Stroll Down Golf's Memory Lane at the Historic Atlantic City Country Club in Northfield, New Jersey

NORTHFIELD, N.J. -- The Atlantic CityCountry Club has "it."

You know what "it" is, right? It's that cool factor that can't easily be defined or described. All the great ones have "it" -- thatstar quality shared only by the supermodels, the quarterbacks, the actors.

Count the Atlantic City Country Club among the cool crowd blessed with "it." This place exudes an elegant country club vibe few public courses can replicate. It all traces back to a deep connection to the history of the game.

That time-warp feeling is palpable once golfers step inside the clubhouse and see the memorabilia. The senses perk up simply by walking into the Taproom Bar & Grille, where classic photos cover the walls. Inside the wood-paneled locker room, it's easy to envision a young Arnold Palmer with a drink in his hand, heading into the adjacent card room for a little post-round fun.

Even the putting green outside is unique. It bleeds right into the first tee. The Atlantic City Country Club, founded in 1897, still has "it," even after all these years.

Atlantic City Country Club has a rich history

History and the Atlantic City Country Club became best friends almost immediately. The consensus no. 1 public course in New Jersey has hosted six United States Golf Association championships, including the 1901 U.S. Amateur won by Walter Travis.

In 1911, the club's head professional, Johnny J. McDermott, became the first American to win the U.S. Open, at the age of 19 -- still the record for youngest Open champion. He defended his crown in 1912 before his game and mental health deteriorated.

Babe Didrikson Zaharias, the greatest female golfer of all-time, won the 1948 U.S. Women's Open, the first of three held at the club. The course later hosted the first Senior PGA Tour event (now called the Champions Tour) in 1980.

Most noteworthy of all, perhaps, the golf terms "birdie" and "eagle" were coined at the club. A rock to commemorate the first "birdie" -- a great shot by Abner Smith that came to rest within inches of the cup on the 12th green in 1903 -- sits proudly on the grounds.

Palmer, Bob Hope and Sam Snead were regulars back in the day.

"If these walls could talk," said Charles Fahy, the general manager/director of golf at the club.

The course is the star at Atlantic City Country Club

What attracted all this history was a course worthy of legends.

The 6,577-yard, par-70 course has all the elements -- twisting tree-lined fairways, fabulous bunkering, slick slanted greens -- of a pure classic. In 1999, Tom Doak did a thoughtful restoration of a layout molded over a period of years by multiple men, including Willie Park Jr. and William Flynn.

Four mammoth par 4s on the front nine -- all play at least 417 yards from the more forgiving middle tees -- compensate for the short par 4s at the second and third holes. The 144-yard fourth hole introduces the views of Lakes Bay that stretch to the Atlantic City skyline.

A four-hole stretch on back nine dives deep into these tidal marshes. The 14th tee sits isolated as an island among the reeds. The 339-yard par 4 plays much more difficult than it should. Only the pins are visible on the 190-yard 15th hole and 157-yard 17th hole, two daunting par 3s. Once golfers reach the 18th green, it's wise to turn around for a look back. The scene of the shore and the skyline should be the enduring memory of such a grand place

Atlantic City Country Club: The verdict

It's so ironic that a casino now owns the Atlantic City Country Club since it is the antithesis of gaudy lights and flashy decor. The club remains one of the game's true treasures. It's infinitely more playable than most modern designs and the conditions are kept impeccable. When the wind kicks up, the course can be a bear, so tee it forward for a great round.

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Accuracy is Key at Los Lagos Golf Club Just South of Laughlin, Nevada

MOHAVE VALLEY, Ariz. -- Los Lagos Golf Club is golf at its simplest -- a straightforward layout that is player friendly.

The course, located 90 minutes south of Las Vegas in Laughlin, is a Ted Robinson Sr. layout that stretches to 6,804 yards from the tips. But with several elevated -- and large -- greens, it's still a solid test for all players.

"It's all laid out right in front of you," said Daniel Hegney, the head golf professional at Los Lagos. "We call it the 'Oasis in the Desert.' With the unique views and the player-friendly layout, it's the kind of golf course that brings people back."

With water coming into play on seven holes and about 40 bunkers strategically placed around the course, it's also a scenic layout

.Los Lagos Golf Club: The course

The par-72 design opens with a 407-yard par 4 that features an elevated green. Huge mounds on the right side of the fairway and a large bunker on the left cut down the landing area off the tee, giving players a taste of things to come. Take an extra club for the approach shot as anything short or left will roll back down.

Now the course starts to show its teeth. The second hole is a 209-yard par 3. Short is better than left (a bunker) or right (rough), and the green is deep. It's a hole that can cost players strokes -- and golf balls.

There are two great risk/reward holes on the course that allow players to get aggressive. The first is the 554-yard, par-5 fifth. With a pond slicing through the fairway about 270 yards off the tee, only the biggest hitters can dream about carrying the water. But a perfectly placed shot just short of the water will leave a 3-wood into a green that is guarded left by rough. The smart play is a layup to 100 yards and hit an easy wedge, setting up a birdie putt.

The best risk-reward hole is the 309-yard, par-4 14th. If you try to reach the green off the tee, good luck. You're going to need it. A bunker wanders down the entire left side of the hole, while three pot bunkers guard the front of the green. A gentle fade here is definitely the shot required if players hope to have a putt at eagle. But if you play it smart, with a long iron or hybrid off the tee, a wedge into this undulating green makes the most sense and a chance at birdie.

Richard Daggett, from Lake Havasu City, Ariz., plays Los Lagos about four times a month.

"The course is laid out well and really suits my eye," Daggett said. "And the price is right. There are four sets of tees. so it is set up for golfers of every ability. It's just a nice course."

The course finishes with a dandy. The 18th hole is a 446-yard par 4 that favors a fade. A water hazard slices through the fairway about 270 yards off the tee. Players need to be careful if they reach for driver. Big hitters (and we mean really big hitters) can carry the water on the right side. The left side is off limits for a carry because of the length to reach the water. But that side is perfect for a layup with a good angle to approach the green. Being on the proper level of this huge green is a must as a 100-foot putt (or more) is possible.

"The 18th is certainly our signature hole," Hegney said. "It's a great golf hole with water and desert coming into play. It's difficult and the approach to the green is just fabulous."

In the clubhouse

From clubs to clothing to shoes (and even experienced golf balls for sale), if you need it, it's here -- or the staff will be happy to order it for you. Grab a bite to eat before or after the round in the spacious clubhouse.Los Lagos Golf Club: The verdict

Looks can be deceiving. While Los Lagos Golf Club looks like a pushover, it's anything but. Players must think their way around the course, and accuracy -- both off the tee and with approach shots -- is at a premium.

"There are great views of the mountains, and it's a golf course that's not lined with a lot of homes," Hegney said. "Everyone who comes out loves the course. There are flowers everywhere and it's a nice layout. It's just fun to play."

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Feel like golf royalty in Scotland: Choose from Gleneagles' three great courses

ERTHSHIRE, Scotland -- The green fee at glorious Gleneagles varies from $115 to $280 according to the time of the year and whether or not you're staying in the magnificent hotel, but it matters not which course you play -- King's, Queen's or PGA Centenary.

Very unusually for a resort with three courses -- possibly uniquely -- there's no stand-out, this is the one-you-brag-to-your-friends-you've-played course. A good case can be made for each that, if you only have time for one round, this is the one to tee it up on.

Gleneagles' King's Course

From the very outset 100 years ago when five-time Open champion James Braid first set foot on the perfect moorland turf and admired the most glorious of settings, the intention was to create three golf courses.

Gleneagles' King's Course came first, and although construction was interrupted by the First World War, it opened to great acclaim on May 1, 1919, and has more than held its own ever since.

Despite being more than 500 feet above sea level, it possesses quite a few of the characteristics more commonly associated with the sort of genuine links courses with which Braid would have been very familiar. Foremost amongst these is the resilient turf on a gravelly sub-soil.

The striking undulations, sandy ridges, rough hollows and incessant breezes will have reinforced the familiar linksy feel, but the ravines and towering pines will have presented refreshingly novel challenges. But Braid embraced them enthusiastically.

Although at a tad less than 6,800 yards, it's not especially long by modern standards. The dramatic elevation changes render calculating distance decidedly tricky and make it feel longer than it is. The now-iconic first that stares you straight in the face and is home to the steepest bunker in Gleneagles, if not the whole of Perthshire, provides an accurate foretaste of what lies ahead as the King's is the hilliest of the three, has more sand that the other two and boasts the largest greens.

As he looked up at the opening hole, Lee Trevino remarked, "If heaven is anything like this, I hope they save me a tee-time."

Gleneagles' Queen's Course

Whereas King's is an outward-looking course with spectacular views over the nearby Ochil Hills and the Grampians and Trossachs beyond, Gleaneagles' Queen's Course is more inward looking with imposing pines atop ridges providing shelter that creates a genuine sense of intimacy.

Also designed by Braid but initially only nine holes, the full 18 on the Queen's opened for business in September 1925. Not quite 6,000 yards off the back tees and consequently significantly shorter than the King's, it is often thought of as the younger sister and mistakenly regarded by some as the easiest at Gleneagles.

"In my opinion, it's the most underrated of the three," remarked Andrew Jowette, the head professional.

What it may lack in yards, it would appear to make up in popularity as a straw poll among members revealed it to be comfortably ahead of the other two. Even the taxi driver who drove me up there said it was the best. (And you couldn't find a more authoritative and reliable source than that, surely!)

"Those who don't know it very well think it must be short and easy, which it most certainly isn't," observed Jowette. "The first six holes are often into the wind, incredibly tough and are exceptionally strong. You have to get through them and then make your score."

As with the King's, significant elevation changes put a premium on distance control and correct club selection.

Survive the first half-a-dozen and then admire the next six holes, which are quite breathtakingly beautiful. With the yellow from the gorse and broome gradually giving way to purple as the heather flowers in late summer, the scenery is simply dazzling.

Gleneagles' PGA Centenary Course

Originally christened the Monarch's Course when it opened in 1993, what is now known as Gleneagles' PGA Centenary was designed by Jack Nicklaus and is very different from its two near neighbors. At 7,300 yards, it is the longest inland golf course in Scotland and has clearly been conceived on the grand scale.

It's unmistakably a stadium course with generous fairways, splendid vantage points and deliberate matchplay holes that should make for a memorable Ryder Cup next September. Quite a bit of tweaking was carried out last winter in an effort to improve it further, and no fewer than 12 holes were altered.

The most significant changes were made to the ninth and 18th, both of which are par 5s and should offer up some birdies, eagles and witness significant swings in fortune.

"It's not the most difficult golf course in the world, but it wasn't meant to be," observed Jack Nicklaus. "I didn't want to ruin it for the guests and members."

It's the only course at Gleneagles where you don't need to produce a medical certificate in order to take a cart, which goes some way to meeting the criticism that it's more than a few yards from quite a few of the greens to the next tee.

There are some Europeans who feel it's too "American" and will therefore play into the hands of the opposition. They would rather the King's had been chosen as the Ryder Cup course for the 2014 matches. In answer to that, the experts explain that the PGA Centenary is the only one that could accommodate the 45,000 or so spectators who will descend on Gleneagles next September.

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Wild Pigs Ravage Golf Course, Neighborhood

Hogging the golf course may not be proper etiquette, but the pigs around Almaden Country Club in San Jose, Calif., have no use for protocol, and it has the community squealing. The feral pigs are tearing up the grass and digging holes in search of food and water.

According to the county club, the cluster of pigs is extracting water from the grass, roots, insects in the ground, and anywhere else they find it on the golf course. “It is not a new problem,” said Janice Mackey, public information officer for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. “It’s been going on quite a while, we have instances of pigs coming down and uprooting in various locations. It happens periodically and there is no rhyme or reason to it. It could be in search of food and water, but I would not single that out as the single cause.” The pigs, which the city’s Animal Care and Services webpage says originally descended from “introductions of European wild hogs for sporting purposes, and from escaped domestic swine that have established feral populations,” come down from the nearby mountains and although the club does have a fence, the pigs dig underneath it. Country club general manager Robert Sparks told ABC News affiliate KGO that he is fed up with the animals.

“We’ve had an invasion of up to about 40 wild pigs onto the club property,” Sparks told KGO. “We’re talking anywhere from about 200- to 300-pound, large pigs, the males with tusks.”

Ted Barikmo, who lives in the neighborhood and took video of the pigs in his yard, told ABC affiliate KGO that the pigs have become more aggressive over the years. “Years ago, you would see them once in a while, very rarely and they’d smell you, and they would run, Barikmo said. “Now they’re a little more brazen and they look at you and they don’t really mind seeing you.” It is not just the cosmetic aspect and expensive damage to the course and neighborhood lawns that is upsetting the community. “We’ve had stories of the pigs out on the street encountering joggers, dogs, people walking children and people are concerned about the safety of their children,” Sparks told KGO. According to the City of San Jose website, “Wild hogs are typically not aggressive and will retreat if approached. However, when cornered, wounded, or defending young, they may charge and are capable of inflicting serious wounds with their razor sharp tusks.” Mackey suggests community members turn on automated sprinklers to deter the pigs from uprooting their yards. She says people can also close their garbage lids and pick up fallen fruit, put up a fence, and install automated lights.

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Sikta Golf Course Ground Skeeper Charged with Attempting to Poison Bears

Wildlife Trooper Jake Abbott says the investigation shows golf course employee, Kevin Taranoff, placed food laced with anti-freeze coolant near the Sea Mountain Restaurant.

The poisonous food could be what killed two dogs that visited the area last week.

A month ago, the bears tore holes in the golf course. At Taranoff’s request, the Department of Fish and Game set a bear trap, but Abbott says Taranoff ended up taking matters into his own hands. “At that time the grounds keeper had made some comments along the lines of ‘if you don’t deal with the bear I will.’  So upon hearing that I became suspicious that this person had most likely attempted to poison the bears as a way of dealing with the bear problem,” Abbot says. Taranoff  told several Sea Mountain employees about his attempt to poison the bears, Abbott says. After the dog deaths and those conversations, Abbott filed charges and cited Taranoff on Wednesday. “He subsequently admitted that he was the person who had tried to poison the brown bears,” Abbott says. Taranoff acted alone without the permission or knowledge of golf course management. He is facing a maximum penalty of a $10,000 fine, or one year in jail, or both.

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Naperville Park District considering upgrades to golf course clubhouses

By Melissa Jenco, Chicago Tribune Reporter

6:14 p.m CDT, October 25, 2013 

The Naperville Park District's two golf course clubhouses may be getting upgrades they hope will bring them up to par.

Park officials are exploring several options for the facilities constructed more than 20 years ago and say they hope the changes will entice golfers to stick around after they play.

"The focus groups, they say I don't see anything in this shack … basically, that you call a clubhouse," Park District Executive Director Ray McGury said.

He stressed the Park District will be aiming to give the clubhouses a face lift and the feel of sports bars. It will not be transforming them into upscale banquet facilities like those at Arrowhead Golf Club in Wheaton or the Bolingbrook Golf Club.

Most of Naperville Park District's focus is on Springbrook Golf Course the busier of the two courses. Three options are on the table. Option A would include new tables and chairs, fresh paint, more TVs and a limited bar. Ed Provow, director of golf, said the current tables and chairs are original to the facility and have been breaking.

"We've got our money out of them," he said. "It's time to upgrade a little bit."

On the outside, the Park District would update the patio and furnish it with TVs and more tables. Preliminary cost estimates put Option A at about $391,000.

Option B would include the upgrades from the first option on the inside, but would have a full-service bar with draft beer and mixed drinks. Outside, it calls for a covered patio.

"A solid porch certainly would help against the elements, it help with outside TVs," Provow said.

This option would cost about $670,000.

He called Option C the "lipstick option," and said it would include new paint, carpeting and chairs. It would cost about $95,000.

Regardless of which option is chosen, the Park District also is looking into purchasing new frying equipment that would allow Springbrook to expand the menu.

"I think we're looking at trying to utilize the concession area, more food and beverage, create sort of a bar type of atmosphere and more bar food so that people feel comfortable staying around after their round," Commissioner Marie Todd said.

At Naperbrook Golf Course, the Park District is considering new tables and chairs, paint and carpeting as well as additional TVs. Crews also would fix the pavers on the patio that have been buckling. Officials estimate the cost would be just over $189,000.

"Just dress it up, clean it up," Provow said.

Officials are still discussing how the renovation work would be funded. Typically golf course operations and projects come out of a golf fund, which gets its revenue from the fees golfers pay.

The Park District is discussing the possibility of a small rate increase at its courses, but McGury said that is to cover other expenses and is not tied to the proposed renovations.

Commissioner Bill Eagan said he is leaning toward Option B if the district moves forward with renovations, but he and others expressed concern over the future of golf.

"What if golf falls back in the next couple years, people don't come back to golfing?" he asked.

Todd said if the Park District expands its concessions, it would bring in more revenue even if the number of rounds does not increase. McGury also said golf operations are on track to be in the black this year.

Commissioners will vote on a renovation plan before the end of the year, according to McGury. If one is approved, the major work could start in the fall of 2014 and be ready during the 2015 golf season.

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