
Essex County Course
Essex County Country Club




About this course
Essex County Country Club, nestled amid the rolling hills of West Orange, New Jersey, stands as a testament to understated elegance and enduring golf tradition. Opened in 1896, its original incarnation solidified the club as a cornerstone of the area's nascent sporting society. Primarily recognized for its updated A.W Tillinghast design, the parkland-style layout unfolds over subtly contoured terrain. Strategic bunkering and mature trees frame the fairways, rewarding intelligent play over brute force. While not exceptionally long, the course demands a thoughtful approach, particularly on approach shots into the meticulously maintained greens. The club favors no particular style of play as the course's unique challenges requires players to have many different skills. Essex County has fostered a membership known more for its camaraderie and local connections than national celebrity, and many families have belonged to the club for several generations. The club is known for a more relaxed golf course. Members and guests will often gather at the clubhouse's bar after a round to recount stories of the day.
Rankings
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Private column compares member-only and guest-restricted courses.
Best in World
Best in USA
Best in NJ
Quick facts
- Location
- West Orange, NJ, USA
- Access
- Private
- Year built
- 1887
- Holes
- 18
- Designer(s)
- Charles Banks, Seth Raynor
- Par
- 71
- Length
- 7,101 yards
- Difficulty
- 77.8/148
- Course Vaults score
- 8.4
Getting there
Most visitors to Essex County Country Club arrive through Newark Liberty International (EWR), a straightforward twenty-minute drive west into the wooded ridges of the Watchung Mountains. Teterboro Airport serves as the preferred gateway for private aviation, offering discreet access roughly thirty minutes north. The final approach climbs gently through leafy suburban streets into West Orange's elevated terrain, where the club's understated entrance opens onto rolling parkland that feels remarkably removed from the Manhattan skyline visible in the distance - a testament to the enduring sanctuary Donald Ross carved into these New Jersey highlands over a century ago.

FAQ
Common questions about Essex County
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Essex County has a Course Vaults score of 8.4 out of 10 based on 91 logged golfers.
Essex County was designed by Charles Banks and Seth Raynor.
Essex County is listed as private on Course Vaults; guest access is typically restricted.
Par at Essex County is 71.
Essex County plays 7,101 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Essex County is 148.






