Two quite different but equally stunning layouts greet you at
Blue Heron Pines Golf Club, located just west of Absecon in the village of Cologne.
Recently, the course was named among the "Top Women Friendly" and "Top 100
Fairways For Women" by Golf for Women Magazine; and received a "4-Star"
rating by Golf Digest. Blue Heron Pines West is the area's first
Stephen Kay creation, which opened in 1993 to rave reviews. Atlantic City
Magazine named it the best 18-hole course at the Jersey shore. Meandering
through an ancient pine forest, this parkland style course, which measures
between 5,053 and 6,810 yards from five tee sets, also has abundant sand
and modest elevation changes with a few lakes thrown in. The course will
host the 2003 U.S.G.A. Public Links Championship.
The course's best and toughest stretch of holes is on the slightly better
back 9 and begins with No. 14, a 518-yard beauty requiring a carry over and a
100-yard long waste bunker planted with native long grasses to a slightly
raised green. Many golfers could be undone by this arguably controversial
hole if they are not careful, but once they've completed it, there is
still more challenge ahead. The 421-yard 15th is quite spectacular,
featuring an elevated green bordering a lake on the left; a fairway marked
by bunkers on the right that tempt players to carry them (230 yards) to
set up an easier approach shot; and a right to left sloping fairway that
will promote overly hooked tee shots perilously close to or into the
water. A redan style long par 3 and long straight par 4 follow this gem,
and the course finishes with reachable par 5.
In Blue Heron Pines East, which opened in 2000, designer Steve Smyers has
created a links style track that has all the earmarks of greatness. Its wide
open windswept and largely treeless environment is reminiscent of the famous
Scottish links. It is also very spread out, winding hill and dale over 300 plus
pristine acres - a majestic, spatially opulent canvas.
Smyers, who apprenticed with Tom Fazio and who was on the University of Florida
golf team with several former PGA stars, loves the open, rustic look, as
evidenced by some of his other courses, including Southern Dunes near Orlando. At
Blue Heron Pines, his intent was to bring back the bump and run shot on a hard
and fast playing surface. His homage to the Scots is all over this course, minus
the gorse. Though not thick, the rough is similar to the kind of rough you will
encounter in the Old Country, and the rolling, pitched fairways look as if Smyers
laid them down on the land just as he found it. In fact, relatively little earth
was moved to create this masterpiece, which also has five tee markers ranging
from 5,165 to 7,221 yards.
The courses are the prize of a large decidedly upscale residential and hospitality
community that will eventually include a hotel, elegant homes, and rental suites.
The backdrop of the front nine of the West Course is already being modified by
development. Each course now sports two very large and graciously appointed
clubhouses, each with their own pro
shop. 
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