Twisted Dune

Over two million cubic yards of soil were shifted when Archie Struthers fashioned the fairways at Twisted Dune Golf Club, transplanting a wee flavour of Scottish links golf onto the Garden State landscape.

It’s said that Rees Jones was originally involved in the project to convert an old horse farm into a links-style golf course but his architectural team withdrew for some reason, allowing Struthers to step in and install the man-made undulations and mounds that give the layout its striking Celtic character.

The prime design intention was to keep holes as isolated from each other as possible so instead of using regular tree-lined fairways to achieve this, the playing corridors are bordered by fescue-covered dunes which provide visual intimidation and largely prevent the next hole from being revealed until arrival at the tee.

Toughest hole on the front nine is undoubtedly the par five 4th, where it doglegs right to a green that’s surrounded by half a dozen enormous bunkers. On the back nine, the 410-yard 14th is easily the most treacherous hole en route to the green as there’s a couple of water hazards awaiting stray shots on either side of a narrow fairway.