Ballyowen Golf Club

Rated the #1 Public Golf Course in New Jersey by Golfweek, PubLinks, Zagat, New Jersey Monthly, NJ Golf and The Jersey Golfer, and 15th among the 50 Most Popular Courses in the US by Zagat, Ballyowen has received outstanding critical acclaim since opening in June 1998.

Situated on 250 sprawling acres atop a plateau, Ballyowen is surrounded by rolling farmland and craggy knolls, overlooking the spirited Walkill River. Virtually treeless with plush green fairways, Ballyowen reflects... [more]

Rated the #1 Public Golf Course in New Jersey by Golfweek, PubLinks, Zagat, New Jersey Monthly, NJ Golf and The Jersey Golfer, and 15th among the 50 Most Popular Courses in the US by Zagat, Ballyowen has received outstanding critical acclaim since opening in June 1998.

Situated on 250 sprawling acres atop a plateau, Ballyowen is surrounded by rolling farmland and craggy knolls, overlooking the spirited Walkill River. Virtually treeless with plush green fairways, Ballyowen reflects the Celtic-style characteristics of this most unique golf site.

Ballyowen has been masterfully sculpted out of the local landscape by renowned golf course architect, Roger Rulewich. Rulewich, an understudy of Robert Trent Jones for 34 years, created a links-style layout that provides a test for championship golfers, as well as a multitude of teeing areas to offer a fair challenge to golfers of all skill levels.

Greens and tees occupy high ground where the golfer can gaze in all directions and appreciate the panoramic beauty of the mountains of NJ's Sussex Skylands. Fairways wind serpentine through fescue-covered hillocks and knolls.


The links-style layout provides golfers with a kaleidoscopic array of verdant fairways, pristine white bunkering and wheat-yellow native rough grasses. Tee shots flow into unique valleys amidst towering mounds. Glimpses of surrounding golf holes recede and vanish as golfers meander from fairway to fairway. Interestingly, the 360-degree visual perspective is relieved only by play of the individual holes. Beware the player who pays too much attention to the scenery...each hole requires skillful navigation!

  iplawyertx - 9/13/09
One trip to Ballyowen and you can see why it's the #1 Public Course in NJ. The layout is top-notch, with diverse holes that present a challenge for golfers of all skill levels. We also got a break from the big time price tag of $135 (weekend) by bagging an online special- though I would go back in a heartbeat for full price, the course is that beautiful. Impeccably maintained even late in the season, and a day after receiving 2 inches of rain the course still played reasonably firm- greens are quick, but not too quick and the fairways were perfect.

  Shawn N - 6/11/09
A wonderfully maintianed course, but can be a little expensive. It is a great course to play if you can get a reduced rate or a twilight rate. Fairways are soft and the greens can be difficult depending on the flag, and green speed is average.

  Matt Otskey - 4/27/09
Pace of play is absolutely horrible. The rangers do not enforce pace of play. I suppose because they do not want to lose any $120 paying customers. Way over priced! I wouldn't suggest playing this course unless you are paying the twilight rates.

  pkirk - 12/4/08
Average links-style golf course in excellent condition (due to limited play) because of extremely expensive rates.
Other courses in Vernon Valley area are better values. Who cares about bagpipes.

  sspiegel - 11/2/09

  shamrock1421 - 9/4/09

  Jorge Calle - 6/26/09

  alexlee911 - 6/22/09

  edfranzone - 5/12/09

  Sal DiDomenico - 5/4/09