GLOUCESTER TWP.

Just a driver and wedge off of Route 42 South, east of the Clementon/Blackwood exit, plays Ron Jaworski's Valleybrook Golf Club.

Kind of a new-look Valleybrook Golf Club. It's clean, and it's green. Valleybrook always had the potential of a very fine layout, but ...

"We knew when we took over two years ago we had a lot of work to do," Jaworski said. "For one, there were a lot of broken sprinkler heads. This caused problems with the recent drought and how we could use water. We wanted our fairways and greens to be as green as they could be.

"Even though we have our own lake and pump house, the state cut the water usage on all golf courses to one-half, based on what water was used the last five years. Now this was kind of unfair to us because of the broken sprinkler heads. The water usage wasn't what it should have been, and we were penalized by it. But the ban has been lifted now, so we're OK.

"Then there was a problem with the 5th and 6th greens. They were always on the barren side. What we did and what we are still doing is hand-cutting them … no machine, all hand cuts."

Jaworski went one, two steps further.

1.) He promoted assistant greens superintendent Dave Santana to head greens superintendent. Ed Hatton was the previous greens superintendent.

2.) Jaworski also sent Santana to Rutgers University during the winter for courses in agronomy (study, management and production of farm land/grass).

And it shows.

For the most part, Valleybrook has been manicured into a checkerboard cut of cushioned undulating fairways and nearly excellent greens.

"The golfer likes what he sees on TV, and we try to give them that look," Jaworski said. "You have to if you want to keep your share of the market."

Valleybrook plays to 6,381 yards from the blue tees, 6,020 from the white and 5,307 from the red. But don't let the distances fool you.

With the exception of holes 10 through 14 on the back side, target golf and the mental approach are the keys to scoring well … not to mention the presence of water on holes 1 through 4, 7 and 8 and 15 through 18.

Although the par-3, 342-yard (white tees) 7th hole is the No. 1 handicap hole and the par-5, 482- yard (No. 13 handicap) narrow tree-lined first hole is a tough way to open, the par-4, 321-yard 16th hole (No. 10 handicap) plays the toughest for both the high - and low - handicap player.

No.‚16 plays straight away, but you must place your tee shot 220 yards out and in the fairway for an even lie and shot to the water-protected green. After 220 yards, the fairway slopes downhill and into a fairway-wide water/marsh hazard 15 yards in front of a slightly elevated green.

On weekdays (Monday to Friday), greens fees are: 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. $33 with cart and lunch. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., $36 to walk, $41 with cart. After 3 p.m., $28 to walk, $33 with cart. Weekends: Open-to-noon, $49 with cart. Noon-to-3 p.m., $45 with cart. To walk, same fees.

Next season will bring another new look at Valleybrook. There will be a new look to the 6th hole. Jaworski has purchased a parcel of land alongside the 6th fairway and behind the 6th green. He plans to widen the fairway to the left, move the tee boxes to the right, and the cart path will move to the left side and wind around back of the green. Enough said.

Reach Paul Giordano at pgiordano@courierpostonline.com