new jersey golf

Number 90 (Anchor Golf Center – Par 3)

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Date played: 8/23/2019

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.

Having said that, I count the Par 3 course at Anchor Golf Center on Route 10 in Whippany for three simple reasons.

  1. It’s a place to play at least nine holes of golf
  2. It has a scorecard with yardages for each hole
  3. 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?

Number 90 (Anchor Golf Center – Par 3)

Number 89 (Rockleigh Golf Course – Blue)

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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)

Numbers 86, 87, and 88 (Farmstead Golf and Country Club – Clubview, Valleyview, and Lakeview)

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Date played: 5/30/2019

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!

Numbers 86, 87, and 88 (Farmstead Golf and Country Club – Clubview, Valleyview, and Lakeview)

Number 85 (Pennsauken Country Club)

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Date played: 3/30/2019

After finishing my round at Golden Pheasant in Burlington County, I made my way 15 miles due west to play my first Camden County course: Pennsauken Country Club.

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.
Number 85 (Pennsauken Country Club)

Number 84 (Golden Pheasant Golf Club)

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Date played: 3/30/2019

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
Number 84 (Golden Pheasant Golf Club)

Number 83 (Avalon Golf Club)

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Date played: 12/26/2018

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 83 (Avalon Golf Club)

Number 81 (Berkshire Valley Golf Course)

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Date played: 11/25/2018

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.

Number 81 (Berkshire Valley Golf Course)

Number 79 (Weequahic Golf Course)

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Date played: 9/3/2018

The 79th course on my journey has been called “a hidden gem” by Matt Ginella of the Golf Channel, and it even made his “ladder of value golf courses”. It’s hard to argue with that.

Located in Newark, NJ, and just four miles from Newark Airport, you might be able to play Weequahic Golf Course during a long layover between flights. Designed in 1913, it’s one of the older public courses in the state, but its length doesn’t match its age. It’s also one of the shortest for its par, playing as a 5,700-yard par 70 from the back tees.

You can absolutely get around this course without your driver, the only possible exception being the 16th, which plays as a 401-yard par 4. Having said that, the course can be a challenge for first-timers as it plays tightly. Its close-knit layout does make for some interesting views on the course, like being able to see the 17th and 16th greens while standing on the green at 7.

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On 7 green, looking out at 17 and 16 greens. A “threen” view.

Walking might be a challenge for some, as the course rolls over a number of hills and changes in elevation, but as I’ve said before, it makes for beautiful golf. You immediately get a feel for the sinusoidal layout playing a par 4 straight uphill on 1 and then right back downhill on 2, a short par 3.

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Up, up, and away on the 1st tee.

As I mentioned when writing about Skyway, there is something really special about courses in a city setting. It’s very much why Central Park is so magical to so many. Were it not in the middle of Manhattan, it probably wouldn’t be as special. But it is, and so it’s adored.

The same goes for Weequahic. It’s a beautiful stretch of well-maintained grass, precisely mown to different heights in a place called “Brick City”. So, for about $50 to walk on weekends, you should absolutely check it out – before you have to catch the second leg of your connecting flight, of course.

How I played…

I should’ve left the driver in the bag. Let’s leave it at that.

Highlights: Enjoying the round with a good friend of mine. Other than that, it would be almost driving the short par-4 15th, chipping to three feet and making birdie. (Still should’ve left driver in the bag.)

Lowlights: Too many to choose from. Looking at the yardage of the course, I think my eyes went black like a Great White Shark about to enjoy a meal. I did no such thing. Play smart, people. Play smart.

Number 79 (Weequahic Golf Course)

Number 77 (Howell Park Golf Course)

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Date played: 7/4/2018

Howell Park Golf Course became the sixth track I’ve played in Monmouth County when a Twitter golf buddy (shout out to @njcroatian) invited me out for a round on Independence Day. Located just east of the Manasquan Reservoir, the course is wonderfully maintained and is part of the Monmouth County system, which at this point in my journey is arguably the best in the state in terms of access for quality.

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Quality dew tracks on the 1st

A parkland-style course that is known for keeping its rough up a bit, Howell Park rewards smart play that consists mostly of keeping the ball in front of you. The greens are some of the largest in public golf in New Jersey, averaging 34 paces in depth and some wider than they are deep. If you give yourself shots at the green and you putt well, this should be a course where you can score.

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The green at the par-3 4th

The only complaint from an architectural standpoint is that Howell Park sits on a very level tract of land, so it lacks the views that come with elevation. However, its flat nature also means that it is a very walkable course. At $62 to walk on weekends for non-residents/non-cardholders, there is certainly cheaper public golf in the state. Regardless, I consider it a top-notch course and absolutely worth a round (or three).

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How I played…

Hot and cold: Somehow, with penalty strokes on four different holes, I almost played down to my handicap.

Highlights: The singular highlight is easily the 18th. After watching my playing partner drain a 65-foot par save from the fringe, I followed up with a very lucky 54-footer for birdie. I think it rerouted twice on its way to the hole.

Lowlights: Penalty strokes; especially a ridiculous attempt on the 10th to “cut” one into the dog-leg that ended up OB on the driving range.

Number 77 (Howell Park Golf Course)

Number 66 (Bel-Aire Golf Course – Par 3)

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Date played: 12/1/2017

Looking back at pictures from the day, Bel-Aire is an incredibly well-maintained facility of short courses. Part of the Monmouth County Park system, Bel-Aire comprises both a Par 3 course and a Par 60 Executive course. Described on the park system website as “a wonderful place to learn the game of golf in a fun and relaxed setting,” I couldn’t agree with the description more.

Able to get out during the week on a late autumn day, I was looking to play as many courses as I could. I figured I could knock out the two courses at Bel-Aire as quickly as possible, and then see what other local Monmouth course would be available. Arriving to Bel-Aire with only two other cars in the parking lot, I liked my chances.

While a few people were out on the Executive Course, I was able to immediately walk onto the Par 3. It’s difficult to describe – at least to non-golfers – the feeling of having a golf course to yourself. I suppose it needs to start with an appreciation of the outdoors. You can hear every sound for large portions of a mile, and on good weather days, the scenery is usually a picturesque escape from the regularly-scheduled programming you call life.

Over the last three years, I’ve taken to playing in colder weather, simply because it means there’s a greater chance that I might have tens to hundreds of acres of course to myself. Most times, I would take freezing temperatures and an open course over hot/muggy conditions when it’s crowded.

Though it was a great walk in some uncomfortable new golf shoes, my game wasn’t quite there. Two doubles, two pars, and a bunch of bogeys meant I would finish the nine in +9. Notable holes are definitely the 169-yard 1st, which plays to a nicely sloped, slightly-elevated green, and the 158-yard 7th, which plays a touch downhill. All greens are small – probably no more than 10 to 15 paces at their widest – which adds some challenge to make up for the lack of yardage (1,142) overall.

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As always, the picture belies the elevation. Nevertheless, the 7th hole plays a bit downhill.

I was really impressed with the Par-3 course at Bel-Aire. For a December round, the course was in great condition, and the greens seemed to roll true and with decent speed. I would highly recommend the course to anyone in the area that’s just learning to play the game, and it’s even a great stop for a quick round if you’re headed into or out of the shore area.

Number 66 (Bel-Aire Golf Course – Par 3)