Crystal Springs GC
Aerial view from Crystal Springs Golf Club.
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Rating Index Rating
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4.2
439 Reviews (439)
5 Stars
191
4 Stars
159
3 Stars
65
2 Stars
16
1 Stars
8
Conditions
4.0
Value
4.1
Layout
4.4
Friendliness
4.5
Pace
3.8
Amenities
4.4
86.6%
Recommend this course
373 out of 439 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.0
19 Reviews (19)
5 Stars
9
4 Stars
4
3 Stars
3
2 Stars
3
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.0
Value
3.9
Layout
4.3
Pace
3.6
Amenities
4.1
StaffFriendliness
4.4
84.2%
Recommend this course
16 out of 19 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.3
66 Reviews (66)
5 Stars
37
4 Stars
18
3 Stars
6
2 Stars
5
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.2
Value
4.2
Layout
4.5
Pace
3.9
Amenities
4.4
StaffFriendliness
4.6
90.9%
Recommend this course
60 out of 66 reviews
Read Reviews

About

Holes 18
Type Semi-Private/Resort
Par 72
Length 6816 yards
Slope 139
Rating 73.5

Crystal Springs Golf Club in Hamburg touts a reputation of being not only the most challenging golf course in New Jersey, but also one of the most challenging layouts east of the Mississippi. The site filled with water after its use as a limestone quarry in 1929, which formed the natural springs on the 10th hole that the course is named after. The layout is definitely a shot-maker's course. Carefully sculpted mounding that frames the fairways and greens defines each hole. There is also tall and gnarly rough treacherously guarding the tight fairways. The golf course sits just a few miles from New Jersey's highest point, sprawling across an undulating terrain that makes it difficult to find an even lie. One of the most notably difficult, and subsequently the most talked about, holes is the 11th. The hole is perched atop a cliff overlooking the Windsor Quarry.

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Course Details

Year Built 1992
Fairways Bentgrass
Greens Bentgrass
Golf Season Open: 3/15 Closed: 12/12
Architect Robert von Hagge (1992)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fees
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Golf School/Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Amex Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No

Food & Beverage

Bar, Snacks, Restaurant, Beverage Carts

Lodging

Lodging Available

Available Facilities

Showers, Lockers

Accolades

  • Golf Advisor: Top Courses in New Jersey (2015 #8)
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Reviews

4.2
439 Reviews (439)
Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great Challenging Course

Like to challenge my game and this course was perfect for the day! I would recommend this course for hardcore golfers.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Good weather
Used cart

Very scenic course

Pace of play was very slow,over 5 plus hours,waiting on every tee,ranger said he was trying to move people in front. Some greens were slow and others fast and most of the sand traps unranked and hard. I feel for the money charged they should rake the traps much more than they do.Gold tees for seniors would be nice.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 11
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Good weather
Used cart

nice course

Tees are in good shape
Fairways and rough are well maintained
Greens need to be cut lower. Green speed needs to be increased.
Bunkers need a lot of attention
Course has good holes

Conditions Good
Value Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 7
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Make sure to place your shots correctly

Tight fairways, and very undulating greens. Even if you hit a good tee shot you can be on uneven ground for the next shot. Make sure to hit to the proper tier on the green or else you could roll way away and have a crazy putt. Still a nice course. If you're looking for a leisurely round, this is not for you. Be mentally prepared for the necessary shot making

Conditions Good
Value Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 8
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Good weather
Used cart

Crystal Springs: Where no good shot goes unpunished

I have a love/hate relationship with this course. When I'm playing well I can't shoot a good score. When I'm not playing well the course destroys me. Very interesting designed holes. visually beautiful. Don't think I have ever seen more undulation in the fairways and rough on any other course in the area. Huge bumps that make it difficult to get a flat lie. The rough is deep and thick. When you finally reach the green then you have to deal with the slopes, tiers, and huge breaks. This course is not for the faint of heart. Should come with a warning sign. When you think you hit a perfect drive in the fairway just wait and see the crazy lie you have to deal with to get to the green. Don't expect to play this course well. But have fun with it.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 20
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Used cart

Fantastic Day

I play Crystal Springs once or twice a year, each time inviting a newcomer just to hear their expressions as drives with slight draws or fades deflect off the fairway moguls and leave unintended second and third shots into inviting greens. The course demand straight shots and precision if you hope to post a score close to your true handicap. The #2 hole on the classic side is by far one of the most scenic golf holes you will ever play. Overall a great experience.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 28
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

Challenging golf course but very enjoyable

In my opinion the most interesting golf course of Crystal Springs and probably the most challenging of the North New Jersey area. You really need to think about every shot, especially from the tee as is very important to place the first shot in the right part of the fairway. You need to be very accurate in every shot. Played following a day of heavy rain and course was in great conditions anyway. In addition even if I was the first on the course and played as a single did find only very few people working on the greens, which were all very well prepared. Even at the fill price of $85 I believe is a must play, more than Wild Turkey and Ballyowen.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Very challenging course

This was the first time I played this course and I cannot wait to go back there. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The only thing I did not like was the sprayers were on on the greens while we were playing and on some holes we had play through the sprayer. Overall it was a very tough course and certainly not for beginners. Highly recommended

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 9
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Walked

Crystal Springs is a bit out there..

I like playing Balyowen and Wild Turkey but this course is a bit out there...blind shots, tight holes...for me its a one and done...not that i hated it but its just something to experience once kinda like tobacco road in NC. Some scenic and beautiful holes though esp the down hill par 3!

Conditions Good
Value Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Challenging but great layout

Great course in great condition for a New Jersey public course. Tight fairways and large greens. Overall a fun and enjoyable layout.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Best course around!

A bit pricey but if you can get a good deal this place is fantastic!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Pretty Course

If the pace of play wasn't ridiculously slow this would have been an all around great round. No rangers seen to enforce pace and didn't see a cart girl until the back 9. Grabbed an overlooked, bone dry burger and an iced tea at the turn for only the price of a steak at Lugars. I.e. Expensive for the quality. Everyone was very nice though and the conditions were great.

Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

A great test for good golfers

The fairways were absolutely ridiculous. It was tough to have a decent lie with all the hills and elevation changes. I'm a 20-handicap and this course provided a great test to my game. Every shot needed to be carefully planned and executed. The greens were very fast and it wasn't easy to read the breaks. Overall, this was a fun layout and a great afternoon!

Conditions Good
Value Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Beautiful challenging course!

Amazing views. Well designed course except for the famous 11th hole was tucked behind trees for the ladies tees.
Hopefully next time it won't be.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Used cart

Great Views and challenging

The course is a nice track. The practice facility is nice and easy to get to. The course has a reputation of being challenging and lived up to that.
You need to be on your game when playing this course and keep the ball in or very near the fairway.
There are uneven lies in the fairways and some of the greens have large undulations and are difficult to read. Playing the course more than once will help scoring.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Fair
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 11
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Good weather
Used cart

Another Crystal Springs Masterpiece

If you have the chance to play any of the Crystal Springs' Resort courses, excluding minerals, take that opportunity. The original resort course, Crystal Springs (which is actually two 9 hole courses, classic and villages) is the second best course that the resort has to offer, behind Wild Turkey. The course has great diversity in hole layout, scenery, and is always in great condition. Anything around 30$ for this course is a steal. Plus all tee times come with complimentary range balls(~40 balls).

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Used cart

Major disappointment

My buddy and I played here last year and for some reason did not remember it the way it was this time. Course conditions were average at best. While the rough was thick the ground was rock hard. The greens are rock hard and fast... too fast and tricky for the average player. The course design does not reward good shots the way it should often leaving you an uneven difficult at best 2nd shot - From the fairway! Now, the worst part is the shot that is slightly off line (and I'm not referring to the shots I legitimately hit well off line that deserved what they got). The humps contour and moguls on and lining the fairways often take balls that should be off the fairway in the rough and kick them out of bounds and unfindable, though you generally don't know that till you go looking for it. Finally, approaching the greens and keeping the ball on... yesterday was - for my skill level (about 16 handicap most days) impossible. Chips that landed in the fringe rolled completely through and off the green. Approach shots that weren't sky high simply rolled 10, 15 or more feet past the hole.

So, full disclosure, I definitely did not play well and a couple of my lost balls were well-deserved. But the course stole a few extremely findable balls and the greens stole multiple decent or even very good shots and puts from our entire 4some. All in all a big disappointment and we will not play this course again, period.

OOh, almost forgot the kicker. Pace of play? Atrocious. Just about 5hours give or take 10 minutes. Rangers seemed unwilling or unable to monitor and speed up at least two slow groups in front of us.

We only paid $44 with the calendar card-thank God! If we paid $70+ I would have been reallllly ticked off. So I guess my final word is approach this one with a lot of caution!

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 29
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Good weather
Used cart

one of the hardest

Always a challenge to play this course. Moguls, side hill lies and undulating greens make this a difficult course.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 16
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Worth the ride

Hadn't made the trip up from Westchester in a while so took my son on a day trip and it was worth the ride. Not an easy track and in pretty good shape. Pace of play was fine. Bring your game or prepare to be humbled at Crystal Springs.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 46
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Used cart

just too slow

The course was excellent, beautiful, but even on a Monday, it took 5:20 to play. The one time the ranger stopped to talk, he thought the pace was OK.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
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