More tomorrow. How many more lurkers will come out!
JoeManaging this thread is harder than being the Executive Producer on The Sopranos Reunion show. How to weave in all the dead guys!!
Let's give it a try.
Matty "Tap Dancing" Ward stated in an email to me last night in response to Shore Gate being included on their Top 20 NJ list: "Frankly, Golf Digest is all wet. Shoregate would not be among my top 50 courses in all of NJ. It is hookey -- contrived with silly bunkers that were created from a designer's pad without really understanding that adding so much to the site is akin to the action director who erroneously concludes that if he adds more explosions to the movie that ipso facto the movie will be better.
Shoregate would have been served with a less is more approach. No need to have bunkers created like pin cushions scattered around in a haphazard manner -- there are good holes present -- I really like the 2nd -- but like a model who has natural looks -- there's little need for make-up overkill.
Twisted Dune is head and shoulders above Shoregate -- heck, you can add Vineyard Golf at Renault as another course that gets far too attention -- interesting -- that John Foley mentioned it. Ed Shearon doesn't get much attention as an architect but he did good work there and at another course closer to Phillie but on the Jersey side called RiverWinds.
Mike, if a top 25 Jersey course listing was really serious -- it would be lucky to have maybe one or two public courses amongst that total. Keep in mind, the fans of ACCC because Doak got involved there -- have to keep in mind that the genesis of that club was private for many, many years. Just because you slap a "public" label doesn't hide that fact.
The Digest state ratings are often wrong because they permit outsiders who only frequent the state in a very limited way have equal votes to those who play here frequently. I have always advocated that state ratings need to be more heavily weighted towards those who live there -- they see and play the aforementioned candidates far more and have better overall insights."
Mike "Cobbs Creeky" Cirba said on an old thread:"Shore Gates" are being built all across the land, and I don't see the forces driving ultra-difficult, visually controversial and conversational courses diminishing anytime soon.
Joe (Matt, Mike, Redanman)So how is this different than Hidden Creek which Mike, Matt and Redanman played in the morning before Shore Gate? How different is Hidden Creek from Chechessee Creek, Old Sandwich, Dormie Club and Warren Course @ Notre Dame?
Shore Gates and Hidden Creeks were BOTH being built around the country. The fact that "Group Think" took over that day of the Hidden Creek vs Shore Gate and Hidden Creek was the victor should not eliminate people from seeing and trying Shore Gate.
For the record, I would probably prefer Hidden Creek 8-2 over Shore Gate in the 10 Round Test. Of course, I might have a tough time with playing 8 times at Hidden Creek these days!!