State of the Week: Jersey

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Where are we? The Garden State. OK, OK stop your joking. We all know everyone likes to pick on New York's closest neighbor, but this week, we'll show you the softer side of Jersey.

New Jersey history: Before New Jersey became home to big city commuters and the mob (kidding...), it was home to American Indians for almost 3,000 years. The European explorers -- specifically the Dutch and Swedes -- began settling the region in the early 17th century. Not surprisingly, the English eventually claimed the area for the Queen and named it the Province of New Jersey. The name was an homage to Jersey -- one of the English Channel Islands that lies between the southern coast of England and the northern coast of France. Later on, New Jersey played a big role in the Revolutionary War, where many battles took place and, in 1787, was the third state to ratify the constitution. In the 1800s, the factory cities of Trenton and Paterson helped to fuel the Industrial Revolution, and by the 1950s, the Jersey population began to soar as Americans discovered how central the state was to New York City, Boston, Philadelphia and D.C. It remains today a state where many people live but commute to big cities for work.

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Tom Watson won the 2001 Senior PGA at Ridgewood CC.

New Jersey on the course: The Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, N.J., will host the first PGA TOUR Playoff event of 2008 -- The Barclays -- during the third week of August. But it has a longer history with professional golf tournaments; established in 1890, Ridgewood hosted the 2001 Senior PGA Championship, the '90 Senior U.S. Open, the '81 Coca-Cola Classic, the '74 U.S. Amateur, the '57 U.S. Senior Amateur and the '35 Ryder Cup. A stunning course year-round, Ridgewood really shines in the fall when the scarlet and gold foliage brings the course to life. It's too bad The Barclays will be about six weeks too soon.

New Jersey off the course: Before you start planning your trip into the Big Apple, take a moment to remember that Jersey has its own attractions worth seeing. What's top of our list? Atlantic City. The Las Vegas of the East Coast, Atlantic City has long been a popular weekend getaway spot from Florida to Maine. Located in the southeastern portion of the state, this gamblin' town bubbles over with luxury hotel-casinos, wild entertainment, high-class shopping, topnotch cuisine and fun, fun fun. If losing chips at the Blackjack table isn't your thing, don't write the town off. There are wineries in the area, an old colonial village (Smithville), a 42,000-acre wildlife refuge (with walking trails) and the world's first and longest boardwalk. Golf's not too far away either. You're surprised, aren't you?

New Jersey resort: While we're on the topic of Atlantic City, you simply have to book a room at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa. A four-star resort in the AC, Borgata has one of the largest casinos in the city as well as the exclusive on-site stores you would expect from a Vegas hotel. Some rooms have views of the ocean or the bay and all of them bask in sunlight through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Expect a great night's sleep (if you can pull yourself away from the slots) on Egyptian-cotton sheets followed by a luxury morning routine in the marble bathroom. The indoor pool has an Old Hollywood style to it, and the lobby will blow you away. Don't forget about the Toccare Spa when you need to massage away all that casino stress. In the summertime, rates start around $300 a night.

New Jersey eats: Anything Italian. If there's one thing this state is famous for, it's its Italian heritage, and it shows through in the food. From subs and spaghetti to cannoli and cassatas, you're sure to find the crustiest breads, garlickiest (yes, I know that's not really a word) pastas and creamiest desserts at almost any Italian restaurant in the state. Don't think you like cuisine a l'Italia? Think again, unless you live in New York (or somewhere else with great Italian food), you've probably never had an authentic plate in your life. Go on, give it another chance. They make a good steak, too, you know.

New Jersey culture: One of the few states lucky enough to house an Ivy League College, Jersey is home to Princeton University -- one of the top three that go back and forth as the nation's No. 1. (Harvard and Yale being the others.) According to U.S. News, Princeton takes the top spot for 2008, with Harvard coming in second and Yale third. This national beacon of education was founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, N.J., as the College of New Jersey but then moved to Princeton in 1756. It did not get its new name, however, until 1896. If you've always wondered what it would be like to walk its hallowed hallways (but never had the smarts to be accepted), visit the campus. Its neo-Gothic architecture -- especially when shrouded in autumnal splendor -- makes for an "ooh-ahh" experience when wandering the grounds. Maybe you'll even soak up some of the knowledge floating around this place while you're here.

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Bill Britton

New Jersey golfer: Here's an obscure one for you. Bill Britton, though born in Staten Island, N.Y., calls the Garden State home these days. The one-time TOUR winner, who played for 15 years, now lives in Rumson, N.J. and won six times on the Champions Tour. After Britton retired from touring professionally, he became a teaching pro and golf author, but he still dabbles in the game when he has the chance. Earlier this year, Britton played in the 69th Senior PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, N.Y., where he climbed to within three shots of the lead. Unfortunately, a final-round 78 dashed his chances, but he managed to capture the Low PGA Club Professional Award -- an award that 37 other men were chasing. Britton is currently the PGA director of instruction at Twin Brook Golf Center in Tinton Falls, N.J.