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[Rick Sides]

Just read in Atlantic City Press that Ballamor, a private club near the New Jersey shore just filed Chapter 11.  It was a private club but will now be open to the public. Another casualty of the uncertain economic times.  Do you think this will be happening to more and more clubs?

[Jud Tigerman]

Rick,
No doubt about it.

[astavrides]

Thanks for the tip.  Their webpage now says 'under construction'.   I wonder if they closed for the season.  Otherwise, I'll give them a call tomorrow.  Hopefully, they are charging less than $110 now for a visitor.  I heard it's a nice course.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Here is Joe Logan's report:

http://www.myphillygolf.com/detail.asp?id=2575

Rick,

"Do you think this will be happening to more and more clubs?"

It has been happening all over the country. Locally, a few former privates are now public: Reading CC and Berkleigh,both near reading, PA. Some more may follow.

[Rick Sides]

I am suppose to play the course for the first time tomorrow morning.  I wonder if it will be open? 

Steve,
I know it has been happening all over, I'm just wondering if this will really be the wave of the future.  I think a lot of private clubs are now waiving bonds, intitiation fees, etc. I'm thinking more and more private clubs will have to do this.

[Michael Huber]

Where does ballamor stand in relation to other courses along the jersey shore?

[astavrides]

Where does ballamor stand in relation to other courses along the jersey shore?

Just to the west of Twisted Dune about a mile as the crow flies, and a couple miles south east of Hidden Creek.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Here's a prior thread:

http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,29729.0/

[Jim_Coleman]

   Yet another example of capitalism working.  A not very good course that failed.

[Rick Sides]

JIm,
I never played Ballamor.  Was it a bad course?

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Capitalism worked in that Ballamor failed as a private club. Perhaps it will succeed as a public course. Let's see what their price point will be.

[Michael Huber]

Where does ballamor stand in relation to other courses along the jersey shore?

Just to the west of Twisted Dune about a mile as the crow flies, and a couple miles south east of Hidden Creek.

astavrides,

I probably should have been a little more clear on my question.  I should have asked, how good of a course is Ballamor compared to the other courses on the Jersey Shore?  Better than most?  Average?  Stinky? 

[Joe Bausch]

Here is the press release as included in an article by Kevin Minnick of the Courier Post:

Egg Harbor Township – Ballamor Golf Club, named one of New Jersey’s best private golf courses, announced today that it will open to the public and begin operating as a daily-fee club as of January 1, 2010.

“Ballamor has a bright future as a daily-fee club,” said Liz Norton‐Scanga, director of marketing. “The market for traditional private club memberships has become severely limited due to current economic conditions. There was no way that Ballamor could remain a private club and be a financially viable business. We are excited to provide an opportunity to all golfers to play one of the finest courses in the state of New Jersey.”

Located just 15 minutes from Ocean City and Atlantic City, Ballamor opened as a private club in 2001. The Brian Ault, Clark and Associates designed course will offer greens fees between $50 off‐season and $100 in‐season including cart. The facility includes a full service clubhouse, pub and grill room with outdoor dining, a driving range with a short game practice area and five target greens.

Ballamor also announced that annual memberships will be available starting at $495. Each Ballamor membership includes a dual membership at Scotland Run Golf Club, located approximately 45 minutes from Ballamor in Williamstown. Regardless of membership level purchased, all members receive a dual membership at Scotland Run at no additional cost.

Additionally, all members will have the opportunity to book tee times up to 30 days in advance and receive reduced greens fees for guests at both courses. All memberships are offered on an annual basis with no deposit required.

“Restructuring as a daily fee course creates an unbelievable opportunity to be a member at two the area’s best courses, Ballamor and Scotland Run, for one price,”  Norton‐Scanga said.  “It also provides Philadelphia-area golfers the chance to have a home course at the shore and one near their primary residence as Scotland Run is just 25 minutes from downtown Philadelphia.”

In order to facilitate its conversation to a daily fee club, Ballamor filed for Chapter 11 restructuring on November 20, 2009. Norton‐Scanga said that this restructuring was also in the best interest of the members.

“It gives our existing members the opportunity to receive a portion of their deposits back. Had the club simply closed, all of their deposits would be 100 percent lost.”

Norton‐Scanga said that the owners and management team have decades of experience in running successful daily-fee courses and added “they are all born and raised in this area and have a strong commitment to the local community. It was important to them that the Ballamor remain open and operating as a daily-fee course allows them to do just that.”

[astavrides]

Where does ballamor stand in relation to other courses along the jersey shore?

Just to the west of Twisted Dune about a mile as the crow flies, and a couple miles south east of Hidden Creek.

astavrides,

I probably should have been a little more clear on my question.  I should have asked, how good of a course is Ballamor compared to the other courses on the Jersey Shore?  Better than most?  Average?  Stinky? 

I was just having a little fun and maybe someone else got a smile out of it as well.  I knew what you meant.  Havent played it so I cant answer your question.

[Ian Dalzell]

Course is still open - alive and well.  It is a nice golf course, not a great one, but a solid one.  They will go fully public, according to the article, on January 1, 2010.

I understand the rates are now very good, as low as $55 with a cart from noon on I think.

Article in the Press today said that the fee structure will be somewhere between $50 in the off-season to $100 in the high season.

There are too many golf courses down this way - something had to give and I think this is the beginning of some more restructuring in the South Jersey area. 

[Rick Sides]

Just played the course today. Very nice track.  65 buck included cart and range balls.  Some nice holes.  One or two very bizzare greens.  Overall not too bad.

[astavrides]

thanks for the report rick.  sounds like the condition of the course is at least decent as well.  I'll plan to try it out tomorrow.

[Rick Sides]

Astavrides,
It's a nice track.  Its worth the 65 bucks.  Like I said, one or two weird greens, but fun to play and in real nice shape.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Rick,

$65 is better than $100 but at this time of year anything more than $50 is high IMO. What are the weekday rates now?

[astavrides]

Rick,

$65 is better than $100 but at this time of year anything more than $50 is high IMO. What are the weekday rates now?

When I called today, they quoted me $68 7 days a week, no twilight rate.  They also said that rates would fall at the end of the month.  They didn't seem to know how much they would fall.

[JeffTodd]

   Yet another example of capitalism working.  A not very good course that failed.

I'm going to side with Jim on this one. After reading Joe Logan's story I have to say I'm shocked that anyone would have dropped $13.5K to be a member there. There are very few courses I have ever played that I cannot recite and describe the routing and holes with with some detail, but Ballamor is one of them. While I'm sure the routing was dictated by some environmental factors, it is incredibly disconnected and leaves one wondering not only where the next hole lies, but if they're even sure where they live now.

If the land and restrictions demand a routing like the one a Ballamor, then I have to wonder if a course should have ever been built there. It looks like the marketplace is asking the same question.