Atlantic City Weekly

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Address: 35 School House Lane, Ocean View

Phone: 624-8337

On the Web: shoregategolfclub.com

Details: Consistently rated among the top New Jersey courses by major golf trade publications, Shore Gate is a par-72 course built in 2002 by renowned California-based architects Ron Fream and David Dale. It encompasses 245 acres of secluded woodlands and has been likened to a hybrid between a parkland and Scottish-links design. There are seven ponds, 88 bunkers and several vertical dunes fringing the greens. Four of its 18 holes are par-fives, including a 648-yard ninth and a 556-yard 13th — measured from the longest of five tee boxes.

“The ninth hole is definitely the most challenging,” says Shore Gate head professional Gregg Johnson. “There’s a big lake in front of the green, so basically you’re going to want to try to lay up to the right side of the fairway on your second shot, unless you’re able to hit the ball far enough to carry the lake. There are three small bunkers to the right of the fairway, before the green, that you can use as a guideline to set up your approach shot.”

Johnson says that a rainy spring and cooler-than-average temperatures in July have left the course in possibly the best shape he’s seen in his seven years at Shore Gate (including five as head pro). “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen [conditions] this good for this long a period of time,” he says.

Shore Gate is certainly challenging enough for the championship-caliber golfer, but its tee boxes are set up to accommodate nearly any level of player. “If you play from the black tee boxes [most challenging] it’s very difficult to break par, but generally if you look at the yardage and the rating and the slope of each hole, you’ll be able to figure out how to play it based on your ability, and you’ll have a really enjoyable round.”

Public greens fees at Shore Gate are $105 through Aug. 16. Afternoon rates are $90 and begin at 11am and twilight rates are $69. For an additional $5 per round you can rent a hand-held “sky caddie” or “range finder” to help you better judge distance to various targets on the course.

Golf Pro Tip: This week’s tip comes from Cheryl Rice-Cottelli, teaching professional at Hamilton Trails Golf Club in Mays Landing. It is intended to help golfers achieve the correct plane in their swing.

“To hit the ball better, it helps to understand the plane of the golf swing. Let’s take a drive to the seashore or the Boardwalk. Think of a Ferris wheel and a merry-go-round. An upright plane is similar to a Ferris wheel. The swing is mostly with your arms. Then think of a merry-go-round. A merry-go-round is a flat swing plane that mostly uses your body. The ideal golf swing is in between the two of them.

“If you find yourself swinging like a merry-go-round, then set your rear end up against a wall and swing the club up and down without hitting the wall. Hinge your wrists instead of your elbows to create a more upright swing. If the Ferris wheel is more your problem, then practice baseball swings to create a flatter swing plane. You may miss the ball completely at first, but if you extend your arms through the ball, you will see the difference.

“The golf swing is not a normal thing for the body. Your arms go up and down and your body rotates. If you over-exaggerate one or the other, then you lose distance. As soon as your find the correct plane and come down the same way, you will create a more efficient and consistent motion.”