A Round with Mother Nature @ McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links

McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links

3016 Ocean Heights Ave Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234
Yards: 4962, Par 71 (Forward Tees)
Website: www.mcculloughsgolf.com
Score: 92 (47 out, 45 in)
Date: December 2, 2007

Played McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links over the weekend with my father-in-law, a public access Scottish links style course built atop a previous landfill. This course is very hilly (for south Jersey), has a few blind tee shots, undulating fairways and greens, thick gnarly rough, bunkers guarding the greens on numerous holes, no trees except on holes 15 and 16, and lots and lots of wind.

What an interesting day of golf, shot a round of 92 in the wind, rain, driving sleet and an occasional snow fall all within a 4 hour round in which our twosome where the ONLY players on the course, the entire day. Had a few highlights during this nasty round of winter golf, heading to hole 15, 2 strokes behind my playing partner, his drive hooks deep into the woods. I step up with the driver and drove the green, a 90 degree dog-leg right, played my typical slice nicely around the tree line corner, drove the cart up to the green and found it on the complete opposite side of the green as the pin flag. Three putted from 80’ for a par, go figure, my partner holed out with an 8, I’m up by 2 strokes with three holes to go. Hole 16 was a push. We both had nice drives on 17, and then I chucked two 15 yard chips for a 7 and am up by 1 stroke heading to 18. I pulled out the driver, aimed a little left (large lake down the entire right side) and crushed the longest and straightest drive of the day. My partner pushed his drive into the lake. He takes his penalty and hits his approach to the green 10 yards deep into the rough to the left of the green. For my second shot, with a 45 to 50 yard chip over a small hill with two bunkers carved to the side of the hill, I took dead aim at the flag, pulling the chip left of the green about 4 yards off the green. My golfing partner chips onto the green and makes his put for a 5. I set up for my chip onto the green and chunk it onto the fringe, oops. Sitting three from the fringe, take the 9 iron, choke down on the shaft and chip it onto the green, it tracks down to the hole and in for a par 4 and a 2 stroke victory.

From the web site ‘Combining the traditions and features of both old and new, McCullough's presents players a distinctly different Irish-Scottish golfing experience - wide open fairways, tricky powerful winds, remarkable grass mounds and bunkers, vast natural waste areas, and true undulating greens - reminding players of the challenge and allure of true British Isles golf. '

Considering the wintery conditions, the course was in good playable shape, very wet and only one tee box really weather damaged. Overall, the tee boxes, fairways and greens were in good condition. One complaint: no driving range. The only warning I have to players (anytime of the year), keep it in the fairway, this is a previous landfill, and if you’re not in the fairway, where are a few areas around the course with mysterious mushy areas which should not be explored looking for a wayward golf ball. Liz the bartender was very nice and friendly, lots of TV’s, cold beer and a good variety on the menu.