Aug/090
Pine Valley – America’s Golfing Heaven
When it comes to golf courses that are among the most challenging and unique in the world of golfers one set of links often comes to mind Pine Valley of Camden New Jersey. Historically since 1913, Pine Valley has set the example of tough yet challenging.
No doubt about to visitors from abroad , on a golfing tour it was Pine Valley that captured the interest of many an experienced international golfer out on a vacation or golfing tour. The story is always told that early on, in the history of this venerable golf course that visitor from nearby Loch Ness in Scotland strolled out on the links looking for Manitoba plains buffalo loitering on the greens.
Yet this avid golfer stayed and played and even immigrated to America as a result.
Yet few leave this golf teeing grounds and bunkers without the staunchest admiration for the place.
There is no other golf course in the world just like the spread at Clementon, New Jersey. Its unusual design and large baffling greens have earned for Pine Valley, a subtitle and reputation of being among the worlds tough and toughest golf courses, virtually without dispute.
One of the earliest one-liners dating back to the clubs first decade had been repeated time and time again and applied to holes all over the golf and golfing world. It seemed that an awestruck newcomer finally reached the seventh tee and staring out at par 5 meekly asked Do you play this or take a picture of it on your cell phone ?
Lastly when it comes to variety and challenges one of the most surprising comments by many is that on completing the round is that rakes in the sand bunkers are conspicuously missing, yet the sand is as pockmarked as the moon itself. And on top of that there are other signs of golfers shame gouges where they were someone unable to pick up their golfing balls cleanly off the sand. It seems that somehow footprints and gashes seem to attract golf balls like powerful magnets themselves.