August 2021 – Orson Rosas Golf

Date played: 11/10/2019

Where Cruz Golf Country Club has its uniqueness in the obscurity of its designer, Rock Spring Golf Club is the complete opposite. Designed by Seth Raynor and Charles Banks in 1927, it was born in in the heralded “golden age” of golf course architecture by very prominent names. Like most Raynor designs in America, Rock Spring was private for most of its existence. A mere 92 years after opening, it opened to the public in May 2019.

Hearing about Rock Spring was my first experience with the grapevine of the golfing world. Other than through social media, I don’t consider myself quite connected to the golf community yet. I don’t have any contacts who work at courses. I’m only just meeting teaching professionals. Given that I’m almost always at new courses, I only play with a couple people “regularly”.

But it seemed like one after another, I started to hear and see the same refrain: “You’ve gotta play Rock Spring”.

*Quality flag game, but is it a “must play”?*

A big part of this has to be attributed to the suddenly vanished exclusivity. If Pine Valley opened to the public, you can bet you’d hear about it immediately. That story would likely make any and all golf news outlets. So, the question for me was really, do you have to play Rock Spring?

I have to say, it took some time through the round, but it grew on me. At $89 on a weekend in November for a now-public golf course, it had to live up to that price. At that rate, you’re approaching the finest publics in the state (i.e. Neshanic Valley, the Crystal Springs resort courses, etc.). But I started to appreciate the design elements after a while. I began to see what the course would look like in prime conditions, without the leaves all over the place, and it is a quality course.

The greens had good speed, even for the middle of fall in cold conditions, and they are relatively large. There are plenty of changes in elevation from tee to green, and the holes that play along the side of a hill – like 12 and 15 – are actually some of the most striking.

Managed by Kemper Sports – the same company who oversees the beautiful Skyway Golf Course in Jersey City – Rock Spring is definitely in good hands. As for whether “you’ve gotta play it”, I’d say ‘yes’, but you’ll have to check it out for yourself!

P.S. If you get there early, and the place looks closed, it’s probably because you parked in the overflow lot. There is actually parking around the clubhouse, which is also where the bag drop is.

How I played…

I actually played pretty well, but putt poorly.

Highlights: Meeting up with new golfers in New Jersey! Shout out to John Boylan for joining me on a cold November morning. Also making the highlight reel are two approaches that I knocked to a foot-and-a-half. (Yes, I made the putts.)

Lowlights: Definitely putting. I felt good on the practice green, but it didn’t carry onto the course.

Date played: 11/3/2019

The 95th public course on my quest is 95 years old at the time of writing, and one that is rich with (somewhat verifiable) history. Francis A. Byrne Golf Course was built in 1926, and legendary architect Charles Banks is credited as being its designer. Some sources say the design was started by Raynor, while others leave this mention out entirely. Other information you can find about the course states that the original purpose of the Byrne course was an expansion of the neighboring, still-private Essex County Country Club, the oldest club (and possibly course) in New Jersey.

Whatever the history and origins of Francis A. Byrne truly are, it remains a great public option in northern NJ. Located a few miles from the Parkway and just off Route 280, the Byrne course is set in the rolling hills of Essex County just north of the South Mountain Reservation. The course is kept in great playing condition and has actually undergone several improvements – e.g. restoring a Biarritz green at the 2nd – since I’ve played it.

*A look from the elevated tee box at 9 with the homes in the distance depicts how much the hills of Essex County come into play at Byrne*

I made my way around Francis Byrne with my good friend, Ed, who likely is in the lead for “most rounds played together,” not just on my journey, but in my golf career overall. Ed and I started playing golf together over twenty years ago, and our golf games have progressed similarly. We both broke 100, 90, and 80 at around roughly the same times, and while we have different strengths – Ed is a longer hitter, I may be a better short-game player, Ed is the better putter – our handicaps remain very close to this day. It’s been great to have a close friend to not only share the game with, but also to encourage progress.

*Ed actually warming up on the putting green instead of just taking pictures of it, which may explain why he’s the better putter*

There are plenty of golfers who enjoy time on the course with friends, without really worrying about the quality of their collective play. I respect that, and I think that can be a lot of fun. Ed and I both approach the game with an ambition to become better players, and we push each other both directly and through each other’s accomplishments.

*Another downhill tee shot to the par-3 14th*

Our fall afternoon round at this historic New Jersey public was relatively average for both of us. My poor play off the tee was offset by some very good scrambling and putting. I would putt only 24 times for the round, by far my lowest total. We walked off the 18th green at dusk, content with our rounds, and satisfied in having tackled another NJ course together.

Though a rare feat, I had the additional satisfaction of having outdriven Ed on that last hole.

Orson Rosas Golf

Golf from New Jersey and beyond

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Month: August 2021

Number 96 (Rock Spring Golf Club)

Number 95 (Francis A. Byrne)