Ballyowen at Ballyowen Golf Club

Ballyowen, carved into the glacial landscape of northern New Jersey, delivers a surprisingly authentic links experience far from any coastline. Designed by Roger Rulewich, the course’s rugged fescue grasses, sprawling waste bunkers, and undulating fairways evoke the spirit of Ireland's storied links. Ballyowen, with its open exposure, rewards strategic shot-making and creative recovery play in the windswept, wide open spaces.

Unlike many of its parkland neighbors, Ballyowen embraces a minimalist aesthetic, letting the natural contours and dramatic elevation changes dictate the routing. The course's challenges, while not born of championship length, lie in its firm, fast conditions and the ever-present wind, testing a player's ability to control trajectory and distance. Wide fairways often funnel into difficult approaches, demanding precision into deceptively complex green complexes.

Though not a fixture on major tournament circuits, Ballyowen's charm lies in its commitment to providing a unique and challenging golf experience. It stands as a testament to the power of thoughtful design to transport golfers to another world, one where the echoes of Irish links resound in the heart of the Garden State. And after a long round, the shepherd's pie in the clubhouse is rumored to rival the best in the Emerald Isle.