Best Courses in New Jersey
OUR READERS CHOICES
OF BEST COURSES
IN NEW JERSEY
2015 RESULTS
PRIVATE GOLF CATEGORY
NJ’s TOP COURSE:
1. Pine Valley
2. Baltusrol (Lower)
3. Galloway National
4. Liberty National
5. The Ridge at Back Brook
6. Hidden Creek
7. Ridgewood
8. Plainfield
9. Hamilton Farm
10. Fiddler’s Elbow
Honorable Mention: Baltusrol (Upper), Bayonne Golf Club,
Somerset Hills, Forsgate (Banks Course), Hollywood Golf Club,
Little Mill Country Club, Upper Montclair Country Club, Pine
Barrens Golf Club, New Jersey National Golf Club, Trump
Philadelphia, Trump Bedminster, Hollywood, Mountain Ridge, TPC
at Jasna Polana, Metedeconk National, Preakness Hills, Somerset
Hills, Old York.
FAVORITE COURSE: PRIVATE
1. Fiddler’s Elbow
2. The Ridge at Back Brook
3. Pine Valley
4. Galloway National
5. Forsgate
6. Little Mill
7. Trump Bedminster
8. Hidden Creek
9. Upper Montclair
10. Metuchen Golf Club
Honorable Mention: Old York,
Basking Ridge, Baltusrol (Upper), Baltusrol (Lower), Deerwood, Laurel Creek, Hamilton Farms, Preakness Hills, Somerset Hills, Metedeconk National Golf Club, New Jersey National, Westlake Golf and Country Club, Shackamaxon, Ridgewood, Copper Hill, Essex County, Tavistock, TPC at Jasna Polana, Linwood, Pine Barrens, Cherry Valley, Spring Brook. *Voting stipulates actual play on course
BEST BARGAIN: PRIVATE
1. Fiddler’s Elbow
2. Little Mill
3. Forsgate
4. Basking Ridge
5. Trump (Phladelphia)
6. Greate Bay
7. Laurel Creek
8. New Jersey National
9. Upper Montclair
10. Shackamaxon
Honorable Mention: TPC at Jasna Polana, Black Oak,
Hidden Creek, Metedeconk, Wildwood, Medford Lakes,
Copper Hill, Royce Brook. Westlake, Essex County, Twins
Brooks, Trump (Bedminster), Pine Barrens, Stone
Harbor, Essex County, Galloway, Ridgewood, Old York,
Linwood, Galloway, Westlake.
MOST SCENIC: PRIVATE
1. Liberty National
2. Bayonne
3. Galloway National
4. The Ridge at Back Brook
5. Trump (Philadelphia)
6. Hamilton Farm
7. Metedeconk
8. Pine Valley
9. New Jersey National
10. Black Oak
Honorable Mention: Little Mill, Basking Ridge,
Pine Barrens, Westlake, Trump (Bedminster),
Panther Valley, Roxiticus, Old York, Somerset Hills,
Ridgewood, Preakness Hills, Manasquan River,
Laurel Creek, Baltusrol (Lower), Baltusrol (Upper),
Linwood, TPC at Jasna Polana, Hidden Creek,
Forsgate (Banks), Rolling Hills, Rock Spring.
BEST FAMILY CLUB:
1. Forsgate Country Club
2. Basking Ridge
3. Tavistock
4. Trump (Philadelphia)
5. Wildwood
6. Laurel Creek
7. Little Mill
8. Moorestown Field Club
9. Metuchen
10. Upper Montclair
Honorable Mention: Fiddler’s Elbow, Burlington,
Roxiticus, Trump (Bedminster), The Links, Greate
Bay, Hackensack, Morris County, Trenton, Old York,
Canoe Brook, Medford Village, Riverton, Navesink,
Copper Hill, Echo Lake, Springlake, Cedar Hill.
FAVORITE GOLF PROFESSIONAL
1. Clint Deibert, The Ridge at Back Brook
2. George Frake, Little Mill
3. Jason Lamp. Galloway National
4. Andrew Madsen, Hidden Creek
5. Fred Riedel, Wildwood
6. Sean Toohey, New Jersey National
7. Michael Holiday, Upper Montclair
8. Michael Docktor, Preakness Hills
9. Mat Kent, Fiddler’s Elbow
10. Tom Delaney, Basking Ridge
Honorable Mention: Matt Crowley, Stone Harbor;
Mark McCartney, Little Mill; Jeff LeFevre, Linwood;
Travis Deibert, The Ridge at Back Brook; Jim
McGovern, White Beeches; Matt Freitag, Hamilton
Farm; John Mascari, Preakness Hills; Keith
Stewart, Springdale; David Elliott, Shackamaxon;
Carolyn McKenzie Andrews, Forsgate.
FAVORITE TEACHING PRO: PRIVATE
1. Mike Adams, Hamilton Farm
2. David Glenz, Black Oak
3. Mike Killian, Galloway (Emeritus)
4. Mark Wood, Fiddler’s Elbow
5. George Frake, Little Mill
6. Bryan Jones, Black Oak
7. Jason Carbone, Baltusrol
8. Kathy Hart Wood, Fiddler’s Elbow
9. Ron Korn, Cedar Hills
10. Bill Britton, Trump (Colts Neck)
Honorable Mention: Clint and Travis Deibert, The
Ridge at Back Brook; Len Siter, Mountain Ridge;
Mike Strlekar, Montclair G.C; Jason Lamp,
Galloway National; Craig Lindsey, Madison; Tyler
Hall, Upper Montclair; Tom and Sue Delaney,
Basking Ridge; Matt Crowley, Stone Harbor; Kerry
Mattern, Cedarbrook; Joe Bush, Shackamaxon.
BEST SUPERINTENDENT: PRIVATE
1. Alan Bean, The Ridge at Back Brook
2. Mark Kuhns, Baltusrol
3. Rick Christian, Pine Valley
4. Greg James, Liberty National
5. Scott McBane, Galloway National
6. Michael Giletto, Trump Philadelphia
7. Clark Weld, Hidden Creek
8. Rob Wagner, Trump Bedminster
9. Brad Jones, Hamilton Farm
10. Todd Raisch, Ridgewood
Honorable Mention: Matt Willigan, Fiddler’s
Elbow; Craig Mencl, Basking Ridge.
BEST CHEF: PRIVATE CLUB
1. John Zaren, The Ridge at Back Brook
2. Neil M. Mayoros, Trenton Country Club
3. Kevin McDonald, Plainfield Country Club
4. Ryan Foo, Upper Montclair
5. Michael Weisshaupt, Fiddler’s Elbow
6. Christopher Passaro, Preakness Hills
7. Chris Anderson, Stone Harbor
8. David Medeiros, Maplewood
9. Paul Voigt, Forsgate
10. Oliver Filley, New Jersey National
FRIENDLIEST STAFF: PRIVATE
1. The Ridge at Back Brook
2. Forsgate Country Club
3. Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club
4. Little Mill Country Club
5. Galloway National Golf Club
6. Basking Ridge Country Club
7. Hamilton Farm Golf Club
8. Baltusrol Golf Club
9. New Jersey National Golf Club
10. TPC at Jasna Polana
PUBLIC GOLF CATEGORY
TOP PUBLIC CLUBS:
1. Atlantic City Country Club
2. Shore Gate
3. Ballyowen
4. Running Deer
5. Ballamor
6. Twisted Dune
7. Scotland Run
8. Architects
9. Blue Heron Pines
10. Neshanic Valley
Honorable Mention: Harbor Pines, Eagle Ridge,
Woodcrest, Wild Turkey at Crystal Springs,
Crystal Springs Golf Club, Hominy Hill, Seaview
(Bay), RiverWinds, Sea Oaks, Royce Brook
(East), Charleston Springs, Heron Glen,
Berkshire Valley.
FAVORITE PUBLIC COURSE:
1. Ballyowen at Crystal Springs
2. Neshanic Valley
3. Atlantic City
4. Seaview (Bay)
5. Running Deer
6. Twisted Dune
7. Scotland Run
8. Royce Brook (East)
9. Ballamor
10. Harbor Pines
Honorable Mention: Mattawang, Eagle Ridge,
Sea Oaks, Sand Barrens, Brigantine, Woodcrest,
RiverWinds, Charleston Springs, Architects,
Crystal Springs, Wild Turkey, RiverWinds, Apple
Mountain, Cape May National.
*Voting stipulates actual play on course
BEST BARGAIN: PUBLIC
1. Mattawang
2. Mays Landing
3. McCullough’s Emerald Links
4. Town & Country
5. Cape May National
6. Avalon
7. Buena Vista
8. Neshanic Valley
9. Running Deer
10. Hominy Hill
Honorable Mention: Blue Heron Pines, Pitman Buena Vista, RiverWinds, Apple Mountain, Springfield, Golden Pheasant, Valleybrook, The Links at Brigantine Beach, Avalon, White Oaks, Mays Landing, Wedgwood, Bunker Hill, Harbor Pines, Galloping Hill, Bunker Hill, Cream Ridge, Ocean Acres, Cruz Golf, Centerton, Ballamor, Scotland Run, Mercer Oaks, Eastlyn, Freeway,
Vineyard Golf, Pinelands.
MOST SCENIC: PUBLIC
1. Crystal Springs Golf Club
2. Atlantic City
3. Ballyowen
4. Seaview
5. RiverWinds
6. Twisted Dune
7. WildTurkey
8. Scotland Run
9. Shore Gate
10. Sand Barrens
Honorable Mention:: Berkshire Valley,
Farmstead, Architects, SkyView, Eagle
Ridge, Mercer Oaks, Raritan Valley.
BEST FAMILY CLUB: PUBLIC
1. Town & Country
2. Harbor Pines
3. Mercer Oaks
4. Crystal Springs Resort
5. Mattawang
6. Neshanic Valley
7. Cruz Golf
8. Heron Glen
9. Avalon
10. Blue Heron Pines
Honorable Mention: Running Deer, Shark River, Galloping Hills,
Valleybrook, Eagle Ridge, Freeway, Tamarack, Hyatt Hills, Warrenbrook,
Scotland Run, Pitman.
FAVORITE GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT: PUBLIC
1. Ottinger Golf
2. Jaworski Golf
3. Crystal Springs
4. Town & Country
5. Cape May National
6. Harbor Pines
7. Shore Gate
8. Mattawang
9. Sea Oaks
10. Eagle Ridge
Honorable Mention: White Oaks, Billy Casper
Golf (4 courses), Mays Landing, Centerton,
Twisted Dune, Farmstead, Eagle Ridge, Troon
Golf, Eastlyn Golf Course, Cruz Golf.
TOP GOLF RESORT: PUBLIC
1. Crystal Springs Resort
2. Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club
3. Sea Oaks
Honorable Mention: Renault Winery/
Vineyard Golf
BEST COURSE AT THE SHORE: PUBLIC
1. Atlantic City Country Club
2. Shore Gate
3. Sea Oaks
4. Eagle Ridge
5. Blue Heron Pines
6. Ballamor
7. Twisted Dune
8. Harbor Pines
9. McCullough’s Emerald Links
10. Avalon
Honorable Mention: Suneagles, Brigantine, Cape May National, Shark
River, Manasquan River, Sand Barrens.
BEST GOLF INSTRUCTORS: PUBLIC
1. Dick & Tom Smith, Dick Smith Golf Academy
2. John Petronis, JGA Golf Academy
3. Jeff Bonicky, Sea Oaks
4. Rich Crowell, Town & Country
5. John Tyrell, Running Deer
6. Matt Callaghan, Twisted Dune
7. Bill Chelucci, Blue Heron Pines
8. Ted Wenner, Avalon
9. Mike Tucci, Ballamor
10. Orist Wells, Pitman
Honorable Mention: David Leadbetter Academy
at Crystal Springs; Rylee Plitz, Eagle Ridge;
Kevin Beirne, Eagle Ridge; Dave Quinn, The
Links; Mahlon Dow, Mattawang; Chris
McDermott, Architects Club; Fred Glass,
Neshanic Valley; Cheri Cottelli, Hamilton Trails;
Bob Everett, Royce Brook; Matt Callaghan,
Twisted Dune
TOP GOLF PROFESSIONAL: PUBLIC
1. Mahlon Dow, Mattawang
2. Harry Bittner, Shore Gate
3. Fran Mulholland, Atlantic City
4. John Tyrell, Running Deer
5. Scott Pruden, Farmstead
6. Steve Oakes, The Architects Club
7. Jeff Bonicky, Sea Oaks
8. Tim Ward, Heron Glen
9. Brian Perino, Scotland Run
10. Chas Sarlund, Royce Brook
Honorable Mention: Orist Wells, Pitman; Klay
Kerr, Running Deer; Ted Wenner, Avalon; Ken
Pridgen, Suneagles; Mike Tucci, Ballamor.
BEST CONDITIONS: PUBLIC
1. Crystal Golf Resort
2. Atlantic City
3. Running Deer
4. Shore Gate
5. Ballamor
6. Royce Brook (East)
7. Harbor Pines
8. Architects Club
9. Eagle Ridge
10. Blue Heron Pines
Honorable Mention: Sea Oaks, Scotland Run, Town & Country, McCullough’s
Emerald Links, Woodcrest, Neshanic Valley, RiverWinds, Heron Glen,
Mattawang, Woodcrest, Wedgwood, Hominy Hill, Berkshire Valley, White Oaks.
BEST FOOD: PUBLIC
1. Scotland Run
2. Crystal Springs Golf Resort
3. Running Deer
4. Atlantic City
5. Sea Oaks
6. Architects Club
7. Stockton Seaview Resort
8. Greenview Inn at Eastlyn
9. Eagle Ridge
10. Library III at Emerald Links
Honorable Mention: Harbor Pines, Knoll West,
Buena Vista, Neshanic Valley, Indian Springs,
Blue Heron Pines, Town & Country.