The best private courses in New Jersey

“Best of the best. The experience is truly world class. Every hole is thought provoking and phenomenal. Nothing I can add that others already havent. Hell’s Half Acre lived up to its name.”

Written by

@mccordgrice

• ❗️Must play
• |✨Pristine
• |😅Challenging

“Incredible course. If they named the 9’s it’d be Links & Forest. Greens are magnificent but deadly - without a caddy you are toast. Have to know where to miss on each approach”

Written by

@Dhanderson08

• ❗️Must play
• |✨Pristine
• |🚶🏻Walkable

“Not a weak hole on the course. Tests the whole bag. Rewards great shots and punishes poor ones. Tillinghast at his best. Club vibe is relaxed and down to earth, and our host was delightful.”

Written by

@txmidam94

• ✨Pristine
• |😅Challenging
• |❗️Must play

“Elevated tees, rolling fairways, and firm, fast greens make every hole engaging. Conditions are immaculate, and recent restorations have enhanced its classic charm. Often overlooked next to the Lower, the Upper is equally enjoyable—strategic, scenic, and a true pleasure to play”

Written by

@tagliatelletodd

• ❗️Must play
• |✨Pristine
• |💨Fast greens

“I was lucky to grow up there and knew it then. It’s cast in the shadows of Winged Foot and Baltusrol but Ridgewood is so balanced, reflective of Tillinghast and offers so many good holes over the three 9’s.”

Written by

@Gdub201

• 🏌️‍♂️Driving range
• |❗️Must play
• |✨Pristine

“From tee to green, one cannot help being captured by the traditional and yet interesting design and routing, as well as the varied topography. The course is difficult and challenging, especially the greens, but not unfair.”

Written by

@DM4Golf

• ✨Pristine
• |💨Fast greens
• |❗️Must play

“Classic old school course with fabulous bunkering, very tricky greens and variety of distances. Blue tees seemed way longer than 6500ish. Standout holes included short par 4 2nd, short par 4 12th, and tunnel 18th.”

Written by

@StewartVerdery

• ❗️Must play
• |🚶🏻Walkable
• |✨Pristine

“Has the feel of a Scottish links with the hills and lack of trees. Some awesome views of NYC and the Hudson River. Fun to play once or twice.”

Written by

@BirdiesAvenue

• ✨Pristine
• |🏞️Views
• |🚶🏻Walkable

“Very demanding off the tee. I love most of everything about the course but if you miss the fairway by 5 yards you might need a new ball. Mostly unwalkable, but a great course”

Written by

@Slamminsam

• 👕Locker rooms
• |✨Pristine
• |🍔Restaurant

“Essex County is a conglomeration of some of the game’s best designer. With Tillinghast, Raynor, and MacDonald all having a part to play in the design. Despite a wet spring, the course still played firm and fast in the July heat.”

Written by

@BirdiesAvenue

• ❗️Must play
• |✨Pristine
• |🤝Caddies

“THE most challenging Par 3 course you will ever come across. So much so, that his greatness, Tiger Woods himself, once played Hickory and shot OVER PAR and was so pissed that he had to turn around and play it again so he could get the better of this monster of a Par 3 track.”

Written by

@TylerTerens

• 😅Challenging
• |🏌️‍♂️Driving range
• |❗️Must play

“Union League National, my first “Jersey Shore” course, is an excellent Dana Fry/Jason Straka design on grounds of the former Sand Barrens. They kept the sand theme, with huge man-made dunescapes traversing interesting land. Circus greens were right speed & a blast! Great vibes!”

Written by

@Btweed16

• ✨Pristine
• |🏞️Views
• |😅Challenging

“Very cool course that starts in the trees for 3 holes before opening up the rest of the way. Very hilly course with some very cool views. Par 5 9th and Par 3 17th are the best holes in my opinion.”

Written by

@BirdiesAvenue

• 👕Locker rooms
• |🤝Caddies
• |😅Challenging

“Great course. Open layout and semi-hilly makes it challenging. Not too many flat lies and no holes that are given birdies, so you have to fight for your score. The greens aren’t fast sometimes, but easy to read and flat-ish. Also had a career back nine here so maybe I’m biased”

Written by

@Slamminsam

• 🤝Caddies
• |🍔Restaurant
• |🌭Halfway house

“Great views of the Statue of Liberty and NYC. Certainly gets way more disrespect than it deserves. Not a natural look, but course is in great shape and still has a good variety of holes. Finishing stretch of 14-18 is awesome.”

Written by

@BirdiesAvenue

• ✨Pristine
• |👕Locker rooms
• |🤝Caddies