I try to incorporate anywhere from 3 to 9 holes of golf to stay focused on targets like fairways and greens.” For Bob Ross, the longtime head golf professional at Baltusrol GC, Springfield and now a semi-retired professional at Hawk Pointe Golf Club, a course he helped build, in Washington Township, Warren County, looks forward to getting to his house in Florida in the colder months. “Even before I was able to go to Florida, I’ve always done a lot of sit-ups, throughout my golfing life. And then I also do leg stretches continued on page 19
2
GTT
www.NJGolfnews.com | GOLFER’S TEE TIMES | www.passportnjgolf.com
golfer’s tee times
Winter 2013/Spring 2014
Letter from the Editor
Dear Readers: For many years, we have written about holiday gift ideas in our holiday issue—with the exception of last year when Hurricane Sandy swept away our year-end issue. Year after year, we tried to give you that “hot” new item on the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief..................................................................................Marian Castner golf scene, but this year, we decided Graphic Design........................................................................................................ Daria Little Senior Writers................................................................................ Richard Skelly & Tom Flynn enough is enough. We don’t always Contributing Writers............................................................... Sherry Major, John McGuinness, need the latest and greatest. We didn’t Eric Shendell, Andrea Stuart even include a “New Products” column Advertising.......................................................................... Marian Castner & Lowell Schmidt in this issue. We’ll save that for the Webmasters..................................................................................Dan Radcliffe & Kevin Caroll Spring issue and see what the 2014 Golfer’s Tee Times newspaper is published by Golfer’s Tee Times Media Group LLC PGA Merchandise Show has in store for 2013 Copyright - All Rights Reserved. the golf consumer next January. Visit us on our new website: www.njgolfnews.com Yet still the holidays and new year Office: Golfer’s Tee Times Media Group will soon be here, and we all need to PO Box 163, Marlboro, NJ 07746-0163 Phone: (732) 577-1995 Email: editor@njgolfnews.com shop for those golfers in our life, so here are some brief thoughts: Golfer’s Tee Times welcomes editorial ideas and submissions by writing or email. Golfers seem to have a habit of We assume no responsibility for unsolicited materials nor do we guarantee that work submitted wanting that new item that will help will be published. Editorial & advertising inquiries should be addressed to: improve their game, and even if they editor@njgolfnews.com won’t suddenly have their game transformed into the golf professional that they see on television, they’ll at least be able to beat their buddies out of a few dollars on any given Saturday morning or at a weekday league games. The golf companies are excited Email your information and it will be published. to constantly change their product Course, hole, club , date and witnessed by. lines, and come out with the latest and greatest innovations. Given our Email :editor@njgolfnews.com current economy, many consumers are sticking to more practical and economic choices. What you really need to know is that, when it comes down to getting golf equipment, it is Our Reviews Say it All a personal choice, which should be fitted individually by a professional. As a replacement, I would suggest getting a GIFT CERTIFICATE – it could be for lessons, a club fitting session, future green fees or other pro shop merchandise at a particular golf course or the club that the golfer frequents. This gift works for golfers of all ages from the junior to the senior golfer. Most courses and pro shops can easily handle this by phone or with a brief The Best Public Golf Experience in South Jersey visit to the shop.
Had any HOLE-IN-ONES ?
FREE GREENS FEE
just for joining our E-Club at www.tcgolflinks.com
Town & Country
★ ★ ★ ★ Best Places to Play Golf Digest Best of the Best in the Garden State New Jersey Golf Magazine Best Golf Course in Salem County 2003 - 2007 Salem County Chamber of Commerce
Judge for yourself... we think you’ll agree! Golf Outings & Corporate Gatherings • Practice Facility Membership Opportunities • Well-Appointed Clubhouse
4HE 0UBLIC #LUB WITH THE 0RIVATE %XPERIENCE Rte 40 • Woodstown, NJ • 1-856-769-8333 • www.tcgolflinks.com
There are hundreds of great gift ideas for golfers, and the prices can range from small stocking stuffers to some high-ticket items. If you know the person’s size, the golf shirt or shoes might work. If you know the type of ball they play, that is another alternative. What I don’t suggest is the latest 32-pack of balls from Costco or Sam’s Club, unless you know that the person you are buying for doesn’t care about the type of ball they are playing (if your person plays with any ball they find in the woods or lake, these might be perfect). You can do better at the Pro Shop or big-box stores. There really is a difference between the “hard-as-a rock” balls, and the softer core balls. Finally, I want to remind readers of a great small golf gift, that really keeps on “giving” throughout the year and that is the 2014 Passport to Golf. The best way to explain the book is that it is an “Entertainment Book” for Golfers. There are 50 courses alone in New Jersey where they can play and save, plus another 75 at Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, Delaware and Virginia courses. There are several NEW, POPULAR Courses in the 2014 book, plus you can’t beat the price (which includes free shipping). The full details are available on www.passportnjgolf. com, or as a Golfer’s Tee Times reader, call our office (732)577-1995 and ask about our group specials. Again, I want to thank everyone for their support of our publication, and we look forward to returning in the Spring of 2014, with all new coverage that interests our golfers. Happy holidays! Marian Castner, Publisher/ Editor-in-chief Also online at: www.njgolfnews.com Send stories/comments and pictures to: editor@njgolfnews.com
GOLF
IN NEW JERSEY JUST GOT
BETTER! NJGOLFNEWS.COM Local Golf Stories & Events-PGA News & Reviews Amateur & Junior Golf News-Golf Instruction New Products & Book Reviews-Golf Travel Tips Golf Course Directory- Golfers Tee Times Issue & More! www.njgolfnews.com
I www.passportnjgolf.com
Winter 2013/Spring 2014
www.NJGolfnews.com | GOLFER’S TEE TIMES | www.passportnjgolf.com
3
Two NJ Golf Professionals win national recognition awards By Richard J Skelly
For a PGA Section to have one national award winner in a year is quite an honor, but this year, not one, but two of New Jersey’s finest golf professionals were bestowed national honors for their contributions to the golf industry. Scott Paris, director of golf at Plainfield Country Club won the Merchandiser of the Year (Private) honor, while Dan Pasternak, chief of operations and director of golf at the Panther Valley Golf & Country Club in Allamuchy, NJ, won the Bill Strausbaugh Award for his involvement in mentoring other professionals on a multitude of levels. They were chosen from an outstanding pool of candidates from the over 27,500 PGA club professionals and assistant professionals around the U.S. The two join an elite group of past and present New Jersey Section PGA Professionals who have also won National Awards -- Doug Steffen (Merchandiser of the Year. 2007), David Glenz (Teacher of the Year, 1998), Greg Lecker (Merchandiser of the Year, 2009) and Wayne Warms (Junior Golf Leader, 1995). It is the first time that someone in the NJ Section has won the Strausbaugh Award. “This is something that’s built up over time, and we didn’t win this in just one year,” said Paris at his pro shop office recently. “We’ve gotten better and better at what we do, and it’s really a reflection on my current assistant professionals and my merchandiser, Kristen Marra,” Paris continued. “She is fantastic, creative and incredible when it comes to customer service. I guess people noticed.” Marra has only been in Paris’ shop at Plainfield for a year, and he also equally acknowledged the contributions by her predecessor, Melissa Ruf. “They both have a great understanding of what our membership and guests want to see in the shop, and really go above and beyond when it comes to service,” Paris explained. Given the realities of an economy still emerging from a recession, Hurricanes Irene and Sandy striking havoc on our area, and the “big-box” stores, like Sports Authority and Dick’s Sporting Goods, who can carry a wider spectrum of golf equipment and buy goods in much greater quantities than the typical pro shop, how does Paris and his team at Plainfield do it? “I think comes down to really understanding our members and our guests,” he said. “When it comes to selling equipment, obviously we’re competing with the big box stores and the Internet, but we’ve worked hard to create loyalty with our membership and they’re incredibly supportive of me and my staff.” Paris said his background in club making and club fitting back home in Connecticut, where he took his first job in the golf business working for club
maker John Wheatley, has been useful at Plainfield. “A lot of what we do is club fitting and having a lot of demo clubs that
members and guests can try out,” he said, noting they’ve also added videos attached to e-mails sent out to membership. “Some of them are humorous and others are merchandise-related; we’ve covered everything from rules to merchandise information to ‘What’s in the golf bag’ type stuff,” he said. Paris credits “an amazing membership of 330 members at Plainfield Country Club, who are just so supportive of the pro shop, and staff.” Paris, raised in Avon, Ct., was hired as their head golf professional at Plainfield in 1997. Before that, he was an PGA assistant professional at Aronimink Golf Club for four years. Currently serves as vice-president of the NJPGA, and sits on the NJ Golf Foundation board. He will take over the presidency of the NJPGA next fall. Paris majored in Management at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania and worked at Hartford Golf Club in the bag room and in pro shop operations after getting out of college. He and his wife, Rachel, live in Westfield, N.J., and are parents of a son, Jack, and twins, Kate and Will. He was also recently named the winner of the prestigious 2013 Golf Professional of the Year award from the NJ PGA. When asked some of the biggest lessons he has learned over his past sixteen seasons at Plainfield, Paris explained, “You have to manage your time and know what’s coming at you. The longer I’ve been here, the more I know what to expect. We try very hard to objectively evaluate the programs we run and every year we step back and try to identify areas where we can get better,” Every year we try some new things and new programs. We work very hard to make everyone want to come back and play golf here again.” While the personalities of the mildmannered Paris and more gregarious Dan Pasternak might be contrasting,
both share a strong passion for the game and its furthering its growth. Pasternak said his understanding of the Bill Strausbaugh Award is that “the award is for service to the New Jersey section and to the national PGA and for mentoring and helping fellow professionals with their employment situations, and also for contributions to charity and community relations work.” “In the section I’ve won this award four times, but this is the first time I’m being nationally recognized,” Pasternak explained. Pasternak is a founding trustee of the New Jersey Golf Foundation, the charitable arm of the state PGA, which this year put about 125,000 children through one of its golf programs. He’s also been actively involved in Special Olympics NJ, serving on the tournament committee for the Higgins Classic, a fundraiser for that organization, for the last 10 years. Pasternak is both Director of Golf and Managing Director at Panther Valley, two busy positions that could easily be overwhelming for someone to handle without a strong support group. He cited his assistant golf professional, Bucky Kavanagh, who has worked at the club since 1970, for being a big part of his success there. There are 425 individual and family members at Panther Valley. “It’s a nice feather in the cap for the New Jersey section, to have two
national award winners. I’m the first from New Jersey to receive this award. In November, I’ll be officially sworn in as the director of District Two, which comprises the Philadelphia, New Jersey and Metropolitan PGA sections. I have not been given a committee assignment yet, so I’m not sure what I’ll be doing, other than with being a director, where you’re involved in all the decision making and policy making for the national PGA board.” In this capacity, Pasternak will be the local liaison to the National PGA Board, for members of Philadelphia Golf Association, the NJ PGA and the
Metropolitan NY sections of the PGA. Pasternak has mentored several golf professionals who have since gone on to become head professionals themselves including Dan McCarthy, who went on to be head professional at Springdale Golf Club in Princeton for a number of years; Mike Turner at Maplewood Country Club; Brad Olson, the new head professional at Rumson Country Club and Brian Gaffney, who is leaving Rumson to take over the reins at Quaker Ridge Country Club in Westchester. “I’m also involved in helping people find jobs,” he said. He’s been involved on the NJ PGA employment committee for 11 years. “I help people with their résumés and part of it is putting young professionals through practice interviews,” he explained. “Head professional interviews are different. You’re usually interviewing in front of a eight or nine or 12-person committee, so that’s really speaking in front of a group of people, and that’s a skill that people need to develop,” he noted. “Anybody can learn how to speak in front of small groups effectively, as long as the preparation is right. When these young professionals first took up golf they had to learn how to play golf; learning how to speak in front of a group of people, you’re helping the next generation of professionals get better at it.” Born in Middletown, N.J., Pasternak attended Rowan University in Glassboro, N.J., where he was the Most Valuable Player on the men’s golf team in 1988, before graduating in 1990. He turned professional in 1991, and was elected to PGA membership in 1996. He currently lives in Morristown, NJ, with his wife, Courtney and two young sons. Bill Strausbaugh, who the award is named after, came from Maryland, and passed away in 1999. He won national recognition from the PGA of America for mentoring on three separate occasions. After he passed, they named the award in his honor. “One really nice thing that happened to me in receiving this national award was, Kathy Jordan, Mickey Gallagher’s sister, was kind enough to send me a DVD video on the career of Bill Strausbaugh,” Pasternak continued. “After watching the video about this man, you really feel pretty insignificant in comparison. It’s great to receive an honor in his name. It’s very humbling.” Pasternak will receive his award at the 2014 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando next January. Paris will receive his award in a separate ceremony along with the other two national Merchandisers of the Year (Public and Resort) winners the week prior to the PGA Show.
4
www.NJGolfnews.com | GOLFER’S TEE TIMES | www.passportnjgolf.com
Winter 2013/Spring 2014
Team from New Jersey Victorious at the USGA Women’s State Team Championship By Tom Flynn and Marian Castner
What happens when you bring together a former LPGA player and two talented teenage golfers and send them to the USGA’s biennial Women’s State Team Championship? The answer is an awesome first-time victory by the team from New Jersey at the three-day event held at the par-73, 6,153-yard South Course of the NCR Country Club, outside of Dayton, Ohio. For the two teenagers, Alice Chen and Cindy Ha, both 17, they considered playing in the championship a “fun experience,” but for former LPGA member and playing captain, Tara Fleming, 46, of Jersey City, “it was the experience of a lifetime.” Chen, a high school senior at Montgomery High School in Princeton, who plays out of Neshanic Valley Golf Course, tied the championship’s 18-,36-and 54hole scoring records, leading the team to a 54-score total of 8-over 446, three strokes better than the team from Florida. Chen was already having an outstanding 2013 season, winning both the New Jersey Women’s Amateur and NJSGA Junior Girls Championship, along with the New Jersey high school championship. She won the American Junior Golf Association’s Lessings’s AGJA Classic, competed in this year’s U.S. Girls Junior and the U.S. Women’s Public Links. She was featured in the October 7th issue of Sports Illustrated, in the Face in the Crowd segment. She will attend Furman University, starting next year. Ha, who lives in Demarest, is committed to attend Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN, starting in the Fall of 2014. She was a member of last year’s MGA French-American Challenge Team, and this summer, competed with Alexis Hios (a member of the State team from New York) and Chen in the U.S. Girls Junior and U.S. Women’s Public Links. She was the only member of New Jersey’s 2011 squad, which finished in seventh place, to return to the team competition. Fleming, who played on the LPGA Tour, regained her amateur status in 1999, but did not chose to compete actively again until last year. She was a semifinalist at this year’s New Jersey Women’s Amateur, and advanced to the Round of 32 at the recent 2013 U.S Women’s Mid-Amateur. “I never dreamed this could happen to me. I can’t begin to tell you what winning a USGA championship means to me,” added Fleming during a telephone interview following the championship. She was excited with the team’s victory, and playing at the USGA Mid-Amateur again this year. The USGA, which is based in Far Hills, conducts the Women’s State Team Championship every other odd year – alternating with the Men’s State Team Championship. Last year’s Men’s State Team Championship was played at Galloway National Golf Club in Absecon, NJ. In all, 52 “states” sent teams of three players, including teams from the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. In New Jersey, the team
is chosen and sponsored by the New Jersey State Golf Association. The unusual makeup of the team, two collegebound teenagers and a seasoned veteran worked out extremely well. Chen said team worked closely together, playing a practice round early in the week, followed by a steak dinner and eating ice cream together. “We bonded. We had dinner together. We practiced together. We spent time together.”
“Tara couldn’t have been a better captain,” Ha added. The girls also practiced at New Jersey National Golf Club prior to heading out to Ohio. Fleming laughed at the idea of being a “mother hen leading little chicks around.” Instead she picked up on the same words the teenagers had used. “These girls may be young but they really know the game. I think people may have underestimated their maturity. They really played well.” “The recurring theme of “fun” actually came from me. I told the team, that the team that has the most fun wins and they took it to heart. Their mentioning of “fun” should not be construed as if the championship had less meaning to them. It was just our theme of the week - I didn’t want the team to think about winning or over-taking another team. I just wanted everyone to have a good time,” Fleming added. Fleming, who was born in Toronto Canada, moved to Houston at the age of 10 and then played her college golf at the University of New Mexico. However, it was her allegiance to New Jersey that she showed, when receiving the Judy Bell Trophy. “We are proud to be bringing this trophy to New
Jersey; home to this team and the USGA”. Individually each made significant contributions to the team victory. Chen was probably the star of the team shooting a 67 on the second day while playing in a threesome against players from South Carolina and Minnesota. “We never felt any pressure,” she said, then adding, “I putted very well that day.” Her round included an eagle on the 16th hole, on which she made a 50-foot putt. Her scores of 72, 67 and74 gave her a 213 total, and tied her for medalist honors with Bryana Nguyen, also 17, of Maryland. Ha made her biggest contribution on the back nine during the final day playing with players from Florida and Arizona After shooting 40 on the front side, she came in with a 34 on the back including a hole-out from the bunker on the 15th hole, followed by a birdie and two pars to wrap up the victory. She was happy to recall, “I really put things together on the back nine.” There were a couple of interesting sidebars to the team makeup and the tournament. Chen won the state women’s amateur title by beating Alexandra Hershberger in the final round, 6-4. Fleming reached the semi-final round before losing to Hershberger, who also defeated Ha in the round of 16. In early October, Fleming advanced to the round of 32 at the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship in Ashville, NC, where Megan Stasi, was the defending champion and a four-time midam winner. Stasi was a member of the Florida team, which finished three strokes behind the New Jersey
team, and gave them some pressure during the final round. She made it to the semifinals of this year’s mid-am championship. “We knew we were sending our best team,” added NJSGA team advisor Colleen Luker at the NJSGA Annual Meeting. “We are very proud of these girls and look forward to honoring them at the NJPGA/NJSGA Celebration of Golf dinner at Trump National-Bedminster at the end of October.”
Winter 2013/Spring 2014
www.NJGolfnews.com | GOLFER’S TEE TIMES | www.passportnjgolf.com
5
2014 Passport to Golf Play, Save, and Have Fun You might be used to playing the same handful of golf courses, or perhaps, playing the same golf course week after week, sometimes even with the same three golfing buddies. We’ve all heard the expression, ‘variety is the spice of life.’ Well, here’s an opportunity to enjoy time on the golf course with those same buddies, or even a chance to meet a few new ones. That’s where Passport to NJ Golf comes in. Our motto is simple, PLAY MORE, FORE LESS. It’s all very easy and doesn’t involve running to your computer to catch that one discounted tee time that might or might not be available. Your purchase of the 2014 Passport – is minimal and will be the “Easiest Passport You’ve Ever Gotten.” Yes, that’s right --no passport pictures, no applications, no hidden fees. This book allows golfers to pay one up front amount per book (1 book $39.95, 2 books $85, 3 books $99, 4 books $125) and then be eligible for greatly reduced greens fees at a network of more than 125 courses. And these courses go well beyond the borders of the Garden State, a great savings for those who like to arrange a longer ride, a weekend or late week two-and-three-day golf getaways. For this great price, you get something that no other book offers – 15 months of deals! So the 2014 Passport will be filled with deals that are good from 1/1/143/31/2015. It’s easy to use- no internet access needed to make a reservation, no emails coming about the latest deal, no activation required – it’s easy for OUR READERS. Finally, if you play with a larger group (6 or more), give me us a call at (732) 5771995 to discuss our group sales pricing.
More information or to purchase online: www.passportnjgolf.com **Note for Readers: Any orders placed before November 30th, will receive an additional copy of the current 2013 Passport with deals good thru 3/31/14.
Your whole family will fall in love with Forsgate Country Club!
36 holes of lf! award-winning go
Aquatics Cen ter
nks Course The Legendary Ba
Join New Jersey’s premier family club! The family that plays together, stays together. That’s why you should consider membership at Forsgate Country Club, the area’s premiere family club. It’s a health club, swim club, dining club, social club, and golf club all wrapped up into one incredible value. It will be your family’s home away from home. • 36 holes of award-winning golf including the legendary Banks Course • Fine and casual dining
• Year-round family and adult events • Minimal monthly payment option • Special pricing on all memberships
For membership information contact Membership Sales Manager Henry DeBianchi at 732-656-8933 or Hdebianchi@forsgatecc.com Make Forsgate your home away from home and experience what many of your neighbors already know… its always great at the Gate… Forsgate Country Club! *For new members only. Application fee, first and last months dues required at signing.
F O R S G AT E D R I V E
AT
Fitness & Tennis
Forsgate
e
Clubhous
Family fun for every one!
Act Now!
Special Limited Time Offer*
Join now for 2014, and receive several valuable extras at no cost including golf and health & fitness clinics for the entire family.
Plus experience the rest of 2013 at no cost!
Official Country Club of Rutgers University
Ask about our special memberships for Rutgers Alumni.
E X I T 8 A , N J T P K . • M O N R O E T W P. , N J •
W W W. F O R S G AT E C C . C O M
6
By Richard Skelly
www.NJGolfnews.com | GOLFER’S TEE TIMES | www.passportnjgolf.com
Winter 2013/Spring 2014
Trenton Country Club Discovers Its Original Architect
It figures that a former American history school teacher and internet expert who knows his way around dozens of history-related websites would be the one to discover who the real architect at Trenton Country Club was. This storied club with a friendly, laid-back membership dates back to 1897. In an area of eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey filled with classic, historic courses, John Burnes of Yardley, Pa. thought it odd when he joined Trenton Country Club in 2010 that no one knew who the architect was. This classic track in West Trenton, near the Delaware River, measures 6,358 yards from the tips. It sports several memorable par 3’s, has characterfilled putting greens with subtle breaks, natural rolling hills, plenty of water hazards and runs alongside the historic Delaware and Raritan Canal. “I love golf and I love history, so it all came together,” said Burnes, who holds two Master’s degrees, on the club’s patio on a recent sunny afternoon in early October. Immediately after arriving “on campus” here, he asked members who’d been here for many years about who the architect was. No one knew. Nor could they think of anyone who might know. “After about two years of research, I discovered who the original architect was. That spurred my interest in early American golf history,” Burnes explained, noting his research journey began in the Trenton city library and the New Jersey State Library on West State Street, next to the New Jersey Statehouse. His research voyage also took him to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Using microfilm, microfiche and later, history-related internet websites that contained
old newspapers from the Trenton area – a big time saver -- Burnes discovered the course was founded in October, 1897. By 1899 it had 9 holes ready for play by members. Burnes found that James H. Norton, a native of Ayrshire, Scotland, arrived at the Lawrenceville School from New England in 1906 as a golf coach. Later that year, Norton was hired by industrialist A.D. Forst, a founder of the club, to work as a golf professional at Trenton. Burnes found the original letter offering Norton employment there, which makes mention of sales of golf clubs he made as part of his remuneration. As a head professional for ten years until 1916, Norton wore many hats: golf club maker, maintenance supervisor, course designer for an expansion of another 9 holes, course designer in reshaping the original 9 holes, expert golfer, and teacher of golf. He probably wore another hat as membership director as
well, given that people curious about taking up golf couldn’t just go to the store and buy a set of golf clubs in those days. For seven years, Burnes -- since appointed club historian at Trenton CC --taught history in Valley Forge, Pa. middle schools, before going back to graduate school and becoming an IT [computer technology and networking] consultant. One early member in 1910 was Woodrow Wilson of Princeton. Wilson found out he’d won the governorship of New Jersey after putting out on the
the D&R Canal, which was built to ferry goods from New Brunswick to Trenton and vice-versa, via mule barges, in 1834. *Other golf courses that Norton had a role in designing include, Glen Ridge Golf Club near Montclair, the Lawrenceville School golf course in Lawrenceville, outside Trenton, and Hollywood and Deal Golf Clubs, both near Asbury Park. *Norton named each of the original 9 holes at Trenton CC, “a very Scottish thing to do,” Burnes said. *Aerial photos of the track from 1927-28 reveal that what is now the 5th green at Trenton Country Club was originally rectangular in shape, something Burnes has been working on restoring some original holes with the club’s greens committee. The course layout of 18 holes was rerouted several times, and Burnes, naturally, is advocating restoring the course’s original 18 hole routing. *Woodrow Wilson was a fan of winter golf. In the winter, he’d use red golf balls to more easily find his balls in patches of snow. *An astute woman at the Lawrenceville School sent Burnes a copy of Norton’s letter of employment for Trenton CC, dated 1906.
4th green. Happily, fellow members waited for him to putt out before sharing the good news. By 1913, in a much higher profile role as President of the United States, Wilson maintained his passion for golf. Newspaper photographs of him golfing spurred interest in the sport, and a boom in course construction around the U.S. After World War I ended, the 1920’s ushered in the golden era of golf course construction, which slowed a bit with the Great Depression of the early 1930’s, but continued in wealthy suburbs outside major cities around the U.S. “From a golf context, once Woodrow Wilson is in office, the game explodes to well over 3,000 golf courses being built,” Burnes noted. “Wilson played a big role in golf’s growth in America. Ultimately, so did Trenton Country Club,” he argues. Burnes related some interesting facts about Trenton Country Club. From day one, women were welcome as members here, unlike every other course in the United States at that time. Norton established handicaps for the holes at the club, years before the USGA handicap system came into common use, rank-ordering the par 5’s as far and away the toughest holes, given that guttapercha balls didn’t fly very far in those days.As a player, Norton set the original 9-hole course record and also qualified for the 1916 U.S. Open. Norton played a lot with J.J. McDermott of West Philadelphia, who was the first American to win the U.S. Open in 1916. McDermott is still the record holder as the youngest person to win the national championship as a 19-year-old. He became professional at Atlantic City Country Club. Burnes related some other interesting facts about James H. Norton and Trenton Country Club: *By 1916, when McDermott is the first American to win the U.S. Open, adjacent land had been purchased and the course was expanded to 18 holes. Some of these holes are on the other side of
*Trenton Country Club’s original clubhouse structure dates back to 1808, making it by far and away one of the oldest clubhouses in America. *In the 1920’s, after Norton had left to build more golf courses in the Midwest, the club hired George Milne, a greens builder for A.W. Tillinghast. Milne worked with a dentist at Maplewood Country Club to create the first prototype golf tees. Once they began mass producing the golf tees, they got people like Harry Vardon to play them and leave them on the tees, so gallery members would often scramble to pick them up, ushering in an era of mass acceptance of golf tees made of inexpensive pine wood. In the 1960’s George Milne’s son, Denny Milne, took over as head golf professional at Trenton Country Club, and together, the fatherson team have served over 70 years at the facility. Denny Milne will retire at the end of this year. “Back in those days, if you were a golf pro,” Burnes explained, “you made golf clubs, you designed golf courses, you often had a role in maintaining them, you talked golf and you were expected to play golf very well, too.” For his next project, Burnes is working on a book about Johnny McDermott, who grew up in West Philadelphia a few blocks from where Burnes was raised, and first American U.S. Open winner at 19, in 1916. Pictures courtesy of Richard J Skelly
Play Golf and SAVE MONEY www.passportnjgolf.com
Winter 2013/Spring 2014
www.NJGolfnews.com | GOLFER’S TEE TIMES | www.passportnjgolf.com
7
Amputees Making Golf More than Just a Game – It’s Therapy and Beyond By Tom Flynn
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary as the small crowd gathered on the first tee with the usual chatter among golfers getting ready to tee-off. There were a few wisecracks about diminishing hairlines and expanding waistlines. Scattered comments referring to phony handicaps and faked injuries, with the usual plea for more strokes in the upcoming match. It’s become such a ritual that it could be happening on any given day at any course. Except for one thing—these golfers are all amputees. Some have only one leg. Some have only one arm. Some are even double amputees. It doesn’t matter. The needling is the same, the jokes are same. Even the comments about handicaps, golf handicaps, that is, are the same. It’s all part of the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center Next Step Golf Clinic, which helps expand the walls of the therapy, and encourages the veterans to get involved in the community. The Event is held at Pitman Golf Course in Sewell, NJ. There is a ninehole tournament which attracted close to 20 amputees. It was a rather warm day, yet each man was wearing shorts and a golf shirt, showing to the world their prosthesis. There is no embarrassment or shyness among these men. Each foursome is accompanied by a golf professional, who wears long trousers. Some of them are retired and some still active, devoting time to helping beginners. The foursomes also included a few elected officials and some friends. Tim Piper is a great example of how the program helped turn his life around. A former Marine, he was in Iraq in 1994, after Dessert Storm, working on restoring light, power and water for the bombed out inner cities, when his left leg was crushed by a piece of heavy duty equipment The leg was so badly mangled that the doctors decided not to operate. “I was in constant pain for twelve years until the doctors cut off the leg,” he says calmly. That left him on crutches and doctors determined that his mangled nerve endings and the twisted muscle were too severe, so an artificial leg was not a choice. The first time he tried to play golf was a triumph although he admits, “Sometimes, I fell on my ass when I tried to swing.” What did he do next? “Well, I got up and took another swing. What did you expect?” Piper interjects. Quitting is not in Piper’s vocabulary.
Finally he met Tom Rayer, a representative of Prosthetic Innovations. They
worked together and finally in 2012, he threw away his crutches and used a prosthesis for first time. “You can’t know what it means to me. I missed so much with my wife and kids. She kept the family together,” he says. For years, Piper needed to spend a lot of time in their home in Millville. “Now I can get out more. Maybe I can get a job and play golf with my friends. Do you know what I’d really like to do?” he asks. “I’d like to get good enough to help some younger handicapped person get his life together.” And Piper isn’t the only one that the program has helped. There’s John O’Brien, a former U.S. Marine pilot, who was pinned inside his plane in a training exercise in North Carolina that caused an explosion, costing him his left leg and left arm. Today, he hits the ball long and straight off the tee. There’s Chris Novak, a former Marine and South Jersey resident who now works and lives in Washington D.C., where he serves as a lobbyist for the VA’s sports programs. He lost a leg in a training exercise that used live ammunition. He took up golf afterwards although he had not played before. “I found it a way to regain normalcy. Unfortunately I’m not very good at it because I don’t have enough time to play more.” But he persists because he sees the benefits of staying active and involved. The level of play varies, with the professionals carrying much of the playing load. Some of the better players will generally join the Eastern Amputee Golf Association (EAGA) with headquarters in Bethlehem, Pa. Bob Buck, President of the EAGA is also an amputee, having lost his right leg in an automobile accident 44 years ago, is also a strong supporter of the VA program that gets amputees back in circulation through golf and other sports programs. Happily, he points out that the 2012 EAGA champion was Ken Buntz, a Farmingdale N.J. resident. Buck knows how important these outings are to those involved. We all enjoy the game of golf – sometime more on some days than others, but these golfers not only enjoy the game – they need it, and we need them in the game. This is truly an area where golf goes beyond the course, it becomes a part of survival. Courtesy of the: Philadelphia VA Medical Center, Office of Public Affairs Photo: Chuck Maxwell
8
www.NJGolfnews.com | GOLFER’S TEE TIMES | www.passportnjgolf.com
Winter 2013/Spring 2014
Winning Team Play is in the Spotlight at 2013 Special Olympics North America Golf Invitational Tournament Special Olympics golfers celebrated with medals, smiles and high fives, marking the culmination of three days of golf competition at the 14th annual Special Olympics North America Golf Invitational Tournament at the Stockton Seaview Hotel & Golf Club in Galloway, N.J., Oct. 18-20, 2013. A field of 176 golfers from 23 programs representing the United States and Canada competed in one of five levels of competition - individual skills (Level I), 9- and 18-hole alternate shot team play (Levels II & III), and 9- and 18-hole individual stroke play (Levels IV & V). From Individual Skills, where John Burkarth of Herndon, Va., won the gold medal for scoring 209 points in six golf skills events, to returning gold medalist Scott Rohrer, of York, S.C., who shot the tournament low 54-hole round of 81-80-81—242 on the par-71 Bay Course for first place in the 18-hole individual competition, the national tournament was overflowing with personal best scores, dogged determination through challenging conditions and teamwork,both on and off the golf course. Behind all Special Olympics athletes are support systems of coaches, family and friends that encourage them and help them experience joy in the game. But Special Olympics golf is unique in that it promotes team play under the Unified Sports® umbrella of Special Olympics, a worldwide sports organization for individuals with intellectual disabilities. “With the motto of ‘Play Unified to Live Unified,’ Special Olympics Unified Sports® is founded on the premise that by competing side-by-side as teammates, people with and without intellectual disabilities help create a world of acceptance, inclusion and respect for all, on and off the course, through the power of sport,” said Amie Dugan, Director of Communications and Marketing for Special Olympics North America.
the 9-hole Unified Sports® alternate shot team play competition (Level II). Devin acknowledged playing golf with his brother has brought them closer as brothers and he enjoys encouraging Kellen on the golf course.“Kel’s putting turned on. He made a few good ones today, got it going right off the start. It was good to see Kel putting today. It’s been fun to travel, get out and meet new people with him.” Trampus Hoover of Charleston, S.C., played in the 9-hole Unified Sports® alternate shot team play (Level II) with his golf teacher and Patriots Points Links PGA Professional Brad Parker. Parker calls Special Olympics golf a “passion” of his and many fellow PGA Professionals back home in South Carolina. “It has been phenomenal - the most rewarding experience. On the last hole, I put Travis in a bunker, and he has trouble hitting it out of the bunker. He hits it out of the bunker and almost on top of the green. And everyone’s cheering for him and we’re walking up and he stops walking. I look back, he starts crying. And he comes to me, and he’s like, ‘My dad’s going to be so proud of me.’ And then I start bawling and we hugged right there. That was the best moment of the whole thing.” The Special Olympics North America Golf Invitational Tournament, presented by KPMG, is being hosted by the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games Organizing Committee, in conjunction with Special Olympics North America. The 2013 Special Olympics North America Golf Invitational Tournament is also being supported by tournament sponsors The PGA of America, USGA and PGA Tour.
Acceptance, inclusion and respect were evident in the Unified Sports® alternate shot team play at the national tournament this weekend. Teams of siblings, parentchild, teacher-student and friends bonded over competition and special events. The team of Kellen (athlete), 31, and Devin (partner, brother), 27, Kaasa of Glenville, Minn., shot 47-46-45—138 and led each round to win the gold medal in
Twisted Dune Golf Club Take advantage of these great
WEEKDAYS MONDAY - THURSDAY 15% OFF WINTER RATES GOLF Rate Noon; - ANY TIME OF DAYNoon Monday-ThursdayRegular $49 Before $40 After SPECIAL Friday -Sunday: $55 Before Noon; $40 After WEEKENDS FRIDAY - SUNDAY 15%Noon OFF SPECIAL SENIOR RegularSPECIAL: Rate - AFTER 12 NOON SPECIAL Monday-Thursday $39 $32 After Noon Coupon valid for upBefore to 4 players.Noon; Not to be combined with any other offer. SPECIAL All rates Offer Expires 9/30/06. Must present coupon day of play include carts Practice Facility Open to the Public Year-Round
• Golf Lessons • Membership Available • Public Golf Leagues Mon. 5pm Mens League (open) • Driving Range Open To The Public • Gift Certificates Available Ask About Our Early Bird & Senior Specials
More than 30 PGA Professionals volunteered their time as tournament and rules officials with Chris Hunt of the New Jersey PGA Section serving as the 2013 tournament and 2014 USA Games golf commissioner for Special Olympics. PGA Past President Dick Smith of Blackwood, N.J., and PGA Professional Dan Pasternak , District Director on the National PGA of America Board of Directors and PGA General Manager and Director of Golf at Panther Valley Golf and Country Club in Allamuchy, N.J., also represented The PGA of America during medal presentation ceremonies at the conclusion of the tournament. “I jumped at the opportunity to serve on the tournament committee and it was an honor to witness Special Olympics golf in person,” said Pasternak. “As a tournament official, I witnessed some very good golf being played and presenting medals to Special Olympics athletes was one of the true highlights of my golfing life. Special Olympics Golf is about many things, competition, dedication, sportsmanship and inclusion, and come to think of it, isn’t that what all golf should be about?” New Jersey will host The Special Olympics 2014 USA Games from June 1421, 2014. Various sporting events, including golf competition, will take place throughout the state. For more information and volunteer opportunities, visit www.2014specialolympics.org. Information provided courtesy of the Special Olympics USA Games and Sherry Major, PGA of America
Winter 2013/Spring 2014
www.NJGolfnews.com | GOLFER’S TEE TIMES | www.passportnjgolf.com
9
Natalie Gulbis Delights at Shackamaxon Country Club to Benefit Feherty’s Troops First Foundation and the NJ Golf Foundation Many golf courses hold fundraisers throughout the year, but most aren’t lucky enough to have LPGA Tour star, entrepreneur, model, actress and writer Natalie Gulbis as their featured player for the day. Such was the case at Shackamaxon Country Club in Scotch Plains, NJ, earlier this Fall when Gulbis participated in a the morning golf outing and golf clinic, to benefit Feherty’s Troops First Foundation. In the afternoon, Gulbis teamed up with 2013 NJ PGA Player of the Year winner Frank Esposito, Jr. playing seven three-hole matches as part of the Garden State Tour Pro Challenge. The exciting day started when 25 foursomes participated in the 18-hole golf outing which benefitted soldiers injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. Gulbis started the day greeting foursomes of the golf course, followed by a late morning golf clinic on the Shackamaxon driving range. Gulbis spent nearly an hour on the range reviewing her setup routine and hitting balls with various clubs in her bag. “The pre-shot routine the is most important part of becoming a consistent golfer and the key to avoiding a breakdown of your fundamentals during a tournament.” She delighted the crowd with her sense of humor and willingness to answer a wide variety of questions.
She told the story of growing up in Sacramento, CA, with her father being her first and only coach as a youngster. She played in her first professional golf
tournament at age 14, and was “hooked” after that. Gulbis was lucky enough to attend University of Arizona on a scholarship, during which time she met coach Butch Harmon. Understanding that the time had come for her father to step aside, Harmon, one of the most respected golf coaches in the world, took Gulbis as his student and has remained her swing coach for the past 12 years. After one season at Arizona, and guiding them to a national championship, Gulbis joined the LPGA Tour full time in 2001. “I thought playing on the LPGA Tour would be great, but it’s better than I expected,” said Gulbis, who is now 30, and is recently engaged. “I’ve had the chance to see the world and I am able to keep raising money for charities”. Gulbis also talked about the importance of nutrition and eating every three hours when she is playing in order to keep up her energy level throughout the round. She did disclose one funny LPGA Tour secret, “The #1 food on the LPGA TOUR is peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Many players – and their caddies too – keep them in their bags.” Following lunch, a silent auction and a few speeches, the crowd followed Gulbis and Esposito around a selection of six holes on the Shackamaxon golf course, as the pair took on a group of amateurs, that can qualified for the Pro Tour Challenge in qualifiers at their local golf courses and at Forsgate Country Club. Proceeds from this portion of the day will go to the NJ Golf Foundation. The strong professional twosome won many of the matches, but the amateurs who got to
participate, also had a wonderful treat playing against these two top players..
They included: Ivan Ferro (Men’s Low Gross winner), NJ PGA Junior Player of the Year Nick Rencis (Low Junior Boys winner), Christina Parsells (low Junior Girls winner), George Policastro (Senior low gross winner), Ed Magyar (Men’s Low Net winner), Kathleen Smith (Ladies Low Net winner) and Denise Sottilare-Waeschle (Ladies Low Gross winner). Each got to bring a partner for their match. Of the seven matches contested, Magyar and his teammate Steve Vanicek, and Sottilare-Waeschle, who was joined by her husband, Peter, won their matches. Rencis and his partner, Sam Giddins tied their match. Gulbis and Esposito won the other four matches. This is the second year that the RDC Golf Group hosted this celebrity event at Shackamaxon. RDC Golf Group, which owns and manages several top courses including Shackamaxon, Forsgate, Tallgrass (NY) and Tuscawilla (FL), holds many charity fundraisers each year on behalf of the RDC Charity Foundation and its many beneficiaries.
Take the Ridge 5K Run/1 Mile Walk to Benefit Military Families Eagle Ridge Golf Club held its first ever 5K Run/1 Mile Walk to benefit Folds of Honor Foundation in early November at the Eagle Ridge Golf Club’s Clubhouse in Lakewood, NJ. The day provided a great chance to join Eagle Ridge Golf Club’s mission to raise money for military families and get a chance to enjoy a fun run that includes over 1 mile running on the golf course! The run started fast and flat as the runner made his way down the main entrance of the clubhouse and into the adjoining Fairways community. The last mile will take place though the rolling hills of the golf course. Runners were met at the finish line by military personnel in uniform who awarded them with commemorative dog tags.
The Folds of Honor Foundation provides post-
secondary education for military personnel and their families who were disabled or killed while serving our country. “We have been involved in fundraising for Folds of Honor before, but this run is taking it to the next level” said Mike Attara, Director of Operations at Eagle Ridge Golf Club. “Proceeds from the race go directly to local military families in our area.” Businesses in the area were also eager to help make this race possible. Sponsors included Jim Curley Auto Group, Kokes Family Home Builders, New Jersey Natural Gas, Spirit Golf Management, SuperFeet and Ray Catena Lexus of Monmouth & Freehold.
For more information or to donate to this worthy cause, visit www.TakeTheRidge5K.com.
10
www.NJGolfnews.com | GOLFER’S TEE TIMES | www.passportnjgolf.com
Winter 2013/Spring 2014
PRACTICE MAKES BETTER Mays Landing Golf & Country Club
—
FRASER GOLF ACADEMY your Wedding or Party in a beautiful Country Club Setting
—
OFFER 1
up to 25% off
JUNIOR ACADEMY (KIDS 17 AND UNDER) --COST-$10 PER MONTH (MUST BE SECURED WITH A CREDIT OR DEBIT CARD - Based on a 1 year contract)
WHATWedding YOU GET Your
2 buckets of balls every day range is open • introductory free swing evaluation (January thru March Weddings) discounted private lessons ($20 per half hour) free use of short game area • 4 clinics per year (dates tbd)
you’ll be Surprised How Affordable first Class Can be
Make More Dollars for OFFER Your Charity, 2 Charge Your Players Less & Enjoy Great Food & Drinks All MONTH Kinds of Groups ADULT ACADEMY$10For PER
Mays Landing
(MUST BE SECURED WITH A CREDIT OR DEBIT CARD - Based on a 1 year contract)
WHAT YOU GET 1855 Cates Road, Mays Landing, NJ • 609.641.4411 • Visit Us At www.mayslandinggolf.com of u balls G o l2fbuckets & Co n tevery r y day Club
3 scheduled clinics per year (dates to be determined) discounted lessons ($25 per half hour) free use of short game area
OFFER 3
“Sto ckin Stuf g fers”
PRACTICE FACILITY — WHAT YOU GET $75 worth of practice balls for $50
your Wedding or Party in a beautiful Country Club Setting
2014 MEMBERSHIP OFFERING
up to 25% off
$199 for 5 days -$299 for 7 days Monday thru Friday
10 rounds including green fees THE BEST FOR YEARS… & cart $390 30% percent off (January thru March Weddings) all proshop you’ll be Surprised How Affordable first Class Can be 40%merchandise, off Black Friday $75 worth of Make More Dollars Your Charge Your Players 10 to 12 people • for $275 forCharity, 15 to 20 people practice balls for $50
Your Wedding
THANKSGIVING GOURMET TAKEAWAY $235 for
Less & Enjoy Great Food or & Drinks Kinds of Groups visit our website mayslandinggolf.com call theFor clubAll 609-641-4411
1855 Cates Road, Mays Landing, NJ • 609.641.4411 • Visit Us At www.mayslandinggolf.com
Winter 2013/Spring 2014
www.NJGolfnews.com | GOLFER’S TEE TIMES | www.passportnjgolf.com
11
2014 Golfing Fore U Ultimate Golf Pass Course Portfolio NEW JERSEY Golf Courses
Y A D I L O H SPECIA95L 1…$39. 00 2…$75. 00 3…$99. .00 4…$125
Full Details available on
www.passportnjgolf.com
OR CALL (732) 577-1995
NEW COURSES
Apple Mountain Golf & Country Club Avalon Golf Club Ballamor Golf Club Ballyowen Golf Club Berkshire Valley Golf Course Black Bear Golf Club Blue Heron Pines Golf Club Cape May National Golf Club Centerton Golf Club Cranbury Golf Club Crystal Springs Golf Club Darlington County Golf Course Deerwood Country Club Eagle Ridge Golf Club Fairway Valley Golf Course Flanders Valley Golf Course Francis Byrne Golf Course Gambler Ridge Golf Club Glenwood Country Club Golden Pheasant Golf Course GolfCave Indoor Golf Great Gorge Country Club Hanover Golf Club Harbor Pines Golf Club Hendricks Field Golf Course Heritage Links Golf Course Indian Spring Country Club Lakewood Country Club Latona Country Club Mays Landing Country Club McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links Mercer Oaks East Minerals Golf Club Old Orchard Country Club Orchard Hills County Golf Course Overpeck County Golf Course Pennsauken Country Club Pitman Golf Course Plainfield West 9 Golf Course Ramblewood Country Club Rancocas Golf Club Rockleigh County Golf Course Royce Brook Golf Club Riverwinds Golf Club Running Deer Golf Club Sand Barrens Golf Club Scotland Run Golf Club Sea Oaks Golf Club Seaview Golf Resort Stonybrook Golf Course The Links at Brigantine Beach The Links Golf Club in Marlton The Vineyards Golf Course Town and Country Golf Links Twisted Dune Golf Club Valley Brook Golf Course Weequahic Park Golf Course Wild Oaks Country Club Wild Turkey Golf Club Woodlake Country Club
PENNSYLVANIA Golf Courses
Purchase Online or Return this coupon to: Golfers Tee Times, PO Box 163, Marlboro, NJ 07746 Checks Payable to Golfer’s Tee Times Quantity Ordered:_______________________ Name:___________________________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
Bensalem Country Club Blue Ridge Trail Golf Club Blue Ridge Country Club Briarwood Golf Clubs Broad Run Golfers Club Carroll Valley Golf Resort Cobb’s Creek Golf Course Colonial Golf & Tennis Club Crossgates Golf Club FDR Golf Club Five Ponds Golf Course Foxchase Golf Club Green Hills Golf Course Heritage Hills Golf Resort Inniscronne Golf Club Jack Frost National Golf Club John F. Byrne Golf Club Lancaster Host Resort Lederach Golf Club Limerick Golf Course Linfield National Golf Club Makefield Highlands
Middletown Country Club Mountain Laurel Golf Club Mt. Airy Golf Club Neshaminy Valley Golf Club Pocono Manor Golf Club Raven’s Claw Golf Club Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort Skippack Golf Club Southmoore Golf Course Springfield Country Club Springwood Golf Club Terra Greens Golf Course The Club at Shannondell Twining Valley Golf Club
DELAWARE Golf Courses
Bayside Resort Golf Club Baywood Greens Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club Ed Oliver Golf Club Delcastle Golf Course Garrisons Lake Golf Course Heritage Shores Golf Club Odessa National Golf Club Pike Creek Golf Club Rock Manor Golf Course Salt Pond Golf Club The Rookery Golf Course White Clay Creek Country Club
MARYLAND Golf Courses
Blue Heron Golf Course Bulle Rock Golf Course Chesapeake Hills Golf Club Compass Pointe Golf Course Cross Creek Golf Course Eisenhower Golf Course Deer Run Golf Club Glen Riddle Golf Club Harbourtowne Golf Resort Links at Lighthouse Sound Maryland National Golf Club Ocean City Golf Club Ocean Resorts WWCC Golf Club Patuxent Greens Country Club P.B. Dye Golf Club Red Gate Golf Course Rum Pointe The Bay Club The Links at Challedon
NEW YORK Golf Courses Copake Golf Club Golf Manhattan Hudson Valley Golf Resort Marine Park Golf Course Silver Lake Golf Course Undermountain Golf Course Van Cortlandt Golf Course
VIRGINIA Golf Courses
1757 Golf Club Forest Greens Golf Club Generals Ridge Golf Course Kiskiack Golf Club Lake Ridge Golf Course Ocean View Golf Course Prince William Golf Course Reston National Golf Course Virginia Oaks Golf Club Westham Golf Club
MID-WEST Golf Courses Avon Fields Golf Course Briardale Greens Golf Course California Golf Course Devou Park Golf Course Glenview Golf Course Hilltop Golf Course Longaberger Golf Club Neumann Golf Course Reeves Golf Course
12
www.NJGolfnews.com | GOLFER’S TEE TIMES | www.passportnjgolf.com
Winter 2013/Spring 2014
“We’re Here to Stay” – Old Orchard Golf Course in Eatontown By Andrea Stuart
Upon entering the nearly eightfour year old, Old Orchard Golf Course, nearby The Monmouth Racetrack and Mall in Eatontown, NJ, one thing is very clear—this golf course has lots to offer.
The first thing you notice at the end of the large parking lot, is a larger, older clubhouse with its small circular driveway. We know it’s pretty old, because it’s much narrower than more current ones, and while the owners have started to update the inside, the outside still is in need of some sprucing up. Next door sits a fairly small Pro Shop, that could definitely use a face lift, but is functional, and the young staff is very helpful in getting the golfers out efficiently. One of the nice things about making a tee time here, is that they are generally able to accommodate your tee time request, and the green fees are very reasonable. Now, for the real prize--the golf course. An A.W. Tillinghast course, which opened in 1929. Tillinghast
was one of the most prolific golf architects in the history of golf, having worked on over 250 golf courses. Some of his most famous golf courses are in the New Jersey and New York area, including Bethpage State Park (home of the US Open in 2002 & 2009, and recently a n n o u n c e d 2019 PGA Championship and 2024 Ryder Cup), Winged Foot Golf Club, Ridgewood Country Club (Home of The 2014 Barclays) and Baltusrol Golf Club (site of the 2016 PGA Championship). Known for working with the natural terrain, and the heavy bunkers around challenging greens, Old Orchard will not disappoint the “Tillie” enthusiast. Tillie worked with the terrain he was given, 135-acre property. Once a private golf club, but then sold to developers who for years have tried to get the township to approve housing and commercial development on the property. Even as the latest plans fell through only weeks ago, the current owners have now recommitted themselves to improving the golf course, including catering, which is now provided by Brennan’s and remodeling of the bar in the clubhouse. The course plays to nearly 6,700
continued on page 14
Winter 2013/Spring 2014
By John McGuinness
www.NJGolfnews.com | GOLFER’S TEE TIMES | www.passportnjgolf.com
13
Don’t Put Those Golf Clubs Away TRY GOLF IN MYRTLE BEACH ON A BUDGET
Traditionally, golfers in the northeast flock to the Myrtle Beach area during the spring, mid-summer and early Fall seasons. But these periods are the peak time, consequently, translating into higher green fees and lodging, crowded golf courses and good weather is no guarantee. For the past 20 years, I, along with other families have visited this area during some of the “shoulder seasons” or off-peak times and have enjoyed a tranquil vacation without the hassles and expenses of the peak periods. When many courses in New Jersey are commencing aeration (i.e. right after Labor Day), Myrtle Beach courses have already completed this necessity and are in mint condition. Rangers and personnel are accommodating and friendly, and even in one case, when we were the first foursome to tee off, we were asked to play at a slower pace so as not to interfere with the later tee times. When we made the turn, I remarked that this was the first time I had been asked to “slow it down.” in Myrtle Beach. During a recent visit, we were even more amazed with the availability, price and selection of first rate courses. Since we often travel with our wives, we are interested in playing early so we can finish around lunch time and spend the afternoons together with our spouses at the beach. (The weather was mid 80’s and sunny each day). To facilitate this schedule, we found a website www.mbn.com, which offered preferred pricing, better than the some coupons in the local periodicals. Of particular interest, were the specials at their “Prime Time” courses at a significantly discounted
rate for tee times before 8:30 AM (perfect for our itinerary). Since we usually do not plan ahead, we waited until the afternoon before our desired date of play and we were able to book rounds at Blackmoor, Aberdeen, Myrtle Beach National South Creek, River Club and Litchfield. To top it all off, we never paid more than $36 for green fee and cart. For those of you who frequent Myrtle Beach, you will recognize these as superior courses and we not disappointed. All were in great condition and the personnel were accommodating. We were particularly impressed with Aberdeen, a course we have never previously played. They offer 27 holes that are link style oriented with all the ingredients that are natural to links golf. The River Club was the most challenging with water hazards strategically placed. None of the courses were unfair. If you are looking for good food at reasonable pricing, look no further than Myrtle Beach. In addition to familiar chain restaurants, like NY Prime, Olive Garden, Bonefish, there are many local restaurants that offer not only local and ethnic menus but also American type selections. We were impressed with a southern restaurant group who among others featured Burro Loco, a great Mexican restaurant and Carolina Roadhouse where I enjoyed New Orleans Chicken, one of my favorite dishes. Most appealing, however, was an Italian restaurant in nearby Murrells Inlet that offered a two for one coupon and BYOB. I ordered a veal dish and my wife had Grouper Rockefeller. Both came with sides of pasta and a salad and both were delicious and best of all with the coupon
and the BYOB the bill was only $24. Lodging was equally reasonable. We elected to stay in the southern end and found a one bedroom condo in the Bluewater Resort that was directly on the beach and the price was less than $500 per week. This same type lodging could be twice as much during the peak periods. Finally, getting to Myrtle Beach by air has become easier than ever. Spirit Airlines has a flight that leaves Atlantic City at 6:30 AM, arriving about 7:45 AM. You can comfortably make a tee time at 9:30 AM. Spirit’s return flight leaves at 9:20 PM. These times provide an extra day on each end of your trip and if you purchase well in advance you can fly round trip for about $100, since this is also non-peak for the airline. From Newark, you’ll pay more and need to make at least one stopover, but the times on US Airways are very golf-friendly. Finally for those that have the time, it’s a nice winter roundtrip by car. Enjoy the golf and let me know how you enjoy yourself. Since retiring from business, John McGuinness enjoys his part-time job as a ranger/starter at the Links at Marlton and traveling to various golf destinations. Generally speaking, all of the above mentioned courses are well above average and you will surely enjoy your round there. There are courses, however, that fall in some people’s “must play” category, some offering their own “Stay and Play” packages. Here are some brief summaries of those courses:
CALEDONIA
Built upon the former site of a working southern rice plantation, Caledonia has been recognized for its design and incredible beauty. Caledonia was recently ranked #27 in GOLF Magazine‘s “Top 100 You Can Play” list and #97 on “America’s 100 Greatest Public courses” list by Golf Digest. This honor is well deserved. From its entrance lined with centuries-old live oaks to its antebellum-styled clubhouse, a round at Caledonia is a worldclass experience. Presiding over the course, the Old South-style clubhouse houses an acclaimed pro shop and restaurant where golfers and-non-golfers alike enjoy taking in a meal and the tremendous scenery.
This course is a shot-makers course, and one that is certain not to disappoint. Often referred to as Caledonia Golf and Fish Club, this facility does offer “stay and play” packages.
TIDEWATER Nestled like a sleeping giant between the Intracoastal Waterway and Cherry Grove, the legendary Tidewater Golf Club offers the perfect combination of natural beauty and challenging play. Seamlessly marrying the game to its surroundings, architect Ken Tomlinson evokes the style and majesty of some of the game’s greatest venues and delivers an experience that puts this course on the must-play list of many Grand Strand golfers. The Tidewater community sits high atop a peninsula overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. A magnificent saltwater marsh and ocean inlet adjoin the course on the east while the Intracoastal Waterway flanks several holes on the north
and west. Adding to the visual variety, thick stands of hardwoods conjure memories of New England’s finest clubs. It is not a typical Myrtle Beach course. With its classic yet contemporary design, the course offers thrilling rewards to shot makers who take chances, use proper course management, and welcome challenges. You will use every club and will find you need stances for lies that are not flat.“Stay and Play” packages are available at this location continued on page 17
14
www.NJGolfnews.com | GOLFER’S TEE TIMES | www.passportnjgolf.com
Winter 2013/Spring 2014
Old Orchard Golf Course continued from page 12 yards from the back tees, and you find that it plays every bit to that length and more. Even from the more forward “senior” tees, you are looking at over 5,700 yards, which will challenge all skill levels. After a short drive around the left side of the large lake, which has become home to a few larger catfish, is the first hole, also the number-one handicap hole on the course. While the score card calls it a par 4, even your long hitters will have a challenge getting to the green in regulation. For the seniors and ladies, this definitely should be a par 5. Now the next hole is also on the longer side, but only a few yards more than the first hole, this one is actually a correct par 5. Right from the start, you know that you are going to be using your woods, hybrids and long irons a lot on the golf course. Most of the par 3s play over 150 yards, and with bunkers around most of the greens, don’t leave the 56 degree wedge at home either.
Few wonderful classic designs of Tillinghast are as accessible to the public – try this one, and you can even save a few dollars using your 2014 Passport to NJ Golf.
A few holes on both the front and back nines can be tricky, with small creeks running through a few fairways, and an “island green” on hole #7, directly facing what was originally a beautiful old clubhouse, set up for banquets, meetings and special occasions.
Love Golf?
While the greens might look fairly flat to the novice golfer, don’t be fooled by them. These are great greens, many sloping from back to front. If you get high of the hole on them, your next putt might be off the green. (Hint: Stay below the hole). In speaking with John Curtis, the General Manager after the round, Curtis was excited that the old course was going to remain open as a golf course for the next several years. “We are here to stay” he exclaimed, citing that recent efforts by yet another developer to take over the property had fallen through. “We are working hard on letting people know that we are open, and have a great golf course.”
Looking for Part-Time work? Write about it. Be a sales rep... Contact: Marian Castner, Publisher/ Editor-in-chief Also online at: www.njgolfnews.com Send stories/comments and pictures to: editor@njgolfnews.com
Activate Your Membership Now For 2014 and Enjoy Playing Fall at No Cost! (Affordably Designed for Ages 37 & Under-No initiation fee, or monthly dining assessments)
Introducing a Pro-Rated 2013/14 Membership Opportunity!
For Complete Information and to Schedule a Personal Tour, Contact Kelly Pantone, Director of Membership at (908) 766-8200, ext. 2 or email at kpantone@baskingridgecc.com
Winter 2013/Spring 2014
www.NJGolfnews.com | GOLFER’S TEE TIMES | www.passportnjgolf.com
Heard Around the States
Brooklyn Open Championship picture from Marine Park Golf Course (left to right): Amateur champion Neal Fredericksen (Staten Island), Marine Park Golf Course golf director Rich McDonough, Marine Park Golf Course co-operator Michael Giordano, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, professional champion Pete Meurer (Staten Island) and State Assmblyman Alan Maisel. Photo by Nick Nicholas of Nicholas & Lence Communications.
Staten Island’s Pete Meurer wins Brooklyn Open Championship Pete Meurer, 56, of Staten Island, parred the fifth playoff hole to win the professional division of the Inaugural Brooklyn Open Golf Championship played in mid-October at Marine Park Golf Course in Brooklyn, NY. Meurer and Gabriel Lee of Bayside each finished the day with one-under 71s and proceeded to a sudden death playoff. Meurer, a retired FDNY firefighter, rolled in a 3-foot part putt on the par-5 No. 14 to secure his first professional tournament triumph. ``I played pretty good,’’ said Meurer, a teaching pro at Staten Island Golf Practice Center who received $2,000 for his first career victory. ``I haven’t been to Marine Park in 20 years until last Friday. I was very pleasantly surprised with the course. I shouldn’t say this is a hidden gem because it is in Brooklyn. The course is fabulous.” Meurer, who turned pro in 2005, recorded four birdies during his round on the 7,079- yard Robert Trent Jones designed course. It’s the first New York City tournament to play more than 7,000 yards. ``This is great for Brooklyn’’ said Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, who awarded the winner’s check. ``This is a world class golf course right here in Brooklyn. The operators really should be commended for their dedication to the borough of Brooklyn and surrounding local communities.’’ Neal Fredericksen, 54,of Staten Island was the overall amateur champion after carding a 3-over 75. ``I love what they are doing here,’’ said Fredericksen, a current FDNY firefighter. ``(Co-operators) Mike Giordano and Adam Giordano, (superintendent) Don Askinski and (golf director) Rich McDonough are doing a great job.’’ Fredericksen opened the day with three birdies on his first nine holes. Ironically, both Fredericksen and Meurer play out of Silver Lake Golf Course on Staten Island. The inaugural Brooklyn Open Championship greeted a sold-out field of 112 players, representing all five boroughs as well as from Long Island, Westchester County and New Jersey. The Brooklyn Open Championship will be an annual tournament. Marine Park Golf Course is an 18-hole, par-72 Championship Course open to the public year-round and is a member of New York City Parks. Located in southern Brooklyn, this links-style course was designed in 1964 by world renowned architect, Robert Trent Jones, Sr. It boasts panoramic water views, country club quality greens and fairways, a beautifully manicured driving range and prevailing winds off Jamaica Bay. Golfers at Marine Park have welcomed the addition of a driving range and learning center, renovations to the clubhouse and grille and currently a course restoration project under the guidance of golf course architect Stephen Kay. (Article and photograph courtesy of Nick Nicholas, Nicholas & Lence Communications) BONUS: THIS COURSE IS A FIRST TIME ADDITION TO THE 2014 PASSPORT TO GOLF (www.passportnjgolf.com) BUYERS – PLAY MARINE PARK GOLF COURSE AND SEE ONE OF THE BEST COURSES THAT NYC HAS TO OFFER.
Redefining Public Golf Makefield Highlands is minutes away conveniently located in the Princeton corridor Voted Golf Week Top 10 Public Golf Course in PA
Voted Best of Bucks • Voted Top 50 Golf Range in America • Open All Winter with Reduced Rates • Fall Rates Starting Now • Highlands Grille New Bar Menu... Opens 11am
1418 Woodside Road, Yardley, PA 19067 • 215-321-7000
makefieldhighlands.com
15
16
www.NJGolfnews.com | GOLFER’S TEE TIMES | www.passportnjgolf.com
Winter 2013/Spring 2014
Heard Around the States
KemperSports To Manage Construction And Operation Of Lincoln Park West Golf Course KemperSports has been selected by the Hudson County Improvement Authority to manage the construction and operation of Lincoln Park West Golf Course in Jersey City, NJ. The 9-hole course, located among 130 acres in historic Lincoln Park (1905), will serve as the cornerstone for the landfill reclamation project that is adjacent to the Hackensack River. KemperSports will serve in the construction management capacity throughout 2014 and will oversee the operation of the golf course when it opens in summer 2015. The par-36, 3,257-yard routing with panoramic views of New York City, will provide a true test for · Former Met Amateur and Met Open champion Andrew Svoboda of Larchmont, NY, won his second Web.com Tour title in a four-week span that culminated in September, assuring himself of a PGA Tour card for 2014: · Mike Miller advanced to the first stage of Web.Com Tour Q School after closing a prequalifier at Arbor Links Golf Club in Nebraska City, Neb., with a course-record 65. The 21-yearold from Brewster, NY, finished atop the 54-hole leaderboard with an 11-under 205. The Q School First Stage was scheduled for this month, with a second stage in November and final qualifyingDec. 12-17 at PGA West to play for Web.com Tour cards. · Brian Gaffney, PGA is moving from Rumson CC in New Jersey to become the new head professional at Quaker Ridge GC,Scarsdale, NY, succeeding the retiring rick Vershure. Gaffney also was head pro at White Beeches and in 2012 was a qualifier for both the U.S. Open and PGA Championship. · Although not slated to open until Spring 2015, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held this month for the long delayed (I would say 15 years is a “long delay”) Ferry Point Park course which sits next to the Whitestone Bridge in the Bronx, NY. Designed
avid golfers while also giving youth and beginner golfers the opportunity to learn the game in a world-class setting. On land that was previously used as a golf practice facility, the course will deliver a vibrant programming calendar to engage local youth golfers and introduce the game to beginners. “We are delighted to begin working with the Hudson County Improvement Authority on the development of Lincoln Park West,” said Steve Skinner, chief executive officer of KemperSports. “We believe that this project will be a true benefit for local golfers and an asset to the regional golf community.”
by Jack Nicklaus, the project is being completed by developer Donald Trump & Co. · Golf course architecture firm Tripp Davis and Associates has embarked on a two-year Master Plan for renovating and restoring the course at Spring Lake GC, Spring Lake Heights, NJ. The original 18-hole layout was designed by George Thomas in 1911 and redesigned/strengthened in 1918 by A.W. Tillinghast. · Marina Alex, who was a successful junior golfer in our area and attended Vanderbilt University, has gained her LPGA playing card for the 2014 season after a successful rookie season of the LPGA Symetra Tour · Joanna Coe, one of the strong young players from south NJ and now competing in her second year professionally on the LPGA Symetra developmental Tour has made it to the final stage of the LPGA Q School in December. · Bruce Beck, lead sports anchor on NBC 4 newscasts has been selected as the incoming President of the Metropolitan Golf Writers Association. Beck succeeds Ralph Wimbish, longtime writer for the New York Post. Ann Ligori was selected as vice president.
“The HCIA looks forward to working with KemperSports. They have a proven track record of building strong public awareness, working with local schools and finding creative ways to attract residents and seniors to public courses,” said Norman Guerra, CEO of the Hudson County Improvement Authority. “By creating educational partnerships like their ‘Golf Enrichment Program’ and capitalizing on existing relationships with local high school golf teams, KemperSports will employ a combination of community outreach and creative marketing to draw residents to this exciting new Hudson County recreational resource.”
The First Tee to build a learning center in Lakewood The First Tee of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, a non-profit, youth development program that teaches life skills and promotes character development through the game of golf, is building a three-hole junior-size golf course and practice facility at Ocean County Park in Lakewood, NJ. A ceremonial groundbreaking was held in late October. The learning center will enable the program to serve hundreds of children a year and will be open to youngsters to use as a place for a positive and healthy activity and a refuge from negative influences. It will complement The First Tee’s program that operates in all five of Lakewood’s elementary schools as well as elementary schools in Brick and Toms River. It will be available to all children in Ocean County. The course will open in June 2104. “We welcome The First Tee to Lakewood Township,” said Deputy Mayor Steven Langert. “ We are pleased that our youngsters will have the opportunity to use this outstanding facility.” The course has been designed by Brian Ault of Ault, Clark & Associates, Golf Course Architects who has generously donated his time and talent. Ault has designed many NJ courses including Eagle Ridge, Ballamor, Mercer Oaks, and Hyatt Hills. Pavelec Brothers Golf Course Construction Company, builders of Sea Oaks Golf Course, and Eagle Ridge Golf Club among many others, is the course builder. The project is being overseen by The First Tee Board member Mike Attara, PGA, President of Spirit Golf Management. Funding for the project comes from the Wadsworth Golf Charities, which has pledged 50% of the cost of the project and is, thereby, matching all other donations. The NJ Golf Foundation has also pledged funds and The First Tee is seeking additional sponsors. The site of the project is currently unused space near the entrance of Ocean County Park and is being made available by the County Freeholders. Since its inception in 2008, The First Tee of Monmouth and Ocean Counties has served over 15,000 youngsters and this year 7,500 youngsters, ages 7-17, will learn the game of golf from skilled professional teachers, will acquire life enhancing skills and have access to golf courses
Judy Bell Award presented to the NJSGA The prestigious Judy Bell Award, which recognizes significant contributions to women’s and junior golf in the Metropolitan area was presented to The New Jersey State Golf Association by the Women’s Metropolitan Golf Association at its annual meeting on October 29th at the Sleepy Hollow Country Club in Scarborough-on-Hudson, N.Y. Accepting for the NJSGA were recently elected president Frank O’Brien and NJSGA Women’s Committee chairperson Coleen Luker. The Metropolitan Golf Association was also named as a recipient of the Judy Bell Award. The WMGA established the Judy Bell Award in 1997, with Ann Beard of Essex Fells, a USGA rules official and
former WMGA president, the first recipient. The award is permanently housed at WMGA headquarters in Elmsford, N.Y. Previous winners have included Renaissance Junior Golf (2000), White Beaches Golf and Country Club (2007) and Dot Paluck (2005). “It is proper and fitting the NJSGA and the MGA receive this award in honor of its participation in women and junior golf,” said WMGA president Amy Hyman. “Your association has shown a great deal of generosity to the WMGA and the game of golf.” From left, NJSGA president Frank O’Brien, Women’s Committee chair Coleen Luker and WMGA president Amy Hyman
Winter 2013/Spring 2014
www.NJGolfnews.com | GOLFER’S TEE TIMES | www.passportnjgolf.com
Golfer’s Tee Times COURSE: SCOTLAND RUN GC Player: Doug Meyers 10/26/13 Hole #13 200 yards Witnessed by: Kevin Shannon, Dan Bowen and Joe Montenigro COURSE: Scotland Run GC PLAYER:Mike Berger West Deptford, NJ 9/25/2013 Hole #15 152 yards 7-iron Witnessed by Joe Berger
COURSE: Plainfield West 9 Golf Course PLAYER: Dan Griffin (2013 Club Champion) 8/27/2013 Hole #7 Par 3, 189 yards Witnesses: Bill Mann, John Gavin and Effrain Solis COURSE: Scotland Run GC PLAYER: David Levine Mullica Hill, NJ 9/7/13 Hole #9 3-wood
17
Hole-In-One’s
191 yards Witnessed by: Jim Strogan, Dan Monaco and Phil Langale COURSE: Ballamor GC PLAYER: Lenny Radochia Burlington, MA 10/6/2013 Hole #6 135 Yards 9-iron Witnessed by: Paul Burns & Rich Stephano
COURSE: Scotland Run GC PLAYER:Andrew Becker 24 Aldridge Way Sewell, NJ 10/14/13 15th hole - 137 yards 7-iron Witnessed by: Bruce Sheppard, Tom Myers and James Marchesani COURSE: SCOTLAND RUN GC Player: Doug Meyers 10/26/13 Hole #13 - 200 yards Witnessed by: Kevin Shannon, Dan Bowen and Joe Montenigro
continued from page 13
THE DUNES
A third “must play” might be, The Dunes Club, which began in 1947 as a dream by local Myrtle Beach business men and women at a small fishing cabin located on Singleton Swash overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. On a cool October day, these visionaries discussed the possibilities of constructing a private golf club on the 200+ acres surrounding the
“Chapin Cabin” site. After much discussion, hard work, a few setbacks, and some fortunate breaks, the Dunes Club was incorporated in May of 1948. A little known architect
named Robert Trent Jones was commissioned to design the layout and 60 years later, there is no doubt that Robert Trent Jones is regarded as one of the all-time greatest golf course architects ever to have touched the earth. Designed by Robert Trent Jones some 60 years ago, the Dunes Golf & Beach Club still stands as a “Top 100” Golf Course in virtually every major magazine ranking. The club has played host to many PGA Tours, Senior PGA Tours, Women’s, Amateur, National, and State events. The course has seen some minor renovations throughout the years, but the course is still a great testament to the original design from decades ago. While private, there is limited access by guests to the golf course. Check with your hotel for possible tee time openings (again a better chance during the off-season/non peak times).
EAGLE RIDGE GOLF CLUB 2 0 1 4 Me mbe r sh i ps Now Available Senior Memberships Now available at new “lower” price, and packages for Full Members, Family Memberships, Corporate Memberships, Weekday, & Twilight Memberships. Call today for more information!
The magnificent Eagle Ridge Clubhouse
But that’s not all: • Casual Dining at The View Restaurant • Fun and Friendly Club • Fully Stocked Pro Shop • Just minutes from Monmouth and Ocean County Beaches
• Golf Academy and Lessons • A Variety of Membership Options
Purchase a 2014 membership this fall and play the rest of 2013 at no charge! Call for details!
Open to the Public
2 Augusta Boulevard Lakewood, New Jersey, 08701
732-901-4900
The View Restaurant
EagleRidgeGolf.com
18
www.NJGolfnews.com | GOLFER’S TEE TIMES | www.passportnjgolf.com
Winter 2013/Spring 2014
Congratulations 2013 NJ PGA Special Awards Winners • Golf Professional of the Year: Scott Paris, Plainfield Country Club, Edison • Teacher of the Year: Mike Adams, Hamilton Farm Golf Club, Gladstone • Junior Golf Leader: Tony Latham, Royce Brook Golf Club, Hillsborough • Bill Strausbaugh Award: David Reasoner, The Ridgewood Country Club, Paramus • Horton Smith Award: Keith Stewart, Springdale Golf Club, Princeton • Player Development Award: Mike Attara, Eagle Ridge Golf Club, Lakewood • Patriot Award: Mike Attara, Eagle Ridge Golf Club, Lakewood • Merchandiser of the Year for Private Facilities: David Reasoner, The Ridgewood Country Club, Paramus • Merchandiser of the Year for Public Facilities: George Ancuta, The Knoll Country Club, Parsippany • Golf Club of the Year: Trump National Golf Club, Bedminster • Assistant Professional of the Year: John Haight, Essex Fells Country Club, Essex Fells • Salesman: Rich Mosel, GolfMax
2013 Philadelphia PGA Special Awards Winners
• Golf Professional of the Year: Scott Nye, Merion Golf Club • Teacher of the Year: Mark Anderson, Philadelphia Cricket Club • Junior Golf Leader: John Dunigan, White Manor Country Club • Bill Strausbaugh Award: Andy Barbin, Chesepeake Bay Golf Club • Horton Smith Award: Ian Dalzell, Huntingdon Valley Country Club • Player Development Award: Robert Hennefer, Linkgs Golf Club • Merchandiser of the Year for Private Facilities: Scott Nye, Merion Golf Club • Merchandiser of the Year for Public Facilities: Ken Dixon, Downingtown Country Club • Assistant Professional of the Year: Mark Kelly • Salesman: Cheryl Seamans
NJ PGA Player of the Year Frank Esposito Jr.
Charity Clambake................................................................................... Head Pro Championship......................................................................... Match Play Championship..................................................................... NJ PGA Hall of Fame Inductee Pro Pro Championship............................................................................. Bill King Section Championship (NJ PGA........................................................... Senior Championship (NJ PGA)............................................................ NJPGA Club of the Year Fall Finale...................................................................................................... Trump National Golf Club Pro-Scratch Championship.................................................................... - Bedminster
Bill Britton, Trump National - Colts Neck Jim McGovern, White Beeches G and CC Brian Gaffney, Rumson Country Club Greg Baker (Rockaway River) and Vince Ramagli (Forest Hill F.C.) Frank Esposito, Jr., Brooklake GC Frank Esposito, Jr, Brooklake GC Jim McGovern, White Beeches, G and CC Greg Baker, Rockaway River CC Pro Lady Brett Jones and Katie Renoff, Mountain Ridge GC Pro Am Championship Lou Kubisa, Ron Ross, Bill Coe, Murray Greenberg (Knob Hill GC) 2013 NJSGA Player of the Year Pat T Wilson of Panther Valley GC 2013 Distinguished Service Award Winners Bob Cronheim and Bud Foley
Swing Into Ulster County A Unique Golfing Experience.
ARTS & CULTURE
| WINE & CUISINE
|
RESORTS & LODGING
|
YEAR-ROUND FUN
Just a 90 minute drive from Manhattan are more than a dozen beautifully manicured golf courses awaiting your challenge. Come experience breathtaking views of the Hudson Valley at historic golf settings and courses designed by acclaimed architects including Robert Trent Jones. No waiting, reasonable rates and convenient tee times –it’s the perfect golfing getaway. For a complete list of golf courses and more information, visit UlsterCountyAlive.com or call Ulster County Tourism at 1-800-342-5826.
A world of adventure Hudson Valley/Catskill Regions
Honey Gantner Award Winner Vic Bacile
NJSGA Player of the Year Pat Wilson with Greg Angelillo, chairman of the NJ Golf Foundation Bob Cronheim, co-recipient of the 2013 NJSGA Distinguished at the Celebration of Golf dinner Service Award
USGA State Team Championship Winners Tara Fleming, Cindy Ha and Alice Chen 2013 NJSGA Champions State Amateur Champion: Mike Stamberger State Open Champion: Frank Esposito, Jr Senior Open Champion: Bill Britton Women’s Amateur Champion: Alice Chen Women’s Senior Amateur Champion: Fran Gacos Junior Girls Champion: Alice Chen Junior Champion: Max Greyserman Boys’ Champion: Justin Chae Mid-Amateur Champion: Trevor Randolph Mixed Pinehurst Champions: Adam Karnish and Liz Carl Women’s Four Ball: Joyce Passalacqua and Lisa Lifer Men’s Public Links Champion: Ryan Siegler Men’s Four Ball Champions: Dominic Gatto & Riley Powers Super Senior Amateur Champion: Jim Noe Pre-Senior Amateur Champion: Scott Lipareli Senior Four Ball Champions: Adam Kugler & Neal Schuman Women’s Public Links Champion: Samantha Perrrotta Father and Son Champions: Bobby & Bob Krueger Best-ball-of Four Champions: Paul Samanchik, Rich Forlenza, Erv Allaghi & Charlie Kohut Tournament of Club Champions: Men: Jay Blumenfeld; Women: Susan Kirk
Winter 2013/Spring 2014
www.NJGolfnews.com | GOLFER’S TEE TIMES | www.passportnjgolf.com
19
WINTER BREAK – How to Keep Your Golf Game Alive Indoors By Eric H. Shendell
As the leaves fall and it gets colder outside, our outdoor golf game often falls off as well. This is when I encourage my clients to keep their game alive another way-indoors. These tips have proven to be winners and provide great opportunities for both you and your game to stay in shape year-round. First, keep your fitness level strong by continuing with some cardio training. Swimming, treadmill, and spinning are all easy and accessible indoor methods for keeping your pace, as well as your peace of mind. Second, keep your muscles strong with strength training. Weight training, with a focus on your core, plus alternating days of work on the upper and lower body, will keep your body strong, supple and fit for your return to the course when the colder weather breaks. Third, practice! Find a local indoor facility where you can swing, play or take lessons indoors. Winter is a great time to train, learn and have fun. Maybe you’ve always wanted to play Pebble Beach, without the travel or expense? Well that is possible right in your own neighborhood. While it’s not the “real thing” (albeit, today’s simulators are pretty realistic, so it’s close), any chance you have to consistently practice your swing is a far better alternative to merely thinking about it! Consider adding a small indoor putting green or net to pitch balls into onto your holiday wish list, and use your basement as a practice area, with changing obstacles to keep our short game alive. Fourth, watch someone else play on television. During the winter, get cozy near the fire with your favorite golf movie-- Caddyshack, The Legend of Bagger Vance, Tin Cup and The Short Game ( a great new movie about several kids playing in the US Kids World Championship), just to name a few. Another option is watching the professionals on television. You’d be surprised the small tips you can pick up just by watching golf on television or listening to some of the experts on the Golf Channel.
Finally, need a real winter break? Take your clubs to a warm winter getaway for a few days. Do I hear Florida or Bermuda calling, which are only two hours flying from NJ? This will give you a chance to see what progress you’ve made, and also give you a few days of R&R in the sun. Enjoy your golf and enjoy your life! Give me a buzz if I can help.
(www.ehsfitness. com) Eric Shendell is an NASM Certified Master Trainer and a Titleist Certified Master Golf and Fitness Trainer. He is an author of several golf and fitness columns. Reach Eric at eric@ehsfitness. com
Advice from the Professionals on Ways to Keep Your Game in Shape During the Winter continued from page 12 where I lay on my back and lift my legs up 20, 30, 40, 50 times, and I still do that, but not as much as 50 times. I’ve found that by doing this, I’ve stayed quite flexible for my age.” Ross can surely still get around the course, not bad for being in his early 80s. “Over the years, I’ve also used a heavy golf club. We used to build our own with weights attached to them and swing those in the garage through the winter,” he said. “When I was in the Army, I did a lot of exercise and that helped me in later years. I see a lot of guys doing too much exercise, and their golf games don’t get any better, so you don’t want to over-do it.” “A nice, welcome thing we have today is heated stalls. We didn’t have those years ago. Try to use something that gets you swinging or moving a bit to stretch your muscles too.” Ross said. “Besides regular stretching exercises, I really think for amateurs playing golf, there’s been entirely too much focus on legs and hips and twisting and turning. Face it, there’s only one part of your body connected to the club and that’s your hands. Be conscious of your hands, your grip pressure and what your hands are supposed to do in the golf swing.” For members of private golf clubs, many clubs have now built indoor hitting bays for winter practice, as well as fitness rooms where members can exercise at their club with fitness staff there. Others will take the opportunity to train at a nearby gym, perhaps working with a physical trainer, many of whom now specialize in exercises directly focusing on strengthen the
body for golf. One highly respected golf fitness trainer from south Jersey is Aaron Bada, who was a PGA teaching professional in the Carolinas section for six years before moving north to Somers Point, NJ and launching Golf Specific Fitness (for more information, visit www.gsfitness.com) there. He has a long background in exercise science and has conducted golf fitness seminars at private and public golf clubs in southern New Jersey. “What I recommend for weekend players is not to take too much time where you’re not actually swinging the golf club,” Bada stressed. “There are some flexibility routines you can do at home, working with a fitness band or therapy balls. I would recommend some personalized guidance to make the work-out program specific to you, the individual. What we do here is we have a person come in and we do an evaluation and then we design a routine for him or her.” “You come back to golf after the winter and sometimes your body is not really used to it; as we get older the muscles shorten and we lose flexibility and elasticity. I think a good idea is to keep moving; swinging a weighted club is good, hitting some balls from heated stalls or at indoor facilities is good.” “The main things you want to focus on are flexibility in the hamstrings and the back.” “We have a physical therapist here, in-house, and we can do a functional assessment. You can come down meet the therapist and myself and see where you are and we’ll give you a take-home, corrective exercise program.” A person can work everything they
need to from a golf-fitness perspective in about 40 minutes and then go and hit balls with a golf simulator in the other room.” “I also recommend getting involved with either yoga or Pilates, or pick up a medium resistance fitness band; there are a dozen or more exercises you can do to strengthen and maintain flexibility. We can play golf until we’re 100, as long as we don’t lose flexibility and balance, and maintain some strength.”
“Keep the brain and body connection working year-round,” Bada urges, “that way it’ll help you coming back and play a little stronger earlier in the season.” Hopefully you will also take up some of this advice and keep your body and game strong over the winter. Trust the professionals – they have years of proven experience behind them.
Winter 2013/Spring 2014
www.NJGolfnews.com | GOLFER’S TEE TIMES | www.passportnjgolf.com
Excellence Runs In the Family
Sister Golf Clubs Scotland Run & Ballamor
Named NJ’s Top 10 “Best Courses You Can Play” – Golfweek, Spring 2013
Named NJ’s Top 10 Public Courses – Golf Magazine, Summer 2012
AC Expressway Exit Exit 41 41 AC Expressway
2626 Fries Mill Road, Williamstown, NJ 08094 2626 Fries Mill Road 856-863-3737 Williamstown, NJ 08094 www.scotlandrun.com
856-863-3737
www.scotlandrun.com
ACExpressway Expressway Exit 9 9 AC Exit
6071 English Creek Avenue, Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234 6071 English Creek Avenue 609-601-6220 Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234 www.ballamor.com 609-601-6220 www.ballamor.com
20