Fat Guy's Ocean City MD Golf Weekend

If This Is A Honky-Tonk Haven, Then Color Me Honky 
(that's funnier if you read T&L Golf'sreview of Ocean City golf first)  http://www.travelandleisure.com/tlgolf/articles/golf-proud-maryland

Fat Guy Review:  When folks on the Northeastern seaboard use the abbreviation "O.C.", they don't mean the enclave of suburban angst called Orange County California, made famous by the Fox TV series.  They mean Ocean City, as in Ocean City, Maryland, aka O.C.M.D. (and not to be confused with Ocean City, NJ).

OCMD is an old stompin' grounds of mine; took family summer vacations there from ages 2-15, worked on the boards a summer in college, did boys-week post-college vacations there for a few years, plus a few golf weekends and family vacations since, and even got married down there once (oops), so I'd consider myself a fairly qualified tour guide for OC. It's a clean, family-friendly, classic over-developed and hyper-commercialized East Coast beach town that many of us know and love. It's geared a little more towards blue collars than white, and the charm of the place lies in its' notstalgically old-school character, particularly still evident on the boardwalk.  New condo towers, golf courses, restaurants, and fun party spots help to balance the new millenium against the lingering post-WWII vibe.

LONG WEEKEND ITINERARY

Let's assume you're coming to OC during the season, when most everything is open. Drive in Thursday night after work and get checked into your digs. If your golf buddies are the type who regress back to their high school selves the minute they're out of the house without the wife and kids... on the north end of town try the bar grub at Kirby's (94th & Coastal Hwy), or if there aren't any bar stools or tables left, hit the lively Bull On The Beach sportsbar across the street. Down towards the boardwalk hit Pickle's Pub (9th & N. Philadelphia) for a solid joint with numerous pool tables.

FRIDAY:

For spring golf trips, you'll want a good warm-up course to shake off the winter rust. Something suitably beachy, but hardly some bland rinky-dink track you'd find back home. Head for Ocean City Golf & Yacht Club's Newport Bay Course (www.ocgolfandyacht.com).  Bring an extra layer and a good windshirt to fend off the bay breezes until the sun burns off the morning chill. Then grab a fresh-made breakfast sandwich from their grill room before teeing off. A few typical inland parkland holes begin to increase in difficulty as you approach the bayside stretch, where cross-winds and soft spring turf begin to make club selection difficult (club up 2 on the water and adjust from there). The routing builds to a crescendo on tough bayside finishing holes requiring ballsy shots over plenty of water, sand, and marshland. Just for fun, play the 18th from the black tees to see if you can carry 240 over the bay from a peninsula tee to an angled fairway in bay winds.

If you have the family in tow, you're in luck. There's probably more All-American family fun to be had here than anywhere outside Mickeytown. Options include endless mini-golf with creative themes, Old West hijinks like panning for gold plus waterslides at Frontiertown (Rt. 611 West OC, www.frontiertown.com), go-carts galore, wet-n'-wild kids adventure cruises on the Duckaneer pirate ship (410-289-3500, www.talbotstreetpier.com), rides at Jolly Roger Amusement Park, including their Splash Mountain water area (30th & Coastal Hwy, www.jollyrogerpark.com), another fun water park at Fenwick's Thunder Bay (Rt. 54 & Coastal Hwy, 302-539-4027) among others, and kid-friendly bayside dining in the sand (think of a miniature Seacrets with a playground) at Fish Tales (21st & bayside, www.ocfishtales.com). Spend rainy days at Laser Storm laser tag (surprisingly fun, even for sober adults), the golf simulator at Ocean Resorts GC (play famous worldwide courses while it details your swing path and clubface angles on every shot--I learned more about my golf swing on their simulator than I have in most lessons I've taken), Ripley's Believe It Or Not at the Inlet, Old Time Photos (3 OC locations), or local movie theaters. For your golf widow, there only places in town that really do massages are Creative Day Spa (www.creativedayspa.com, 410-250-8664) or Visions Day Spa (12207 Coastal Hwy, www.visionsdayspa.com, 410-250-5188). Or do outlet shopping (http://www.ocean-city.com/shopping/) in West OC (www.ocfactoryoutlets.com) and nearby Rehobeth DE (www.tangeroutlet.com).

And you can't come here without hitting the boards. OCMD's boardwalk (www.ocboards.com) is my sentimental favorite, and Travel Channel ranks it right up there in America's Top 5 along with places like Atlantic City and Wildwood, NJ. Nothing beats the summertime sights (ahem) and sounds of OC's boardwalk, but for me it's the smells that really spark up nostalgia of family vacations back in the day. Warm-summer-night-saltwater air, combining with the burnt oil scent of creosote from the boards, the occasional whiff of coconutty Coppertone, further mixed in with plumes of intoxicating fryer smells like french fries and funnel cakes, followed by the sugary aura of cotton candy stands. Throw in the endless t-shirt shops, callers from games of chance beckoning you to join in, and the flashing lights of the rides on the pier (www.ocpierrides.com) cranking pop tunes. In your mind's eye you'll be right back chasing teenage girls with the buddy you drug along for your family vacation with your grandparents. Don't we all wish.

For pure boardwalk guilty pleasures, grab some of the buttery-carmel goodness of Fisher's Carmelcorn (@ Talbot, www.fisherspopcorn.com), then order a box of their highly addictive white cheddar flavor to go. Get some hand-cut Thrasher's Fries (@ the Inlet since 1929, also N 4th) splashed with vinegar, salt water taffy from Dolle's (@ the inlet, www.dolles.com) or Candy Kitchen (multiple OC locations, www.candykitchens.com), and Boog Powell's Barbeque (@ the Inlet) imported from Baltimore's Camden Yards. Then check out the crazy mish-mash of wall art piled high for sale at Ocean Gallery (@ 2nd, www.oceangallery.com). Oddly enough, I've never found the classic tasty boardwalk pizza joint here that'll keep you coming back year after year (ala Mack's in Wildwood). Lombardi's (94th & Coastal Hwy, www.lombardisrestaurant.com) is the best I've found in town, or the Baltimore Sun rates Pino's Pizza (81st St & Coastal Hwy, delivery anywhere in OC, 410-723-3278) as OC's Best.

The perfect 36-hole compliment to Newport Bay is nearby Rum Pointe (www.rumpointe.com). Lunch at Rum Pointe's upscale grill room, then tee it up on a great upscale Pete & P.B. Dye bayside links. The winds coming off the bay play a major role until the back 9 routing ducks back into woods for a few holes, before returning bayside for a watery finish. Rum Pointe features forced lay-ups, long par 5's, blind shots, plenty of water and sand, some serious wood plank cart bridges, seriously hot cart girls, and a tee built on a pier jutting out into the bay. A tall test for one of the first rounds of the season. Check local guide Sunny Day (www.sunnydayguide.com) for off-season coupons, or call the course about their Triple Crown Summer Special:  play Lighthouse Sound, Rum Pointe, and Man O' War for $199--a GREAT deal (must play after 11:30 and call no more than 48 hrs in advance).t

By now you're powerful thirsty and hungry, so head for Phillip's Seafood, an Ocean City institution since 1956 (Flagship Original @ 21st St [closed off season], also 13th & Boardwalk, and 141st St & Coastal Hwy, www.phillipsseafood.com). Great steamed Maryland blue crabs, classic crab cakes (Maryland-style or grilled), tasty fish preparations, and some of the best fresh warm sourdough rolls on the planet slathered in salty sweet farm fresh butter. Anything on the menu featuring crab is outstanding; their crab soup is good enough to be canned for nationwide grocery sales, their crab imperial defines crab imperial, and the crab-stuffed mushroom caps are one of the best apps anywhere (although the consistency of the food on a couple recent off-season visits has been questionable). Tip: Go early for dinner. The original location at 21st Street typically sees sizable lines to get in during high season despite it's massive two-story block-long seating capacity, plus you can get some great early bird specials, including their famous crab cake platter for $10.

Or try other crab and seafood favorites like Higgin's (31st and 132nd Sts), Mug & Mallet (2nd & Boardwalk), Captain's Table (15th & Boardwalk), Crabcake Factory USA (120th & Coastal Hwy), or Harpoon Hannah's (142nd & bayside).

Notes on partying following a crab feast: If you've been picking fresh steamed Maryland hardshell blue crab for the past couple hours, you're probably wearing a big ol' grin, still have some crab guts on your shirt, already have a belly half-full of beer, your fingers are nicked up and stinging, and you reek of Old Bay. So first, go shower up, you slob. Don't go out smellin' like that. And B: it feels like you ate a lot, but unless you were gorging on rolls, your stomach really isn't that full. I know from experience that heavy drinking following a crab picking session is done on a surprisingly empty gut, so be careful out there.

Tourist fave, Gotta-Get-The-T-Shirt bars include: Big Peckers (a great outdoor spot on a hot day with a cool-mist system on their covered front deck, 73rd & Coastal Hwy), boardwalk icons Purple Moose, Brass Balls, and The Bearded Clam, and Pittsburgh Steelers bar Buxy's Salty Dog Saloon (28th & Coastal Hwy), owned by a guy my Mom taught in school.

Break from the beach theme at a couple newer martini lounges including Jive (82nd & Coastal Hwy) or Galaxy 66 Bar & Grille (66th & Coastal Hwy, www.galaxy66barandgrille.com, entrees $15-$28, top shelf cocktails $7-$10). A stylish novelty in this blue collar resort town, Galaxy looks like it belongs in Malibu rather than OCMD, with upscale fare and creative cocktails amidst a modernist décor with funky lighting, great artwork, OC's Most Creative Menu per local Metropolitan Magazine, and an open air bar on the roof.

Per Bob, sneak into OC's only swim-up pool bar at the Holiday Inn (71st Street), where an inch of water covers the bar top, and the barkeep has a clothesline handy for drying off wet cash. For a cheap happy hour, try Coins (28th St & Coastal Hwy) for $1 drafts, $1.75 mixed drinks, $3-a-dozen wings, $4 1/2 lb. shrimp, good crab cakes, and OC's best reuben.

The best club in OCMD is the Big Kahuna / Paddock complex (17th & Coastal Hwy, www.partyblock.com/rush). Billing itself as a South Beach-style club, the post-college crowd flocks here for the new pool bar, complete with private cabanas and puffy lounge areas surrounding a pristine pool next to a giant martini glass, and the indoor dance floor shakes after sundown. Or try Club 24 @ Embers (24th & Coastal Hwy, www.embers.com). A slightly older crowd digs the high-rise Ocean Club (@ The Clarion Hotel, 101st & Coastal Hwy) for panoramic top-floor ocean views, good happy hour specials, and hot dancing. Check local weekly rag The Beachcomber (http://www.delmarvanow.com/mdbeachcomber/) for hotspots. Tip: Local DJ Batman has been an OC fixture for decades. Anywhere he's playing will be hoppin' with a mixed-age crowd.

Late Night:  The closest Gentlemen's club is an hour away in Seaford DE (Canton Inn, Rt 13N to Rt 20W... Fat Guy Update:  The last time I passed through Seaford in '09 it looked like this club may have closed down, so check in advance), thus downgrading OCMD as a golfing destination, but there is a Hooters (122nd & Coastal Hwy) with nice talent, even though their wings suck.

SATURDAY:

Grab breakfast at TC's Diner, Route 50, West OC. Order the crab omelette.

Sandwiched in between rounds at OC's two premier daily fees, you'll want to throw in a good value round. The area's Best Value is Eagle's Landing (www.eagleslandinggolf.com). Four stars by Golf Digest and $20-$90 cheaper than most area upscale courses. This target bayside adventure by Dr. Michael Hurdzan features plenty of marsh and water, blind shots, fun risk/reward holes, bay winds, huge cart bridges, and a par-3 over an "abandoned" boat, all producing tight matches. A couple non-traditional holes have you hitting 4 iron-5 wood on par 4's, but don't let that fool you. By and large, this is a full-sized adventure. The noise from the nearby local airport noticeable on 4 or 5 holes on the back is offset by the cool visual of small props making low runway approaches right over the 17th green.

Lunch at Smoker's BBQ Pit (9711 Stephen Decautur Hwy aka Rt. 611, 410-213-0040) for award-winning Carolina pulled pork sandwiches and all things BBQ. For a good sportsbar, try the satellite Bull On The Beach location (12513 Ocean Gtwy, 410-213-4744). For happy hour, hit The Greene Turtle West, on Route 611 (12471 W. Ocean City, 410-213-1500, www.greeneturtle.com), an expansion outlet of the original well-known pub at 116th Street. While much of the menu is subpar, their proximity to area courses, cold beer, fairly hot buffalo wings, and 3 pool tables are the main draws for this joint.

The afternoon round today is one of the main reasons you came. Glen Riddle GC's Man O' War (www.glenriddlegolf.com) course is named for the famed thoroughbred trained on the Riddle Horse Farm formerly located here (as were War Admiral and Seabiscuit), before it was converted to an upscale housing and golf complex.  To my mind, this windy throwback Scottish links is not only the best course in OCMD, but one of the best modern links you'll find (slightly) inland in this country.  The juxtaposition of the horse racing theme combined with old school British Isles golf is an interesting contrast, but Glen Riddle pulls it off nicely.  Man O' War is a rumpled flatland, with sandy soil covering plenty of fescue-covered mounds woven among meandering tee complexes (with horseshoes for tee markers), wrinkled fairways with random bunker placements, and elevated greens surrounded by close-mown chipping areas.  A rusted starting gate still stands just off the 6th green along the sandy straightaway of a former practice track, which is in play as a hazard on the 6th and 8th holes.  The use of bunkering is somewhat minimilist in comparison with many new courses proclaiming themselves to be "links-style", but the random trap locations and fairway cambers add a dimension rarely seen in stateside golf.  The thoughtful contouring and steady sea breezes make this much more of a true links experience than most modern links designs.  Designed by the low-profile Joel Weiman, his routing shifts in and out of the prevailing winds, and asks you to play Scottish rather than American golf (low and creative vs. high and pre-programmed).  The rolling greens vary somewhat in size but are generally huge, leaving you the occasional roller-coaster 80-footer reminiscent of British Opens you've seen on TV.  The close-cut chipping areas will also have you contemplating a long range Texas wedge or three.  The cart path takes a brief swing across the profesionally-landscaped entrance drive and past the community pool, offsetting the distraction from the links experience with views of upscale bikini-clad MILFs.  The final 4 holes are cut out of the surrounding woods, but manage to maintain a Scottish flavor.  Even at the full-scale $90 greens fees, Man O' War is a bargain compared to pricey sisters Lighthouse Sound and Rum Pointe.  At the 1 PM rate of $50 it's a steal, easily the best value in OCMD, and possibly all of the East Coast.  Play it soon, before word gets out and it sees enough traffic to justify triple-digit greens fees.  The clubhouse is a unique one, converted from the former stable barn.  Housed under the angled open roof lines are a great pro shop, a Ruth Chris Steakhouse (a perfect spot for dinner after the round), and a tony bar next to a couple of the old horse stall doors still intact as décor.  Ask the pro shop politely, and they may also let you on Glen Riddle's similar private Jim Furyk consult, War Admiral.

Two days of 36 holes and seafood might have you jonesing for some comfort food or a nice steak, but don't overstuff yourself in anticipation of tonight's party spot (below). OCMD is not known for it's non-seafood cuisine, so stick with these local institutions when venturing off the crab track: The Chophouse at Embers is one of OC's finest steakhouses (24th & Coastal Hwy, www.embers.com, reservations recommended).  J/R's (62nd and 131st Sts, www.jrsribs.com) and Nick's (145th & Coastal Hwy, www.nickshouseofribs.com) both serve good midscale ribs and steak. English's Family Restaurant (15th & Coastal Hwy) is an OC staple for down-home fried chicken. For Italian, definitely Antipasti (3303 Coastal Hwy, www.ristoranteantipasti.com), named one of the Top 5 Italian restaurants in the country. Head south of the border at Tequila Mockingbird (130th & Coastal Hwy, www.octequila.com, 410-250-4424). Can't decide what you're craving? Hit Fenwick's House Of Welsh (1106 Coastal Hwy, www.thehouseofwelsh.org, 888-666-0728) for a little of everything. Mondays hit the $5 buffet at Fager's Island. I've never really gotten on a wing kick while in OCMD, but foodie blogs I've read consistently give first nod to Smitty McGee's wings, with Big Pecker's, Island Cafe, and Kirby's also getting honorable mentions. To save a little money in the budget, a high school buddy of mine owns OC's best spot for subs, Fat Daddy's Sub Shop (216 S Baltimore, www.fatdaddysocmd.com, open late night, tell Ed I said Hi).

Haven't had enough crab and seafood yet? The closest crab houses to Glen Riddle are Hooper's (www.hooperscrabhouse.com), and Captain's Galley (www.occaptainsgalley2.com, order the crab cakes), both in West OC.

OCMD's Must Party, and the other reason to plan a golf weekend here, is the bayside beach bar/club at Seacrets (49th & Bayside, www.seacrets.com). You know that perfect beach bar you always wish was there but can never seem to find in other beach towns?  This is that bar. Jamaica meets the Assawoman Bay at the coolest outdoor/indoor island-style bar on the Northeastern seaboard, with acres of sand floors, a canopy of palm trees, and half-buried boats for bars. Order a drink to your inner tube while floating on the bay during summer. Among the frozen house concoctions are my personal favorites, the Rum Runner, the Dirty Banana, and the Pain In De Ass (1/2 Rum Runner, 1/2 Pina Colada, swirled together in a colorful spiral). But be careful; they're nearly $7 apiece, can cause brain freeze, and they'll sneak up on ya over an evening. Try the jerk chicken, good salads too.

Seacrets' ever-growing, rambling complex had managed maintain an organically frivolous feel for years. But in the last few it's crossed the line into more manufactured fun, with the addition of a new entranceway (complete with metal detectors which dump you out at the ATM right before you walk by the merchandise stand), alongside the hoppin' indoor nightclub complete with a light show and their own cameramen showing off the clientele on massive video screens which feed to their website. The bands I've seen there the past two off-seasons weren't worth the price of admission, but DJ Tuff rocks the joint between band sets. Expect to hunt for a parking spot, pay a cover charge, and bring your ID even if you're 100. The Boomer-Parrotheads-meet-the-college-crowd scene is worth braving the masses. Party holidays like Fat Tuesday and marketed events such as Darkside, Lunasea, and Miss Seacrets draw big crowds, so check the event calendar on the website. Still one of the few bars I've ever been to that breaks my buddy Weasel's rule of "Never go to the same bar two nights in a row," but it's getting closer to becoming a one-night wonder, as the cash-sucking marketing machine gets a little too big for its britches. Open all year.

SUNDAY:

By now, you'll be feeling the effects of 36-a-day and a night of partying at Seacrets. Make sure your Sunday tee time is scheduled for late morning or later, and I wouldn't recommend trying 36 holes the day after a night of Rum Runners. Go grab some good hangover grub at Layton's (93rd & Coastal Hwy, order the crab omlette), or OC's best fresh donuts at the Fractured Prune (28th & Philadelphia, or 9636 Stephen Decatur Hwy aka Rt. 611, West OC).

Those looking for more upscale golf will want to play their last round at The Links at Lighthouse Sound (www.lighthousesound.com), a flat Arthur Hills design with multiple river-and-bayside holes, double greens, the longest cart bridge in the country, and pristine conditions. Ranked by many publications as the #1 course in OCMD, in Fat Guy's book it's easily the second best course in the area behind Glen Riddle's Man O' War, although it's pricey and therefore not a great value.  Lighthouse once hosted a national made-for-TV event on CBS which pitted Mickelson against an amateur contest winner. Again, check local guide Sunny Day (www.sunnydayguide.com) for off-season coupons, or call the course for great summer package deals with sister courses Rum Pointe and Man O' War.

Those more interested in good value golf and easy logistics will want to play one of Fat Guy's personal OC favorites, Beach Club Golf Links (www.beachclubgolflinks.com). This former 36-hole facility converted to 27-holes a few years ago, making for a better overall mix of holes. A rollicking, targety Brian Ault routing mixes elements of swampland, parkland, beach sands, and wooded areas to produce a fun, ruggedly visual, shotmaker's course that makes you think a shot or two ahead. It's location (near the intersection of Routes 50 & 113) makes it an ideal choice for your pre-departure round, regardless of the direction from which you came.

After your round, you'll be hankerin' for some good grub before you get on the road. I hear Grove Park Smokehouse (25 minutes NW, 12402 St. Martin's Neck Rd, Bishopville, 410-352-5055) is an off-the-beaten-track BBQ joint so good, locals try to keep it a secret from the tourists. Go get your 'que on, then crank up the satellite radio and put the pedal to the metal, as the inevitable Sunday night home/kids/wife/work anticipation/dread begins to creep back in.

BEST OF THE REST:

A strong addition to the local golfscape is Bayside GC in Fenwick DE (www.golfbayside.com). T&L Golf says: "Jack Nicklaus departs from typical beach golf at Bayside; rather than showcasing the sand with flashed-up bunkering, The Golden Bear tucked it away in small strategic spots, and used tiny elevated greens as another atypical beach course defense." A golfing acquantance with alot of travel experience recently ranked Bayside among his favorite courses anywhere.  River Run (11605 Masters Ln, Berlin http://www.riverrungolf.com) is a challenging Gary Player design, and a hodgepodge of links, wetlands, and woodlands golf with plenty of chocolate drop mounds.  Check their website for great deals like a free steak dinner with a weekday round.  Deer Run (8804 Logtown Rd, Berlin) is a short-but-fun track shoe-horned into limited acreage, with a nice mix of think-I-can-drive-it-on-the-green and a few all-you-got holes, plus a nasty little bulkhead peninsula par-3 reminiscient of Harbourtown. It also has well-guarded roller-coaster greens, all making it a great value ($40 with website or local rag coupons, http://www.golfdeerrun.com/), although the three sawed-off finishing holes are weak.

With all these area course options, feel free to skip The Bay Club, Ocean Resorts, and OCG&Y's Seaside course. Regional gems Baywood Greens (well-manicured modern parkland, dripping in colorful floral flourishes, with geometric design touches, tree-lined holes, water carries, an island fairway, and a 2-tier daily-fee pool at the huge neoclassical clubhouse, www.baywoodgreens.com), Bear Trap Dunes (windy wetlands faux-links, www.beartrapdunes.com), Hog Neck (pinched fairways, slanted bunker clusters, and sloped greens on a former hog farm, www.hogneck.com), Great Hope (isolated links holes, Scottish bunkering, coastal breezes, marsh carries, true greens, native grasses, and wildflowers, www.greathopegolf.com), and Harbourtowne (Pete Dye, wide open front, winding tree-lined back, a Love-It-Or-Hate-It special, www.harbourtowne.com) are well worth a round, but they're all around an hour's drive outside OCMD. Hit any of them on your way into or out of town.

When To Go: The golf season runs pretty much from mid-April through late October, although overall OC is more of a year-round town than it was even 5 years ago. The majority of bars and restaurants now stay open all year. Many boardwalk shops stay open until Christmas these days, and some stay open year-round. I can tell you that the weather for golf is still pretty dicey in late March/early April, as my crew got snowed out one late March weekend a few years ago. Spring in OC can bring a pretty broad spectrum of weather, so pack for conditions ranging from 45-and-rainy to 75-and-sunny.  OC has grown as a spring golfing destination with the addition of some quality courses in recent years, so book your weekend early. High season for golfers is during the shoulder seasons of mid-April through late-May, and then Labor Day through late October, with many courses charging premium rates (up to 40-55% higher) during those times. Bob G. recommends delaying your traditional spring golf buddy trip until after June 1, when the greens fees drop drastically and local courses stay surprisingly uncrowded (from mid-morning on) through much of the summer season, although your savings on greens fees may be somewhat offset by higher room rates. My slightly dated experience had been that well-researched self-booked weekends or hotel golf packages are competitive with local golf tour companies like OC Golf Groups (www.ocgolfgroups.com), Ocean City Golf Getaway (www.oceancitygolf.com), and Pam's Golf (www.pamsgolfoc.com).

Getting There: OC/Salisbury does have a small airport, but OCMD is more of a regional driving destination. It's less than 3 hours from Baltimore, DC, Wilmington DE, and Philly, and is a popular spot with Pittsburghers despite being 6 hours away (it's the easiest beach to get to from the hills of western PA). From points north, take I-95 S to Dover DE to pick up Route 1 S all the way down to OC, with the options of peeling off onto Rt. 13, or Rt. 113, depending on which end of OC you're heading for. From points west and south, take Rt. 50 over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge then straight into OC (avoiding summer Saturday arrivals or departures if at all possible). The eastern shore of Maryland is Purdue chicken country, so grab a pine tree air freshener to prepare yourself for the associated aromas if you'll be driving in on Route 50.

Orientation and Where To Crash: OCMD sits on a spit of sand about 3-6 blocks wide with one main drag (Coastal Highway) 160 stoplight-laden blocks long before it suddenly becomes Fenwick Island, DE at the state line. It's separated from the mainland by the Assawoman Bay (I can't make this stuff up), thus limiting access to the mainland courses.

West Ocean City is a developing stretch along Rt. 50 on the mainland, just over the bridge from OC. Berlin, MD is the next town out Rt. 50 to the west. A quaint Eastern shore town specializing in antique shops, Berlin was used as the backdrop and filming location for the Julia Roberts/Richard Gere film Runaway Bride. West OC and Berlin host most of the area courses. Bethany Beach and Rehobeth Beach DE lie just to the north of Fenwick. Salisbury, MD is the closest sizeable city, and home to local beach bum college Salisbury University.

So think strategy with your lodging choice. Staying at, say, 120th Street in Ocean City, can mean a 30+ minute drive to all your tee times in West Ocean City/Berlin. For easy access to area courses, stay below 10th or within a few blocks of the 62nd Street Rt. 90 bridge. Golf weekend hotels with good value packages include Comfort Inn and HoJo's on the boards (www.ocmdhotels.com). OC's Best Value is the Francis Scott Key Motel (Rt 50, West OC, www.fskmotel.com), and it's also convenient to most of the area golf courses. Clean but spartan rooms, a great indoor pool area for the kids (complete with water slides and fake palm trees), a surprisingly nice restaurant, and during spring golf season you may as well join the foursome next door who's partying 'til 1 AM. OCMD is a classic beach motel kinda town (www.ocmotels.com), save for the recent condo tower explosion; I grew up staying at the vintage Beachmark (73rd & Coastal Hwy, www.beachmarkmotel.com). Seacrets die-hards stay next door at the Seacrets Hotel, or book a decent value room at the nearby Princess Bayside (49th & Coastal Hwy), but watch the variable hot water temps and ask for a room away from the lounge. Upscale lodging is limited, but you might try the Princess Royale (94th & Coastal Hwy) with a huge indoor pool atrium, or T&L Golf likes the quaint Victorian-era Atlantic Hotel. Its dining room and café offer superb regional American fare. And, most important, the hotel is located at the nexus of the area's finest golf courses. The recent OC condo boom could make a cheap fringe-season rate for a nice beachfront unit with a kitchen worth the extra drive to get to your tee times (www.ocvacations.com). Those with more money than time may want to splurge on the on-course golf apartment at Rum Pointe Golf Links in West Ocean City, which sleeps two foursomes, with walk-out access to the course and discounted greens fees at three nearby upscale sister courses.

Tip: Speed traps and DUIs are huge revenue generators for OC, so I would stay within 5 mph of the speed limit at all times, and seriously consider designated drivers, cabs, or hopping an OC Transit bus up Coastal Highway ($2 ride all day, runs every 5-7 minutes 24 hours during summer) if you've had a few. Cops are EVERYWHERE down here, even during the off-season.

Tunes:  93.5 The Beach, or 96 Rock

And oh yeah… before you lay eyes on the bittersweet sign leaving OC via Route 50 that reads "Los Angeles- 2075 miles", don't forget to pick up your "I Got Crabs In Ocean City MD" t-shirt (also funnier if you read the T&L Golf review of OC first).

Discount coupons: http://www.vgnet.com/oc/vdc.php