PHOTO GALLERY

GOLF COURSE REVIEW - STONE HARBOR GOLF CLUB

Course Architect: Desmond Muirhead, Tyler J. Rae (renovations)
Year Opened: 1988
Location: Cape May Court House, New Jersey
Slope: 139. Rating: 73.9
Par: 72
Yardage: 6,922
Hole-by-Hole: 1 - Par 4 398 Yds    10 - Par 4 354 Yds
                      2 - Par 4 419 Yds    11 - Par 5 505Yds
                      3 - Par 5 557 Yds    12 - Par 3 170 Yds
                      4 - Par 3 174 Yds    13 - Par 4 427 Yds
                      5 - Par 5 509 Yds    14 - Par 4 470 Yds
                      6 - Par 4 435 Yds    15 - Par 4 387 Yds
                      7 - Par 3 192 Yds    16 - Par 5 517 Yds
                      8 - Par 4 419 Yds    17 - Par 3 167 Yds
                      9 - Par 4 423 Yds    18 - Par 4 409 Yds
                      Par 36  3,516 Yds     Par 36  3,406 Yds

Key Events Held: Philadelphia PGA Pro, New Jersey Amateur Qualifier, Eastern Club Professional Championship (2001)

Awards Won: Top 10 Private Club (NJ), #2 Most Challenging by South Jersey Magazine, #3 Best Modern Course by South Jersey Magazine, #40 America’s Toughest Golf Courses by ESPN.com, Top 100 most difficult golf courses in the U.S. (Golf Digest)

Website: www.stoneharborgolf.com

HISTORY: Back in 1987, then-Stone Harbor club president Gordon Shaffner was steadfast in bringing golf at its highest level to South Jersey, and in doing so, enlisted the services of Desmond Muirhead. A navigator in Britain’s Royal Air Force with over 2,000 hours of flight time, Muirhead later became known as one of the more respected golf course designers in the country. In fact, Golf Digest described him as “the most innovative designer in 100 years.” There is certainly plenty of truth in that statement when it comes to Stone Harbor.

Muirhead, who co-designed Muirfield Village with Jack Nicklaus and crafted the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club in California, brought a new kind of thought process to the world of golf course architecture. He was bold and brash and worked his magic around 350 acres, featuring 11 holes with water hazards, 58 bunkers and five sets of tees.

Although several of the holes have been softened, Stone Harbor was one of the most difficult courses in New Jersey, let alone the East Coast, when it first opened.

Muirhead excavated so much dirt to create elevated teeing areas, huge mounding and valleys, along with nine bodies of water, that in the end, he moved over a million cubic yards of earth. He made sure, however, to maintain the large stands of trees throughout the property.

One of his most famous creations was the par-3 seventh, nicknamed “Jaws” because it featured tiger-shaped teeth bunkers in the form of islands on both sides of the island football-shaped putting green. Fortunately to most players and unfortunately to the viewer, this hole has been transformed to a reasonable, yet still difficult island green, with bunkers encapsulated in the island.

Fast forward to 2007, when Rich Masterson and Lee Fishman acquired the golf course and club from Crown Golf of Chicago. “While the golf and dining are superb by any measure, we think there are greater opportunities to meet the needs of families,” Fishman said. “The staff and members are very passionate about this club, and both Rich and I are looking forward to broadening the offerings of the club as well as investing in its future.”

Fishman, who assumed sole ownership in 2015, has been busy redefining Stone Harbor Golf Club into one of the most exciting and desired clubs to be a part of in South Jersey. Stone Harbor has undergone some major enhancements over the past several years, such as a completely renovated driving range and putting green and installation of a state-of-the-art Turfhound tee surface system, designed to mimic the feel and performance of natural turf, which also is found at Pebble Beach and Merion.

Golf course architect Tyler Rae supervised the construction of the renovation. “The expanded facility now can accommodate over 50 percent more golfers daily, which in turn gives the members an added benefit of joining Stone Harbor Golf Club, where they can hit balls and not feel cramped on a small driving range,” Rae said. “This project has been in the works for a few years,” added Fishman. “This enhanced amenity, along with a multitude of other improvements that we have introduced over the past five years, give members what we think is the best private club experience at the Jersey Shore.”

Rae, who has an outstanding pedigree – working with Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw, Keith Foster and Ron Prichard in the past – has been doing most of his work in the restoration and renovation arena. Rae recently collaborated with the club on renovation work on holes 1, 2 and 13, along with redesigning and reshaping the green surrounds and the green-side bunkers to mimic a Seth Raynor-style.

Keep on the lookout because more enhancements are on the way as Fishman and Rae continue to work at Stone Harbor.

HOLE-BY-HOLE: The opening hole at Stone Harbor is one of just three par-4 holes under 400 yards in length, measuring 398 yards from the back tees. A pretty wide fairway is well-received from the elevated tee boxes. Favor the left side for a straight shot to the green, because the landing area is devoid of sand, but features trees down the right side. With a short to medium iron, you can attack the back to front green, where there’s a narrow putting surface with sand on both sides. A definite birdie possibility, but you must put your opening shot in the short grass.

Despite being only 419 yards, the second hole is quite difficult, especially off the tee, because water guards the entire right side and mounding in the middle of the fairway blocks the players’ view of the landing area. A medium iron remains to a very wide putting surface; however, the right side of the green juts out into the lake, making a right pin position very difficult. Two deep bunkers frame the back of the green. Par here is a great score.

The par-5 third hole is the longest on the course at 557 yards and it doglegs left. Fairway bunkers guard the right side of the landing area, while two traps protect the left side and the fairway runs out at 300 yards. A long iron or fairway metal is the prudent play to lay up at the 100-yard mark for your best approach to the green, because any closer will bring the 40-yard long bunker that fronts the green into play. The boomerang-shaped green is quite narrow, with a wide moat of a trap fronting, making club selection and distance control your keys to success. Birdie is a possibility, but par is just fine.

Hole No. 4 is a lovely par-3 that starts at 105 yards and reaches 174 paces from the tips. The unique, slender teeing area that wraps around to the left is elevated and will force the player to carry all the way to the S-shaped putting surface. A right-front pot bunker will catch any offline shots trying to reach a front-pin placement, while a deep bunker on the right will see plenty of action when the pin is in the back. Pinpoint control is of utmost importance.

Although just 509 yards in length, the fifth is no slouch as par-5s go. Trees guard the entire left side of the fairway from tee to green, making your tee shot the key play, especially with a trio of large bunkers down the right. The player will have a choice of laying back to two layup areas or going for the green, which sits off to the left, in two. Missing to the right will leave a straight approach to a well-guarded green, featuring grass and pot bunkers. The putting surface runs from back to front and falls off on either side, making this a tough hole for attacking. A front flag can produce a birdie or two.

One of the most photogenic holes at Stone Harbor is the par-4 sixth. Off the tee, the player has two choices: play down the left side over the water, which will leave a longer approach, or straight on to the island landing area, which shortens the distance by as much as 50 yards. Now it’s time for your approach to a green that juts out into the lake and runs hard from back to front. The two-tiered putting surface is quite slick, and any shot just a bit offline will get wet. Making par here will be a big bonus.

Number seven was one of the most talked about holes in golf when Stone Harbor opened back in 1988. The island green par-3 was originally crafted with a tee box that jutted out high above the water to a football-shaped green that featured two bunkers on either side that were also islands in the shape of teeth! Yikes! Since then, the hole has been softened, somewhat with just the one island to hit toward with sand on either side. The putting surface is larger, but so is the length, stretching to 192 yards. The elements will certainly come into play because this hole is exposed to the summer winds.

If claustrophobia is a problem, then the eighth might not be your cup of tea considering both sides of this hole are guarded by tall stands of trees. There’s no sand to worry about, just dense forest. A right-side tee ball will set the player up with the best approach. The green, however, is elevated with deep falloffs on both sides. To the right is a deep E-shaped bunker and to the left grass bunkers that sit well below the green. The slender green is not an easy surface for attacking. This is certainly a hole that might require great touch from around the green.

The closing hole on the front nine is a splendid dogleg left over water. Not only does it require a precise tee shot, but you need to favor the right side, thus bringing the Pennsylvania-shaped bunker into play in the landing area. Trouble awaits any shot down the left side in the shape of trees and water. The approach shot is no bargain, either, as the 40-yard long putting surface indicates. A sharp fall-off on the left toward the lake will force even the best of players to the right, where thick rough awaits. Don’t be deceived by the fronting bunker, which will play havoc with your depth perception. The green surrounding this hole was reshaped, and part of the lake was filled in to enhance playability and aesthetics.

Off to the back nine, where the 10th is a relatively easy par-4 of just 354 yards. That is, of course, if you place your tee shot in the fairway because water guards the left side and a thick stand of trees the right. With a successful tee shot, the player can attack this dogleg right with just a short iron in hand. One trap protects the left portion of the green, leaving most of the putting surface in view. Play your approach below the hole to set up an uphill birdie try. This hole can be had!

Number 11 is a reachable par-5 at just 505 yards, but it will require two precise shots. The tee shot will play uphill to the landing area that runs out around 300 yards, but, more importantly, you must split the trees on both sides of this hole that run from tee to green. Your second shot must now split the slender landing area as you head toward the putting surface and avoid the grouping of bunkers on the right. Again, this surface is raised, so any offline shots will leave a difficult approach to the pin.

The par-3 12th is a lovely one-shot opportunity with water protecting the entire right side. Although just 170 yards in length, you’ll need to be quite accurate with your tee shot because the putting surface is quite long and undulating. A back-right pin will be the most difficult and force the player to miss left, thus bringing in the bunkers into play.

At 427 yards, the 13th is a bear of a par-4. One of the few holes with no water in sight, this rugged hole is pinched on the right by severe mounding and sand on the left, but that’s not the half of it, as your approach to the slender, long green must be struck with conviction, especially when the pin is placed in the back portion of the putting surface. A four here will go a long way on the scorecard.

The 14th might be the most difficult hole on the course at 470 yards. This massive par-4 features a ribbon-like fairway, adding to the demanding tee shot. Let’s not forget the mounding on the left and the foursome of traps down the right. A long iron or fairway metal approach must negotiate the sand, front left and right. One of the softer greens, it’s wise to stay below the hole and, hopefully, you’ll be able to get up and down to save par.

The next three holes might be your chance to get a few shots back. Number 15 is only 387 yards and can be had with a 3-metal or if you’ve been driving the ball well, the big stick. Avoid the star-shaped trap down the right and you’re left with a slightly downhill approach to a wide-open green. Word of caution, the green is surrounded by water and the two-tiered putting surface slopes hard from front to back.

The final par-5 on the course, the 16th is reachable at just 517 yards. Water protects the left side, but the landing area is quite generous, so success should be attainable. A decision must be made to lay up or go for it, depending on how far you struck your tee shot. The smart play would be to lay up, thus setting up a relatively easy approach. Going for the green in two brings plenty of risk into play because the green is fronted by an enormous bunker in the shape of an arrow pointing left and huge humps and bumps to an elevated green, which repels balls in either direction. The putting surface is quite miniscule, making your approach spot on.

Nicknamed “Medusa” for a reason, the 17th is virtually stunning and diabolical. The shortest par-3 on the course, it features all carry to the putting surface, which is surrounded in the rear by eight bunkers, shaped like teeth or as the story is told, snake-like hair. The oval-shaped green runs to the front and has an additional trap on either side. A front pin position will bring the steep slope fronting the green into play, making for another tough up and down. A complete renovation was finished on 17, with the three-tiered tee box lowered, and now the longest par-3 on the course stretches to a whopping 198 yards.

The final hole at Stone Harbor is a gem – that is, of course, if you hit two successful shots. Otherwise, double-bogey might be the best you could do. With the hole just a shade over 400 yards, you’ll need to split, yet again, another island fairway. Driver might not be the play here because the fairway runs down toward the water at 230 yards. With a well-placed tee shot, a short iron should be enough to reach the green. However, despite the size of the putting surface, the front portion is surrounded almost entirely by water. In fact, the pin, which is usually placed up front, is only 15 to 20 steps across. Talk about distance and accuracy control, this is it in a nutshell. Make a par here and I guarantee you just won your match!

OVERALL: Although the course has gone through some significant changes over the years, the main design of Desmond Muirhead is still pretty much intact.

Holes have been softened, fairways lengthened, bulkheads replaced, and greens and bunkers reshaped and replaced, yet the course is still quite a challenge, considering its slope of 136. The anxiety and horror of the seventh no longer crushes golfers’ spirits, but it still rates as the hardest par-3 on the course and the 11th -most difficult at Stone Harbor.

The teeing areas are intriguing on many of the holes and the landing areas are somewhat shaped like U.S. Open fairways, with narrow corridors and the putting surfaces vary in size and shape.

So what’s in store for Stone Harbor? Over the next five years, course architect Tyler Rae will continue improvements and enhancements throughout the golf course. The dining room will be expanded, along with the halfway house and a two-story cart barn to accommodate the new fleet of golf carts.

The men’s locker room was completely overhauled, the Patio Terrace, which is popular among members, was refreshed and the landscaping of the exterior of the Clubhouse was upgraded.

However, one of the biggest enticements is the variety of membership offerings at Stone Harbor. From as little as $300 for a social membership or just $1,500 for an individual associate membership, the opportunities are endless. Stone Harbor offers House and Resident memberships as well as Full and Corporate enrollment at reasonable rates. In addition, the club has created a Junior Full membership for ages under 30 for just $1,200. You know what they say, “Membership has its privileges.”

Playing the golf course is a treat, but it needs to be played over and over to get the nuances of the layout. When playing Stone Harbor, the biggest decision is on the first tee box, where you decide what markers to play from because the course ranges from 4,975 yards to just under 7,000. Pick the right set; otherwise, you’ll be swallowed up whole by Stone Harbor.