Crystal Springs Golf Club
About
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.
| Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 72 | 6816 yards | 73.5 | 139 |
| Blue | 72 | 6395 yards | 71.4 | 132 |
| White | 72 | 5862 yards | 69.1 | 123 |
| White (W) | 72 | 5862 yards | 75.0 | 130 |
| Red (W) | 72 | 5073 yards | 70.1 | 126 |
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black M: 73.2/148 | 526 | 413 | 416 | 476 | 150 | 375 | 379 | 517 | 154 | 3406 | 399 | 185 | 494 | 164 | 561 | 131 | 416 | 397 | 378 | 3125 | 6531 |
| Blue M: 71.3/144 | 504 | 392 | 376 | 442 | 136 | 356 | 365 | 491 | 142 | 3204 | 369 | 181 | 457 | 132 | 536 | 120 | 390 | 382 | 363 | 2930 | 6134 |
| White M: 69.0/135 W: 74.9/138 | 482 | 333 | 342 | 398 | 123 | 339 | 331 | 456 | 135 | 2939 | 318 | 176 | 417 | 120 | 494 | 112 | 369 | 366 | 326 | 2698 | 5637 |
| Gold M: 66.5/129 | 448 | 313 | 301 | 370 | 109 | 309 | 314 | 421 | 104 | 2689 | 300 | 116 | 383 | 111 | 476 | 93 | 310 | 331 | 302 | 2422 | 5111 |
| Red W: 70.1/127 | 442 | 282 | 297 | 364 | 100 | 280 | 282 | 411 | 90 | 2548 | 279 | 109 | 380 | 97 | 452 | 85 | 305 | 318 | 251 | 2276 | 4824 |
| Handicap | 7 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 17 | 9 | 13 | 5 | 15 | 10 | 14 | 6 | 16 | 2 | 18 | 4 | 8 | 12 | |||
| Par | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 37 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 35 | 72 |
| Handicap (W) | 7 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 17 | 11 | 13 | 3 | 15 | 6 | 18 | 4 | 14 | 2 | 16 | 10 | 8 | 12 |
Course Details
Rentals/Services
Practice/Instruction
Policies
Food & Beverage
Bar, Snacks, Restaurant, Beverage CartsLodging
Lodging AvailableAvailable Facilities
Showers, LockersAccolades
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Golf Advisor: Top Courses in New Jersey (2015 #8)
Reviews
Reviewer Photos
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Photo submitted by kenygolf on 09/09/2025
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Photo submitted by u314160297385 on 08/17/2024
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Photo submitted by mstein81 on 08/23/2023
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Photo submitted by mstein81 on 08/23/2023
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Photo submitted by tkochester on 10/28/2022
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Photo submitted by tkochester on 10/28/2022
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Photo submitted by Joel3054231 on 07/29/2021
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#11 Photo submitted by DrOldSchool on 05/15/2014
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Photo submitted by matrixgroupusa on 05/15/2014
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Photo submitted by matrixgroupusa on 05/15/2014
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Photo submitted by ccsing on 10/10/2013
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Photo submitted by ccsing on 10/10/2013
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Photo submitted by ccsing on 10/10/2013
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Photo submitted by ccsing on 10/10/2013
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Photo submitted by ccsing on 10/10/2013
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Photo submitted by ccsing on 10/10/2013
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Photo submitted by u000001831352 on 06/26/2013
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Photo submitted by u000001831352 on 06/26/2013
Great Challenging Course
Like to challenge my game and this course was perfect for the day! I would recommend this course for hardcore golfers.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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!
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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).
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!
one of the hardest
Always a challenge to play this course. Moguls, side hill lies and undulating greens make this a difficult course.
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.
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.
Seaview Stay & Play Golf Package