The “Signature” par-5 fifth hole is a downhill thrill ride with a split fairway. The 7,000-yard, par-72 course is complemented by a 50-spot driving range, two practice greens, chipping areas and a practice bunker. A pair of aces on the “Best Places” lists.

The Casino Resort is receiving AAA 4-Diamond Awards, and the golf course is getting more of the care, traffic and recognition it deserves. Most architects would’ve never seen the project through the 10 years of hoops he did. And, to draw golf writers and passionate golf fans like me, this resort needed Jack’s course. Now, thanks to the casino’s resourceful pockets and active marketing team, they’re fighting it and winning. Rocky Gap has fought that battle and lost. A resort in financial straits can find it difficult to maintain a championship course at his championship standards. He does insane greens, but he doesn’t do mediocre, well, anything. Nicklaus doesn’t do mediocre we all know that. Close to Pittsburgh and Baltimore too.) Rocky Gap’s best features are its outdoor amenities, including lake activities, swimming, a great patio space and more. You’re probably even looking it up to see how far it is from D.C. (Complimentary park access to overnight guests.) In real estate speak that’s “location, location, location.” I mean, without even stating the place has a Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course - the only one in Maryland - you already know “stunning” is an appropriate adjective. The 215-room Rocky Gap Resort is built on the 243-acre Lake Habeeb, below Evitt’s Mountain, and surrounded by the clean beaches and waterways of the adjacent state park. That grand opening not only drop-kicked the word “struggling” from the resort’s reputation, but kick-started a tourism revival in this gorgeous neck of the Appalachian woods. (at a steep discount), dropped the $35 mil and kicked the doors open to the state’s fourth casino in May of 2013 - a gamble that has quickly paid off.

Such was the case for Minnesota-based Lakes Entertainment when their subsidiary acquired a struggling, state-owned lakeside golf resort near Cumberland, Md. If you play your cards right, and manage to jump through a bazillion hurdles, $35 million could even buy you an entire casino.

Rocky gap casino golf