Twisted Dune Golf Club (Egg Harbor Township, NJ)

Outside Atlantic City lies Twisted Dunes, a course many feel is one of the best in New Jersey. Archie Struthers designed it out of a flat sand quarry, and according to him, they dug into the ground, basically lowering the course, and sold the fill to the Borgata for their new casino. This extra money helped propel the building of the course, and gave Archie a blank slate to build a "links" golf course. 

(The beautiful par three sixteenth plays over the vegetation to a green propped up in the dunes.)

Twisted Dunes has many good holes, but my critique hits on what I believe is the weakness.  The holes run between the dunes, so one never hits over them. (In fact, my recollection is the dunes are not in play. I also felt that the fairways were too wide.) Struthers had a blank slate, so he could design anything he wanted, and he missed on an opportunity to something very very special. 

(This pic illustrates my point pertaining to the width of the fairway.)

(Wonderful picture!! I love how the dune backdrops the green. The approach however never fights it. The bunker is in play, but not the dune.) 

(The long par three thirteenth over water.)

Archie did a great job with the greens. I think they fit in well with the surroundings, they're the appropriate size, and they have good contours.

Twisted Dunes is one of the few reasons I would ever consider going back to Atlantic City. 

In my notes, I wrote how impressed I was with Twisted Dunes. I couldn't figure how a course this good not be as well known. However, I only remember a few individual holes, while I remember 90% of Ballyowen. It's an easy 6 (very good) but I'd have to play it again to see if it's worthy of a seven. 

(6-worth driving two hours to play. 

 7-worth a day trip to play.)