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Black Bear Golf Club
Rating Snapshot
About
Black Bear Golf Club is part of the Crystal Springs Resort, which offers six other courses, though, it's hard to remember they're connected since they each offer a distinct character and look. Unlike Ballyowen and Crystal springs, two of the resort's most well known courses, Black Bear has more of a parkland layout. The course tumbles across rolling hills covered with trees, which come into play along the undulating fairways and greens. Water only comes into play on three holes but there are a whopping 65 bunkers coming into play. It's challenging but not frustrating. Both low and high handicappers will enjoy not only the golf course but also the beautiful scenery. Black Bear is one of the best values in the area and has garnered a strong local following.
| Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 72 | 6673 yards | 72.4 | 129 |
| Blue | 72 | 6334 yards | 70.7 | 126 |
| White | 72 | 5883 yards | 68.6 | 123 |
| White (W) | 72 | 5883 yards | 74.3 | 132 |
| Red (W) | 72 | 4785 yards | 67.8 | 120 |
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black M: 71.3/132 | 384 | 506 | 445 | 406 | 195 | 566 | 204 | 343 | 441 | 3490 | 382 | 148 | 385 | 555 | 164 | 275 | 496 | 389 | 389 | 3183 | 6673 |
| Blue M: 69.7/130 W: 75.3/141 | 369 | 484 | 422 | 396 | 185 | 535 | 193 | 311 | 420 | 3315 | 360 | 143 | 370 | 528 | 154 | 255 | 480 | 357 | 372 | 3019 | 6334 |
| White M: 67.9/123 W: 72.9/135 | 349 | 451 | 394 | 386 | 158 | 500 | 142 | 295 | 400 | 3075 | 335 | 123 | 350 | 496 | 137 | 234 | 455 | 340 | 342 | 2812 | 5887 |
| Gold M: 63.8/118 | 320 | 386 | 371 | 315 | 133 | 441 | 135 | 256 | 307 | 2664 | 281 | 118 | 340 | 368 | 114 | 230 | 384 | 275 | 302 | 2412 | 5076 |
| Red W: 67.5/125 | 240 | 382 | 329 | 310 | 120 | 437 | 122 | 251 | 305 | 2496 | 266 | 103 | 335 | 366 | 111 | 164 | 380 | 267 | 297 | 2289 | 4785 |
| Handicap | 9 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 17 | 13 | 7 | 15 | 3 | 8 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 6 | 10 | |||
| Par | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 36 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 36 | 72 |
| Handicap (W) | 11 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 17 | 1 | 15 | 13 | 7 | 8 | 16 | 10 | 4 | 18 | 14 | 2 | 6 | 12 |
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Reviews
Reviewer Photos
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Photo submitted by EQuiza34 on 05/28/2026
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Photo submitted by SoberDan97 on 04/10/2024
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Photo submitted by SoberDan97 on 10/31/2023
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Photo submitted by jul04 on 09/17/2023
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Photo submitted by fengbingolf on 06/03/2022
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Photo submitted by Keith2180142 on 05/27/2022
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#13 Photo submitted by DilonUnderPar on 08/17/2020
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#4 Photo submitted by DilonUnderPar on 08/17/2020
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Photo submitted by johnpmooney on 11/05/2014
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Photo submitted by u000006480491 on 07/19/2014
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Hole #7 Photo submitted by NiceBalls on 10/24/2013
Best course around
You're not going to find a more well maintained, beautiful course! A fun and challenging course. Doesn't get better than that!
in beautiful hilly country, this is an ugly course
Don't get me wrong. The course is reasonably well maintained. Tees, fairways and greens were all in at least average shape or better. But there is something lacking in the aesthetics of this course. The signature hole (7) a par 3 over water. Well the water is this murky shade of grey probably left over from some mining activity and the backdrop are all these high voltage electric lines that run straight thru the heart of the course. And the design seems very forced. Many times you can't park your cart near the green and sometimes you have to double back over the same cart path to get to the next hole. It is not hilly really since you are going along the valley but the sides of every hole seem to be hilly. And the course always seems to be parched in the areas that the sprinklers don't reach since i guess all the water runs down to the valley. I guess i would play here again if it were the only option but, for a resort course, it gives you the feeling you are on a muni.
Ok but..
First - I like the course design and the facility. Very scenic.
But I was annoyed with the pace of play and the requirement this day for cart path only as the course was dry and "cart path only" very much degrades the pace of play.
Good value for the money. Some par 4s are short which gives thought to something but the drive which is good.
Black Bear Review
Good course; fair value. This is the least expensive course in the Crystal Spring group.
Perfect day !
Great round, perfect day, greens just aerated only issue , otherwise beautiful course.
Great Course
The only issue I had was that the greens had just been aerated and were in pretty rough shape. However, The price for the day was heavily discounted for this reason. Might be worth avoiding when they're going their work.
This is a beautiful course with challenges from changing elevations and narrow fairways. On a busy day, the pace was pretty good.
The only other complaint is that the bunkers were in terrible shape. More rocks and dirt than sand. Some were like hitting off concrete.
BEAUTIFUL COURSE !
One of the NICEST courses around the North Jersey area FOR SURE !! Course was in almost PRISTINE CONDITION - fairways, greens, tee boxes were all in FANTASTIC shape. The only SLIGHT complaint is the BUNKERS ! Not much sand at all in them so you were basically hitting off of HARD PACKED DIRT ! I've seen this A LOT playing here AND in Pennsylvania so I guess making sure there's sand in the bunkers must be a lot more EXPENSIVE then you think !
Great Golf
Pace of play was really great played in 4hours. All player assistance employees were very helpful when needed.
HORRIBLE tee sheet management
11:57 tee time -- tee'd off at 12:20 thanks to an outing going on that they tried to put 4somes out in between gaps...we pulled into the clubhouse after 18 holes at 5:15. completely unacceptable.
we should've been given a free drink at least to ease the pain.
Where is the sand?
Great course but another year that the crystal springs resorts has forgotten that sand goes in the traps!!! Nothing but dirt and rocks...horrible. Might as well make them grass traps. Guess if we keep giving them money they don't care what material it is
Excellent Conditions
Great conditions-excellent shape.
Beautiful course
The course is a very narrow and not a lot of room to work with. Specially since most holes are driving. Other than that the course was beautiful
Black Bear, Vernon, NJ
Played Black Bear on Friday, June 4th with 2 friends. Course was in great shape. Staff were very helpful. Enjoyed having a free bucket of balls before play. I highly recommend this challenging course.
Black Bear
The course and staff were great, slow play killed the day, but the Minerals Spa deal with the round is AWESOME.
good day
good day for golf only drawback was the aerating on some fairways I know it has to b done just annoying
Excellent late season northeast golf
Given the time of year...12/27... course was plush and well groomed. Greens were in good shape.
Great Day
Even after the heavy rains the night before the course was in very good shape. We had great weather and an all around great round of golf.
Due to late season the price couldn't be beat. Will definetly play again.
