bergen county

Numbers 10 through 13 (Quail Brook, Emerson, and two nines at Neshanic Valley)

omrosas, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Number 13 – Quail Brook Golf Course

Date played: 6/20/2013

Scorecard from my first round at Quail Brook.

Looking back on the chronology of public courses I played in New Jersey, it’s crazy to think that I lived in Somerset County for a number of years before playing an in-county course. But in June 2013, I finally made it out to Quail Brook Golf Course.

Located relatively close to exit 10 on Route 287 and not far from downtown New Brunswick and Rutgers University, Quail Brook is a 6,600-yard 18-hole par 72. It’s second only to Gambler Ridge for number of times played, with a total of twelve 18-hole rounds played over a couple years.

Though I hadn’t played all that many different courses at the time, that first hole remains one of the most intimidating opening tee shots I’ve encountered in the state. It’s a slight dog-leg right par-5, but it always seemed so narrow, with trees going up pretty much the entire way on both sides. Apart from that I remember a handful of holes, which tells me it’s high time to go back and pay the course a visit.

I wish I had pictures of it to share, but alas, this was before I was obsessed with taking pictures of golf courses. You’ll have to settle for this 2015 shot of the course rates behind the desk in the pro shop, which remarkably, is the only photo I could find. I will say that the discount for county residents (after a $50/year registration) was definitely one of the best deals in New Jersey public golf.

Golf was a bit cheaper in 2015, but surprisingly, the rates haven’t jumped much in 2024. The website shows that weekend rates for non-registered golfers is just $60.

Number 11 – Emerson Golf Club

Date played: 7/7/2013

One of a number of courses that has changed names since I started playing, the 11th public course played on my journey was known at the time as Emerson Golf Club.

The front and back cover of the Emerson Golf Club scorecard from my July 2013 round.

Today, it’s known as Soldier Hill Golf Course, which, along with nearby Soldier Hill Road, are both named for the historical Soldier Hill, an area where the Continental Army settled in August and September of 1780 during the Revolutionary War.

Having grown up in Bergen County, I remember being struck by how the course was nestled just off of Kinderkamack Road – a road I had traveled quite often – and yet I had never seen it until 2013. Today, as I pull up that information on Google Maps, I see that there are also three private courses – White Beeches, Haworth, and Hackensack – all within a couple miles, none of which I knew existed when I played Emerson. I hope I can play those as well one day!

Hackensack GC, Soldier Hill Golf Course, Haworth CC, and White Beeches GCC, all within close proximity of each other.

Numbers 12 and 13 – Neshanic Valley, Meadow and Lake nines

Date played: 7/14/2013

My second stop in Somerset County would be one of New Jersey’s best: Neshanic Valley. Not since High Bridge Hills or Heron Glen had I seen a course of this caliber. The drive from the road to the clubhouse alone is something you won’t see at many public courses. With the Academy Course to the left and the driving range to the right, it dips into a valley and then gently winds back uphill towards the main parking lot.

Paired up with a young woman who was preparing for a tournament at Neshanic Valley and her mom – who was caddying for her – I was thoroughly out of my depth when they asked me to play the mixed tees they would be playing in competition. In truth, the overall yardage probably wasn’t too much further than I would’ve played – and they assured me of that – but the few times we teed off from a box behind my normal set, I couldn’t help feeling out of place.

Scorecard from my first round at the Meadow and Lake nines at Neshanic Valley.

My occasional trepidation aside, Neshanic Valley cemented itself as a fast favorite. Between the two nines of the Meadow and Lake, I preferred the Meadow. It’s a picturesque inland course, with subtle rolling contours and water only featuring on the par-5 9th. A dearth of trees provides views across in both directions, something I was finding that’s relatively rare in public golf.

The first hole at the Meadow nine.

The Lake was a very close second. While the titular water feature only really comes into play on two holes (7 and 8) and possibly the 5th if you’re playing from far enough back, it’s a nice signature that separates the feel of the Lake nine from the Meadow. The opening hole is also a bit different as it plays downhill from an elevated tee box, something that you don’t really see on the Meadow, perhaps arguably on its 5th hole. Lastly, the finishing hole on the Lake is perhaps one of the best in the state. A long par 5 that plays uphill back towards the clubhouse is sure to provide pictures that are instantly recognizable to golfers who’ve been there.

The 9th hole at the Lake.

I left Neshanic Valley thoroughly impressed, and definitely looking forward to when I could come back to play the Ridge and Academy nines. Little did I know at the time that it would be another three years before seeing either one of them. But, there was so much other golf to see as well.

Numbers 10 through 13 (Quail Brook, Emerson, and two nines at Neshanic Valley)

Number 100 (Darlington Golf Course)

omrosas, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment
A look at Darlington from above. The center of the frame is the tee box at the 3rd. Bottom of the frame is 17 along the green pond, with 18 up the left.

Date played: 9/22/2020

For the milestone that was the 100th course on my journey, I would meet up with my Twitter golf buddy, Brian, at Darlington Golf Course in Mahwah. Something of some old stomping grounds of mine, I used to work at Stryker just down the road, and had actually been to the driving range at Darlington. It would take another 17 years before I played the course.

The driving range has seen better days. At the time of playing, it was no longer open.

There are a number of memorable holes, starting with the very first. I don’t play par 5s particularly well, but I love the mere mention of them. Playing downhill and under 500 yards from the White tees, the first at Darlington is a great par 5, and a perfect way to ease you into the round as you walk down to the lowest point of the course’s acreage.

I really enjoyed the middle third of the course, as you start to play towards and around the highest elevation on the property. This stretch starts with the 7th, which plays downhill almost the entire way to the green. There is room to send it for most golfers, but longer hitters may not have enough runway and can opt for something less than driver off the tee. The 8th will play back up the same the hill with plenty of room to miss right, though you could be left with a lie in one of several bunkers.

You’ll make the turn with a straightaway but narrow-feeling par 5 on the 9th, and then it’s back up the hill with a wide open tee shot on 10. The 11th is another terrific three-shot hole, and my favorite on the property.

The view from 11 tee, with the Sheraton Hotel and office complex – another place I’ve worked – in the backdrop in the distance.

Set along the crest of the elevation on the course, it may be reachable for the longest hitters, as the approach would play somewhat downhill. If you choose to get there in three shots, a decision will need to be made about where to send your second. The fairway splits before it reaches the green, so there is a bit of room to spray. A route directly towards it will play to a narrow fairway tract, while the path to the right offers plenty of room to land. If you choose to lay up to avoid the forked fairway altogether, you’ll be left with somewhere in the neighborhood of 110 yards to the green.

The middle third finishes with a relatively mid-to-long range par 3, playing at about 175 yards from the White tees. From there, the final stretch of holes continues to form the perimeter of the course, running downhill to the low point again, with 17 winding around a pond, and 18 playing back up the hill to the clubhouse.

18 green, with a look at the clubhouse.

When I think about it now, it’s a crime that I wasn’t playing the course regularly after work in the summer all those years ago. I was living alone, with no real obligations to anyone but myself. At the time though, I was only a few years into playing golf, and the courses I played were limited to pitch-n-putts, par-threes, and executive courses. I was hesitant to branch out any further for fear of embarrassing myself.

While you may not completely embarrass yourself at Darlington, it can certainly be a trying course. The slope from the White tees we played is 130, and from the back tees at just over 6,800 yards, it’s 135. In retrospect, the slopes are an accurate testament to the test the course offers to the average golfer. There is room to land tee shots, but the framing of the tree lines can make them psychologically daunting. The greens roll fairly but need to be respected.

When planning for the round on the night before, I wondered if we’d be able to knock another course off the list. I thought Hendricks Field would be a good option, and when we checked tee times, there was availability that would make an afternoon round possible. We chose not to book anything on the chance that we might not be able to make both rounds happen. As we wrapped up in Bergen County just after 1:00 pm, we decided to make the 35-minute drive south into Essex County with the hope of making the 36-hole day happen.

Will we make it?
Number 100 (Darlington Golf Course)

Number 91 (Orchard Hills Golf Course)

omrosas, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Date played: 8/24/2019

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.

Number 91 (Orchard Hills Golf Course)

Number 89 (Rockleigh Golf Course – Blue)

omrosas, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Date played: 6/30/2019

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.

Number 89 (Rockleigh Golf Course – Blue)