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Michael Latham

  • Karma: +0/-0
PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« on: July 03, 2011, 06:07:56 AM »
I am taking 3 pals to play Merion and PV in the week beginning 12 September. Could I have some suggestions where we might play on Thursday 15th. Either in the Philadelphia area or in the general direction of Newark. I am not certain yet if flying into/out of the former or the latter.
Needless to say it needs to be somewhere where unaccompanied Brits can get on the course.
Thank you in advance

John Kavanaugh

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« Reply #1 on: July 03, 2011, 07:32:16 AM »
The obvious choice is Liberty National Golf Course.  It is near the airport and the views of Manhattan are spectacular.  While you are in the area try to catch the Broadway show The Book of Mormon, it is the story of America's Prophet with a hilarious look into our history.

Mike Sweeney

Re: PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« Reply #2 on: July 03, 2011, 08:41:15 AM »
1. Forsgate - Right between Newark and Philly, 5 minutes from NJ Turnpike which connect them. Private but I think they would be open to a letter. This would be your best option to see a Banks course from the MacRaynor School as a direct contrast to PV and Merion.

2. Atlantic City CC - Mixture of Flynn and Doak on the bay overlooking Atlantic City. Public, so no access issues.

I will be seeing Book of Mormons around that time and will get back to you on John's review.  :)

Sam Morrow

Re: PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« Reply #3 on: July 03, 2011, 09:27:04 AM »
If you are playing Merion and Pine Valley you need to do it right to complete your trip, go a little further and play NGLA or Shinnecock.

Will Lozier

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« Reply #4 on: July 03, 2011, 09:43:56 AM »
Golf Course at Glen Mills outside of Philly - public and maintained by the students at the Glen Mills School for troubled youth.  The website doesn't really do the course justice.  Is a Weed course that is a wonderful throwback to old school architecture - would be a nice compliment to two of the greatest course built during the Golden Age (or ever).

Sandy Smith

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« Reply #5 on: July 03, 2011, 09:59:28 AM »
I was fortunate to play PV a few years ago and asked basically the same question on GCA.
We chose to play Atlantic City and it was absoultey one of coolest places I've ever played.
You will not be disappointed.
Firm greens, firmer fairways.

David_Elvins

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« Reply #6 on: July 03, 2011, 10:02:39 AM »
Michael,

If you have spare time I would play Pine Valley again.  You will still learn a lot.
Ask not what GolfClubAtlas can do for you; ask what you can do for GolfClubAtlas.

Mark Chaplin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« Reply #7 on: July 03, 2011, 10:21:59 AM »
David - I'm sure the reason Michael is looking for another game is not his time but his hosts.
Cave Nil Vino

Steve_ Shaffer

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« Reply #8 on: July 03, 2011, 10:44:02 AM »
Rather than visit another high profile course in the NY-Philly corridor, I suggest a visit to a course where regular non-privileged people play- Walnut Lane GC:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/courses-by-country/usa/walnut-lane/

After your round, walk over to D'Allesandro's for a real Philly cheesesteak.
"Some of us worship in churches, some in synagogues, some on golf courses ... "  Adlai Stevenson
Hyman Roth to Michael Corleone: "We're bigger than US Steel."
Ben Hogan “The most important shot in golf is the next one”

Anthony Gray

Re: PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« Reply #9 on: July 03, 2011, 12:17:12 PM »

 I don't think I would need a third.Congrats.That is one sweet trip.

  Anthony


Patrick_Mucci

Re: PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« Reply #10 on: July 03, 2011, 01:19:31 PM »
The obvious choice is Liberty National Golf Course.  It is near the airport and the views of Manhattan are spectacular.  While you are in the area try to catch the Broadway show The Book of Mormon, it is the story of America's Prophet with a hilarious look into our history.
.

Jakab,

Liberty National is far from the best choice

Bayonne is far better and Hidden Creek is less than an hour from PV

Tavistock and other nearby courses are far better options

John Kavanaugh

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« Reply #11 on: July 03, 2011, 01:36:30 PM »
Patrick,

I thought our friends from Britain would enjoy the view.

Malcolm Mckinnon

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« Reply #12 on: July 03, 2011, 01:38:35 PM »
I agree with Pat, Liberty National, other than for the view, would be a downer after Merion and PVCC. It's also not the easiest to access.

Other than Atlantic City some other public access sites nearer to Newark Airport would be Knoll West CC a Charlie Banks n Parsippany, NJ ...

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,47890.0.html

or Hominy Hill a Robert Trent Jones in Colts Neck, NJ...

http://www.hominyhill.com/index.html

If you can get access, Baltusrol is very convenient to Newark.

Martin Toal

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« Reply #13 on: July 03, 2011, 02:41:21 PM »
I reckon quite a few people would give a kidney for that trip. Or another organ of which the golfer has a spare.

John Kavanaugh

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« Reply #14 on: July 03, 2011, 03:00:45 PM »
I reckon quite a few people would give a kidney for that trip. Or another organ of which the golfer has a spare.

Really?, just seems like good ole American hospitality to me.  Do a search, these trips are a dime a dozen.

Mark Chaplin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« Reply #15 on: July 03, 2011, 03:02:52 PM »
Could it be British hospitality? Michael started off "I am taking 3 pals to play......." he could be the member??

I can assure you JK there are British members at PV.
Cave Nil Vino

Tim Martin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« Reply #16 on: July 03, 2011, 03:40:35 PM »
I reckon quite a few people would give a kidney for that trip. Or another organ of which the golfer has a spare.

Really?, just seems like good ole American hospitality to me.  Do a search, these trips are a dime a dozen.

How do you marginalize PV and Merion back to back? Sort of like seeing Caruso and Pavarotti on successive nights. Your a tough man to please John.

John Kavanaugh

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« Reply #17 on: July 03, 2011, 04:34:01 PM »
I reckon quite a few people would give a kidney for that trip. Or another organ of which the golfer has a spare.

There are fewer than 20,000 kidney transplants each year in the United States.  Each course will do that many guest rounds in a golf season. I seriously doubt these guests account for anything but a small percentage of donors.

Michael Latham

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« Reply #18 on: July 03, 2011, 04:47:25 PM »
Thank you for all the public and private suggestions. Most welcome and very generous.

Tom ORourke

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« Reply #19 on: July 03, 2011, 07:11:24 PM »
For public venues there is always Trump Philadelphia, formerly Pine Hill, which is not only 5 miles from Pine Valley, but some people say it is the best golf course in NJ. Okay, maybe only Trump says that, but it works from a travel stand point, and it is a challenging course. I would vote for Atlantic City as I always thought that it was one of the more underrated courses around. Scotland Run is in the southern New Jersey area as well, but is not Atlantic City.

cary lichtenstein

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« Reply #20 on: July 03, 2011, 07:31:08 PM »
Bayonne
Live Jupiter, Fl, was  4 handicap, played top 100 US, top 75 World. Great memories, no longer play, 4 back surgeries. I don't miss a lot of things about golf, life is simpler with out it. I miss my 60 degree wedge shots, don't miss nasty weather, icing, back spasms. Last course I played was Augusta

Sam Morrow

Re: PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« Reply #21 on: July 03, 2011, 10:18:14 PM »
Golf Course at Glen Mills outside of Philly - public and maintained by the students at the Glen Mills School for troubled youth.  The website doesn't really do the course justice.  Is a Weed course that is a wonderful throwback to old school architecture - would be a nice compliment to two of the greatest course built during the Golden Age (or ever).

Played it the other day, it's in good shape and really is a throwback and there is plenty of quirk.

Steve Lapper

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« Reply #22 on: July 04, 2011, 06:16:35 AM »
The obvious choice is Liberty National Golf Course.  It is near the airport and the views of Manhattan are spectacular.  While you are in the area try to catch the Broadway show The Book of Mormon, it is the story of America's Prophet with a hilarious look into our history.


Book of Mormon is the funniest play I've ever seen!!! I've now seen it twice and and it was as, or more, sidesplittingly funny the second time as the first!! I am thinking of even taking a good friend for his 50th for my third time. Absolutely the best Broadway show in decades!!

As for golf, what everyone is missing from suggestion (and I'm headed there this am to play) is Plainfield CC, a Ross Gem and most likely NJ's second best course. Yes, it's private, but the head pro, Scott Paris, is a fine gentleman and ambassador of goodwill. I'm sure the "proper" begging letter and a benign choice of timing will land you favorable consideration. Zero harm of trying!

The conventional view serves to protect us from the painful job of thinking."--John Kenneth Galbraith

Andy Silis

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« Reply #23 on: July 04, 2011, 10:48:49 AM »
Definitely Atlantic City CC......Played there for the first time 3 weeks ago and what a tremendous experience.....The clubhouse and the locker room are chock full of history and the golf course is very cool.....Great  set of Par 3's.......Played firm and fast.....Wind made for challenging shots that led to a full examination of every club in the bag!

Tim Martin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: PV and Merion trip.Help with a venue.
« Reply #24 on: July 04, 2011, 12:28:40 PM »
Definitely Atlantic City CC......Played there for the first time 3 weeks ago and what a tremendous experience.....The clubhouse and the locker room are chock full of history and the golf course is very cool.....Great  set of Par 3's.......Played firm and fast.....Wind made for challenging shots that led to a full examination of every club in the bag!


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