Where's Swainton you ask? Many people who live or vacation at the Jersey Shore don't know either. But with addition of the Union League Golf Course more and more people will find their way her in the next few years.
Got to play there yesterday afternoon with a couple of the caddies and had a great time. Even robbed the home team for a few quid LOL! Lots of changes since the Union League bought the Sand Barrens golf club two years ago.The golf course was already pretty good and now its better. Dana Fry has been brought in to tweak the original golf course that he co-designed with Michael Hurdzen, and a new nine is being built right now.
The course is relatively benign, with big fairways that make it easy to visualize the proper tee shot. The greens have lots of movement but tend to collect rather than repel your shots. Perfect for what it is, a place for successful business executives and business owners from Philly and its environs to hang out or welcome guests. Give the decision makers at the Union League credit for finding a gem close to their summer homes in Avalon and Stone Harbor. They looked at a lot of places to hang the shingle but likely found the best available club with upside here in Swainton.
The new holes are moving along and look even better and the medium they have to build is so good. The soils are a beautiful sandy loam that made me so jealous when I thought of what we had to deal with just 25 minutes north at Twisted Dune.
Wish them the best here and it looks like its off and running in the right direction. They certainly aren't sparing expense and the site has lots of flexibility. Interesting to see whether they redo the other holes to make a completely new course but it's probably not necessary. Time will tell but it was a fun afternoon!