Matt - Pat: I think you have a couple of really good points about the majority of raters zeroing in on the Plainfields and Baltusrols then flipping over to Westchester and Long Island - the big name courses. There are so many good courses around here it’s scary. Now we’re getting good new courses in NJ.
Yes Pat, we’re overloaded!
Pick a spot on about the beginning of Long Island and draw a 50-mile circle - wow what courses and so many of them.
Do raters not do homework? - do they just go where they are “steered?”
I think newpaper press exposure has a lot to do with it too - look at all the press Montclair has gotten over the years and because of the exposure they are a “known” course.
There is an women’s event scheduled in a couple years at ECCC..
You’re right, the Knoll was left to fade away for a lot of years after the Aiello’s sold it after receiving such great press during those glory days - I mean, the type people hanging out there was incredible (not the “family” - the Saprano’s of the 50's thru 70's - hah) - you had the ball players from the Yankees and Dodgers, much of show business and the ever-present Gene Sarazen, just to name a few. Frank Dailey of Meadowbrook night club fame used to be a member and brought up all the big-band leaders ...... and we had the Mucci's: father and son .....
It may have been a blessing though that there was not the money or inclination to “do something” with the course - so we end up with a virtually unaltered gem. I’m starting there next week.
After the restorations are completed I would have trouble picking ECCC or the Knoll to play (once). I guess if I get to put in the tee-ball bunkering at ECCC it might be the strong course. The Knoll is very tight off the tee and the greens are in a class by themselves. ECCC greens are a bit more temperate.
How great to restore your own course - I’m excited and also I can’t say enough for the way ECCC is going about their project.