CaddieTrail Guide

Best Golf Courses in New Jersey

New Jersey is home to Pine Valley, the greatest golf course in America, and backs it up with one of the deepest top-20 lists in the country. Baltusrol, Somerset Hills, and Plainfield anchor a trail where every course is private.

New Jersey Top 20 Overall

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New Jersey is home to Pine Valley, the greatest golf course in America, and backs it up with one of the deepest Top 20 lists in the country. Tillinghast's masterworks at Baltusrol (Lower and Upper) and Somerset Hills anchor the top five alongside Plainfield's restored Donald Ross. Ridgewood, Hollywood, and Bayonne round out a top ten that spans Golden Age parkland to modern links-inspired design. Every course on this trail is private.

#1 on trail

Pine Valley Golf Club

Pine Valley, New Jersey

Consistently ranked the world's #1 course, this George Crump & H.S. Colt design punishes errant shots with vast sandy wastelands and unforgiving native scrub. Invitation-only access.

#2 on trail

Baltusrol Golf Club (Lower)

Springfield, New Jersey

Tillinghast's 1922 masterpiece in Springfield, NJ has hosted seven U.S. Opens. The par-3 4th over water and brutal 17th define its championship pedigree.

#3 on trail

Somerset Hills Country Club

Bernardsville, New Jersey

A.W. Tillinghast design from 1918 set across rolling New Jersey hills. Tight fairways, precise bunkering, and elevation changes reward strategic play over power.

#4 on trail

Baltusrol Golf Club: Upper

Springfield, New Jersey

Tillinghast's 1922 Upper course at Baltusrol plays through rolling New Jersey terrain with demanding par-4s and precise iron demands. Private access.

#5 on trail

Plainfield Country Club

Edison, New Jersey

Donald Ross design from 1921 with classic contoured greens and strategic bunkering. Has hosted multiple USGA championships. Private.

#6 on trail

Ridgewood Country Club (Championship)

Paramus, New Jersey

A.W. Tillinghast designed this 27-hole property in 1929, with the Championship composite routing drawing from three nines across rolling northern New Jersey terrain. Host to the 1935 Ryder Cup and multiple PGA Tour events.

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