Bergen/North Jersey Golf Clubs

[MikeV11]

New to new jersey and currently in fort lee and looking for a club to join. Would be great for it to be close but I know most of the Bergen private clubs are expensive and hard to get into.

I work in northern rockland ny and take the palisades so anything in between home and there would be great. Wouldn't mind traveling a bit west too.

 

If anyone has any recommendations or insight that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[chrikim]

Based on your commute, I would recommend taking a look at either Montammy CC or Alpine CC. These would be perfect for your commute as they are both pretty much right off the Palisades Parkway on the way back to Fort Lee (both clubs are between Exit 1 and 2). Montammy is right off of 9W and Alpine is a short drive off of 9W (on the border of Alpine and Demarest).

 

Other clubs in the area (tbh can't speak to their quality but are maybe 10-15 minutes west of 9W):

Knickerbocker

Haworth

White Beeches

Rockland Country Club

Paramount Country Club (right off of 9W in Sparkill, NY)

 

You also have bunch of decent public courses off of the Palisades Parkway/9W:

Patriot Hills

Phillip J. Rotella

New York Country Club

Rockleigh Country Club (Bergen County Muni)

 

Hope this helps!

 

 

New to new jersey and currently in fort lee and looking for a club to join. Would be great for it to be close but I know most of the Bergen private clubs are expensive and hard to get into.

I work in northern rockland ny and take the palisades so anything in between home and there would be great. Wouldn't mind traveling a bit west too.

 

If anyone has any recommendations or insight that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[MikeV11]

This helps a lot! Thanks man!

 

 

Based on your commute, I would recommend taking a look at either Montammy CC or Alpine CC. These would be perfect for your commute as they are both pretty much right off the Palisades Parkway on the way back to Fort Lee (both clubs are between Exit 1 and 2). Montammy is right off of 9W and Alpine is a short drive off of 9W (on the border of Alpine and Demarest).

 

Other clubs in the area (tbh can't speak to their quality but are maybe 10-15 minutes west of 9W):

Knickerbocker

Haworth

White Beeches

Rockland Country Club

Paramount Country Club (right off of 9W in Sparkill, NY)

 

You also have bunch of decent public courses off of the Palisades Parkway/9W:

Patriot Hills

Phillip J. Rotella

New York Country Club

Rockleigh Country Club (Bergen County Muni)

 

Hope this helps!

 

 

New to new jersey and currently in fort lee and looking for a club to join. Would be great for it to be close but I know most of the Bergen private clubs are expensive and hard to get into.

I work in northern rockland ny and take the palisades so anything in between home and there would be great. Wouldn't mind traveling a bit west too.

 

If anyone has any recommendations or insight that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[mmckee02]

Definitely go check out Paramount. It's a solid Tillinghast with some great recent restoration work. If you need an introduction, PM me.

 

MM

[sabram]

Otterkill is an hour drive from Fort Lee and about half an hour from exit 14 on the Palisades Parkway in Rockland. About half the members are from Rockland and a bunch are from Bergen. It is the best bang for the buck in the area. It's a very good course, challenging, lots of variety, good greens. I've been a member for 25 years and play 99% of my rounds in under 4 hours. It's a great walking course. About half the members walk. Because of the remote location it costs about a quarter of the amount of any club in Rockland or Bergen. PM me if you'd like to play a round and check it out. Here's are links to photos:

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/golfcoursepix/albums/72157673685243130

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/golfcoursepix/albums/72157631839670173

 

 

Otterkill Oct 2010.#1 par 5 from tee

 

Otterkill .#2 180 from right fairway bunker zoomed

 

Otterkill #4 from tee

 

Otterkill #4

 

Otterkill.#5 from 110 yards

 

Otterkill .#6 view back to fairway

 

Otterkill #7 par 5 from 200 yards out

 

Otterkill #8 pitch to green

 

Otterkill #9 par 3

 

Otterkill #13 par 3

 

Otterkill #15 pitch to green 60 yards out over hazard

 

Otterkill #17 par 3 180 yds from white tee zoomed

[NJgolfer11]

New to new jersey and currently in fort lee and looking for a club to join. Would be great for it to be close but I know most of the Bergen private clubs are expensive and hard to get into.

I work in northern rockland ny and take the palisades so anything in between home and there would be great. Wouldn't mind traveling a bit west too.

 

If anyone has any recommendations or insight that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

Check out Knickerbocker in Tenafly and if you can get a round in, do it. Probably my favorite course in New Jersey.

 

I was not impressed with White Beeches but it is worth checking out. Your opinion may differ from mine.

[gregkeller]

Bergen county from my experience living here for most of my life is that it's expensive for private golf. No idea what your budget is, but most of the options have been laid out here for you. If you are looking for a higher end club, I might suggest you look into Arcola. Coming from Fort Lee, Arcola is literally 100 yards off rt 4 in Paramus. I'd also suggest looking at Paramount if you are cool with something up in Rockland county. It's just south of High Tor state park and only a few minutes off the PIP.

[hobbes928]

I've played Manhattan Woods once and thought it was a great layout. Not sure on price though. It's located right off exit 7 on the palisades parkway.

[gregkeller]

Manhattan Woods is a great course. It is pretty expensive though, ~20k a year in dues I think and a 60k buyin. I have taken lessons from the pro there and I got to play most of the course during my lessons.

[hobbes928]

I've played Manhattan Woods once and thought it was a great layout. Not sure on price though. It's located right off exit 7 on the palisades parkway.

 

From Jason? I've taken a lesson from him too! He's awesome! As for your other comment suggesting Arcola, that's the one I have my eye set on joining when the time comes...

[gregkeller]

Yeah I started going to Jason about a year ago. Probably have had 6 lessons or so with him. He is great at breaking things down to one or two easy to incorporate swing thoughts that had an immediate improvement on my game. He really gets the swing and also how to help you understand it.

[philsRHman]

Potentially looking at relocating from central jersey to Bergen NJ, or Rockland or Westchester. Im really bummed to leave Glenwood, which isn’t perfect my any means, but it’s close, I like the challenging layout and it’s always easy to get out and play fast. And of course it’s sub-$5k for full membership.

 

Anyone have any sense of price at the clubs in this thread? Since my wife and son would be leaving their friends behind and we likely won’t buy another house with a pool, I’m thinking it’s time I try to step it up and find a place they can also enjoy. I just don’t know where to even start in terms of budget.

 

And as sad as it sounds, I might let a good golf option serve as a tiebreaker. Some of the towns we are looking at are within 20-30 miles of Tarrytown such as Suffern, Cortlandt Manor, Ossining and Yorktown Heights have gotten our attention, as well as some in NJ along the NW border and out toward West Milford.

 

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

[bbb7979]

Hi Jersey experts,

 

I accepted a job offer that involves relocation to Morris county next year. I am looking most seriously at homes in Florham Park \ East Hanover area. I am 41 years old IT executive for a Pharma company. It would be nice to be somewhere social and friendly as we do not have existing family or friend connections in the area. I have a wife who does not golf but would enjoy pool access. I have a 2 year old son, so too young to golf and maybe a few years from enjoying the pool but would love something that has long term potential as a family place.

 

I am a weekend golfer playing around 30 rounds a year plus a few club tournaments. I would be interested in joining a club nearby. I would like something nice but do not want to be on a waiting list or need to know somebody to get in, for price range I wouldn't want to spend more than 30k on initiation.

 

Looking on the map it seems like the following places would be close

 

Brooklake

Cedar Hill

Fairmount

Morris County

Canoe Brook

 

Can anyone help with any info about relative quality, cost, friendliness, and exclusivity of these places? Any recommendations? Thanks in advance

[ButterCutter2]

forget about cedar hill, not worth it. brooklake is affordable. the other 3 are very hard to get into and not cheap, def north of your 30k limit. i'd look into brooklake in great detail.

[PreppySlapCut]

> @ButterCutter2 said:

> forget about cedar hill, not worth it. brooklake is affordable. the other 3 are very hard to get into and not cheap, def north of your 30k limit. i'd look into brooklake in great detail.

You couldn’t pay me to spend time at Fairmount, but it’s the closest to your budget. MCGC and Canoe Brook are going to run more than double.

[Bonneville85308]

I don't know if anything has changed in the last 10 years, but at least as of the 2000s, Cedar Hill was a club centered around Jewish culture and an almost entirely Jewish membership. Not very "diverse" in that sense, but once again, I don't know if that's changed recently.

 

Rockaway River in Denville has a solid course that I've played many times over the years, I have no idea what the current membership fee situation is though.

 

> @bbb7979 said:

 

> Brooklake

> Cedar Hill

> Fairmount

> Morris County

> Canoe Brook

>

> Can anyone help with any info about relative quality, cost, friendliness, and exclusivity of these places? Any recommendations? Thanks in advance

 

 

[bbb7979]

Thanks to everyone who replied, the info is really helpful

[NJgolfer11]

> @bbb7979 said:

> Hi Jersey experts,

>

> I accepted a job offer that involves relocation to Morris county next year. I am looking most seriously at homes in Florham Park \ East Hanover area. I am 41 years old IT executive for a Pharma company. It would be nice to be somewhere social and friendly as we do not have existing family or friend connections in the area. I have a wife who does not golf but would enjoy pool access. I have a 2 year old son, so too young to golf and maybe a few years from enjoying the pool but would love something that has long term potential as a family place.

>

> I am a weekend golfer playing around 30 rounds a year plus a few club tournaments. I would be interested in joining a club nearby. I would like something nice but do not want to be on a waiting list or need to know somebody to get in, for price range I wouldn't want to spend more than 30k on initiation.

>

> Looking on the map it seems like the following places would be close

>

> Brooklake

> Cedar Hill

> Fairmount

> Morris County

> Canoe Brook

>

> Can anyone help with any info about relative quality, cost, friendliness, and exclusivity of these places? Any recommendations? Thanks in advance

 

The only course I have played in that list is Morris County. It is an excellent course with great facilities, however, you will be spending north of 30k.

 

Canoe Brook is WAYYYYY north of 30k.

 

Someone mentioned Rockaway River. I played it about 10 years or so ago in the state Amatuer. Not a very long course, but if you want a course that makes you focus on strategy and ball placement, its a good place. 30k should be about right. Give it a look.

 

Another you may want to check out is Roxiticus in Mendham. Excellent layout and they were redoing the inside of their clubhouse a few years ago.

 

Good luck in your search!