While not every corner of New Jersey is ideal for golfing, the state is blessed with several top-notch golf courses.
The good news is that some of the best courses in the state have public access with standard green fees.
We have tried to rank some of the best public golf courses in New Jersey to help you identify the right course to play on.
If you are lucky, you may have the opportunity to sample all of them.
These courses were ranked and evaluated based on different criteria and requirements, such as the ability to play by staying in an affiliated hotel or through a resort within the facility and, of course, having public access. So, let’s look at them in detail.
List of the Best Public Golf Courses in New Jersey
- Flanders Valley Golf Club: Red/Gold
- Links Golf Club
- Hyatt Hills Golf Course
- Farmstead Golf & Country Club
- Charleston Springs Golf Club: North
- Galloping Hill Golf Club
- Hamilton Trails Golf Club
- Eagle Ridge Golf Club: Ridge/Pines
- Neshanic Valley Golf Course: Meadow/Ridge
- Old Bridge Golf Club
- Francis Byrne Golf Course
- Spooky Brook Golf Course
- McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links
- Ballyowen Golf Club
- Heron Glen Golf Course
- Rutgers University Golf Course
- Berkshire Valley Golf Course
- Preakness Valley Golf Course
- Galloping Hill Golf Course
- Blue Heron Pines Golf Club
The Best Public Golf Courses in New Jersey
1. Flanders Valley Golf Club: Red/Gold
- Location: Flanders
- Length: 6,780 yards
- Par: 73
- Designer(s): Hal Purdy and Rees Jones
- Year Established: 1963
- Championships: the 1973 U.S. Amateur Public Links and the 1985 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links
Coming on top of our list of the best public golf courses in New Jersey is the Flanders Valley Golf Course.
The 18-hole course is a great option to explore while in Flanders.
2. Links Golf Club
- Location: Marlton
- Length: 6,758 yards
- Par: 72
- Designer(s): Frederick W. Hawtree
- Year Established: 1976
- Championships: Women’s Public Links Championship in 2023
This is another fantastic option for those looking for a classic but affordable golf course in New Jersey.
The course has bent grass fairways and greens.
3. Hyatt Hills Golf Course
- Location: Clark
- Length: 3,350 yards
- Par: 36
- Designer(s): Brian Ault
- Year Established: 2002
- Championships: the 2023 PGA TOUR Superstore STPGA Fall Championship; the 2024 Major Championships
If you are looking for a compact golf course to practice on, then you should consider Hyatt Hills Golf Course.
Despite being a par 36 course, it is a great spot to visit while in Clark.
4. Farmstead Golf & Country Club
- Location: Lafayette
- Length: 6,161 yards
- Par: 69
- Designer(s): Byron Phoebus
- Year Established: 1965
- Championships: The Mulligan 2nd Annual Tournament in 2024; NJAC Conference Championships in 2024
Taking fourth place for the best public golf courses in New Jersey is Farmstead Golf & Country Club.
We love this 27-hole golf course because of its scenic views. It also offers great golf at affordable rates.
5. Charleston Springs Golf Club: North
- Location: Manalapan
- Length: 6,953 yards
- Par: 72
- Designer(s): Mark Mungeam
- Year Established: 1999
- Championships: the 2024 City Championship Series
The North Course of Charleston Spring Golf Club features undulating fairways dotted with wildflowers and native grasses.
Besides this, the course boasts extensive bunkering, large, immaculately maintained greens, and numerous water hazards.
6. Galloping Hill Golf Club
- Location: Kenilworth
- Length: 2,348 yards
- Par: 33
- Designer(s): Willard Wilkinson
- Year Established: 1928
- Championships: the 96th NJSGA Open Championship in 2016
This is yet another impressive golf course for amateur golfers to practice in.
The par 33 golf course is a great place to reinforce instructions and lessons learned during training sessions.
7. Hamilton Trails Golf Club
- Location: Mays Landing
- Length: 3,265 yards
- Par: 36
- Designer(s): Bill Choltko
- Year Established: 1983
- Championships: the 2000 LPGA McDonald’s Championship
This golf course is situated in the heart of Atlantic Country, meaning it is only five minutes from Ocean City.
Hamilton Trails Golf Club is also a perfect course for both novice and veteran golfers.
8. Eagle Ridge Golf Club: Ridge/Pines
- Location: Lakewood
- Length: 3,239 yards
- Par: 72
- Designer(s): Brian Ault
- Year Established: 1999
- Championships: the PGA Professional Championship in 2024; has hosted qualifiers for USGA Public Links and USGA Women’s Open
This stunning 27-hole golf course is one of the best public golf courses in New Jersey.
The course is nestled within the lush natural pines of Northern Ocean County.
9. Neshanic Valley Golf Course: Meadow/Ridge
- Location: Branchburg
- Length: 7,036 yards
- Par: 72
- Designer(s): Dr. Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry
- Year Established: 2005
- Championships: New Jersey State Golf Association’s Men’s Public Links Championship in 2014; the 2012 USGA Women’s Public Links Championship
This is one of the best publicly accessible courses in New Jersey.
The course features generous fairways that are fairly nicely framed by tall fescue.
10. Old Bridge Golf Club
- Location: Lakewood
- Length: 6,790 yards
- Par: 72
- Designer(s): Stephen Kay
- Year Established: 2023
- Championships: Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship in 2023
This is one of the incredible public golf courses in New Jersey.
We believe so because the course is in phenomenal condition for being so new.
The greens, too, are wild but fair.
11. Francis Byrne Golf Course
- Location: West Orange
- Length: 6,788 yards
- Par: 70
- Designer(s): Charles Banks (1926) and Stephen Kay (2023, Renovation)
- Year Established: 1926
- Championships: Essex County Open Championship in 2023; 63rd MGA/MetLife Public Links Championship in 2010
Francis Byrne Golf Course is among the best public golf courses in New Jersey simply because of its deep bunkers, rolling greens, and hilly topography that blend well to create a wonderfully challenging golf course.
12. Spooky Brook Golf Course
- Location: Somerset
- Length: 6,655 yards
- Par: 72
- Designer(s): Ed Ault
- Year Established: 1970
- Championships: Spooky Brook Golf Course Club Championship annually from 1975
This golf course offers four sets of tees, each with a different degree of difficulty.
It is also known to be sneaky long, but it is generally player-friendly, especially for novice golfers.
13. McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links
- Location: Egg Harbor Township
- Length: 6.535 yards
- Par: 71
- Designer(s): Stephen Kay
- Year Established: 2002
- Championships: Cougar Classic Golf Tournament in 2023; The 11th Coach Wilk Golf Tournament in 2023
This is another golf course that is located a few minutes from Ocean City and Atlantic City.
We love this course because it is both interesting and challenging at the same time.
It features a few forced carries and blind spots.
14. Ballyowen Golf Club
- Location: Hamburg
- Length: 7,094 yards
- Par: 72
- Designer(s): Roger Rulewich
- Year Established: 1998
- Championships: the Metropolitan Golf Association’s 70th Public Links Championship in 2017; Ballyowen Junior Open in 2023; the IMG Junior Golf Tour in 2015; the North Jersey Open
Ballyowen Golf Club is one of the best public golf courses in New Jersey.
We were particularly impressed by its spectacular link-style layout.
It is ideal for conducting an elegant golf course wedding.
15. Heron Glen Golf Course
- Location: Ringoes
- Length: 7,065 yards
- Par: 72
- Designer(s): Dan Schlegel
- Year Established: 2002
- Championships: 2009 and 2011 Men’s Public Links Championship; the Heron Glen March Madness Golf Tournament; Heron Glen March Madness Golf Tournament in 2024
This golf course has transformed from the famed Kuster Farm that cut though the rolling mountains of Hunterdon County.
It offers a challenging layout and terrific views. On top of this, the course has well-groomed fairways and greens.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How many public golf courses are there in New Jersey?
Despite its size, New Jersey has hundreds of golf courses that spread throughout the state, especially in the lower regions.
To be specific, the state has around 340 golf courses, with 109 of them being public. The rest are private and municipal courses.
Can you play golf throughout the year in New Jersey?
New Jersey is one of the states where you can play golf year-round.
In fact, there are several public golf courses in the state that remain open throughout the year, even in the winter.
So, you can take advantage of New Jersey’s cold climate while it lasts.
The good thing is that there are multiple indoor facilities that offer a great opportunity to maintain your sharp skills.
What is the right age to start golfing?
While there is no definitive age at which one can start learning golf, some coaches will take children as young as five years old, while others prefer a higher entry age.
So, we can say that you can enroll your child in golf training as soon as they start showing interest in the game.
In other words, you can start introducing golf to your kids even if they are three years old. The earlier you expose them to the game, the better.
Conclusion
New Jersey is home to some of the best golf courses in the country. It boasts several beautiful and challenging golf courses suitable for players of all levels.
The good thing is that some of these golf courses are open to the public.
In fact, some of the best public golf courses in New Jersey rival some of the most exclusive private golf clubs.
Among them, Flanders Valley Golf Club, Links Golf Club, Hyatt Hills Golf Course, and Farmstead Golf & Country Club stand out in nearly all aspects.
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