There's a story behind every property like this, and Jasna Polana is no different. Built during the 1970s, the $25 million mansion that adorns the estate was one of the most expensive homes built in the United States during that decade. Jasna Polana was the home of J. Seward Johnson, heir to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical fortune, and his wife Barbara Piasecka (Basia) Johnson, his third wife. Basia had been hired by Johnson's first wife, Esther, as a member of her domestic staff, and then became curator of the Seward Johnson art collection. In 1971, Seward recognized a good thing when he saw it, divorced Esther, and married Basia.

During their marriage, the new Seward Johnson family built Jasna Polana as their main residence. It's a 46,000 square-foot mansion and is now one of the most unique and ornate clubhouses in the golf world. Aside from the 17th and 18th-century stone mantels and a few other of the Johnsons' personal touches that remain, it has undergone a major makeover. On the main floor, you'll find dining facilities, an oak room, a travertine room, locker rooms, dining facilities and a wine cellar. And that's just one end of the building. At the other end, you'll find a well-stocked pro shop with all the latest fashions, an outdoor patio that has seen its share of wedding ceremonies, a tennis court, and some event space.

On the upper level is a 2,500-square-foot one-bedroom suite with a library, private wet room, marble jacuzzi, and sauna. It's larger than the average U.S. home! If you have a chance, take a few minutes and look around; the artwork and furnishings are equally impressive!

After J. Seward passed away in 1983, Basia had to decide what to do with the property. Some thought she might turn the estate into a conference center or museum and show off her worldly artwork and treasures. But Basia had other ideas; she opted to turn Jasna Polana into a private golf and country club.

Basia wanted to make Jasna Polana one of the best private clubs in the area, a venue worthy of professional golf tournaments. She hired a well-known PGA TOUR professional to design the course and the PGA TOUR's TPC Network to manage it.

Gary Player designed this parkland-style golf course with help from Tim Freeland. Both felt the golf course should have a traditional style with a natural look and feel. As it turned out, the property did not need much of a facelift; Mother Nature had already done her job. Rather than move a lot of dirt, Player and Freeland were able to keep most of the estate intact. Many of the mature trees were left in place, and for each one that was removed, two were planted. The existing wetlands, marshy areas, and surrounding land were easily incorporated into the design.

A year after opening in 1998, TPC Jasna Polana hosted Shell's Wonderful World of Golf, featuring a match between Tom Watson and Hale Irwin. In 2002, Basia's dreams were realized when the club hosted the PGA CHAMPIONS TOUR Instinet Classic from 2000 - 2002.

These days, TPC Jasna Polana is well known for its conditioning, meticulously manicured fairways lined with mature hardwood trees, challenging greens, and picturesque views. From the back tees, the course can be stretched to 7,098 yards. I found the Middle Tees (6,004/69.7/131) offered a suitable challenge. With five sets, there's a suitable yardage for everyone, regardless of ability.

We visited TPC Jasna Polana last fall and were privileged enough to spend a couple of nights in the mansion, tour the clubhouse, sample the cuisine, and play the golf course. I have been blessed to stay and play at some impressive venues around the world, and TPC Jasna Polana ranks up with the best. The golf course was in immaculate condition, and the accommodations were first rate; the first night, my wife and I were the only ones in the "guesthouse" and were treated like royalty.

Two of my more memorable holes were #3 and #18. The 3rd hole at TPC Jasna Polana is the course's number one handicap; it's a beautiful 474-yard par five that plays downhill off the tee and then back uphill to the green. It's short enough that a good tee shot that avoids the bunkers on either side of the landing area will leave an opportunity to reach the green in two. Then, all you need to do is avoid the meandering creek and waterfall that come into play 150 yards out and front the entire green. Any putt from above the hole will break more than you think.

All memorable courses should have spectacular finishing holes, and TPC Jasna Polana does not disappoint. The 494-yard, par-5 18th hole will favor longball hitters who can carry their tee shot down the slope and leave themselves a realistic chance at hitting the green in two. You'll need to carry the creek that meanders down the fairway and fronts the green, as well as the large, deep bunker in front. Hopefully, the pinsetter was in a good mood and didn't position the flag in one of the many tricky spots on the green. The green slopes sharply from back to front.

In 2013, Basia Johnson passed away, and control of Jasna Polana went to her heirs. For more than 10 years, the Piasecka-Johnson heirs conducted a worldwide search for a new owner of Jasna Polana. They wanted a company that would continue their vision and mission. Concert Golf Partners was selected from a competitive pool of 20 bidders as the Piasecka Johnson Family's choice to preserve and enhance this esteemed country club for years.

As is their custom when purchasing a new club, Concert will invest $3 million in amenities at Jasna Polana to enhance and complement the existing infrastructure, clubhouse, and golf course.

In addition to a world-class golf course and clubhouse, there's a 3.5-acre practice facility, four practice putting greens, practice bunkers, event spaces, tennis courts, gardens featuring a reflecting pool, 2 private lodges with 16 bedrooms for overnight guests, and over 100 works of rare fine art.

For more information on joining the club or to arrange a visit, call (609) 688-0500 or online at www.jasnapolanaclub.com.

Forster was an avid golfer who purchased 50 acres of land in Monroe Township right before World War I. He used the land as a dairy farm, which he named Forsgate-a combination of his surname and his wife's maiden name, Gatenby. Forster continued to operate the dairy farm and did quite well; it was perhaps his most profitable business venture. In 1921, the Cranbury Press reported that Forsgate Farms had broken a World Record for producing the most milk in sixty days.

Forster continued to buy up land around the farm to create a "playground" for his employees - a golf and country club. In the late 1920s, he commissioned Charles Banks, an associate of C.B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor, to design the golf course. Clifford Wendehack was hired to design the clubhouse.

Banks' foray into golf architecture is interesting. He was an English teacher at the Hotchkiss Preparatory School in Lakeville, CT, and a member of the school's building committee. When the school decided to build a nine-hole golf course and hired renowned designer Seth Raynor, Banks worked closely with Raynor on the project and became so fascinated with golf course design that he left teaching and went to work for Raynor, eventually becoming his partner. When Raynor passed away in 1926 at the tender age of 47, Banks took over the business and went on to design and build about 30 courses until he died in 1931. He earned the nickname "Steamshovel" by using heavy equipment to dig out those deep greenside bunkers you'll see on every hole. Unfortunately, neither Banks nor Forster lived to see the opening of Forsgate Country Club. In 2007, architect Stephen Kay made several modifications to bring the course up to modern standards, and he's been tinkering with it ever since!

Over the years, the Banks Course has received its fair share of accolades including a Golf Digest ranking in the top 20 courses in New Jersey from 2015-2018 and 2021-present, a #13 ranking by Golf Magazine in the state in 2020-2021, and the 12th best Biarritz holes in the US by Links Magazine. The club is also highly ranked on Top100GolfCourses.com.

With Forsgate, Banks has created a challenging parkland-style golf course with rolling fairways that produce a variety of stances that require finesse and creativity. These meticulously maintained fairways lead to some of the most incredible green complexes in New Jersey. You'll find 18 elevated greens that vary in shape and size, some with false fronts and others with classic features such as a Redan and Biarritz. Each green complex has incorporated bunkers that sit well below the putting surface, some up to 16 feet. Banks was a master at creating replica holes, and many of the holes he built were inspired by some of his Scottish favorites. Many golf historians consider Forsgate to be among Banks' top three designs.

Forsgate is full of memorable holes, but none more than the par 3s at #3, #7, #12, and #17. It's not often that you'll find a course that handicaps its par 3s at 7, 5, 18, and 8! Number 3 is the first par 3 and plays 169 yards from the Forster Tees. The hole plays slightly uphill and over a deep valley. The green is surrounded by bunkers on three sides: the front right bunker sits about 12 feet below the putting surface and creeps around in front of the green. There's also a bunker behind the green to catch anything long. The green slopes sharply from back to front, making a shot from the back bunker a lot tougher. In the event you find yourself above the hole, it's not hard to putt yourself off the green. Banks obviously had a sense of humor - he named this hole Eden!

The 7th hole plays 183 yards from the Forster Tees and features a Redan green. The hole plays slightly downhill with very deep bunkers on either side of the green. The right side bunker is long and narrow and helps protect the front of the green, which slopes from left to right and has three tiers. Anyone who finds the left bunker will have a blind shot from the sand. Fittingly, Number 7 is named Redan!

At 140 yards, the 12th hole is the shortest par 3 on the course. The hole plays slightly downhill across a valley, with the green slightly below you. bunkers on either side of the green wrap around the front to grab anything short and take the senior-friendly bump-and-run shot out of play. The bunker on the right sits about nine feet below the surface, and the fall-off behind the green is very steep with tall fescue at the bottom. The bowl-shaped green can be tricky to putt. For obvious reasons, the hole is named Horseshoe!

The last of the par 3s is the 17th hole, the famous Biarritz! At 201 yards from the Member Tees, it's the longest - and most difficult - par 3 out here. The green is enormous, almost 75 yards long, with bunkers on both sides running the entire length of the green. The swale between the front and back portions of the green is one of the deepest I have played and sits four feet below the front and back sections. With the Biarritz playing about two-thirds of the way into the green, back pin locations are very difficult. The 17th green is usually the last green mowed in the morning and requires two talented greenskeepers to do the job. Even then, getting the job done takes twice as long!

In addition to the challenging par-3 holes, the finishing hole will test your mettle. From the Forster Tees, #18 plays 394 yards and is dead straight, and, if the wind is blowing, dead into it. A good tee shot over the first valley will leave a mid to long-iron approach over a second valley into a small green protected by bunkers on either side. Beware of the bunker in the right front; it's one of the deepest on the course, and your way out may not be at the green. The green complex is one of the most challenging on the course. Anything over the green will leave a downhill pitch shot onto the green. The 18th hole is aptly named Purgatory.

In 1961, golf architect Hal Purdy created a 9-hole layout and returned a decade later to add another nine. Arnold Palmer renovated the golf course in 1995 and later the course was named in his honor. The scenic Palmer Course features water hazards on 10 of its holes and is enjoyable for golfers of all skill levels.

On top of two fabulous golf courses, Forsgate has some remarkable practice facilities. There's a full-length driving range where you can hit every club in your bag, a short game area with a bunker, and a practice putting green.

Forsgate Country Club is a warm, welcoming, family-oriented club with countless recreational opportunities and social pursuits for the entire family. In addition to two superb golf courses, members have access to Forsgate's 24-hour state-of-the-art fitness center, pickleball courts, and the junior Olympic-sized swimming pool complex. Each year, the staff puts together a calendar of entertainment, special themed dinners, and events to highlight each season.

The Gatenby Grille and Bar is a great place to grab a bite to eat, enjoy a favorite beverage, and catch up on the latest club news. During the season, Gatenby Grille's terrace is open for dining under the stars and enjoying beautiful sunsets over the Banks Course.

The best way to enjoy all that Forsgate has to offer is to become a member. They offer individual, family, and corporate memberships that don't require a sponsor. A Full Golf Membership gives you access to everything Forsgate offers, including their winter indoor practice golf simulator. For more information, contact the Director of Membership or go online and fill out an application. www.forsgatecc.com

In golf, there's a method to the madness. The smallest tweaks can have the biggest effects, and from one day to the next your problems might change. Being good at golf means minimizing fluctuation and approaching each shot consistently. For a new golfer, this is difficult. For an experienced golfer...yep, still difficult.

We can't always do it on our own. Scratch that, no one can do it on their own. After all, there's a reason professional golfers have a team of instructors that help them through every tournament. They have caddies, swing coaches, sports psychologists, and more. Golf is far from simple, but making things simpler is what makes a normal golfer succeed.

So, What's an Average Golfer to do? A normal (non-professional) golfer doesn't need a full inner circle of professionals to assist in their golf game. I mean, it would be nice, but no, you don't need it-mostly because it's not your career and the game is meant for relaxation.

However, working with a golf professional is an affordable and realistic way of taking the small steps needed to become a better golfer. Golf instructors at a place like a New Jersey Golf School have been around the game and understand what it's like for golfers at every level.

If you want to improve your golf game, YouTube videos and self-guided range sessions won't cut it. You need more. You need professional instruction that will help you understand your own game and the logical areas you can focus on to improve.

But What do I do with a Golf Pro? You talk, you listen, you work together. A golf pro will bring you to the range or out on the course to work on what you collectively decide are your greatest areas of need. You'll attack these problems in methodical way, one that keeps progress going, but never overwhelms you.

When you go all in at a golf school, you immerse yourself in the game. As such, your instructor can engage with you in a way they couldn't with a one-hour lesson. You don't need to do things on your own this way. Instead, you lay a foundation for sustained improvement.

Having someone by your side as you try to work in new movements and an adjusted approach hammers in the details. When you have an expert in the field right next to you, there's no guessing. Instead, you have instant feedback and won't stray too far from where you should be.

Off the Course At a New Jersey Golf School, you even eat lunch with your instructor. You can talk golf; you can talk life. These programs put you in (heavily guided) control. Ask any golfer and they'll tell you they've had more than one major breakthrough in the 19th hole following a round. It's this type of detail and full access that you take small steps to advance your game without realizing it.

Just like there's a reason professional athletes watch film and analyze their game, there's a reason you recount every shot in the grille after a round. Details matter, and a good instructor helps you realize them.

https://www.birdgolf.com

The Bird Golf Academy PO Box 2158 Litchfield Park, AZ 85340

Toll Free: 877-424-7346 (877 4-BIRDGO) Email: info@birdgolf.com

Home of the LPGA Tour's ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by ACER, Seaview's Bay Course originally opened in 1914. The 6,300-yard layout is less a test of length, and more a test of imagination, accuracy and short game. The Bay Course presents a Scottish-links feel, dramatic seaside views, deep pot bunkers and small undulating greens. The recently completed enhancement project included bunker renovations and cart path upgrades. All greenside bunkers were modified and rebuilt incorporating a technically advanced drainage and liner system featuring Capillary Concrete. This new generation lining method increases the speed at which water flows through the bunker; minimizing washouts, reducing maintenance and producing superior playability. In addition, nearly 15,000 square feet of cart paths were replaced across the Bay Course.

"Turco Golf did an excellent job enhancing the Bay Course greenside bunkers," said Dr. Kiran Patel, principal of the resort's ownership group. "We're excited to reopen and show off the new bunkers to our members and golfers. We look forward to welcoming back the best LPGA players in the world to Seaview for the 2022 ShopRite LPGA Classic in June so they can experience this Bay Course enhancement."

The ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by ACER is set to return Seaview's Bay Course June 10-12 with final round coverage airing on CBS. Recent winners include Mel Reid, Lexi Thompson, Anna Nordqvist, Stacy Lewis and defending champion, Celine Boutier. ShopRite's charitable contributions since 1992 are over $38 million dollars with more than $1.5 million donated to local charities following the 2021 tournament.

Set on 670 acres of Galloway, NJ, coast and woodlands, Seaview is home to two world-class golf courses and a 296-room hotel. The Pines Course opened in 1929 and was designed by William Flynn and Howard Toomey. Unlike the Bay Course, the Pines winds its way through New Jersey woodlands, presenting elevation changes and bountiful doglegs. The course measures 6,800 yards, and it features large bunkers and expansive, sloping greens. The 16th hole was the site of Sam Snead's miraculous 60-foot chip-in to win the 1942 PGA Championship - his first major.

For more information on Seaview Hotel and Golf Club, visit www.seaviewgolf.com. Troon Golf, the resort and daily-fee division of Troon, manages the golf operations at Seaview Hotel and Golf Club.

Dramatic and significant changes are transforming this vibrant and historic club, which added 60 new member families last year and currently has a waiting list.

"The club has become a central point for family activities and gatherings," said Roger Bacon, General Manager. "Our members have enthusiastically embraced our new offerings and amenities, and while golf saw a resurgence during the pandemic, we're seeing enhanced participation in camps, racquet sports, culinary and social events."

On the golf course, "the greens have grown in beautifully," said Director of Course Operations Michael Campbell. "And as you might expect, play levels are at all-time highs."

Montclair Golf Club has 36 holes in four nine-hole loops that begin and end at the clubhouse. The original course, which opened in 1899, was designed by Tom Bendelow near the present location of today's First and Second Nines. In 1920, Donald Ross was commissioned to design 27 holes, and in 1928, land was acquired for the Fourth Nine, which was designed by Charles Banks.

Renovation of the Second Nine is scheduled to begin in late July. The final phase, to restore the Fourth Nine-Banks's holes, which are dramatically different from the Ross 27, featuring huge, elevated greens and big, flat-bottomed bunkers-is scheduled for 2022.

The Lower Course has already hosted 10 major championships-4 U.S. Opens, 3 U.S. Amateurs, 2 PGA Championships, and 1 U.S. Women's Open-and after this restoration is ready to welcome its first KPMG Women's PGA Championship in 2023 and its third PGA Championship in 2029.

Originally designed by A.W. Tillinghast, the Lower Course opened in 1922 as part of Baltusrol's historic "Dual Courses" initiative, the first contiguous design and build of 36 holes in the U.S. In keeping with the "dual courses" theme, the Upper Course will undergo a Hanse-led restoration in 2024.

Having undergone numerous revisions, large and small, in their near-century-long existence, the club wanted to return the purity of the Tillinghast design to both courses. Hanse was retained in 2018 to help prepare a long-range master plan that included the most comprehensive restoration to the Lower, with particular attention to restoring Tillinghast's design features and shot values.

Every hole on the Lower Course was affected, with special attention paid to widening and twisting fairways, removing trees, and returning greens to their original scale and size. On some holes, fairway bunkers that had been removed over the years were returned, while other bunkers were eliminated to bring back the ground game that Tillinghast favored.

But the biggest change to the course, according to Hanse, was an overall lowering of the course's features, returning Tillinghast's preference for making the green the high point-and focus-of a hole.

"Over the years, bunkers and green surrounds were raised for framing," Hanse explained, "and it was our belief that the golf course would present itself more authentically if we removed these raised features. Now the course better fits the ground and our perception of how Tillinghast presented it."

Lowering bunkers had another benefit: Making it easier for members to get in and out of them.

"We are extremely proud to have restored Tillinghast's original vision for golf throughout the Lower Course," said Matt Wirths, President of Baltusrol and Chair of the Master Plan Committee in charge of the project. The restoration also included substantial infrastructure improvements such as the installation of new drainage, an irrigation system, and a PrecisionAire sub-surface air system for the greens.

Added Wirths, "Updating the infrastructure of the Lower will have a material impact on its agronomic health and our maintenance procedures for years to come. We feel like we have more control over the course's health and playability going forward."

Hanse also added new tees that will allow more players to enjoy the course. Several practice areas also were renovated.

Interestingly, Hanse explained, some of the most dramatic changes were to what are arguably the Lower's most famous holes-numbers 4, 17, and 18.

No. 4: The short grass that used to join the 4th tee to the 3rd green was restored. The 4th green was significantly expanded to the right after "old photographs showed the horizon line behind the green was dramatically different. So, we dropped the right side of the green to create a lower section."

No. 17: The great "Sahara" bunkering complex was moved 40 yards down the fairway, putting it more in play for better golfers while giving average players the chance to lay up short of it. A narrow opening to the green was also restored.

No. 18: The entire 18th fairway was raised, bringing it level with the pond so "it feels more natural as it goes downhill," according to Hanse. Bunkers were removed both along the right side of the fairway and in front of the green. And the fairway was merged with the 18th fairway from the Upper Course, "back to what Tillinghast had designed."

Work on the Upper Course will be done in 2024 with reopening scheduled for 2025. Said Hanse, "The Upper Course has always remained much closer than the Lower to what Tillinghast originally designed. There's still significant work to do to get the style back, but architecturally it's a lot closer."

"My wife Edwina and I felt that now is the best time to pass the ownership along to someone else, but only to a new owner who shares the same vision for the club that we have," said Hansen. "While it was a difficult decision, we feel confident that we are doing the right thing for the club, and leaving it in the hands of an ownership group that has a passion for the game of golf and will continue to build on the tradition of quality, service and camaraderie we have established at Hidden Creek."

"We have long admired Hidden Creek Golf Club and are very excited about the pending purchase of the club," said Dormie Network President Zach Peed. "Hidden Creek is a world-class golf club in every way. Our vision is to bring Hidden Creek into the nation's premier network of private destination golf clubs, further enhancing the member experience for all."

Dormie Network provides full-service hospitality at world-renowned facilities featuring golf courses designed by the likes of Arnold Palmer, Tom Fazio, Coore & Crenshaw, and Lester George. The fast-growing network was founded in 2016, and currently includes five critically acclaimed clubs, each ranked among the best in its respective state. Those clubs include the network's namesake, the Dormie Club, another Coore-Crenshaw design in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Also part of Dormie Network's portfolio are Victoria National (a Tom Fazio design ranked among the world's best) in Indiana; Ballyhack Golf Club in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains; ArborLinks, an Arnold Palmer Signature design in Nebraska; and the acclaimed Briggs Ranch Golf Club in Texas.

Dormie Network membership extends full member privileges and complete access to every club in the network-an arrangement that will include Hidden Creek once the sale of the club is finalized.

"We couldn't be more thrilled to be welcoming Hidden Creek and its members and staff to the Dormie Network family in January," said Zach Peed. "It's an absolutely exceptional club and a perfect fit."

Give Our Readers An Overview of the Golf Course/Property Located just minutes from Atlantic City, this layout is a tribute to St. Andrews, Carnoustie, Prestwick, Gleneagles and Turnberry, among others. Designed by architect Alister McKenzie, McCulloughs features a three acre waste bunker plus an island fairway that is 160 yards wide, on the par four 7th hole. With water on 5 holes and the regions only 100 foot elevation changes, visitors to this course are treated to remarkable vistas and a challenging round.

If Someone Was Looking To Golf In The Area, Why Should They Play Your Course? McCullough's Emerald Golf Links is a unique golf course for the Atlantic City area. The course has some amazing elevation changes, risk vs reward holes and country club conditioning for a municipal golf course.

What Tips or Local Knowledge Would You Provide To Help Them Score Better At Your Course? Purchase a yardage book as there are a few blind shots off the tee. This will save you a few shots.

Recent Awards or What You Are Most Proud About The Course? Top 35 New US Public Course To Open in 2002 - Golf Magazine Top 2 US Municipal Course To Open in 2002 - Golf Magazine

What Is The Signature, Most Talked About, or Most Photographed Hole? Architect, Stephen Kay, hailed #7 as our signature hole. The 464 yard hole doglegs left over an acre sized sand trap. An aggressive line will make the hole shorter. Bite off only what you can chew.

What Is Your Favorite Hole? Any Tips to Play It? I love elevation changes and the returning holes to the club house offer some great views and intimating shots. The tee box on the 8th hole is elevated a few stories above the fairway. A precise drive is needed for placement between the pond on the left and woods on the right. Hole 18 mirrors number 8 with an elevated tee. New Jersey is known for being flat so having these holes makes us very unique in the area.

Must Have Dish or Drink after the round at the 19th Hole? Late fall (2015) we will be reopening the steak house on property. Our steaks were amazing and I am excited to reopen the restaurant. The best way to end your round at McCullough's Emerald Golf Links is with a juicy steak and ice cold beer!

Back Tee Stats Par: 71 Yardage: 6535 Slope: 130 Rating: 71.7

More Information McCullough's Emerald Golf Links 3016 Ocean Heights Avenue Egg Harbor Township, NJ, 08234 609-926-3900 www.mcculloughsgolf.com/

Topping the charts yet again is venerable Atlantic City Country Club, one of the nation's great-granddaddies of clubs. Anyone interested in the game's history should waste no time teeing it up on the 6,577-yard classic (most recently restored by renowned designer Tom Doak shortly after its 100th birthday). The club's rich background alone, the birthplace of the birdie, makes it one of the great destination courses in the East, though its current 18-hole layout and spectacular setting along Lakes Bay (named for Simon Lake, the inventor of the modern submarine) overlooking the Atlantic City skyline are both on par to its history. And the golf experience only improves in 2015 with newly restored greenside bunkers on Holes 4, 6, 8, 12, 15 and 17, a new halfway house and a significant clubhouse renovation.

Twisted Dune - possibly the most visually striking golf course in the Atlantic City golf arsenal - maintains its No. 3 position. With its inland links representation, if you were sent blindfolded to any course in the state, this is the one that you'd recognize by its name most readily. That's because every hole is so dramatic, you have nowhere to turn but in circles. One local pro described it as the spot where "Phoenix meets Scotland." Twisted Dunes is a links style course with twisting landscapes, dramatic elevations, and contoured fairways. It is a challenging, yet supremely playable, 18-hole design. Designer Archie Struthers moved two million cubic yards of earth to bring this remarkable course to fruition; creating a true taste of the Scottish Coast, right along the Jersey Shore.

Shore Gate Golf Club surges three spots to No. 4 as the only course in the area designed by the California architect firm of Ron Fream and David Dale, who provided a different feel than most courses in the Northeast. Though situated only a couple of miles from the beach, the landscape at Shore Gate is surprisingly diverse. "Everything they've done, they've done well," said general manager Harry Bittner said of the design team. "The whole goal was to build a golf course that was pretty dramatic and different to give people something special - something they will remember. They had a really great piece of land with which to work."

No. 6 Ballamor Golf Club, formerly a private course in Egg Harbor Township, is a broad-shouldered layout designed by Dan Schlegel of Ault, Clark & Associates. Schlegel carved his 7,098-yard, par-72 creation out of dense woods and laid a wonderful collection of holes over gently rolling land. Brawny bunkering and waste areas, waving fescue in the rough and plenty of water keeps golfers honest. The putting surfaces are very large - in some cases three clubs large - with heaving undulations and multiple tiers.

No. 10 Sand Barrens Golf Club, located in close proximity to Shore Gate, is another notable design by Dana Fry and Dr. Michael Hurdzan. It was back in the winter of 1996 when the talented twosome was simultaneously working on a desert course out west and walking this land situated among the pine trees of coastal New Jersey. Digging down into the soil with a backhoe, Fry struck what he was looking for - sand, and quite a bit of it too. So, instead of designing a typical green, parkland-style golf course, he decided to bring the sand up from the earth and turn Sand Barrens into the "closest thing you'll find to a desert course in this neck of the woods." Today, three really strong nines put Sand Barrens at the front of the class and still the only 27-hole facility in the area.

To build Golfweek's list, an experienced team of more than 700 evaluators rated each public layout on the basis of 10 criteria, including routing, conditioning, variety and memorability of holes. The result is an average of scores that dictate a course's overall ranking. The number of courses per state varies on this list based on the course supply, population and level of play in each state. Visit www.Golfweek.com/GolfweeksBest to view the complete list of Golfweek's Best Courses You Can Play.

The word is quickly getting out that golf groups can visit Atlantic City and expect top-rated golf courses, hotels and casinos options, along with the best nightlife and fantastic restaurants. Learn more about all 17 Atlantic City courses and book your golf getaway at www.PlayACGolf.com.

An easy driving distance from most of the major metropolitan areas along the East Coast, today Atlantic City offers a true golf destination experience - with plenty more to do beyond the golf course. Atlantic City regularly boasts half or more of the Top 10 New Jersey golf experiences, according to Golfweek magazine, representing a wide range of style, design and history - including golf courses to suit most any budget or expectation regarding conditions and amenities.

Actively promoted by the Greater Atlantic City Golf Association (GACGA), a marketing collaborative to promote Atlantic City has truly become a premier East Coast golf destination - with courses now established in the region for years representing an ideal vehicle to service golf travelers by making and securing their arrangements. Former NFL quarterback and ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski owns golf three courses in the GACGA area and he has become a great ambassador for the program.

GACGA has the advantage of being able to offer golfers a wide variety of accommodations - from budget rooms to full-scale suites, casinos, more than 150 restaurants and bars, nightclubs, 24/7 entertainment, beach, boardwalk - literally more off-course activities than any golf destination on the East Coast.

Golf history buffs should visit venerable Atlantic City Country Club - most recently restored by renowned designer Tom Doak around its 100th birthday - one of the nation's great-granddaddies of clubs. ACCCs rich background alone makes it one of the East Coast's finest destination courses, as does its spectacular setting along Lakes Bay overlooking the Atlantic City skyline. And the golf experience only improves in 2015 with newly restored greenside bunkers on Holes 4, 6, 8, 12, 15 and 17, a new halfway house and a significant clubhouse renovation.

Atlantic City Country Club has played host to six USGA events, our country's national championships, and the term "birdie" famously originated there.

Not to be outdone, Stockton's Seaview Country Club is the site where of Sam Snead's won his first PGA Championship title and is also currently host to the ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer. Brigantine Beach Links is where Harry Vardon and Walter Hagen would tune up their games before heading over the play the British Open.

Meanwhile, Twisted Dune Golf Club stands as quite possibly the most visually striking golf course in the Atlantic City golf arsenal. With its inland links representation, if one was sent blindfolded to any course in the state, this is the one that they'd recognize by its name most readily. That's because every hole is so dramatic, you have nowhere to turn but in circles.

One local pro described Twisted Dune as the spot where "Phoenix meets Scotland." Designer Archie Struthers moved two million cubic yards of earth to bring this remarkable course to fruition; creating a true taste of the Scottish Coast, right along the Jersey Shore.

Shore Gate Golf Club is the only layout in the Atlantic City area designed by a California architect firm, that of Ron Fream and David Dale. Though only a couple of miles from the beach, the landscape at Shore Gate is remarkably rolling. It also has a "vibe," to put it more Jersey terms, that is similar to the state's internationally renowned jewel, Pine Valley.

Though situated only a couple of miles from the beach, the landscape at Shore Gate is surprisingly diverse. "Everything (Fream and Dale) have done, they've done well," said general manager Harry Bittner said of the design team. "The whole goal was to build a golf course that was pretty dramatic and different to give people something special - something they will remember. They had a really great piece of land with which to work."

A bit closer to AC, sister course Blue Heron Pines Golf Club recently announced the grand opening of its 7 Tap & Tavern. The name of the new establishment originates from Jaworski's jersey number worn during his long and distinguished NFL career with the Philadelphia Eagles, and the friendly new neighborhood tavern features craft beers, an exciting menu and an abundance of large screen televisions

Site of the Jaws Celebrity Golf Challenge, Blue Heron Pines is renowned for having not one, but two replica holes from famed Pine Valley, the New Jersey icon consistently ranked among the world's best. Architect Stephen Kay patterned Blue Heron's No. 14 off Pine Valley's seventh and he similarly replicated a PV hole on his No. 10 offering. Kay also planned Blue Heron as a good walker's course - more like a private club experience.

Opened in 1993, Blue Heron Pines' mature layout is tree-lined, sports some nice water holes and has its share of strategically placed bunkers. The back nine is considered the more challenging of the two, though it is also the more secluded and makes for an extremely pleasant and peaceful conclusion to a round of golf.

In March, Atlantic City further cemented its status as one of the East Coast's premier golf destinations with four of New Jersey's top six courses and half of the top 10 in Golfweek's 2015 "Best Courses You Can Play" rankings.

Away from the course, Resorts Casino Hotel was the first casino hotel inside of Atlantic City, and the first legal casino outside of Nevada. Buzzing with activity after the recent opening of Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, its LandShark Bar & Grill is the only year-round full-service bar and restaurant on the sand side of the Boardwalk located on prime beach frontage at the site of the Old Steeplechase Pier. Resorts also features the world-class Gallagher's Steak House.

Tropicana Atlantic City has also completed a $50 million renovation. The revitalization includes far-reaching upgrades to its North Tower hotel rooms, a completely renovated casino featuring new games, an all-new AtlantiCare LifeCenter Fitness center and the spectacular must-see Tropicana Multimedia Light and Sound Show.

"From the vibrant and exciting multimedia light and sound show on the boardwalk façade to the elegant upgrades we've made to the casino floor, we've taken the guest experience to a new level," said General Manager Steve Callender. "We've even decided to introduce a brand new resort logo."

In its first major renovation since 2008, early last year Bally's Atlantic City unveiled its $5.6 million renovation and reconfiguration project to the casino floor. The overhaul included fresh carpeting throughout the gaming area, new chairs at table games and mirrored accents throughout the casino.

Of course, the Atlantic City Boardwalk features four miles of sun and fun just steps away from free, clean sandy beaches, and thanks to an expanded Ambassador program, visitors to the city are treated to a safe, informative and pleasurable experience. Visitors can also find an eclectic mix of amenities and activities along the Boardwalk from bicycle rentals, free volleyball courts and miniature golf to world-class casino hotels, dining, shopping and entertainment.

Indeed, word is quickly spreading that golf groups can visit Atlantic City and expect top-rated golf courses, hotels and casinos options, along with the best nightlife and fantastic restaurants. Learn more about all 17 Atlantic City courses and book your golf getaway at www.PlayACGolf.com.