Private

Preakness Hills Course

Preakness Hills Country Club

Wayne, NJ, USA
JohnnyBalls
Big Walt Travis
shennessey
bkamish44
jschachtel
+12
18 holesPar 726,737 yds77.1/139

About this course

Preakness Hills Country Club occupies rolling terrain in Wayne, New Jersey, with origins tracing to William H. Tucker's original design work in the early twentieth century. Tucker, a prolific architect in the New York metropolitan area during that era, routed the course across the hilly topography that characterizes this section of northern New Jersey. The layout takes its name from the nearby Preakness Range, part of the broader Watchung Mountains, and the land provides natural elevation changes and wooded corridors that define the playing experience. The course has undergone several notable renovations over the decades. Geoffrey Cornish, the Massachusetts-based architect known for his restoration work and prolific design output in the mid-to-late twentieth century, contributed modifications to the layout. More recently, Brian Silva and Ron Forse—both recognized for their restoration and renovation projects that emphasize strategic design principles and classical architecture—have worked on the property. Forse in particular has built a reputation for researching and restoring Golden Age courses, suggesting that recent work at Preakness Hills has aimed to recapture or enhance elements of Tucker's original design intent. The club operates as a private facility serving the Wayne area and surrounding communities in northern New Jersey. The course reflects the character typical of parkland layouts in this region: tree-lined fairways, moderate length by contemporary standards, and greens that reward accurate approach play. The combination of Tucker's routing over natural terrain and subsequent refinements by respected architects gives Preakness Hills a layered design history.

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.

2885

Best in World

2645

Best in USA

106

Best in NJ

Quick facts

Location
Wayne, NJ, USA
Access
Private
Year built
1929
Holes
18
Par
72
Length
6,737 yards
Difficulty
77.1/139
Course Vaults score
7.0

Getting there

The journey to Preakness Hills Country Club begins at Newark Liberty International (EWR), less than twenty miles south, or alternatively at LaGuardia (LGA) across the Hudson in Queens - both accessible within thirty to forty-five minutes depending on traffic patterns through the northern New Jersey corridor. For those arriving by private aviation, Teterboro Airport (TEB) in nearby Englewood offers the most direct approach, a mere ten minutes from the club's gates in Wayne. The drive north from Newark traces the subtle rise of the New Jersey highlands, transitioning from the urban sprawl of the Gateway region into the leafy, established neighborhoods of Essex County, where tree-lined streets and the quiet dignity of mid-century country club architecture signal arrival at this storied institution nestled in the heart of the Upper Montclair-Wayne ridge.

FAQ

Common questions about Preakness Hills

Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.

Preakness Hills has a Course Vaults score of 7.0 out of 10 based on 17 logged golfers.

Preakness Hills was designed by William H. Tucker, Geoffrey Cornish, Brian Silva, and Ron Forse.

Preakness Hills is listed as private on Course Vaults; guest access is typically restricted.

Par at Preakness Hills is 72.

Preakness Hills plays 6,737 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.

The slope rating at Preakness Hills is 139.

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