Cape May Golf - Need Help

[Geoffrey_Walsh]

Our family now has a house down in Cape May and it looks like I’ll be spending a lot more time down there.  Any feedback on Cape May National?  I stopped by the club this weekend just to look around, and the routing seemed to have water hazards everywhere.  Thought it was interesting that the owner (Robert E Mullock) took an active role in the design process (ala Crump) and is listed along with Karl Litten as the architect.

I also took a trip up to Ponderlodge GC which has to be one of the most obscure/unknown courses in southern NJ.  I am more interested in Cape May National but any thoughts about this one as well?

[Mike_Sweeney]

From an old thread Cirba vs Sweeney. Wildwood may be better than I remember.




Mike Sweeney.

I grew up down there and have played most of the Jersey Shore courses except for Galloway. Hidden Creek is definitely unique in that area, including Philadephia area, so I would bump it to a 7.5 on the Doak scale. Others in the area:

Blue Heron Pines - Smyers 6.5
Twisted Dune - 6.5
Sand Barrens - 4.5
Wildwood - 5.0
Atlantic City - 6.0 but it has been years and pre-Doak
Shoregate - 4.0
Cape May National - 4.0
Avalon - 3.0
Stone Harbor - ? Ask Tom Paul!
Seaview(s) and Greate Bay, again, a long time but I doubt any are above a 5

I am sure this will settle the discussion.
 
 

Mike...thanks!

My own for comparison purposes...

Galloway National - 7.5 (lest anyone think I'm a anti-Fazio drone)
Pine Hill - 5.5  
Blue Heron Pines East- Smyers 6.0
Blue Heron Pines West - Kay 5.0
Twisted Dune - 6.5
Sand Barrens - 4.5
Wildwood - never played
Atlantic City - 6.0 but it has been years and pre-Doak (DITTO)
Shoregate - 0
Cape May National - 4.0
Avalon - 3.0
Stone Harbor - Never played (A horrible architectural admission)
Seaview (Bay) - 5.5
Seaview (Pines) - 5.0
Greate Bay - 4.5

[Mike_Cirba]

I've also played Ponderlodge, but forgot about that one.  

It used to be the private playground of the head of Stegmaier Brewing, I believe, and had a nine hole course.  The course was expanded to 18 about 20 years ago, and it's a very strange mix with some good holes thrown in (possibly by accident ).

Ponderlodge would be a solid Doak 2.5 or 3.  

[Geoffrey_Walsh]

Thanks for the info...

Mike C. - Do you have any idea who designed Ponderlodge?

[Matt_Ward]

Geoffrey W:

Cape May National is rarely in decent shape -- and considering what they charge during the summer high season it can mean a healthy dent in your credit card statement.

The greens are sooooooooooooo slow you may need to make a fuller shoulder turn on a 30-footer than a full drive.

Seriously, there are few holes of note although I am a big fan of the closing 18th -- a solid par-4 that forces you to deal with water on the tee shot and with the second. Years ago when the course first opened there was high "monkey" grass on the bank to the right of the green. Fortunately, they understood the double whammy of such a situation and cut the grass down to fairway height. Makes for an even better closer than it was before.

Cape May National filled a void when it first came onto the scene but the quality of the "other" golf offerings since then has dramatically improved with the private likes of Hidden Creek, Galloway National and the former private ACCC. You also have some neat public tracks with the likes of Twisted Dune and even McCullough's Emerald Links.

P.S. Anyone going to Wildwood CCdo yourself a huge favor -- bring the EPA suit to deal with the horde -- yes -- HORDE of mosquitos you will face. They are like the zombies in the George Romeo fashion in being utterly relentless.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Geoffrey,

I'd suggest joining Hidden Creek.

The ride isn't that long and the golf, facilities, staff and the way the club is run are terrific.

Since you now have a home in the area it would seem like the ideal fit.

[Mike_Cirba]

Thanks for the info...

Mike C. - Do you have any idea who designed Ponderlodge?

Geoffrey,

Believe it or not, I do.

Someday, I'm going to dump all of this useless information into a clearinghouse for it and clear it from my brain cells....they could use a rest.  

Ponderlodge was designed by;

Jack Curtin 1977 - (9)  Not exactly sure which nine it was but I do know they are the holes closest to the clubhouse.

Tony Funari/Joseph Farina 1992 - (9)  

Not really household names, but I know the latter two were the manager/superintendent, respectively, and may still be.

If you find out any more info, I'd be glad to hear it.  See, someone has to track this stuff!  

[SPDB]

Can't really add anything here, but in light of the other thread I would strongly consider making it up to Atlantic City CC now that it appears open to public play.

Also, Pat is right about HCGC it sounds like a tremendous value. Pat - Out of curiosity. Are you a national member at HCC, or local?

[Dave_Miller]

Our family now has a house down in Cape May and it looks like I’ll be spending a lot more time down there.  Any feedback on Cape May National?  I stopped by the club this weekend just to look around, and the routing seemed to have water hazards everywhere.  Thought it was interesting that the owner (Robert E Mullock) took an active role in the design process (ala Crump) and is listed along with Karl Litten as the architect.

I also took a trip up to Ponderlodge GC which has to be one of the most obscure/unknown courses in southern NJ.  I am more interested in Cape May National but any thoughts about this one as well?

Geoff:
Stone Harbor is not a bad course.  Have not played it in several years but I always liked the course and it was fun to play.
Best
Dave

[Patrick_Mucci]

SPDB,

National

[Geoffrey_Walsh]

If given the choice between Sand Barrens, Twisted Dune and Emerald Links.... where would you play on a day trip?

[Mike_Cirba]

Twisted Dune, although the other two can be fun. TD is just a notch above.

[Matt_Ward]

Twisted Dune at the top ...

Emerald Links has more unique design aspects (the replica of Lido's famed split fairway hole!) than the steady but really not ovefly solid effort you find at Sand Barrens.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Twisted Dune first and the next trip would be to BHP East.

[Geoffrey_Walsh]

Looks like Twisted Dune is a clean sweep... Thanks for the guidance guys.

[Geoffrey_Walsh]

redanman,

I wasn't including it in the choices because it won't be an option going forward.  However, I will definitely try and see it before it gets bulldozed.  Kind of an odd situation now that I think about it... I hope I don't fall in love with the place just before it becomes one of the "Lost Links".

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Here's an interesting review of Ponderlodge:

Ponderlodge. 7 Shawmount Ave., Villas (609-886-8065). The former owner of Philadelphia’s Schmidt’s Brewery once operated a nine-hole playground for the company. With the addition of nine holes in 1991, the course opened to the public. The course prides itself on the fact that no golfer has ever reported shooting par on the course (not sure whether that’s a statement about the course or the golfers). Nevertheless, the course is peaceful and scenic and lies within earshot of the Cape May-Lewes ferries. Tree-lined fairways reward accuracy. Water comes into play on some holes, including the first.

[Michael Plunkett]

The Bay Course gets the nod everytime over the Pines Course at the Seaview. But summer time is not the best time to play- Greenhead flies. Big nasty and hard to kill with a sunday newspaper in the hands of a power hitter.

I love Twisted Dune- but haven't played their this year.
Sand Barrens is nice. I re-visited it after a two year lay off and loved it.
STAY AWAY FROM SHOREGATE- one warning

And a last pitch for my new course ever since I started to do some freelance work for them- an hour or less inland going West- Scotland Run CC. Named after the creek- Scotland Run- that flows near by.

[Mike_Cirba]

Michael Plunkett,

Agree with the warning about ShoreGate.  Possibly the most architecturally overdone course I've ever seen.  It's like a children's painting, where they don't know when to stop.  

Is there an architectural school known as "maximalist"?  

Also concur that Scotland Run is a fun round of golf and a well-done course, particularly the back nine.