Shore Gate is located near the Ocean and Beaches, but sure isn’t a day at the beach. “We’ve had about 90,000 rounds here and nobody has broken par from any tee box,” said head professional David Faught. “We even hosted a Player Ability Test for PGA professional hopefuls from the white tees and the low round was 74.

“What makes the course challenging is the diversity of the golf holes,” continues, Faught. “Everything is visually intimidating. You can’t get a rhythm or feel on this course because the holes are so different. If you’re used to right-to-left shots the next hole is left-to-right. Then there’s a lay-up hole. Then there’s a long hole. You have to be able to place the ball exactly where you want it. So, course management is the quintessential point of playing here. If you’re not disciplined enough to use course management, you won’t score well here.”

Unless you frequent California or 60 other countries outside the United States, you might never have the opportunity to play a Ron Fream design. Fream is known for his dramatic, memorable layouts and Shore Gate is no exception. Included in this parkland-style course are 180 sand areas, some up to 10 feet deep and often located on the outside of the mounds that line the holes. Instead of one or two signature holes, Faught says there are, “eighteen totally distinctive golf holes,” yet the 648-yard, par 5 ninth hole at Shore Gate Golf Club in Ocean View, NJ receives a good deal of attention.

Like the ninth hole at Shore Gate, Faught says people play here because it “beats them up.” “The first time they play here their reaction is, ‘what just happened?’” But it’s so picturesque and serene that they don’t complain too much about how bad their score is. To me, as a golf professional, that is very unusual.”