Atlantic City Country Club

By Steve Gordon

I made my annual trip from Lower Bucks County to Atlantic City Country Club to play golf on November 11^th. The Ottinger Group which owns ACCC as well as Ballamor and Scotland Run offer free golf on all three courses for veterans on Veteran’s Day. It’s worth the drive to play such an historic course for just a cart fee.

Established in 1897 and having the original John Reid layout tweaked by Willie Park, Jr. (1915), Howard Toomey and William Flynn (1925) and Tom Doak (1999) it’s a must play. It’s the home of the terms birdie and eagle and it has seen the likes of the greats of not only golf but of the world walk the fairways.

While Arnold Palmer and Fred Couples among others have lockers with their names on them they keep lockers for Willie Mays, Al Capone and other recognizable names. The men’s locker room is also a comfortable place to relax before or after a round, a place to escape to for cards with friends or to just sit in front of a warm fire on a cold day.

 

 The first tee is on the putting green. It’s an unusual sight to be practice putting and maybe 30 feet away have players teeing off on the 450 yard (blue tees) first hole. However that isn’t so uncommon on older courses like the old course at the Philadelphia Cricket Club which maintains 9 holes of the course that hosted the 1907 and 1910 US Opens.

ACCC has had its share of championships as well like the first Senior Tour even in 1980 won by Don January, the first intercollegiate Ivy League Championship won by Harvard in 1901, and the 1975 U.S. Women’s Open that marked the first time the tournament was held three times at the same venue. In all the course has hosted six major U.S.G.A. championships.

Logo landscaped behind 18th green

There are four sets of tees which range from the Back tees at 6577 yards to the Forward tees at 5228 yards. While for the top players and the distances they hit the ball today the yardage doesn’t seem long but make no mistake that this course is not a pushover.

Starting with a par 4 of 428 yards from the Middle tees (371 Gold tees) there is no easing into the round. There are only two holes handicapped higher than this opener. Two short par 4’s take you to the 131 yard (middle tee) fourth hole however the yardage on the scorecard doesn’t quite give an accurate view of this stretch of holes. The green complexes with deep bunkering and heavily tilted and contoured greens provide the challenge.

There are only three par 5 holes on this par 70 track and each will test your game and shot making ability. The sixth named “Far” plays 592 from the Back tees and 561 from the Middle tees. At 498 yards from the Gold tees it is no walk in the park for seniors. Bunkers are well positioned including one that fronts 2/3’s of the green.

The tenth is the most interesting at 484 yards from the Middle tee and listed as only four yards longer from the Back tee. The problem is a lake that is on play on the second shot. The options are a safe layup, blasting it over the water to the green or playing around it bringing a bunker complex right of the green into play. It is called the “Birdie” hole. Perhaps not a given if the wind is in your face.

The third of the three shot holes is just straight and long at 541 and 553 from the Middle and Back tees respectively and the 4^th rated handicap hole on the course. All three are a test.

Perhaps the most dramatic of the par 4 holes are 14^th and 16^th sandwiching a tough 172 yard par 3 all set out on the edge of the Bay across from Atlantic City. Don’t get distracted by the great view because these holes demand full attention.

14th and 15th greens looking toward Atlantic City

Fourteen cards a yardage of 333 yards from the Middle tees but clearing the marsh and avoiding trees on the left and a bunker on the right of the landing area is essential unless you can blast it over and past that trouble. It’s dramatic and you won’t see too many holes anywhere like it. Fifteen plays 172 yards back out into the marsh surrounding the green. Sixteen at 353 yards borders the wetlands entirely on the right then presents a bunker complex on the left to miss. Yardage isn’t a factor, accuracy is.

Eighteen of course finishes heading into the classic clubhouse and the seclusion of the locker room or to get a beverage and a nice meal. A stroll around inside the clubhouse will also reveal a collection of memorabilia and photos of the history of the game and the course.

18th green with clubhouse in the background

Not to be lost in this is the celebration to honor active military and veterans who wrote a blank check to their country to give their all to protect it against all odds and give the ultimate sacrifice if necessary. I salute all fellow veterans and acknowledge this offer by not only the Ottinger Group but all organizations who do likewise.