I had taken a Friday off work and traveled up to northern New Jersey to play a small private/community course with an old family friend. Afterwards, I also played the short par-3 course at Anchor Golf Center and decided to stay up in the area to try to play another new public course on Saturday. I was able to crash at my brother’s place and find a tee time at Orchard Hills.
Like most courses in New Jersey – but especially in Bergen County – Orchard Hills is tightly surrounded by suburbia. Situated adjacent to the Bergen Community College property and across the street from Paramus Catholic High School, it’s relatively easy to miss if you’re not looking for it. The course is nine holes and doesn’t even reach 2,800 yards from the tips, but as its name suggests, it does roll up and through the hills of the property.
Though it’s an easy course on paper, I somehow managed to play some pretty terrible golf. Looking back at pictures now, there is all the room in the world to land your tee shots on the six par-4s and the lone par-5. The course also features two par-3s that are a bit long on the scorecard, but certainly fair in reality.
Hole 4, the first of the course’s two long par 3s
While I carded a poor round, it was a good feeling to cross off another Bergen County course from the list. Orchard Hills was pretty well maintained and pace of play was decent for a busy golf course on a weekend. The course became my fourth public played in the county.
If I had to guess, I’d say the 90th public course I played in NJ is one whose legitimacy in my list is questionable to many. It’s something between a pitch-n-putt course and a par-3 course. There are mats for tee boxes, it “tips out” at under 800 yards, and the greens are a mix of clover and other weed growth. You could probably install cups and flagsticks in your backyard, set the lawnmower to the lowest mow height possible, and you’d get similar results.
It’s completely open to the public as a daily fee course
Apart from the greens, there are a couple other items of note about the course. Following an extended period of rain, the course was soggy, especially at the back of the driving range on holes 5 and 6. There were also a couple tee shots (on holes 4 and 7) that were at least partially obstructed by trees, which may trouble the beginner but add an element of challenge for an experienced player.
Pretty sure this is a Raynor template. The pallets under the tree give it away.
At the time of writing – November 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic – the Anchor Golf Center website says that the Par 3 course is “closed until further notice”. It’s unclear if that means closed for the winter season or closed for good, but it would be a shame to lose a place like this.
In my opinion, these short courses – suboptimal conditions and all – deserve a place in the golfing world. They’re places to learn the game. The easiest way to make the transition from driving range to regulation course is by using these short courses as an intermediate step.
While I’m counting them all, and my criteria may seem loose to some, I’m curious what you think. Would you count a place like this on a list of public courses? If not, how would you define your criteria for such a list?
After growing up and living in New Jersey his entire life, getting married and starting a family here, my cousin let me know that he and his family would be relocating to South Carolina. Knowing that we would be hundreds of miles apart for the foreseeable future in a matter of weeks, I suggested that we should play a round of golf before the move.
While not an avid golfer, my cousin was interested enough that we often talked about getting together to play, and he agreed we should make it happen. Being up in Bergen County and needing the course to be close to him so he could get back to the family soon afterwards, I booked a round at the Blue nine at Rockleigh Golf Course.
Located about a half-mile from the state’s northern border with New York, Rockleigh features 27 holes, split into an 18-hole course (the Red and White nines) and the par-33, nine-hole Blue course. Most of it plays very level, with only the slightest incline into some of the greens. While there are areas of the course that seem neglected, word has it that Rockleigh is limited in what they can use to treat the grasses, as it is protected park land. In spite of that, the greens are well maintained and play fairly. At $17 to walk on a weekend, it is tremendous value for casual or high-handicap golfers who don’t want to break the bank to hone their craft.
The green at 9
My favorite part of playing with high-handicappers is rooting for them and celebrating their victories. Whether it’s a 15-foot putt that’s holed or just a well struck shot, those moments in the game make great memories, so it’s special to me to serve as a witness to the occasion. At Rockleigh Blue, I got to see my cousin – who averages less than one round per year – make a legitimate par at the fifth hole, a short par 4 with a lateral hazard to clear on the approach.
If I’m going to bear witness to his next golf memory, it would more than likely have to be at my cousin’s new home in the Palmetto State. In the meantime, I’ll be continuing my journey around the NJ publics, perhaps joined by other casual golfers looking to make memories of their own.
The Farmstead clubhouse (foreground, right) and restaurant(background)
Set in the quiet Sussex County town of Lafayette, Farmstead Golf and Country Club is a set of three nines: Clubview, Valleyview, and Lakeview. Having only booked 18 holes, my friend Ed and I were hoping to be able to play nine afterwards to complete the 27, so as not to have to make the long trek back to the northwestern corner of the state.
After speaking to the starter, he let us know that the Valleyview nine was extremely wet after days of rain, and he wasn’t sure if we’d be able to get out there. I let him know about my journey to play all the public courses in NJ, and he said he would see what he could do. He sent us out on Clubview and told us to check back in to see which nine would follow.
Clubview (86)
The Clubview nine sprawls away from and returns to the clubhouse in an L-shape. Apart from the first few holes along the perimeter of the course property, it is generally open and provides some room to miss. Water will feature prominently on the par-5 fifth and the par-3 ninth holes, as well as the approach into the sixth.
Clubview 1
Valleyview (87)
Returning to the starter after nine holes on Clubview, he let us go out on Valleyview. These nine holes have a much tighter setup than Clubview, and you work your way back up into some elevation to the first tee which also gives it a mountain golf feel. With the exception of turning back for the par-3 third and fifth holes, the routing essentially runs away from the clubhouse along one line and comes straight back, covering a relatively narrow footprint. It is also significantly shorter than the other two nines, playing at under 2,900 yards from the back tees.
The sixth hole is a fantastic downhill, dogleg left par-4. For longer hitters, it’s drivable for if you can match the shape of the hole and carry the water in front of the green. The par-5 seventh is also fun, playing at only 430 yards from the back tees, with your final approach playing to an elevated green.
I owe a debt of gratitude to Farmstead for letting us out to see this nine. The course was indeed very wet, so much so that there were areas on the fourth fairway that were like walking on a waterbed. Other than playing our shots, we were extra cautious to not disturb any of the course.
Valleyview 4
Lakeview (88)
If I remember correctly, there was a slight chance of rain in the forecast, but thankfully it hadn’t rained a drop all morning. We would finish the last of the nines in dry weather as well. While named for the lake that it’s set along, I’d argue that water is really only a factor on holes two, four, and nine, which is a fantastic par-3 set on an isthmus that runs through the lake. On nine, there is a vast difference between the back tees playing at 201 yards and the one-ups at 124, but it’s intimidating from any tee box with water on both sides the whole way.
Lakeview 9
Overall, I found the courses at Farmstead to be charming, something I think was encapsulated perfectly in the old farmhouse that has been converted to the course’s restaurant. For first-timers set to play 18 holes, I highly recommend trying to arrange that Valleyview be one of the nines if possible. It will provide the best variety on the day when compared to Clubview or Lakeview, which play somewhat similarly.
Of course, you could just commit to trying to play all 27 on the day!
With its nines straddling Haddonfield Road in a V-shape, Pennsauken CC is short par 70, playing at 6,250 yards from the back tees. The first three holes play east of the road while the remainder of the front nine is played across the street.
Overall, it was a great day out and I had good company for the round with some locals who were able to help me sort out some holes.
Here are a few of the memorable holes from the course:
The 4th is a long par 4 with a blind tee shot playing uphill.
The 14th hole is an excellent par 5 which forces three shots for a majority of golfers. Your final approach needs to cover a creek to an elevated green with a false front on the left side.
The approach into 14
17 is a fun driveable par 4
The closing hole is a long par 4 playing from left to right around a pond. The approach plays slightly uphill to a green that is sloped severely from back to front.
I’ve gotten to the point in my journey – or at least, the point in writing about my journey – where I’m running out of things to say about the courses I’m playing. I’ve increasingly found myself behind in the writing, and my perfectionism is to blame. That isn’t to say that my posts to date have been “perfect”, or anything close to it. I’ve just put some pressure on myself to make a course seem interesting, or find elements that no one may have noticed.
I’m sure there are still truly unique golf courses that remain unchecked on the list for now, but the list – as you know – is a list of public courses. There will be mundane courses. Uninteresting courses. There will be courses that are more about the locals and what they mean to the community. Alas, I’m not a journalist by trade, and I won’t be able to extract a story from everywhere.
And so, this is the point in my journey where I admit that not every public golf course is noteworthy, and that this is likely true of most public golf courses. I am using this post to remind myself that this trip is about seeing them all, whether I feel good, bad, or indifferent towards them. I will allow myself the freedom to not have to force anything special out of each stop.
Number 84 was the first of a 36-hole day, starting at Golden Pheasant in Lumberton, Burlington County. The most interesting feature at the course? The 11th hole is a par 3 that plays across the entrance road for a knee-knocking experience for beginners.
If your shot is short onto the entrance road, you can shout “fore”, but they’re probably not gonna hear you in the car
Not one to waste a two-hour drive, after playing Cape May National in the morning, I decided to try to play another course in the Cape May area before heading home. After a quick search online and a couple phone calls, I was on my way to Avalon Golf Club.
Set in a residential community, and playing at only 6,300 yards from the back tees, Avalon is a nice option for locals. Much like Cape May National, I was very impressed by the condition of the greens for a round in December. But where Cape May seems to do more with the flat, sea-level landscape, Avalon does very little.
As an everyman golfer, a flat layout is something I personally don’t have a problem with. Between executing a planned tee shot, hitting greens in regulation and putting well, the game itself can be hard enough for most. But for those that are looking for a course to put their game to the test, you may not find it here. There are a number of holes at Avalon that play dead flat and straight away.
That’s not to say there aren’t some relatively challenging holes. There are two par 3s – the fifth and seventeenth – that play almost entirely across water. And while straight and flat, a number of the par 4s and par 5s are narrow enough where trees will cause trouble for higher handicap golfers.
A look back on the fifth
After finishing up at Avalon, I decided to make the most of my time in the area. I had never been to Cape May and not knowing when I’d be back, I got in the car and headed to the beach as the light faded. Yes, it was December and nothing like it would’ve been at 5:00 on a summer night, but it was great to explore the area.
(Almost) the southernmost point in NJ
I was able to see the lighthouse and walked out to what a quick Google Maps search seemed to suggest was the southernmost point in NJ (though I’d later find out I was wrong). I capped off a great 36-hole day with a walk out onto one of the stone jetties at this point and caught a view of everything off the coast of the tail-end of the state.
It’s experiences like that that make me glad to have set out on this journey, and I know there will be plenty more like it to come.
Number 81 on my journey took me to about 10 miles from the northern border of the state. For Number 82, I decided to go in the opposite direction. On the day after Christmas, I would head to the southernmost course in New Jersey: Cape May National Golf Club.
“The Natural”, as it’s colloquially known, would be my first course in Cape May County. Situated at sea level and right down the centerline of the Cape May peninsula, the course is also home to a nature preserve and bird sanctuary that splits the front and back nines. While the course in its current form was designed in 1991, the club boasts history going back to the late 1800s when it was known as Cape May Country Club.
An 8:02 tee time on one of the shortest days of the year meant I would have to leave well before dawn to make the two-plus-hour trek to get to Exit 0 on the Garden State Parkway. Stopping only to get a few photos of the rising sun, I arrived at the course early. I knew immediately that there would be a frost delay, something almost inevitable for a December morning in New Jersey. After about 45 minutes, I was able to get on my way.
Sunrise over the Parkway
The first three holes play southwardly down the east side of the nature preserve before turning back north along the Parkway on the dog-leg-left fourth. It’s clear immediately that the sea-level layout will be flat throughout, but mounding is used to add character to holes, like at the par-3 sixth.
The mounded green at the sixth
The green at the sixth is slightly raised, running off at the front left which increases the danger of short shots caroming backwards and rolling into the water. Along the right and around the back of the green, there is mounding that may provide challenging stances when trying to scramble for par.
The scorecard boasts a quote (from The Jersey Golfer) that the course has “three of the top ranked holes in New Jersey”. That’s quite a claim, and as of the time of writing, I can’t find any record of these rankings. I will say though, that on the back nine, numbers 11 and 18 are highlights on the course.
The landing area for the tee shot at 11 is larger than it seems from the tee
All around, I was thoroughly impressed with the condition of the course in December. While considerably further south than most courses I play, I still didn’t expect everything to be in the shape it was for the winter. I’ve seen many public courses that don’t look as well maintained in their prime season.
Being in such a remote corner of the state, it’s hard to recommend as a “must play”. Having said that, there are plenty of things to do in Cape May in warmer weather. So, if you’re looking for a beach weekend that includes some golf, then Cape May National is definitely worth a visit.
Saddled between Routes 15 and 23, the 81st course on my journey is technically a county-less one. Berkshire Valley resides in Oak Ridge, NJ, an “unincorporated community” (gotta love that designation) between West Milford in Passaic County and Jefferson Township in Morris County. As far as the golfing community is concerned though, it is part of the Morris County Park Commission, and it was the last one I needed to play to complete the county altogether.
Designed by Roger Rulewich – whose work can also be found in the Crystal Springs Resort courses in Sussex County – Berkshire Valley is a picturesque ridge-and-basin layout beside Green Pond Mountain. It starts on the ridge with five holes playing in one direction along the side of the mountain before returning in the other direction with some eye-catching undulation on holes 6, 7, and 8.
Back across the ridge on the par-3 6th
After that, it’s down to the basin on 9. Where it felt tight on the ridge, the course exhales here for the first time with a wide-open fairway. The lower side of the course continues and features some great holes where water is in play, either to carry or to mind as a hazard to one side. The basin rolls delightfully around these bodies of water in links-style, where you’ll contend with native grasses more than trees.
A look out at some of the back nine in the basin
The morning I played, all players were sent out on 9 – to play 9 through 18 twice – as the first five holes were closed due to snow that still needed to melt. It would’ve been disappointing to have to come back to the course to complete it, but by the time we wrapped up on 18, enough snow had melted that they allowed us to play the front after all.
Shadows across the beastly 2nd
Berkshire Valley is truly a hidden gem. It’s the one course I’ve played so far where enough people haven’t heard of it, and it is an absolute recommendation in my book. The views from the ridge are striking and make for great pictures, not to mention the challenge you’ll face in that first third of the course. Its width in the basin makes it quite replayable, offering multiple angles on a number of holes.
If you haven’t seen it, it is an absolute must play. Give the unincorporated community of Oak Ridge a visit and discover a public treasure in Berkshire Valley.
Some golf courses have stories. Almost any course that has hosted a professional tour event likely has at least one great tournament moment. At the very least, they have the fact they’ve been a tournament host. Older courses have their history. Other courses are known for being designed by renowned architects.
Accessible publics, on the other hand, are mostly just the storiless courses that people in the area happen to play. They’re the courses whose greens fees might be discounted with a county card. Number 80 on my journey to play all publics in NJ is different. Cruz Golf Country Club definitely has a story: the course was built by Evaristo Cruz.
If you’re wondering why you haven’t heard of this particular architect, it’s because he’s not one. Cruz emigrated from his native Portugal in 1946 and was not in golf course design by trade. He started a successful public works construction company in the early 1950s. Then, in 1976, with the help of his construction crew, he designed and built nine holes of golf on some of his own farm land. After adding an additional nine holes in the 1980s and opening it up to the public, it would eventually become Cruz Golf Country Club.
Cruz’s craftsmanship can be seen in a few places around the clubhouse, like this water source near the practice green
One of the shorter 18-hole courses in NJ, Cruz plays at just over 5,000 yards from the back tees. While it may be deficient in distance, it has a number of quirky holes. The 4th is a short, 286-yard par 4 that would normally be drivable, if not for the 90-degree dog-leg around the surrounding woods to the right. Holes 6 and 13 have prominent trees in or hanging over the fairway, making tee shot decisions important. The 16th is a short par 3 whose front edge is only a pace-and-a-half from the water hazard before it.
Fall colors starting to come in on 13
The course may not be anything special to a design aficionado, and its conditions generally won’t impress a seasoned golfer who has a number of gem-course notches on their belt. But, with its “no tee times” setup and only $26 to walk, I think it is more than deserving of a place in public golf.
There is a lot to be said about loving a game so much that you’d build a place to play it. It deeply resonates with the childlike spirit in each of us. It’s one thing to appropriate couch cushions and pillows for a “fort”, or to fashion a makeshift basketball hoop. Perhaps beyond that, one might build an actual tree house. But it is some serious love that would drive one to build a golf course.
I’m thankful that Evaristo Cruz had such a love for the game, and I believe I share that passion. Maybe I might build a golf hole or three in the future.
How I played…
Not bad, but at par 70 with a course rating of 64.3 and a slope of 114, this is a course where everyone should look to shoot a personal best relative to par.
Highlights: Once again, it would be enjoying the round with good company. It was a colleague from work that actually told me about the place, so it was good to finally get out there with them.
Lowlights: Nothing awful. Perhaps just not really capitalizing on scoring opportunities.
Orson Rosas Golf 