Golf Styles, March 2008

New Jersey’s Most Challenging Private Courses

Who would argue that pine valley is the most difficult course in the state? In fact, it may just be the most difficult course anywhere. However, a round at Pine Valley cannot even be called a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most of us. To a lesser degree, the same is tru for many courses on our list of great private courses that score a perfect 10 rating in difficulty. Their exclusivity makes it difficult to evaluate their actual difficulty. 

But based on their lofty slope, these courses are sure to challenge the best golfers on the planet.

Galloway National and Stoner Harbor are somewhat more accessible courses, and they are both enough of a challenge to last any golfer a very long time.

Tom Fazio counts Galloway National as one of his best designs. Galloway is the kind of course dedicated golfers revere to the most, understand in its beauty, immaculate in it conditions, subtle in its complexity. Players of many ability levels can enjoy it, and everyone will respect it at the end of the day.

Sometimes bunkers and hazards are used to frame a hole. They contribute to the looks, but they don’t necessarily come into play. Stone Harbor boasts 11 water hazards and 58 bunkers, and almost all of them come into play. Holes 10, 11 and 12 are something of an Amen Corner; you will thank God when they’re done. If the round of golf isn’t difficult enough, then try a quiz on the characters from classical mythology which inspire each hole.

No 1 Pine Valley GC – 6,999 yds, 155 Slope

No 2 Liberty National GC – 7, 346 yds, 151 slope

No 3 Trump National GC 7,565 yds 147 slope

No 4 TPC at Jasna Polana – 7,098 yds 144 slope

No 5 Bayonne GC 7,120 yds, 143 slope

No 6 Baltusrol GC, Lower – 7.221 yds 142 slop

No 7 Due Process Stable – 7,138 yds 142 slope

No 8 Galloway National GC – 6,901 yds 142 slope

No 9 Stone Harbor GC – 6,935 yds 141 slope

No 10 Hamilton Farm GC 7,117 yds, 141 Slope

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