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Have a couple of bad holes and an otherwise great round morphs into an embarrassing disaster thanks to stroke play. No wonder so many women quit golf. But it doesn't have to be that way.
Full story | Also: Can women save golf?
The views of the Hudson River bring you to Garrison Golf Club; the graveyard may just be what brings you back. With old tombstones looking down on the island green of the 14th hole, it's sort of creepy and atmospheric at the same time. The cemetery provides a reminder that this scenic course is surrounded by history. For many golfers, a trip here is about going for birdies amidst ghost stories and old money mansions.
It's not easy finding a good place to play in the New Jersey area. The majority of courses are private and unimpeachable to the average golfer. Unfortunately, the public courses are often not the best to play, either. Hendricks Field Golf Course is one of those municipal courses that maintenance and manners forgot. So while, yes, there are some solid public courses you can hunt down in New Jersey, Hendricks isn't one of them.
Pine Barrens Golf Club in Jackson, N.J. is a good golf course. You'll be aware of that with the amount of work the course goes through to tell you it's a good one. But the hype doesn't hurt the sell. Pine Barrens is in the process of making the transition from a public course to a members-only one and it and memberships are selling fast. Just keep your ball out of those dreaded waste bunkers.
Ireland in New Jersey? At the Ballyowen Golf Course, you could find yourself greeted by kilt-wearing bagpipers, making you wonder where you really are. "It's a surreal feeling. It's pretty isolated here. A lot of people say it's hard to believe you are still in New Jersey," said Ballyowen Manager Adam Donlin. Not just the ambience is Irish at Ballyowen, as you'll find out when your ball is stuck in the dreaded fescue fringe.
Executive courses get a bad rap but every once in a while you run into one like Minerals Golf Club, a 4, 610-yarder designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and tucked away in what qualifies as wilderness in Northern New Jersey. While no one is suggesting the celebrity architect obsessed over this track. But he did enough to keep it interesting for more seasoned golfers playing with novices or kids, or those just looking for a quickie round.
Also: New Jersey course guide
Atlantic City is undergoing a makeover. The legendary New Jersey resort used to be the only competition to Las Vegas, but as more gambling destinations pop up on the East Coast, it is being forced to diversify. Golf courses such as Twisted Dune, shopping and dining are all part of a transformation local officials hope will position Atlantic City to better compete. Suddenly, gambling just isn't enough anymore.
It's no secret that most golfers like to gamble and it's no mere happenstance that Saratoga-area golf courses are busiest during the six-week horse racing season that typically ends around Labor Day. There's plenty of crossover between racetrack enthusiasts and golfers. Saratoga Springs boasts some seriously daunting golf nearby, Saratoga National, but it's not alone. From Hollywood Park and Santa Anita out west, and Monmouth Park and Pimlico back east, here's a primer for golfers who love to play the ponies.
Also: Read more New Jersey golf course reviews
Spotlight New York: Tips on golf & travel in N.Y.
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