[Golfers' Bucket List⑤] Pine Valley "Players' Dream Course"

World's Top 100 Course Regular No.1 "Every Hole Is a Work of Art," No Pro Tournaments to Protect the Course, Members Bush and Connelly

Pine Valley is the 'number 1' golf course that players want to try playing a round at. Photo by Pine Valley website

[Asia Economy Reporter Noo Rae] "Truly an amazing course."

These are the words of Jimmy Walker (USA), a '6-time PGA champion.' The fifth installment of features Pine Valley Golf Club (Par 70, 7,181 yards), which players have identified as the place they most want to play. It is a private club located in Pine Valley, Camden County, New Jersey, USA. It is fascinating that it is a frequent number one on the list of the world's top 100 courses selected by Golf Digest and Golf Magazine. Golfers highly praise it as "the most beautiful course in the world" that everyone should visit at least once.

It opened in 1913. The designers include George Arthur Crump, Harry Colt, Charles Hugh Alison, A.W. Tillinghast, and Perry Maxwell. For amateurs, it plays as a par 70 at 6,532 yards. The course was created to preserve nature as it is while allowing golfers to fully enjoy the game. Course designer Robert Trent Jones called it "the most difficult course in the world," and Johnny Miller, a '25-time PGA champion' (both from the USA), praised it as "every hole is a beautiful masterpiece."

The three main design elements are 'penalty,' 'threat,' and 'strategy.' Although it has one of the best courses, it does not host professional tournaments. The only events held were the Walker Cup in 1936 and 1985, where amateurs from the USA, UK, and Ireland competed. This is because there is no route for spectators to move around. Pine Valley has drawn a line, stating, "We have no intention of cutting down trees or changing the layout to host professional tournaments."

A view of Pine Valley's 5th hole, difficult even to make a par. Photo by Golf Digest

It is not easy to conquer. There are no rakes. The sand areas and huge bunkers placed throughout the course are threatening. There are no boundaries separating the holes. The green undulations are severe, making precise approach shots essential. The 5th hole is an uphill slope where reaching the green in regulation is difficult. It is said to be a hole where only a god or a player finishing in three strokes can succeed. The 7th hole features an enormous bunker and is called 'Hell's half acre.'

The 10th hole, guarded by a deep bunker, is nicknamed 'Devil's Ass.' The 12th hole has an impressive bunker view after trees were removed. It is a strictly private club. Members include the late former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, Scottish actor Sean Connery, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Crenshaw (both USA), and Nick Price (South Africa). The club has a total of 930 members. Women are not admitted as members, but the course is open every Sunday afternoon.

Pine Valley Clubhouse. Photo by Pine Valley Homepage

Rounds for non-members are 'as rare as picking stars from the sky.' Non-members can only step on the grass if accompanied by a member. One member can accompany up to 21 non-members per year. There is not a single dull hole. Instead of yardage markers or distance posts, distances are indicated by numbers on sprinklers. There is a time when the general public can tour the golf course?only one day each year at the end of September when the amateur Crump Cup tournament is held.

The modest L-shaped clubhouse is impressive. Pebbles are laid around it. In the shade house, there is a box where non-members can place one golf ball they own as a memento. It serves as an exhibition of golf balls from around the world. Visitors arriving at Philadelphia International Airport or Camden County Airport can use a shuttle service. Accommodation facilities are available for golfers coming from outside. Amenities such as tennis courts, swimming pools, and event spaces are also well equipped.