Pine valley golf club - 19 points
A classic Pine Valley tee shot
There’s not much point trying to do a hole-by-hole guide to Pine Valley since others have done a much better job than I could do, for example, the majestic flyover from Golf Digest a couple of years ago. Drone photography can often flatter a golf course - but not in this case. While it’s a great piece of work, I’m still not sure it quite does justice to the real thing.
So, instead of trying to do a course guide, I have some observations on what it is like to play the course as a pretty average golfer (I’m a 12 handicapper) and then a few tips about what to expect more generally if you find yourself with a tee time.
The fairways are much wider than they look...
Every single drive has a forced carry and you can rarely see the landing area. That’s really quite intimidating! However, I hit a pretty average length - usually driving about 230 yards - and from the men’s tees I was able to carry them all without any real issues. When you get over the carry (which normally includes a lot of sand) you will normally find a generous fairway which you just couldn’t see from the tee. A few times we hit what felt like pretty significant hooks or slices only to find the ball safely on the short stuff, no problem.
This meant that the second time we played (lucky I know!) it was far less intimidating from the tee box as we knew what was coming.
The 18th at Pine Valley is wide enough seen from above, but you can’t see the width of the fairway from the tee
…however, the approaches are devilish
Pretty much half of your approaches will require a carry to the green with anything short being punished, at times brutally. When you combine that with the significant elevation change, you will often find this makes for a very tough second-shot course. So you really need to listen to your caddie and commit to the shots. When I did that, I tended to find I would get over the trouble. Anything less than 100% and you are in for problems. Also, there is no disgrace in laying up to the par 4s and going in with a wedge in three rather than trying to be an unlikely hero from a distance.
Some spots in the sand can be tricky to get out of!
Sand, sand, everywhere - and always a bugger to get out of
When you do come up short you will, more often than not, find your ball in the sand. I say sand rather than bunker as it is more like a waste area and certainly doesn’t play like a traditional bunker,
The lies are often very tight, indeed sometimes - like at the ‘Devil’s Asshole’ bunker on the 10th - there is just no sand in it at all. This takes a lot of getting used and I suspect for some you never do. You will find all manner of challenges - sometimes in a hard baked trench, sometimes against a cliff face with no possibility of a shot. You can take many, many shots trying to get out and the ruling allowing you to take a drop out of a bunker for a 2 shot penalty could be a valuable one to remember. I can only imagine how it must be to play in a medal, with a card in your hand. Terrifying!
The greens are often massive, and always wicked
So you’ve made the green in regulation having hit the wide fairway and nailed your approach. All is good, right? Alas, no. These greens are often vast and there is a lot of movement, so getting down in 2 is often a challenge beyond anyone but the very best putter. Again, listen to your caddie and make sure you ask for reads on all putts. Even the shortest can move hard.
Always take your punishment
While the fairways are wide, it is unlikely you are going to hit them all (although the 75 year old member I played with only missed one in two rounds!). Pine Valley shares some characteristics with the Australian Sandbelt and there is very little rough on the course. The trees which frame many holes don’t come into play too much either. If you miss a fairway you are likely to go straight into the sand or scrub and find yourself often with a very wonky stance or gnarly lie. You will soon learn not to be greedy, not to try and be a hero, but just to put it back on the short stuff. I know that’s advice you will get on most courses but believe me, it is essential here.
The par 3 fifth at Pine Valley - just another amazing hole!
Two rounds are definitely better than 1!
I was lucky enough to play the course twice on the same trip and that really helped to elevate my enjoyment. The first time I was a little tight and intimidated, the next morning I had a much better idea of what was going on and scored pretty well. 31 points off the members’ tees was as much as I could have possibly hoped for, and while I left a few out there, I managed my way around the course pretty well knowing what I could and couldn’t do.
It really is a thing of beauty
The course is a truly special place. Visually, it is stunning with the colours of the trees, sand and grasses making it look like a magnificent painting. Most holes are self contained, you don’t see others playing as you walk around, and there is no traffic to speak of. It is an incredibly peaceful and tranquil place.
I hope that helps should you find yourself getting the call to play the course. However, Pine Valley is about more than just the course.
TOUR TIPS
So, the invite has come and you are all set for Pine Valley. What’s the on-property etiquette and how expensive is the wine I hear you ask? Fear not, read on…
Getting to Pine Valley
You’ve probably read a little about the arrival at the property. Apparently it used to be quite a feat finding the little turn off for Pine Valley but Google Maps has changed all that. Still, it is fun turning past the Clementon Amusement Park, through a very ordinary looking conurbation, but safe in the knowledge you are just minutes away from possibly the finest golf course in the world!
On arrival, staff at the guardhouse will check that you are on the list and your member is awaiting you. It’s all very discreet but it’s quite clear, if you’re not on the list, you’re not getting in. Pine Valley is large property, so savour the drive in. And to whet the appetite, you’ll actually cross the 18th hole as you reach the clubhouse.
Accommodation at Pine Valley
Hopefully your invite to play at Pine Valley will come with a request to stay the night on the property too. You can only play the course if you are accompanied by a member. The only exception to this is if your member is too infirm to play but has maintained his membership. Either way, your member needs to be on site at all times. Not only that, but expect him to stay close by your side. It’s all done in a very friendly way, but it’s not an accident when he meets you outside your room in the morning not in the breakfast hall!
There are three main types of accommodation at Pine Valley. Firstly, the lodge, which is just next to the clubhouse with one side looking over the fourth fairway and green and the other side facing up the par 3 fifth. The lodge comprises a couple of dozen bedrooms – each with a double bed, cable TV and comfortable shower. The rooms are probably a solid four star hotel standard, so a step up from some on site golf accommodation. The showers were very good, the beds comfy and you could leave your shoes outside your door to be cleaned overnight! Oh, and there are no locks on the doors here, inside or out. They’re a very trusting lot at Pine Valley!
Next door is the dormitory. Accommodation is a little more basic here, including communal showers. Still, if that is the price to pay to be a minute’s walk from the first tee at Pine Valley then so be it!
Members also use many of the private houses scattered all over this vast property so you may well find yourself staying the night tucked behind any green or tee, which would be a pretty nice view to wake up to.
The Lodge at Pine Valley - no locks on the doors here
A very comfy bed at Pine Valley, that’s the 4th fairway out the window
Learn the secret code
There is clearly an etiquette here that members introduce themselves to anyone that they see. The secret to knowing whether you’re talking to a member or another guest is that members will have the Pine Valley logo on their hat/shirt/top without the words ‘Pine Valley’. This ‘no script’ apparel marks them out as one of the chosen ones. Be prepared to do a lot of smiling and introducing!
The clubhouse
The clubhouse itself at Pine Valley is a modest affair. Think antiquated charm rather than modern bling! The locker rooms are functional rather than fancy and the bar is short but well stocked. The vibe is that this is a club for proper golfers. There’s no Country Club atmosphere here – people are here for the golf.
While the main purpose of the clubhouse is functional, there are displays of hickories from days gone by, including several Tom Morris clubs, as well as many fine portraits and trophies adorning the walls so do make sure you get some time to dwell and take it all in.
The modest clubhouse at Pine Valley
There’s nothing flashy about the locker room at Pine Valley
Eating at Pine Valley
The restaurant is neither large nor overly formal, but the staff will make you feel very welcome and there’s no need to stand on ceremony. For lunch we had the turtle snapper soup and a sandwich – a Pine Valley classic. The sherry was passed around to put in the soup and it was actually very pleasant. You’re fine with soft spikes in the clubhouse and everyone is in golf gear during the day. No Muirfield-style dressing for lunch here.
Dress in the evening time is smarter, the members will have their green jackets on and it’s blazers, ties and slacks all round. We were there in September and the place was jumping. In fact I heard one of the members saying that it was proving hard to get another time in that season, so busy was the course and accommodation. The food is good quality - don’t expect quite Michelin fare and you’ll be fine - and the wine list is extensive but reasonably priced.
This isn’t a place where you should expect a lock-in until the early hours (although I’m sure it happens occasionally!). By 10:30pm it was thinning out and most were off to their beds.
Breakfast the next morning was good too - plenty of fruit, cereal, possibly the best bacon I’ve ever had and an egg station. All excellent!
The fairly modest bar at Pine Valley
Comfy seating and plenty of interest on the walls
Hitting the range
The driving range at Pine Valley is one of the very best around, as you’d imagine. It’s a little way from the clubhouse and first tee so you’ll probably get a lift from one of the staff who will arrange a time to come and get you back too. There are plenty of Pro V1s and you’ll be hitting to greens with precise yardages from every hitting spot – you don’t see that every day. There’s also a good short game area. For putting, there’s a green right next to the 18th green and 1st tee box. Plenty of time to build up the anticipation before hitting what may be the most nerve-wracking first drive of your life (oh, and no mulligans!!)
Plenty to aim for on the range at Pine Valley
The scorecard at the short course at Pine Valley
Time for 10 more?
While there’s no doubt that Pine Valley is a mentally and physically demanding course, it would be a real shame to play here and not visit the 10-hole Tom Fazio creation that opened in 1992. 8 of the 10 holes are exact replicas of approach shots you will find on the course (at 2, 3, 10, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18) and there are a further 2 original creations. The hitting area on the holes will be moved anywhere between 327 and 86 yards so you get a good test of different approaches. When we played they seemed mainly to be over 170 yards, so it was no push over. In fact, without the caddies and the vegetation grown up a bit more, the balls were actually harder to find. Amazingly the holes really do look and feel like the originals – the elevation change is the same, as is the direction, so you get a really authentic experience.
The pro shop
OK, so that’s all well and good, but we know what you’re really here for. It’s all about the swag of course. You will be glad to know there is a very well stocked pro shop in the clubhouse. I was slightly nervous here since I didn’t want to look like a Bag-Tag-Barry but equally I was keen not to let this moment pass without a few memories for me. And my friends. And my family. And anyone else who knows me.
Rather intimidatingly there are no prices on anything so you need to use some care as you are piling up your purchases but the costs aren’t any higher than you would expect to see at any other shop of its ilk. Also, unlike at some private clubs in the US you don’t have to put these purchases on your host’s account - they will happily take your credit card. I suspect they have seen it all here, so don’t be shy about buying all you want!
But what about the Bag Tag?
Every guest is given a bag tag that one of the guys there will attach to your bag with a set of pliers. I am in two minds about whether it’s a nice touch or a bit ‘show-offy’ move, but the tag is still on my bag while I decide!
So there you have it, the whole experience at Pine Valley is tremendous and I hope this has given you a little taste of what to expect if you get the invite! As for where else to play if you’re in the area, it would clearly be worth the trip just to play Pine Valley but the perfect doubler would be Merion, just an hour away. My only advice would be try to play Merion first so you can save the best until last!
The Scorecard from Pine Valley
Check out the shots you’ll get before starting a match at Pine Valley
CONTACT DETAILS
Pine Valley Golf Club
1 E Atlantic Ave
Pine Valley
NJ 08021
USA
Phone: +1 6856-783-3000
