GALLOWAY NATIONAL GOLF CLUB
Course Architect: Tom Fazio (1995), renovation/redesign work (2000s)
Year Opened: 1995
Location: Galloway Township, New Jersey
Slope: 146. Rating: 74.5
Par: 71
Yardage: 7,022
Hole-by-Hole: 1 - Par 4 400 Yds 10 - Par 4 475 Yds
2 - Par 3 149 Yds 11 - Par 5 501 Yds
3 - Par 4 375 Yds 12 - Par 4 400 Yds
4 - Par 4 453 Yds 13 - Par 4 477 Yds
5 - Par 3 189 Yds 14 - Par 3 219 Yds
6 - Par 5 548 Yds 15 - Par 4 432 Yds
7 - Par 4 402 Yds 16 - Par 5 532 Yds
8 - Par 3 196 Yds 17 - Par 3 249 Yds
9 - Par 5 539 Yds 18 - Par 4 486 Yds
Par 35 3,251 Yds Par 36 3,771 Yds
Key Events Held: USGA Men's State Team Championship (2012),
U.S. Open Championship Qualifier (2010),
NCAA Division I Men's Golf Regional Championship (2009),
USGA Senior Amateur Qualifier (2009),
Ivy League Men's Championship (2007-08),
USGA Mid-Amateur Qualifier (2008),
USGA Senior Amateur Qualifier (2004),
NJSGA Mid-Amateur Championships (2001-02, 05).
Awards Won: #70 by Golf Digest - America's 100 Greatest Courses (2009-10),
#34 by Golfweek - Modern Golf Courses built after 1960 (2009),
#3 by Golf Digest - Best in State, New Jersey (2009-10),
#46 by Golfweek - America's 100 Best Modern Courses (1999),
America's Best New Courses by Golf Digest (1995).
Website: gallowaynationalgolf.com.
HISTORY: "Galloway National will be one of my best courses ever." When Tom Fazio makes that statement nothing more needs to be said. The master architect has crafted some of America's greatest courses, including Shadow Creek (NV), Flint Hills (KS), Wade Hampton (NC), Victoria National (IN) and Pinehurst No. 4 (NC), to name a few. In fact, Fazio designs boast 13 courses ranked in the
top-100 of America's greatest by Golf Digest and his redesign work, well, guess who was called in to renovate Augusta National? So his word is good in my book.
Going back to Galloway's modest beginnings, it was the dream of Commerce Bank CEO Vernon Hill II to create a pristine, private world-class golf course, one in which he didn't have to play five-hour rounds. Hill, along with business associates and fellow golfers John Silvestri, Steve Lewis and Ken Lowther purchased several pieces of property just north of the historic Seaview Resort, with over 5,000 feet of frontage on Reeds Bay in 1986.
Mike Killian, who's been Director of Golf at Galloway National since 2001, said it best, "They were just four gentleman who love golf, have been coming down here for years in the 1970s, and were just tired of the slow play."
Then the pursuit began of an architect with the vision and love of the game that Hill and Silvestri shared. According to Killian, "They went out in 1988 and started looking at different golf courses across the world, Scotland, Ireland and the United States." After an extensive and exhausting search, it came as no surprise, "They fell in love with Fazio."
Fazio was rewarded with a "whatever it takes," budget and was awarded free reign to work his magic through the New Jersey pinelands and along the marshes of Atlantic City. All he did was create a venue that was nominated as one of the country's best new courses in 1995 and has since been named the 70th best course in the United States by Golf Digest. How impressive is that? Well, only
eleven courses built after Galloway National in the last decade rank ahead of Galloway, three of which were designed by Fazio!
Over the past several years, Galloway National has had Fazio return to do renovation work, such as adding several new teeing grounds, tweaking the bunkers and increasing the yardage to over 7,000 yards.
By design, Galloway National has been luring the powers that be to host national events, such as the 2009 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Regional Championship, and the 2010 U.S. Open Championship Qualifier.
During the NCAA Regional Championship, the University of Alabama came out on top, led by medalist Hunter Hamrick, the only player in the field of 75 to finish the three rounds under par, and that was at one-under. "I'm very proud of my team," said coach Jay Seawell. "To win on such a great golf course makes it even more special." How tough was the course for the championship, the
Crimson Tide's winning score was 22-over-par! Hamrick equaled the course record of 67 shot by teammate Bud Cauley and runner-up David Holmes of Tennessee.
It's just a matter of time until Galloway gains the national spotlight by hosting a world-class event. Who knows, maybe a USGA Amateur championship might makes its way to the Jersey shore.
REVIEW: You'll need to make your mark at Galloway National on the front nine and the opening hole is a perfect start. The sharp, dogleg right par four of just 400 yards, features a generous landing area off the tee. Avoid the bunker on the left corner and the deep, cavernous trap on the right and you'll have just a short iron remaining. The putting surface is long, narrow and elevated, so adjust accordingly with your approach. As you stroll up towards the multi-level green, you're afforded wonderful views of the Atlantic City skyline. Stay focused!
The shortest hole on the course is the par-three second. Just a miniscule 149 yards from the gold markers, this gem requires pinpoint accuracy. Playing alongside Reeds Bay, this hole is impacted drastically by the elements, as the wind usually blows hard from right to left. All carry over marsh, you'll need to avoid the fronting bunker, not to mention more sand to the left. By the way, the undulating putting surface is diabolical, especially front left. Any shot just offline will fall off into a chipping area that sits well below the green. And you thought the front nine was easy, hah!
Once again, don't be misled by the simplicity of the straightforward, par-four third. Just 375 yards and with a seemingly wide fairway, beware of the trees on either side of the landing area, not to mention the sandy wasteland to the left. Three-metal off the tee is the play, as the fairway runs out and narrows. A slightly elevated approach will require a little more juice to reach the tiny and very undulating putting surface. A word of caution, don't miss long, as it will prove to be very costly on the scorecard.
The heat begins to turn up when you reach the rugged, dogleg left fourth. Trees guard both sides of the fairway and an oasis of sand covers the bend, so you need to accurate off the tee. A medium to long iron, with a slight fade will be needed to reach a fairly small target. Trees down the right side
partially block the approach to a back-right flag, so play towards the center of the green for your best shot at par. Now's not the time to be heroic.
Playing back towards the AC skyline, the fifth is a wonderful par three that stretches to 189 yards. The real defense to this hole, other than the wind, is the very difficult putting surface. A medium iron should suffice, but when the elements are up, you might want to add an extra stick or two. The front-left portion of the green features a huge swale and will attack any offline play, sending your shot slithering off the green. A back-left pin is very difficult to attack so stay clear, as the fall-off towards the bay is disheartening.
After a short, leisurely walk to the sixth tee, you reach the first of four par fives. The longest of the trio, No. 6 is certainly reachable, but not without consternation. Thick trees run down the entire right side and a Sahara expanse down the left. The fairway is generous, so bust your best and you can
get home in two. If you're laying up, avoid the 40-yard long trap down the right and you'll have just a short pitch to a very receptive green. Birdies can be had if you play your cards right.
One of my favorite holes at Galloway National is the short, strategic seventh. It's just 390 yards from the tips, so a long iron or fairway metal off the tee works best and play down the right, as a tall, thick tree stands guard on the corner of this slight dogleg left. Note to player; water also looms near on the left. From the fairway, a short iron should remain to the slightly elevated putting surface that rolls from back to front. A sandy grave lurks left of the green, with shaved chipping areas around the remaining portions of the promised land. Sure, birdie is possible, but par is a good score.
Although certainly not the longest par three on the course, the eighth could be construed as the most difficult. A shade under 200 yards, your play is mostly over the pond shared by the seventh. With several different teeing grounds, the hole can play as little as 150 yards or as much as 220. A back- left pin is impossible to get at, unless of course you have the stones to play a sweeping draw or a high cut. Either way, you'll earn your score no matter what's your modus operandi.
The closing hole on the front side is another risk-reward par five. Played uphill off the tee, the fairway is generous, but to miss is a disaster thanks to fescue, rough, trees and sand. With a spine down the center, the fairway tilts both right and left, but a big tee ball can leave a shot at getting home. Don't be fooled by a downhill appearance as you look toward the green. Take out your three-metal and give it ride. One word of caution, stay clear of the sand and tall trees right. If you played safe, no problem. With a wedge in hand to the elevated putting surface, you should be able to get it close. The green is deep and runs hard from back to front, maybe the slickest on the course, so try and stay below the hole.
If someone decided to change the rules and place hole handicaps in order of difficulty, then the back nine at Galloway National would hold all the cards. The closing holes are over 500 yards longer than the opening nine, not to mention many more hazards and plenty of elevation changes.
It starts with the robust, par-four 10th. At 475 yards, this gem plays straight uphill from tee to green. In fact, you'll need 230 yards just to reach the fairway from the back tee. Tall trees and thick fescue protect both sides of the landing area, so pinpoint accuracy and length is needed. The
cavernous bunker down the right is reachable and a double-bogey waiting to happen, so avoid. A long iron or rescue club will be required to reach one of the longest and undulating greens on the course. Most approaches feed toward the center of the putting surface and a back flag can add 20-30 yards, so plan accordingly. The bottom line, "lock and load."
Fazio really challenges the player on the 11th, a wonderful par five of just 501 yards. A very reachable hole that must be navigated carefully with trees, sand and fescue down the left and right, a center-cut tee shot is needed. At the 300-yard mark a 50-yard bunker lurks down the right, so avoid at all costs. After a successful tee shot, the fun really begins, as you need to make a choice, go for the green or lay up. The safe play is out to the right with an iron, which will leave around 100 yards in. The aggressive line is taking dead aim at the smallish green. The trick is clearing the body of water that fronts the tiered putting surface. The front of the green sits like a bowl, however with the pin on the back shelf, it will be hard to hold the green. Go for it!
With a new tee, the 12th has been lengthened to 400 yards, but it still ranks as the shortest par four on the back nine. Doglegging hard to the left, your tee ball needs to avoid the trees, sand and fescue down the right and the humungous bunker left. Your approach will be uphill to one of the most
severely sloped greens on the course and it's just 28 paces deep. A pot bunker fronts the right to left sloping putting surface. Trust me, the slope is real, play out towards the right.
From one of the easiest holes to the hardest and most challenging at Galloway National. The 13th can be construed as unlucky, but I believe its just tough. It features the tightest fairway, a maze-like bunker complex on the right, thick stands of trees on both sides and a difficult to read putting surface. Put that altogether and you have a big number in the making. Don't get me wrong, I like the hole, I just wished I'd stop making double-bogey every time I play it.
The first par three on the back side is the 14th, a simplistic, but difficult 219-yarder. Playing slightly less than the yardage indicates, the green is what stands this hole apart. A ridge that runs from left to right, separates one of the longest putting surfaces into two sections. The front portion of the green runs towards the front, while the rear portion runs away. This makes it very difficult to get the ball close on your approach. There is plenty of room to the left to bail, since the right side is a desert nightmare.
Uphill from tee to green, the 15th is a straightaway, par four reaching 432 yards. The bigger hitters will have to lay back off the tee, as the fairway runs out at the 290-yard mark. Personally, I have no problem hitting driver on every hole at Galloway, except the par threes. Anyway, back to business. Your second shot, which will require an extra stick, must carry the Pine Valley like bunker situated in the middle of the fairway to another tricky green. Just 32 paces from front to back, the putting surface features a ridge on the right side that seems to repel balls away to the left. If you thought the
ninth green was slick, try leaving your putt short up the hill. Ouch!
Probably the most challenging par five on the course, the 16th is one of the many signature holes at Galloway National. From the back tee, it's just 532 yards, but with a lake to the left and forest to the right, well, you get the message. The fairway is quite generous, but the water is just a few yards
away, keeping you honest. Your second can get home, but with the elevated surface, you're better off laying up. Sand runs down the left side from the 150-yard mark to the green, so avoid the fluffy stuff and you're almost there. The green is quite wide, but very shallow, making your approach much more difficult. With that in mind, the green runs hard from back to front, so you better be spot on. One of these days I'll figure it out.
Remember that comment earlier about hitting driver on every hole except the par threes? Well if the wind is blowing, you'll need the big stick on 17. At 249 yards, it's the longest par three by far at the Jersey shore. Sandy waste areas lay in waiting down the right, thus setting up for a draw towards the
very long and large putting surface. The green slopes from back to front and can be very quick, especially when the wind blows off the bay. Miss right and you'll find a large chipping area, which will give you the best chance at getting up and down, because left is no winning hand, even with the AC Casinos in the background.
Originally a 442-yard par four, the 18th hole has been extended to reach 486 yards. Take full stock of the beautiful views of Atlantic City before you tee off, because you'll need every bit of concentration and ability to master this closing beauty. Doglegging hard to the right, your tee shot must avoid the sand, trees and marsh to the right. Playing slightly uphill adds another 10 yards or so try not to cut too much off the corner. Your approach shot is quite deceiving, as a cross bunker partially hides the front portion of the green, leaving an illusion of closeness. It's not. The kidney-shaped putting surface runs uphill to the rear and is surrounded by a sandy moat. Other than that, piece of cake. I'm exhausted!
FINAL WORD: Oh my! I could leave it at that, but that would be an injustice.
For years, Atlantic City Country Club was the staple of golf at the Jersey shore. A venerable layout originally designed in 1897, AC has nonetheless been supplanted by Galloway National.
To rank in the top-100 of the greatest courses this country has to offer, the venue must score high in many categories. Galloway National certainly makes the grade in every way. From resistance to scoring (just ask the college players from the 2009 Regional Championship), to the aesthetics and
conditioning of the course and the wonderful design, Galloway is in a class by itself.
"There's a premium on shot and distance control," added Killian. "Being able to control your middle irons, short irons, or a putt or pitch because of the green complexes. The defense of the greens is the undulations and contours."
The course is not for the faint of heart. Stretching over 7,000 yards with a par of 71, a slope of 146 and a rating of 74.5, Galloway National is one of the most difficult courses on the east coast.
Fazio is very hands-on with Galloway National, tinkering here and there, especially when it comes to the trees. According to Killian, "Tom stood on the first tee and looked down the fairway and there was a tree in the way down the right and you could hardly see the bunker on the right hand side. He turned to Vernon and said, you know Vernon, before we built this property it was all trees, you've got to keep taking trees out or it will overgrow the golf course."
"With taking out the trees on one, it was unbelievable what it did to open up the view of the first fairway bunker complex and with more sunlight to the right side of the tee. He is always doing things like that, which is terrific. He is as good as there is."
Most holes feature three to four teeing areas, however the scorecard only shows yardage from the blue markers (6,476 yards) or the gold buttons (7,022 yards). Don't be a hero, pick the right tees.
"You get a lot of shots that you hit the right distance, but if you just miss four feet to the right or left, it's no good," continued Killian. "Number two is a classic example. It's just a pitching wedge par 3, generally downwind, but if you hit 15 feet left of where you are supposed to be, you end up down in the collection area, so it's really about controlling your distance, which is wonderful in this day and age when everybody is killing it off the tee and they can't control their shots. It really penalizes poor distance shots and penalizes wayward tee shots."
The fairways at times are generous, however don't be lulled into a false sense of security, as the trees, fescue and rough will collect any offline shot. "The average fairway is 45-50 yards wide. I think the 18th fairway is 55 yards wide, but if you miscue with your approach, you're in trouble. The short
holes, however, have very demanding greens, like 2 and 3. It's one of those great courses that does that."
The green complexes are quite unique and range from as little as 23 paces to 41 yards. "There is a lot of movement on the greens," added Killian.
The diverse northeastern seaboard membership certainly could be attributed to the proximity of New York, as its location is within a couple of hours, but 60-percent of the membership comes from the Philadelphia region and 20-percent from north Jersey and the Empire state.
The real attraction however, has to be the world-class practice facility, the four-star dining experience, a well-stocked golf shop, the staff that will bend over backwards to service your needs and of course, one of the top three layouts in the state of New Jersey, behind only Pine Valley and Baltusrol.
"I think it's every bit the championship golf course and a magnificent match-play venue, and could host a Mid-Amateur tomorrow or a Senior Amateur because it's the right time of year and it's a great match-play golf course," continued Killian.
Another bonus is the fact you never have to wait for a tee time. "A typical day at Galloway National is nice and quiet," added Killian. "The highest we've ever done is 10,000 rounds. Sometimes we're lucky to see 15 people during the day in the shorter months, but we're very busy on Fridays during the summer-time."
"Mr. Hill wanted all the tee complexes to be elevated and that's one of the many things about Galloway that's so entertaining, there are no blind shots," said Killian. Everything is right in front of you from tee to green.
Galloway National is a golfer's paradise. Golf at its best. A modern-day classic.