Bergen Hills CC, River Vale NJ (formerly River Vale CC)

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

A Donald Ross front 9, Orin Smith back 9...pics....

This is a GREAT semi-private (you can buy a membership or just make tee times as a non-member) golf course, especially the Donald Ross front nine. The Smith designed back nine is also very nice, but not like the Donald Ross front 9. This course has a lot of risk-reward built into it. Take out your driver on number 1 and you had better hit it VERY STRAIGHT. The course is somewhat hilly, but nothing too severe. There are a few water hazards as well as a meandering stream that comes into play on 4 or 5 holes. The greens were playing on the slow side, slower than I expected them to be. The first thing people think when they play here for the first time is, "I'll overpower this place". Don't count on it John Daly, there is a lot of trouble lurking around the greens and the back nine is pretty tight and most all of the holes require some sort of precision shot making in order to shoot a good round. The score card was really cool, it was a replica of the 1931 scorecard to commemorate the course's 75th anniversary. The town of Rivervale, NJ is currently trying to use eminent domain to keep the golf course a golf course for residents and not more houses for an already overcrowded NYC suburb. The course's curent owners want waaaaay more than the course is worth (worth $12.5 million as a golf course, but worth probably 10 times that as a new residential development) as a golf facility. I hope the town wins, this is a CLASSIC, old school golf course that should stick around. Enjoy the pics...