Ballyowen Golf Club

The verdict

Ballyowen is the course that proved New Jersey could do links golf. Roger Rulewich, the longtime right hand of Robert Trent Jones, built it in 1998 across roughly 250 acres of rolling, treeless farmland above the Wallkill River in the state's northwest corner, the flagship of Crystal Springs Resort. With no trees and no houses in view, fescue framing every fairway and a kilted bagpiper at the first tee, it commits fully to the Celtic links idea and pulls it off.

At 7,094 yards from the back it has plenty of length, but the wind across the open ground is the real defense, and the firm, fast turf rewards the runner over the high approach. It has been ranked the number one public course in New Jersey by Golfweek and other panels for years running. As a destination round paired with the resort's sister courses, it is one of the best public golf experiences in the Northeast.

The holes worth the trip

The character is set by what is missing: there are no trees, so the wind, the fescue and the contours of the land do all the defending. Rulewich routed the holes over knolls and through valleys with the bunkering shaped to look as if it had always been there, white sand against the golden rough. On a breezy day it plays like a transplanted British links, with low, running shots the smart play.

The variety is strong from the off, with reachable and three shot par 5s, a set of par 3s that swing with the wind, and par 4s that ask you to flirt with bunkers to open the angle. The greens are large and subtly contoured, and the open setting means few blind shots, just exposure to the elements. It is a fair test that rewards thought and ball flight control more than raw power.

For visiting golfers it is the centerpiece of a northern New Jersey golf trip, an easy pairing with the resort's other layouts and a genuine bucket list public round within reach of New York City.

Where to stay nearby

Crystal Springs Resort surrounds the course with two hotels, Grand Cascades Lodge and Minerals Hotel, plus dining, spa and a clutch of sister courses that make a multi day golf stay easy. Staying on property keeps every tee time minutes away and unlocks the best package rates.

For a wider New Jersey golf trip, Ballyowen pairs with its resort stablemate at Crystal Springs Resort and the classic municipal test down in horse country at Hominy Hill Golf Course, with the architecture tribute round in the western hills at The Architects Golf Club an easy add.

Looking for a base nearby? See our recommended hotels and resorts.