Golf in New Jersey
A small state with an outsized golf reputation, New Jersey holds the number one course in the world at Pine Valley and a roll call of legendary private clubs, alongside a deep bench of public and resort golf you can actually book. From the links style of Ballyowen in the Skylands to the dunes of the Jersey Shore, here are the courses that matter, the season, the costs and how to plan a trip.
Photograph: Ballyowen Golf Club, via Google
Why golf in New Jersey
New Jersey punches far above its size in golf. In the pinelands south of Camden sits Pine Valley, ranked the finest course on earth, and across the state a constellation of A.W. Tillinghast and Donald Ross masterpieces, Baltusrol, Ridgewood, Plainfield, Somerset Hills, has hosted United States Opens, PGA Championships and Ryder Cups. Most of these are deeply private, the preserve of members and their guests, but they give the state a golf pedigree few places in America can match, and they set the tone for everything around them.
For the visiting golfer, the appeal is the public and resort golf that has grown up in their shadow. The Skylands of the north hold Crystal Springs Resort and its six courses, led by the treeless, links style Ballyowen that tops the state public rankings year after year. Down on the Jersey Shore near Atlantic City, Twisted Dune and the Donald Ross golf at Seaview pair rounds with the casinos and the beach. Add easy access through Newark and Philadelphia and a position within a short drive of New York City, and New Jersey becomes a rewarding stop on any East Coast golf trip.
The regions
The Skylands and the north
The rolling northwest around Hamburg and Sussex County, home to Crystal Springs Resort and Ballyowen, the best concentration of stay and play public golf in the state, an hour from New York City.
The Jersey Shore and Atlantic City
The southern coast around Atlantic City and Galloway, where Twisted Dune, Seaview and Galloway National sit beside the boardwalk, the casinos and the beach for a golf and resort break.
The northeast and the privates
The densely populated belt near New York, home to the great Tillinghast clubs of Baltusrol, Ridgewood, Plainfield and Somerset Hills, mostly private but the heart of the state's golf history.
The Pinelands and the south
The sandy pine country toward Camden and Philadelphia, where Pine Valley, the world's number one course, hides among the trees, surrounded by good daily fee golf in the Philadelphia orbit.
The shore counties
Monmouth and Ocean counties down the central coast, with excellent county public courses such as Hominy Hill, a Robert Trent Jones design, offering championship golf at modest municipal rates.
The resort corridors
The stay and play estates that bundle courses, hotels and dining, led by Crystal Springs in the north and the Seaview and casino resorts of the Atlantic City area, the simplest base for a group.
The courses that matter
Ballyowen Golf Club
A treeless, links style layout in the Skylands that channels Ireland and Scotland, perennially rated the best public course in New Jersey and the headline round at Crystal Springs Resort.
Twisted Dune Golf Club
A dramatic, links inspired course near Atlantic City where millions of cubic yards of earth were moved to build dune lined fairways and a Scottish look, one of the Shore's best public rounds.
Seaview, Bay Course
A historic Donald Ross seaside course near Atlantic City, long the host of the ShopRite LPGA Classic, paired with the parkland Pines Course at the Seaview resort for a classic stay and play.
Crystal Springs Resort
The state's leading golf resort, with Ballyowen, Wild Turkey, Black Bear, Crystal Springs, Minerals and Cascades, two hotels and a spa, the simplest base for a northern New Jersey golf week.
Pine Valley Golf Club
Ranked the number one course in the world, a savage and beautiful test through the south Jersey pines. One of golf's most private clubs, playable only as a member's guest, but the soul of New Jersey golf.
Baltusrol Golf Club
A Tillinghast classic with two championship courses, the Lower a frequent host of United States Opens and PGA Championships. Private, but a cornerstone of the state's tournament history.
Designers and years verified June 2026. The elite private clubs are included for context and are not generally open to visitors. Course profiles are added across the site as the directory grows. Always confirm access and fees directly before booking.
When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| May to June | Warm, settled, firm turf, long days | Prime golf, the best of the spring, book ahead |
| September to October | Mild, dry, fall color in the Skylands | The other sweet spot, fine weather and value |
| July to August | Hot and humid inland, cooler on the Shore | Good golf, play the coast and tee off early |
| November to April | Cold, courses soft or closed in winter | Off season, limited play, lowest rates |
The season runs from April to November, peaking in late spring and early fall. The Jersey Shore courses stay playable a little longer on the sea breeze. Always confirm conditions and tee times before you travel.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ballyowen or Twisted Dune, peak | Around $160 to $220 | Weekend high season with cart, lower midweek and twilight |
| County and daily fee courses | Around $90 to $140 | Hominy Hill and similar public courses, excellent value |
| Crystal Springs stay and play | From around $250 per person per night | Lodging plus golf, varies by season and package |
| A weekend, all in | Around $1,500 to $3,500 per person | Resort lodging, several rounds, car, excluding flights |
Indicative third party figures for the 2026 season, shown in US dollars to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there and around
New Jersey is one of the most accessible states in the country. Newark Liberty is a major international hub minutes from the northeast of the state and an easy reach for the Skylands and the Tillinghast clubs, while Philadelphia International serves the south and the Pinelands, and Atlantic City has its own airport for the Shore. New York's airports are close enough to fold a New Jersey golf leg into a city trip. A hire car is essential to move between the clusters, but the drives are short, the Garden State Parkway runs the length of the coast, and the whole state can be crossed in a couple of hours.
Where to stay
In the north, Crystal Springs Resort is the obvious base, with the Grand Cascades Lodge and Minerals Hotel putting Ballyowen and five more courses on the doorstep, an hour from New York. On the Shore, the Seaview resort near Galloway pairs its two courses with a historic hotel, and the Atlantic City casinos offer rooms, dining and nightlife a short drive from Twisted Dune and Galloway National. One planner can match the base to your courses, your group and your dates, and add a New York or Philadelphia leg.
Plan your New Jersey golf trip
Tell us the courses you want and roughly when. One concierge costs the whole trip to the head, secures the resort and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
New Jersey golf questions
What is the best public golf course in New Jersey?
Ballyowen Golf Club at Crystal Springs Resort in the northern Skylands is widely rated New Jersey's best public course, a treeless, links style layout that has topped state rankings from Golfweek, Zagat and others for years. Twisted Dune near Atlantic City and the Donald Ross Bay Course at Seaview are the other leading public rounds. New Jersey's very best courses, led by Pine Valley, are private. Always confirm access and fees directly before booking.
Can you play Pine Valley golf course?
Pine Valley, in the pinelands of southern New Jersey, is consistently ranked the number one course in the world, and it is one of the most private clubs in golf. Play is essentially limited to members and their guests, so a casual visitor cannot book a tee time. The same is true of New Jersey's other elite courses such as Baltusrol, Plainfield, Ridgewood and Somerset Hills. For visitors, the state's strength is its excellent public and resort golf. Always confirm access directly before booking.
When is the best time to play golf in New Jersey?
Late spring and early fall, roughly May to June and September to October, are the best windows, with warm, settled days and firm turf. Summer golf is fine but can be hot and humid inland, while the Jersey Shore courses near Atlantic City stay cooler on the sea breeze. The season runs from April to November, with courses closing or playing soft in the cold winter months. Always confirm conditions before you travel.
How much does golf cost in New Jersey in 2026?
Indicative 2026 green fees at the leading public courses run from around 90 dollars at the county and daily fee courses up to roughly 200 dollars or more at Ballyowen and Twisted Dune in peak season, usually with a cart. A stay and play weekend at Crystal Springs or the Atlantic City area with lodging and several rounds typically lands between 1,500 and 3,500 dollars per head excluding flights. Always confirm directly before booking.
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