The best public-access and private golf courses in New Jersey, ranked
Looking to play the best golf courses in New Jersey? Welcome to our annual Golfweek’s Best ranking of public-access and private courses.
Following are the rankings for both types of courses, as judged by our nationwide network of raters. The hundreds of members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them on 10 criteria on a points basis of 1 through 10. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings are averaged to produce all our Golfweek’s Best course rankings.
- Best public-access courses in each state
- The best private courses in each state
- The details: How we rank courses
The courses on the first list allow public access in some fashion, be it standard daily green fees, through a resort or by staying at an affiliated hotel. If there’s a will, there’s a tee time – no membership required.
KEY: (m) modern, built in 1960 or after; (c) classic, built before 1960. For courses with a number preceding the (m) or (c), that is where the course ranks on Golfweek’s Best lists for top 200 modern and classic courses in the U.S.
* indicates new or returning to the rankings
Best public-access courses in New Jersey
1. Crystal Springs Resort (Ballyowen)
Hamburg (m)
Book your tee time at Ballyowen today
2. Neshanic Valley
Neshanic Station (m)
Book your tee time at Neshanic Valley today
3. Seaview (Bay)
Galloway (c)
Book your tee time at Seaview today
4. Rock Spring
West Orange (c)
Book your tee time at Rock Spring today
5. Twisted Dune
Egg Harbor Township (m)
Book your tee time at Twisted Dune today
6. Knoll (West)
Boonton (c)
7. Shore Gate
Ocean View (m)
Book your tee time at Shore Gate today
8. Crystal Springs Resort (Wild Turkey)
Hamburg (m)
Book your tee time at Wild Turkey today
9. Architects
Lopatcong (m)
10. Crystal Springs Resort (Crystal Springs)
Hamburg (m)
Book your tee time at Crystal Springs today
11. Seaview (Pines)
Absecon (c)
Book your tee time at Seaview today
12. Scotland Run
Williamstown (m)
Book your tee time at Scotland Run today
13. Ballamor
Egg Harbor Township (m)
Book your tee time at Ballamor today
T14. RiverWinds
West Deptford (m)
Book your tee time at River Winds today
T14. Heron Glen
Ringoes (m)
Book your tee time at Heron Glen today
Best private courses in New Jersey
1. Pine Valley GC
Pine Valley (2c)
2. Somerset Hills
Bernardsville (21c)
3. Plainfield
Edison (T31c)
4. Baltusrol (Lower)
Springfield (T34c)
5. Hollywood GC
Deal (T49c)
6. Ridgewood (Championship)
Paramus (T57c)
7. Baltusrol (Upper)
Springfield (T60c)
8. Galloway National
Galloway Township (56m)
9. Bayonne GC
Bayonne (T67m)
10. Mountain Ridge
West Caldwell (T104c)
11. Essex County CC
West Orange (T111c)
12. Hidden Creek
Egg Harbor Township (T118m)
13. Ridge at Back Brook
Ringoes (T134m)
14. Trump National (Old)
Bedminster (T154m)
15. Due Process Stable*
Colt’s Neck (m)