GOLF COURSE REVIEW - ATLANTIC CITY CC
Course Architect(s): John Reid (1897), Willie Park Jr (1915), Howard C. Toomey & William S. Flynn (1925), Tom Doak (1999)
Year Opened: 1897
Location: Northfield, New Jersey
Slope: 128. Rating: 72.0
Par: 70
Yardage: 6,539
Hole-by-Hole: 1 - Par 4 450 Yds 10 - Par 5 488 Yds
2 - Par 4 368 Yds 11 - Par 4 432 Yds
3 - Par 4 353 Yds 12 - Par 3 134 Yds
4 - Par 3 144 Yds 13 - Par 5 553 Yds
5 - Par 4 445 Yds 14 - Par 4 339 Yds
6 - Par 5 592 Yds 15 - Par 3 184 Yds
7 - Par 4 452 Yds 16 - Par 4 400 Yds
8 - Par 3 196 Yds 17 - Par 3 157 Yds
9 - Par 4 452 Yds 18 - Par 4 400 Yds
Par 35 3,452 Yds Par 35 3,087 Yds
Key Events Held: U.S. Amateur (1901),
U.S. Women's Open (1948, 1965, 1975),
U.S. Women's Senior Amateur (1967),
U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur (1997),
PGA Inaugural Seniors (1980),
Atlantic City Commemorative (2004),
Atlantic City Celebrity Kids' Classic (2000-01),
Ron Jaworski Celebrity Golf Challenge (1999-present).
Awards Won: Ranked #1 Public/Daily Fee Course (New Jersey) - Golf Week (2006),
Top 100 Classic Golf Courses in America - Golf Week (2006),
Ranked 5th among Golf Digest's best in state (New Jersey),
Named by Golf & Travel as one of America's Best 40 Resort Courses.
HISTORY: When one first talks about the history of Atlantic City Country Club,
the first thing that comes to mind, is the proud distinctions of "The
Birthplace of the Birdie," as well as being the site where the term "Eagle"
was coined. Founded in 1897, the course first hosted the U.S. Amateur in 1901
won by Walter J. Travis. Travis, who designed Westchester Country Club's West
Course, Garden City Golf Club and Equinox Golf Links, was a three-time winner
of the U.S. Amateur and a six-time medalist in the event. Travis took up golf
at age 36 and won his three U.S. Amateurs by age 42. The U.S. Women's Open
made its first stop in Atlantic City in 1948, as Mildred Didrikson Zaharias
was the winner. The "Babe," as she was called, posted a score of 300 and
defeated Elizabeth Hicks by eight strokes. Seventeen years later the USGA
made a return visit and Carol Mann came away with victory. Mann opened with
78, but rebounded with rounds of 70-70-72 to win by two shots over Kathy
Cornelius. In 1965 a couple of firsts were marked, as the final round was
telecast nationally for the first time and the last two rounds were played in
two days instead of one as before. The U.S. Women's Open returned in 1975, as
Sandra Palmer recorded one of only two rounds under par all week to win by
four. Palmer finished at seven-over-par to finish ahead of JoAnne Carner,
Sandra Post and amateur Nancy Lopez. The wind, which was extremely strong all
week, grew fiercer during the final round and Palmer was one of just three
players to shoot par on the last day. The second place result was one of
Lopez' four runners-up finishes at this event, the only coveted title that
eluded her throughout her career. Legendary amateur champion Carol Semple
Thompson captured the 1997 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur at Atlantic City.
Thompson, who has played in this event since its inception in 1987, also
captured the tournament in 1990. Playing the course at just under 6,000 yards
and a par of 72, Thompson defeated Leslie Shannon, 2 & 1 in the championship
match. Shannon was one down heading into the 16th, but dumped her approach
into the water and she could not recover. The PGA's Champions Tour made its
first foray into golf back in 1980 at Atlantic City, as Don January defeated
Mike Souchak by two shots. The tournament was one of just four events in the
inaugural season. The first American to capture the U.S. Open, John J.
McDermott was the first professional at Atlantic City Country Club. The course
has had a handful of architects throughout the years, tweaking and updating
the land, most recently by Tom Doak. The course, now owned by Park Place
Entertainment, brought in Doak and his Renaissance Golf Design team to
preserve the century-old history of the course while improving conditions.
According to Renaissance Golf Design, "the character of the property was
changed by excavating along the upper fairways to give the course more rolling
topography, and using the earth to screen adjacent homes to provide more
privacy for golfers." They added that, "trees in the middle of the course were
also transplanted to open up views of the marsh and of Atlantic City across
the way. Large expanses between holes were returned to the open, sandy look
which was a feature of the course in the early 1900's." Of the 18 greens, only
four were preserved per their original design, while the remaining surfaces
were modified to suit the shot values of the modified golf holes and the green
speeds. Doak made significant changes to the course, as he shortened the
second hole, lengthened the fifth, combined the 10th and 11th holes into a par
five and added 70-plus yards to the 12th. The 14th and 15th holes brought
about the most changes, as a new section of tidal marsh was dug into the
original 15th to create a more challenging, short par-4 from a peninsula tee,
while the following hole was crafted to play back into the wind, a difficult
184-yard par three. The final hole was also shortened into a par-four that
plays back into the wind.
When arriving and leaving Atlantic City Country Club, you'll notice a bell
hanging in the drive by the clubhouse. This bell was used back in the early
1900s to remind golfers that the last trolley was about to leave for Atlantic
City. A beautiful reminder of the old days.
REVIEW: Wind, wind and more wind. That is the determining factor when playing
Atlantic City Country Club. If the wind is up, how could it not, as the course
is located right on the marsh in between Atlantic City and the mainland and
tree protection is minimal, then the course is a bear of a test. The first
hole starts out with a monster of a par-four of 450 yards dead into the wind.
Get out the big dog right away, as you'll need a big drive just to get into
range of a long-iron or fairway metal. The green is slightly elevated, guarded
by sand and slopes from left-to-right and back-to-front. This is not your
ordinary opener. Although into the wind, the second is only 368 yards from the
tips (maybe they could switch the first two holes). This straightaway hole,
requires a solid tee ball that favors the left side, however a stand of trees
flank the side, while sand guards the right. From the fairway, only a medium
to short iron is left to a two-tiered green that slopes from right-to-left and
is protected by sand on the right. The third hole offers the player his first
view of the Atlantic City skyline, as the hole faces directly to the east. A
long iron or fairway metal off the tee is the play, but stay right, as sand
protects the left-side landing area. A little wedge will be left to a
miniscule green protected every which way by sand. Miss long and your left
with a difficult putt or pitch down a slippery slope, short and your ball will
spin back off the elevated green. The fourth is a tricky 144-yard par-three,
that plays with the wind from behind and to the left. Sand protects front
right and back left to this narrow green that's fairly flat. A definite birdie
chance, if you missed one on holes two and three. The heart of the course
starts on the fifth. Measuring 445 yards from the back buttons, the fifth
plays straightaway to an undulating fairway, guarded along the left side by
sand. The putting surface sits in a punchbowl type setting with more sand on
the left. If your going to miss, play to the right and take your chances
getting up-and-down. A stern test with the wind blowing from left-to-right.
The longest hole on the course, the par-five sixth requires a big tee shot to
the right side of the fairway and an equally long second to set up a short
pitch to the green. The hole, which usually plays downwind, needs to be played
strategically, as to avoid the numerous sand traps down the left side. The
putting surface, which slopes from back-to-front and right-to-left, is guarded
by a pair of deep bunkers to the right. There is no shame in making par on the
hardest hole on the course. Like the first, the seventh is another monster
par-four. Playing back into the wind, a huge tee shot is needed to leave a
long-iron into the huge undulating green. Sand guards the entire right side of
the putting surface, so bail left if you must. The speed of this green could
be the quickest on the course, so leave yourself below the hole or expect a
three-putt. The longest par-three on the course, the eighth plays downwind,
making club selection very difficult. Not to mention the numerous sand traps
blanketing the green. Whatever you do, don't miss short and right, because the
deepest bunker on the course will give even the best player fits. Oh, the
ninth. What a classic par-four. This 452-yard beauty doglegs to the left and
although it plays downwind, players must be careful not to run his tee shot
through the fairway, as gnarly trees guard the right side. A medium-iron
should remain to a relatively flat and wide green, that once again is
protected by sand left and right.
After a tough outward nine, the back starts out with a excellent chance for
birdie, with a reachable par-five. The only problem here is that the hole
doglegs to the right and has water by the green. The top players should be
able to bomb a tee shot over the corner of the fairway to set up a long-iron
or fairway metal to the green. Water, however comes into play along the left
side to the putting surface, so bail out or layup right. The green is quite
tricky with a huge swale near the front, so depending upon the pin placement,
try to use the slope to set up your birdie. By the way, your second shot into
the green, plays directly into the wind. The 11th is one of the seven par-
fours at Atlantic City over 400 yards in length. The hole is divided by a
series of bunkers that dissect the fairway as the hole bends to the right.
Into the wind, driver is needed, so play down the left side. Your second is
slightly uphill to an elevated green that slopes from back-to-front with sand
right and a large slope to the left. The 11th is your last test until your
reach the 15th. The little 12th is only 134 yards and plays downwind, so wedge
is only needed to hit this small target. Sand will capture any shot just off
line, making getting up-and-down very difficult. A certain birdie hole could
result in bogey or worse. Although the par-five 13th is ranked as the second
most difficult on the course, the hole can be tamed. A tee shot down the right
of the fairway will set the player up in the go-zone to reach the green in
two. A couple of problems however. Water left off the tee and in the layup-
area definitely comes into play. Marsh and sand to the right can also play
havoc. A myriad of bunkers left and by the green can catch a stray shot, but
if played down the right side, birdies and pars are most likely, as the
putting surface is not that difficult. The problem with the 14th hole is not
the length or the hazard, it's choosing the right club off the tee. At 339
yards, the hole is a certain risk-reward type, as players can reach the green
with driver since its downwind. However, for those of us who layup, the
landing-area is very narrow, forcing a medium- to long-iron off the tee. Now
it's time to attack the green, well maybe not. The putting surface is quite
long and slopes severely from left-to-right towards the marsh. I know you were
looking for birdie, but take par and move on. One of the best par-three's in
the area, the 15th has it all. Length, hazards and of course, wind. Just 184
yards, the wind can make this hole play 40 yards longer, as there is no
protection to speak of. Five-iron to five-metal can be the club of choice, so
choose wisely, as marsh, sand and a large putting surface make this hole, the
hardest on the inward nine. The 16th is more beautiful than difficult, as it
plays somewhat downwind as the hole bends slightly to the right. Marsh and
water guard the entire right side through the green, while sand protects the
left. Only a three-metal or long-iron is needed to set up a medium to short
iron to a slick green that slopes from left-to-right. Realistically, your last
birdie chance. The second to last hole is an outstanding par-three of just 157
yards. Who said you need to be over 200 yards in length to be challenging,
certainly not Pebble Beach or Olympic or Pine Valley. The 17th plays uphill
and into the wind, causing club selection problems. The green sits down,
nestled between mounding, with sand short and long. The putting surface is
two-tiered and quite slick from back-to-front. Prior to Doak's redesign, the
18th played as a par-five. Now its a great finishing hole of 400 yards, that
doglegs to the right, finishing in front of the clubhouse. The tee shot plays
directly into the wind and needs to carry far enough to leave an open shot to
the green. A medium-iron down to a wedge can be the club of choice, but don't
be long with a front pin, as the putting surface slopes from back-to-front.
OVERALL: Getting on Atlantic City Country Club used to be impossible, however
since the course is now owned by Caesar's Resorts and has been made a public
facility, tee times are not a problem. The price is a little steep, but it's
well worth it.
There are many things that make A.C. a great course. First, the history.
Second, the mystique of the course. And finally, the course itself. The
practice facility, the course conditioning, the staff are second to none.
Anytime you play Atlantic City is a treat, but try to get out in late summer
and early fall, when the course is fast and firm and the rough is brown and
the fairways and greens are emerald and true.
This venue is a perfect example that courses do not need to be over 7,000
yards in length. The elements is what makes this course outstanding. The
views of the Atlantic City skyline, the sun setting over the clubhouse as you
stroll up 18 and the ambiance of one of the grandest places in the history of
golf in the United States. This is golf in its purest form.