Atlantic City July 2016 recommendations?

[jeenyusss]

I searched and could only find last year or prior recommendations. I am going down in a couple weeks to AC with a foursome. Going to play a course on Friday and one on Saturday. The other three people I go with are higher handicap and more interested in a scenic course and drinking a couple cocktails. Previous year we have done twisted dunes and Ballamor and want to try something different.

 

I have booked (but can cancel) Seaview Pines course for the first day. (got it on teeoff for 60/person).

 

Looking for a second course for Saturday at a reasonable price. Kinda had my eye on Sand Barrens or Shore Gate. Trying to keep it at 80/per person max. Will be playing in afternoon. Thanks

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

We played Atlantic City Country Club and McGregor's Emerald Links. ACC was pricey, Emerald Links was not.

[jeenyusss]

yeah i looked at ACCC but its way to expensive for my trip

[MarcellusW]

You have probably already seen my thread below - Easiest Courses in Atlantic City

 

I played Shore Gate last year. Awesome course. It makes you think and make decisions on just about every shot. It was very unique and it was surprisingly difficult. Even the easier holes have surprising nuances. I would recommend the course, but only if you are prepared to do battle.

 

2 years ago, I played Sand Barrens. I really enjoyed it. Undulating fairways, slanted greens, deep bunkers all over. It wasn't easy, but not nearly as challenging as Shore Gate.

[TeeAreNY]

I would pick sand barrens and shore gate over seaview pines. The pines course is nice but the layout isn't anything special compared to the bay course.

[jeenyusss]

i think i have finally settled on it. shore gate one day and sand barrens the next. csncelled the pines course

[Benzo]

Play twisted dunes instead of Sand Barron's

[jeenyusss]

I have already played twisted dunes twice and its a really nice course. I was looking to do something different this year.

[TeeAreNY]

i think i have finally settled on it. shore gate one day and sand barrens the next. csncelled the pines course

 

Good call. I have played all the public courses in the greater AC region. Other tracks to consider are Ballamor and AC Country Club (if price isn't a factor)

[jeenyusss]

ACCC is too expensive for my friends. I played ballamor last year and loved it

[TeeAreNY]

ACCC is too expensive for my friends. I played ballamor last year and loved it

 

Gotcha. Can't go wrong with Shore Gate and Sand Barrens has mixed reviews because a couple seasons ago they suffered some sort of issue (fungus?) that killed the grass and ruined the conditions. But , since then, they have recovered. I played ACCC two years ago and booked a 4pm tee time for $45 and then showed up at noon knowing they had slots and they let us out early. (got lucky) Since then, it went under new ownership and the prices are ridiculously expensive.

[jeenyusss]

Yeah... ACCC will have to be a trip I make myself. My friends are more into the beer then thr course itself.

[jeenyusss]

shore gate was an awesome track. sand barrens was a close second. I have to say the staff at sand barrens was much friendlier

[jwasacz]

Glad you enjoyed Shoregate. They've eased up on some of the course setup, namely the fescue, which makes it a hair less troubling on a lot of holes. Overall conditions right now from tee to green are some of the best they have been in recent years.

[cschermick23]

Also check out Blue Heron Pines. Its a great public course a little more inland.

 

Other than that, you can't go wrong with the courses that you mentioned.

[thug the bunny]

shore gate was an awesome track. sand barrens was a close second. I have to say the staff at sand barrens was much friendlier

 

Jeeny, Shoregate is indeed awesome. Although you said your buds are beer golfers, how did they fair? It is a pretty tough track, more visually intimidating than in reality, although some of the greens can give you some ridiculous putts if you are in the wrong place.

 

I'm a member at Seaview, but if I play away from home, it's either Shoregate or Ballamor.

[jeenyusss]

We had a foursome and did 2 vs 2 scramble. Lets just say.... a lot of balls were lost and not looked for haha

[Noles]

I played Blue Heron Pines on Monday. It was OK. Price was great. $59 for me and my son was free. The greens were in good shape but speed was inconsistent. The rest of the course was in poor shape. We also had to dodge sprinklers on several fairways. Oh, and bring bug spray or long pants. I spent half the time slapping my ankles and calves. Playing Twisted Dune tomorrow morning. Hoping for a better experience...will certainly be paying for it.

[thug the bunny]

I played Blue Heron Pines on Monday. It was OK. Price was great. $59 for me and my son was free. The greens were in good shape but speed was inconsistent. The rest of the course was in poor shape. We also had to dodge sprinklers on several fairways. Oh, and bring bug spray or long pants. I spent half the time slapping my ankles and calves. Playing Twisted Dune tomorrow morning. Hoping for a better experience...will certainly be paying for it.

 

Most of the courses in S Jersey have become a little burnt from the recent heat wave. It has been a tough summer for golf courses here. I see more brown on my fairways than I have ever seen. BH is inland so you were probably slapping at strawberry or black flies, not greenheads like near the bays. This is why I wear long microfiber pants all throughout the summer. S Jersey is a great place for recreation, but we do got the bugs, ticks, flies, skeeters, you name it, we got em. Let us know how TD was!

[Noles]

Twisted Dune was a lot of fun. It helped playing with someone who knew the course well. It was in great shape but lots of rocks in the bunkers. I enjoyed it but it is definitely pricey but the proximity to OC should come with a price.

[thug the bunny]

Twisted Dune was a lot of fun. It helped playing with someone who knew the course well. It was in great shape but lots of rocks in the bunkers. I enjoyed it but it is definitely pricey but the proximity to OC should come with a price.

 

Yeah a lot of S Jersey courses have rocks in the bunkers. I just can't understand why they don't sieve them. Can't be that big of an expenditure in terms of cost. Heck, I could do one of my courses myself in a week.

[aabcuue]

We had a foursome and did 2 vs 2 scramble. Lets just say.... a lot of balls were lost and not looked for haha

Went through through the same and lost plenty when we played near end of July.

played: AC CC, Ballamor & Twisted Dune

 

Fyi, if you play Ballamor, Scotland Run &/or AC CC, they're the same owners and will discount the rounds.

 

Sometimes they even have deals. Labor wk AC CC is $79 and $99 for w/e. its even cheaper for Ballamor & Scotland Run.

 

Fyi, Golf Week lists these three in top10 in NJ. Golf Magazine has a slghtly different ranking.

http://golfweek.com/2016/03/16/golf-courses-golfweeks-state-by-state-2016/