Tony Marts in the 50s

Rick Danko, Robbie Robertson, Garth Hundson and Bob Dylan












Garth Hudson and Levon Helm

Atlantic City Country Club - Open to the Public

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Atlantic City Country Club is now open.
By William Kelly (Published in spring 2007. Also See: Twooverpar.com)

The venerable 110 year-old Atlantic City Country Club, one of the most historically significant golf clubs in the world, is now open to the public, a change in policy that is itself historic.

This formal announcement brings the club full circle, as it was in the beginning, a golf club built for the pleasure and convenience of the guests of the Atlantic City boardwalk hotels. Now once again owned by Atlantic City boardwalk hotel interests, the club is experiencing a Renaissance that anyone can enjoy.

After more than a half-century as a private club and ten years into its casino ownership, the club has begun a new public era that allows ordinary golfers to go where golf history was made repeatedly.

Since the casino company is currently changing owners, how long it will last is yet to be seen. So those who take their golf game seriously should take advantage of the opportunity this season to experience what venerable golf is all about.

Previously a private club owned by the Fraser family, and open only to members and guests for more than a half-century, shortly after Harrahs took over the previously merged Bally-Hilton-Caesars company, the new casino owners opened the course to the public last year

This year, with a recently acquired public liquor license from the city of Northfield, they opened the historic clubhouse to the public as well. Purchasing one of the two liquor licenses in Northfield from J.R. Kemp’s Ale House (formerly the Owl Tree), the Tap Room began serving drinks in early April, just after the club held an open house to showcase the historic clubhouse and grounds. For the record, the first beer was served to long time pro shop manager, starter and club historian Kenny Robinson.

Kenny has been around the club longer than anyone, and can answer most of the questions that come to mind.

Long known as “the Northfield Links,” the classic Lakes Bay links course was totally revamped in an $8 million makeover by Bally-Hilton, updated to today’s standards by classical revivalist architect Tom Doaks.

But as a private casino course it was seldom used by casino management and high rollers, mainly because they couldn’t serve liquor, so the greens are pristine and course is in prime championship condition.

Originally built in 1897, laid out by Philadelphia Country Club professional John Reid, the course was the scene of a number of early major championships and historic events, like the 1901 U.S. Amateur (won by Walter Travis with the then radical Haskell ball), and was where the term “birdie,” for one under par, was coined in 1903. Club pro Johnny McDermott was the first American and youngest ever (at 19) to win the U.S. Open, which he did twice (1910-1911).

One of the players in the first “birdie” game was George Crump, who went on to build Pine Valley, recognized as the finest golf course in the world, while others associated with the Atlantic City Country Club established Seaview, Oakmont, Wildwood, Great Bay, Boca Raton, Oakmont, Mays Landing, Brigantine, and Avalon, among others, making Atlantic City something of the mother club to many other, also historically significant courses.

Since the early 1940s the club was owned by the Fraser family, “the first family of golf,” whose patriarch “Jolly” Jim Fraser was a golf pro from Fraser, Scotland and one of the first pros at Seaview. His son, great amateur Sonny Fraser and his associates sold the club in 1944 to his brother Leo, a returning war hero and golf professional who became head of the PGA.

A great proponent of the game, Leo Fraser made it a championship course again, with a number of USGA Women’s Open Championships (1948, 1965, 1975) that helped set up the LPGA, and the first PGA Senior’s tournament (1980), the humble beginning of the PGA Senior (Now Champion’s) Tour.

In 1997, after a year-long centennial celebration, the Fraser family sold the club to the Bally-Hilton casino company. The Frasers then renovated their Mays Landing Country Club and built a new one in Florida (designed by Arnold Palmer).

When the Bally-Hilton-Caesars group merged with Harrah’s/Showboat, becoming one of the largest casino companies in the world, the new corporate owners decided to open the course to the public.

Although open last year, the course still didn’t get much play without promotion, and a sliding green fee scale ($140-$200). This year, even though the clubhouse will be open for business and there will be more people around, they don’t anticipate a big increase in course use this season.

While the course has been upgraded significantly, the clubhouse has changed little, and is still pretty much the same as it’s been in the past fifty years or so. There’s the bell at the front door, rung for the last trolley of the day, and the McDermott Room just off the front door. You can spend an entire afternoon roaming the hallowed halls of the Leo Fraser Library, the Sonny Fraser Room, the magnificent ballroom and dinning rooms, the storied Tap Room (See: Sidebar), the Locker Room and pro shop, all of which are now open to the public. Each room has a story to tell and their walls are lined with photos and memorabilia that outline the history of golf from its earliest days in America.

It’s still a first class operation (there is no second class here), and the prices reflect that, as meals are priced accordingly for lunch and dinner, and you get all the amenities, quality and service.

Former club members who return will recognize some of the employees, waitresses and the chef, as well as items on the menu. Although now a public venue, it still has that private club atmosphere, style and tradition. With the new liquor license, the Tap Room Grille is open for lunch and dinner on Fridays and Saturdays (from 5pm), and the Ballroom and dining rooms are available for private parties and meetings.

What we don’t know is what the future will bring, as golf pro Steve Sullivan has announced his departure and yet another major conglomerate is in the process of purchasing the Bally-Hilton-Caesars-Harrah’s-Showboat Empire, of which the Atlantic City Country Club is but a very small part.

It’s hard to believe there are bigger fish than the current casino owners, but when the Texas Pacific Group and Apollo Management LP complete the multi-billion dollar deal, the new owners may not even be aware they own the club, a small percentage of the new company’s assets/holdings. Texas Pacific’s David Bonderman, James Coulter and William S. Price III and Apollo Management’s Leon Black and Arnold Rosenstein (KSL Fairways), may or may not play golf and have an affinity for history and tradition.

They could keep the club as is, make it private again, spin it off to a local group or develop the course with condos.

In any case, whatever the future holds, now is the time to appreciate the Atlantic City Country Club, one of the most historically significant golf courses in the world. A first class experience, in the clubhouse and the course, caddies are available ($50), and you “play a round with history.”

The club stands as a testament to the definition of the word “venerable,” as Webster’s says it is “made sacred by historical association, and calling for respect through age, character and attainment.”

The venerable Atlantic City Country Club is now open to the public.

For more information contact the Atlantic City Country Club, One Leo Fraser Drive, Northfield, N.J. 09225-0236 – (609) 236-4400 for reservations; (609) 236-4401 for front desk; (609) 236-4411 for pro shop or visit on line at www.accountryclub.com]

[William Kelly is the author of “Birth of the Birdie – The First 100 Years of Golf at Atlantic City Country Club.” He can be reached at Billykelly1@aol.com]


Taproom at Atlantic City Country Club Open to the Public - By William Kelly
(Published in March, 2007)

With the transfer of the liquor license approved by the city of Northfield, the storied Tap Room of the historic 110 year old Atlantic City Country Club is now officially open to the public for the first time in living memory.

Previously a private club open only to members and their guests, the Atlantic City Country Club, once purchased by Bally-Hilton, was used only by the casino’s executives and select guests until last year, when the course was opened to the pubic for the first time.

Now the historic clubhouse, banquet rooms, restaurant and Tap Room are open to the public as well. Previously, without a private or public liquor license they couldn’t even legally serve the high rollers, so they arranged the purchase of one of the two liquor licenses in town from the J.J. Kemp’s Pub, formerly the Owl Tree/the Parrot on Route 9. (The other license is Ventura’s Offshore Café).

When the club held an open house, showcasing the historic clubhouse and grounds to the public, the Tap Room began serving Bloody Marys when it opens for breakfast at 8 am Friday, March 16, the Opening Day of the 2007 Golf Season and Tap Room beer was flowing from the taps on St. Patrick’s Day.

The Tap Room Grille will be open on weekends for breakfast and lunch, and for dinner on weekends at 5 pm and slowly expand their hours and days thru the summer.

The historic clubhouse and classic championship links course make for many legendary myths, some of which are actually true.

The Tap Room is where Babe Zaharius played the piano after winning the 1948 U.S. Women’s Open, and where Sam Snead played the trumpet in 1980 during the first PGA Senior’s tournament (now the Champion’s Tour).

The Tap Room’s small, straight hardwood bar is against the wall next to the Locker Room, and sets the stage for a small dining room that sports comfortable booths, walls packed with historic memorabilia and a large bay window overlooking the course, the bay and the Atlantic City skyline on the horizon.

Above the bay window is a panoramic photo of Shawnee on the Delaware, an equally historic course where early club pro Johnny McDermott defeated British champions Harry Vardon and Ted Ray by 8 stokes in 1913, and set up the “Greatest Game Ever Played” by promising they wouldn’t take the U.S. Open championship home with them.

The ceiling of the adjacent Locker Room is lined with painted portraits of the winners of the Sonny Fraser tournament (1945-1999), one of the premier amateur invitational tournaments in the country. Among the portraits are Sonny Fraser, Dr. Carey Middlecoff, Julius Boros, Billy Hyndeman III, Howard Everett and Billy Ziobro, who also won the New Jersey Amateur championship and N.J. Open in the same year, a hat trick that’s never been duplicated.

Ziobro was named the first pro in the casino era, an esteemed position now held by Steve Sullivan, who has announced he too is moving on soon. There are a few of the long time employees still working there, including some waitresses and the chef, as well as manager Kenny Robinson, who can answer questions about the history of the place and the accuracy of some of the stories.

Among the yarns is how the term “birdie” was coined there in 1903, how Johnny McDermitt became the first and the youngest (at 19) to win the U.S. Open, which he did twice (1911-12), how the women’s tour was nurtured there and how the U.S. Senior’s Tour got started over many discussions, arguments and a few beers in the Tap Room.

It’s not true that McDermott celebrated his victories in the Tap Room (he was a teetotaler), but it is true there used to be slot machines in the Tap Room for many years in the pre-casino era.

The Tap Room slots became famous when Florida Senator George Smathers complained about them when club owner Sonny Fraser and club members Hap Farley and Olympic champion John Kelly (Grace Kelly’s father) decided to build the Atlantic City Race Course. Smathers thought the race course was competition to Florida gambling venues and complained about the slots machines. Instead of getting rid of the slots however, Sonny Fraser sold the club to his brother Leo, a returning World War II hero, and the slots stayed into the early 1950s.

Over the years the Tap Room was the center of social life at the famed club, where everyone gathered after a game, a tournament, wedding or just a Saturday night at the clubhouse. A First Class establishment with exquisite charm, the Atlantic City Country Club is a throwback to a time forgotten by the glitz and the glitter of today’s Atlantic City.

The opening of the Tap Room to the public for the first time is an historic event in itself, ensuring that history will continue to be made there.

[William Kelly is author of the book “Birth of the Birdie – The First 100 Years of Golf at Atlantic City Country Club.” He can be reached at billkelly3@gmail.com]

Atlantic City Country Club

They used to ring the bell to alert golfers of the impending arrival of the last Shore Road trolley to Atlantic City.



The Birdie Patio overlooks the Atlantic City skyline across Lakes Bay and sits adjacent to the green where the term "birdie" was coined.




Atlantic City Political Boss "Hap" Farley, who took over when Nucky Johnson went to jail, holds court at the Taproom bar. And as it looks today.




The legendary Men's Locker room has its own bar, sports on TV and is where the band sets up on Thursdays Happy Hour if its raining or thunderstorms and they can't entertain on the Patio.

Philly Folk Fest

The 50th Annual Philadelphia Folk Fest is coming up soon and its going to be a great one, with such enticing headliners as Levon Helm, Dave Bromberg, Tom Rush and many many more.

As a veteran of both the Philadelphia Folk Fest and Woodstock, the Folk Fest comes in first by any comparison because its so much better organized.

The best part is after the stage shows are over and you sit around a campfire singing songs and jamming with new friends and old alike.

The primary Master of Ceremonies Gene Shay has a popular Sunday night radio show on WXPN 88.5 in which he plays some classic tunes and usually has on a guest who performs some acoustic stuff live. Shay's show has been on for the half century mark too, with my favorite program being the time he had Jim Croce on and he made Kipling's poem to Gunga Dinn a neat rhyming ballad.

WXPN used to feature a Sunday night radio show by a guy named Meatball Fulton, who I would like to learn what ever happened to - and introduced a lot of people to Captain Beefheart and Frank Zappa. On the same night over at WMMR, Dave Herman began playing entire albums, I think they called it AOR - Album Oriented Rock in order to get it past the program managers, who preferred beautiful music.

In any case, it was during one of these radical Sunday night radio shows when one of them played "The Weight" by the Band, which just blew me away and tugged at me to get into the music.

I've heard and read a lot about the biblical and philosophical interpretations of this song, but then it all really made sense when Robbie Robertson explained that the part about "pulling into Nazareth" isn't the Nazareth in the Middle East where Christ used to hang out, but Nazareth, Pennsylvania, where the Martin guitar factory is located and where they once visited. It was probably on a day trip from Somers Point, NJ in the summer of '65 whe the Band played as Levon and the Hawks.

Now Levon's returning as a headliner with a new band.

In the photos below the first is a Jersey Shore contingent of campers - Bob Lang and Dorry Dude are two.

The old man is playing a pair of bones - spare rib bones.

Then there is one of a Martin Guitar Workshop, and I imagine the company is still one of the sponsors of the festival.

As a word of explanation, these are black and white photos because it wasn't that log ago, I guess it was the 70s and 80s when newspapers still only published black & white photos, and I sometimes did my own developing, printing and enlarging.

I'll be writing a preview of this years festival so stay tuned. - BK

Caroline's Bay Ave & Longport Blvd.

Caroline's - Bay Ave. & Longport Blvd. is now run by Caroline, whose father Dave Tyson passed away last year.

Dave was a building contractor who was partners with Bill Morris, who purchased the historic Anchorage Tavern down the street and had Tyson renovate it.

Dave then purchased the old strip joint on the Cardiff Circle after Gov. Christie Whitman complained about it during a visit to the FAA's NAFAC research center near the Atlantic City airport, so Dave got rid of the girls and renamed it Chrstie's after the governor.

I understand Dave also bought and restored the old Barington bar near Wayne Kline's home.

Caroline's used to be an Hawaiian themed bar and restaurant in the Sixties, before becoming the Rock Box in the Seventies, which featured live bands, and then a sports bar.

When Dave bought it, with two lawyers as partners, he divided the building into offices for the lawyers and leased out an upscale plumbing retail store, then expanded the bar towards the bayside, adding a dining room and porch.

Inside, he laid out Caroline's bar exactly as he had done at the Anchorage, with a large rectangle bar in the middle and covered the walls with old, framed photos and memorabilia.

Where the Bands are July 29 - Aug 4

Mike Pedicin, Jr. does a performing workshop on Sunday afternoon at the Ocean City Public Library at 17th & Simpson, featuring the music of Dave "Take Five" Brubeck, one of the most influential jazz band leaders of all time, which included sax man Paul Desmond. Mike played with the Dave Brubeck band for a number of years.

WHERE THE BANDS ARE - July 29 – August 4

FRIDAY July 29

Dr Bobby Fingers with “Ernie T” Trionfo: Popular Music Somers Point Beach

Danny Eyer Duo 3; Steve LaManna 8 Beach Club Seaglass Golden Inn Avalon
Carl Behrens 4:30, Back 2 Life 9 at Rusty Nail at Cape May.
Paul Sottile 6:30 Ebbitt Room Virginia Hotel
Wesley Ochs 8 Brown Room; Duane Anthony 9 Boiler Room Congress Hall CM.
Cheers Carney’s Cape May
The Sensational Soul Cruisers Cabanas Cape May
George Mestrhazy Merion Inn Cape May
Steamroller Picnic Ugly Mug 9:30
Michael James 6 Harpoon Henrys N. Cape May.
Third Watch Harbor View Cape May
Patty and Bugsy and Soul Custody at Coconut Cove Wildwood
Sindi Raymond at Lighthouse Point Wildwood
Tommy Zito and Juliano Brothers at the Wharf Wildwood
Matt Kelly, Johathan Harwood and Jerry Smith Westys Irish Pub NWW
Grape Street Riot, Darin MacDonald, 52 Pickup at Windrift Avalon
Laura Lea & Tripp Fabulous at Jacks in Avalon
LeCompt 10:30 at The Rocking Chair in Avalon
Broken Strings at Buschs in Sea Isle City
Emily’s Toy Box at the Princeton in Avalon
Gene and Ryan, LeCompt at Springfield in Sea Isle City
Jim Maher & Son at Deauville Inn Strathmere
Dan Brown at Tun Tavern AC
Mr. Greengenes – Backstage at House of Blues Showboat AC
John Eddie Stone Poney Asbury Park

SATURDAY July 30

Not Worth Stealing 12; Mike Thompson Band 3:30; Steve LaManna 8 Golden Inn Avalon
Chris Vittese 4:30; Third Degree 9; the Rusty Nail Cape May
Paul Sottile 6:30 Ebbit Room Virginia Hotel
Darin MacDonald 8 Brown Room; Poker Face Boiler Room Congress Hall CM
Crystal Roxx Carneys Cape May
Ravioli Shanker Cabanas Cape May
George Mesterhazy Merion Inn Cape May
Beachomber Bill 6 Harpoon Henrys N. Cape May
Stage Pass Harbor View Cape May
One Hot Mess Casys on Third N.WW.
Sindi Raymond – the Wharf
Secret Service Windrift Stone Harbor 4
Andrew Dice Clay Trop AC
Rodney Carrington Hilton AC
Bob Saget Borgata
Steely Dan, Borgata

SUNDAY July 31

Mike Pedicin Quarte Jazz Ocean City Library 1735 Simpson 2:00 pm Part 3 of a three-part educational series - includes performance and discussion. The Music Of Dave Brubeck 609-399-2434 Free admission http://www.facebook.com/groups/111804475497782

Reggae Sunday 12:30; Audrey Snow 9; at Rusty Nail Cape May

Dr. Bobby Fingers plays at the Sons of American Legion #352 Summer Barbecue 4pm, 1st St. and Pennsylvania Ave., Somers Point. All you can eat. $20.

Jack Light Move 12; Raggamuffins 3:30; Doug Knight 7 Seaglass Golden Inn Avalon
The Exceptions The Deck at Golden Nugget AC Inlet 3
Erik Simonsen 8 Brown Room; Open Mic Boiler Room Congress Hall Cape May
Animal House Carneys Cape May
George Mesterhazy Merion Inn Cape May
Bondage 1; Beachcomber Bill Harpoon Henrys N. Cape May
It’s a Sinatra Thing Harbor View Cape May
Mike Lecompt Springfield Inn 9 Sea Isle City
Secret Service 5 ; Mr. Greengenes Ocean Drive Sea Isle City
Verdict – Baia on Bay Ave. Somers Point 7
Patty Blee 800 Bay Somers Point

MONDAY August 1

The Ottis Clay Band. Blues. Kennedy Plaza. AC Boardwalk

Joe King 3 The Beach Club Seaglass Golden Inn Avalon
Mike LeCompt 4 Carousel beach bar Springfield Inn Sea Isle City
Guy Petersen solo, 4:30 at the Rusty Nail Cape May
Audrey Snow Brown Room Congress Hall Cape May
George Mesterhazy Merion Inn Cape May
Dave Christopher Band Coconut Cove

TUESDAY August 2

Cyril Neville and Tribe 13. New Orleans legends. Kennedy Plaza AC.

Vince Schneider Duo 3 at Beach Club Seaglass Golden Inn Avalon
Joe Kozat 4:30 at Rusty Nail in Cape May
Don Shaw (duo) Brown Room Congress Hall Cape May
Jazz Trio Merion Inn Cape May
Sal Anthony – Harpoon Henrys Cape May
Justin Steere, Gypsy Wisdom and Darin MacDonad at Windrift Avalon
Red Garter Night at Coconut Cove Wildwood
Patty Blee 800 Bay Somers Point

WEDNESDAY August 3

Feraba – West Africa rhythms. Kennedy Plaza AC Boardwalk

Bubba Mac Band at The Deauville Inn Strathmere 6-10

Stellar Mojo 3 Beach Club Seaglass Golden Inn Avalon
Wesley Ochss 4:30 at Rusty Nail Beach Shack Cape May
Matt Santry Brown Room Congress Hall Cape May
Big House Carneys Cape May
George Mesterhazy Merion Inn Cape May
Evolution Coconut Cove
Joe and Friends / Phil Stocker Steve & Cookies in Margate
Secret Service 10 at Ocean Drive in Sea Isle City.
Patty Blee 800 Bay Somers Point

THURSDAY August 4

Dominick Farinacci CBB Youth Jazz Ensemble. Kennedy Plaza AC

Foster Child Duo 3; Steve LaManna 8; Beach Club Seaglass Golden Inn Avalon
Marnie & Nate at the Rusty Nail Cape May
Paul Sottile 6:30 Ebbitt Room Virginia Hotel Cape May
Terry’oke 9 Boiler Room Congress Hall
Animal House Carneys Cape May
George Mesterhazy Merion Inn Cape May
Jay Bethal of Bluebone 8 Pilot House Cape May
The Excpetions Windrift 8 Avalon
Patty Blee Library III Black Horse Pike EHT
Joe and Friends Steve & Cookies Margate.
Jerry Blavat at Lighthouse Point Wildwood
Burnt Sienna at Ocean Drive Sea Isle City
Gary and the Kid at Deauville Inn Strathmere