New Jersey Guide and Deals

The 160 acres of undulating meadows and copses of oak, maple, sweet gum, and pine at The Links Golf Club were transformed into a championship course by Frederick W. Hawtree, who designed more than 300 courses around the globe, including the Royal Birkdale course, in partnership with his father and son. Hawtree drew inspiration from the natural lay of the land while contriving narrow fairways and bunkered greens that reward precision. Water comes into play on the 8th, 11th, and 18th holes, swallowing poorly aimed balls so oysters can turn them into pearls. Before hitting the course, golfers can rev their engines at any of the driving range’s 15 hitting stations. After a day of sinking cleated feet into bent grass, players can toast success at the copper-topped bar in the member lounge or bite into sandwiches and seafood at the club's restaurant.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Length of 6,725 yards
• Course rating of 71.5
• Slope rating of 133
• Four tee options
• View the scorecard

The pristine, recently renovated fairways at Meadows Golf Club snake around 12 ponds that vary in size and factor into play-making decisions on at least 14 holes. Water makes itself a prevalent threat to golf balls that are afraid to swim on the 9th and 18th holes, where larger ponds loom ominously to finish out the front and back nines. The 9th, a 240-yard uphill par 3, demands steely nerved shots over two ponds: one that stretches past the tee box to the player's center-right and another that runs along the left all the way to the green. On the par 4 18th, players again face down a tee shot over water, this time being forced to keep their drive to the right to avoid water along the length of the fairway, as well as packs of ravenous ball washers that roam the course in search of prey.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 70 course
• 6,345 yards from the back tees
• Three sets of tees

Miry Run Country Club unravels across a 6,657-yard track of tight fairways and fast greens to form its 18-hole, par 72 golf course. Groves of trees line the relatively narrow fairways throughout the course, placing a premium on accurate tee shots and precision golf cart driving so that players aren't forced to test out prototypes of golf bag floatation devices in the water hazards. With three tee options, the course offers a fair par-hunting test for clubbers of all abilities.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course

• Length of 6,657 yards from the farthest tees

• Course rating of 72.0 from the farthest tees

• Slope rating of 127 from the farthest tees

• Three tee options

• Scorecard

Lakeside breezes drift through dense tree lines and across the serpentine fairways of Silver Lake Golf Course’s 18-hole, 6,238-yard layout. Hemmed by mature arbors, the course’s narrow, unforgiving fairways prevent players from aggressively attacking its relatively short holes, encouraging golfers to doff their drivers or modified T-shirt cannons in favor of shorter clubs. Cresting hills give way to scenic views peppered throughout the course, where clubbers can pause to breathe in the fragrant scent of dew-covered grasses or look out onto the rippling waters of Silver Lake, which hugs the sides of multiple fairways. After an afternoon of tireless pin hunting, linksfolk can retire to the outdoor patio or indoor fireside seating of The Veranda Cafe to enjoy an icy beverage and scintillating games of spin-the-divot-tool.:m]]

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 70–72 course
• Length of 6,238 yards from farthest tees
• Course rating of 69.6 from farthest tees
• Slope rating of 116 from farthest tees
• Three tee options available
• Download scorecard here

A two-tiered driving range and two 18-hole miniature-golf courses welcome visitors to Branchburg Family Golf Center’s 27-acre golf complex for game improvement and friendly competition. Each tier at the range comprises more than 30 hitting stalls and features a natural-grass tee area that remains open from April through September. In colder months, 12 recently installed heaters keep golfers cozy or help them sweat off pounds to drop a weight class in golf-cart jousting. Professional instructors roll in when players reach an improvement plateau, offering their keen expertise to develop consistent swings that lead to lower scores.

The center’s two miniature-golf courses summon putts past crashing waterfalls and through lush landscapes, fostering a sense of friendly competition in a pint-sized oasis. When swatting stationary spheres becomes too easy, visitors can head over to the batting facility to work on baseball swings and tackle techniques when charging the mound at a cyborg pitcher.:m]]

The course at Stonybrook Golf Club weaves along verdant paths buttressed by dense walls of foliage, creating a relatively short 3,514-yard track from the back tees. Course architect Robert Krieger incorporated frequent misdirection that leads to blind shots, including double doglegs on the 6th and 15th holes, the course’s only two par 5s. Water hazards come into play on seven holes and speedy greens can cause further complications for golfers with the yips or roller-skate golf shoes. When walking, a round can be finished in under three hours, letting players quickly return to daily life or the scene of the accident.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 62 course
• Total length of 3,514 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 57.3 from the back tees
• Course slope of 91 from the back tees
• Three sets of tees per hole
• Scorecard