New Jersey hides serious golf behind its turnpike reputation. The headliners, Pine Valley and Baltusrol, are private, so the visitor's trip is built on a deep field of public courses: the Donald Ross history at Seaview and the links style drama of Twisted Dune by the Atlantic City shore, and the acclaimed Ballyowen up in the northern hills. Here is who it suits, the courses to build around, a sample week and indicative 2026 ranges.
Photograph: Seaview, the Bay Course, Galloway, New Jersey, via Google
A New Jersey golf holiday suits the golfer who wants variety and easy access close to New York and Philadelphia, and who is happy to build a trip from excellent public courses rather than chase the private giants. The state's two world ranked clubs, Pine Valley and Baltusrol, are members only, so the smart move is to let them go and lean into what you can actually play. And there is plenty: a Donald Ross classic on the bay, a bold modern links in the dunes, and a links style mountain course in the north that holds its own against far better known names.
There are really two homes for the trip. The Atlantic City coast is the classic golf base, where the historic Bay Course at Seaview and the dramatic Twisted Dune anchor a cluster of strong public courses a short drive from the boardwalk, the casinos and the beaches. Up north in the Sussex County hills, Crystal Springs Resort gathers several courses on a single stay, led by Ballyowen, regularly rated the number one public course in the state. With a few days you can do one region in depth or link both, using the New York and Philadelphia gateways at either end.
The historic heart of Atlantic City golf, a 1914 layout shaped by Hugh Wilson and Donald Ross that plays low and firm along Reeds Bay with views to the distant skyline. At around 6,200 yards and a par of 71 it is no bruiser, but the Ross greens and the breeze off the water make it a clever, classic test, and it has hosted the ShopRite LPGA Classic for decades. The resort setting and second course, the Pines, make Seaview a natural base.
The wild card of the Atlantic City coast and its most distinctive round, a links style layout where two million cubic yards of earth were moved to conjure a slice of the Scottish coast in the Jersey pines. Towering grass covered dunes, deep ravines and well over a hundred bunkers frame roughly 7,200 yards of dramatic, exposed golf. Fully public and a complete contrast to the classical Ross course nearby, it is the one people remember.
The jewel of the north and regularly named the number one public course in New Jersey, a links style layout by Roger Rulewich, the longtime lead designer for Robert Trent Jones Sr., set across an open plateau with 360 degree views of the Wallkill Valley and the Appalachians. It is one of the only public courses in the state to offer caddies and to allow walking, a treeless, windswept tribute to the courses of Ireland and Scotland, and the anchor of a Crystal Springs stay.
Designers, years and tournament history verified June 2026 from course and golf sources. Green fees are indicative public rates for the 2026 season and change with demand. Always confirm directly before booking.
Fly into Newark, drive an hour northwest to the Sussex County hills, and settle in at Crystal Springs Resort. An afternoon warm up, dinner and a look at the courses fanned out across the valley.
The main event in the north, the links style number one public course in the state, ideally walked with a caddie. Pair it with a sister course such as Wild Turkey or Crystal Springs in the afternoon.
A scenic run down to the shore, roughly two and a half hours, swapping the hills for the dunes. Check in near Galloway or the boardwalk and play an easy afternoon nine to find your legs.
The Donald Ross classic on Reeds Bay, firm, breezy and full of history, on the LPGA stage. Lunch at the resort, then time for the boardwalk or the beach.
Finish with the dramatic links style round in the dunes near Egg Harbor, the complete contrast to the Ross golf, before the short drive to Atlantic City or Philadelphia to fly home.
Drive times: the northern resort and the Atlantic City coast are roughly two and a half hours apart, so this trip pairs two distinct regions. A shorter break can focus on either one.
| Style | Per person, 2026 | What it usually includes |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic City coast short break | From around 700 to 1,400 dollars | 2 to 3 nights, rounds at Seaview, Twisted Dune and a coast course |
| Crystal Springs stay and play | From around 900 to 1,800 dollars | 2 to 3 nights, Ballyowen plus sister courses, lodging at the resort |
| North and shore tour | From around 1,800 dollars upward | 5 plus nights, the northern resort and the Atlantic City coast combined |
Indicative third party ranges built on public green fees and lodging for the 2026 season, excluding flights, shown to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking. Find a New Jersey base.
Late spring and early autumn give the finest conditions, roughly May to June and September to October, when temperatures are comfortable and the courses are at their best. Summer is warm and busy along the Jersey Shore, best played early in the day, and the cold winter closes most of the northern courses and shortens the season on the coast. The northern resort and the marquee coastal tee times fill quickly for the peak shoulders and the Jersey Shore summer, so book the rooms and the rounds ahead, especially for weekend play near New York and Philadelphia.
We route Ballyowen and the northern courses with the Atlantic City coast, book the Seaview and Twisted Dune tee times, arrange the caddies at Ballyowen and set the bases at either end. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge costs it to the head and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
New Jersey's most famous courses, Pine Valley and Baltusrol, are private, so the best visitor trip is built on the state's excellent public golf. The Atlantic City coast is the classic base, where the Donald Ross designed Bay Course at Seaview, host of the ShopRite LPGA Classic, pairs with the dramatic links style Twisted Dune. Up north, Ballyowen at Crystal Springs Resort is widely rated the number one public course in the state. Combine the two regions for a varied week. Always confirm current rates directly before booking.
Pine Valley and Baltusrol, the two New Jersey courses ranked among the best in the world, are private members clubs and are not open to public play, so access is by member invitation only. A New Jersey golf holiday is instead built around the state's strong public courses, led by Seaview and Twisted Dune near Atlantic City and Ballyowen at Crystal Springs Resort in the north. Always confirm access and rates directly before booking.
The two strongest public clusters are the Atlantic City coast and the Sussex County hills in the north. On the coast, the historic Bay Course at Seaview and the links style Twisted Dune lead a deep field within a short drive of the boardwalk. Up north, Crystal Springs Resort gathers several courses on one stay, headlined by Ballyowen, a links style layout regularly named the best public course in the state. Always confirm current rates directly before booking.
Late spring and early autumn are the sweet spots, roughly May to June and September to October, when temperatures are comfortable and the courses are in their best condition. Summer is warm and busy along the Jersey Shore, best played early, while the cold winter closes most courses in the north and limits the season on the coast. Book the marquee tee times and resort rooms ahead for the peak shoulders. Always confirm current rates and tee times directly before booking.
Tee time releases, new openings and the booking windows worth moving on first. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Indicative fees and ranges verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.