Ballyowen Golf Club
About
Ballyowen Golf Club is an homage to the great Scottish links courses, the place where golf originated. The course sprawls across 250 acres of rolling farmland that overlooks the Walkill River. The layout tumbles through valleys and hills, staying as true as possible to the natural contours of the land. Much like a traditional links golf course, the virtually treeless landscape is accented with craggy knolls. The challenging layout features lush green fairways that contrast beautifully with the pristine white sand bunkers and golden patches of rough that border the greensides. There are also water hazards that come into play on five holes. Ballyowen has earned the title of New Jersey's top public course and Golfweek has even ranked it as one of the top 50 courses in the country.
| Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 72 | 7094 yards | 74.1 | 134 |
| Gold | 72 | 6508 yards | 71.5 | 130 |
| Blue | 72 | 6066 yards | 69.4 | 125 |
| Blue (W) | 72 | 6066 yards | 76.4 | 137 |
| White | 72 | 5531 yards | 66.9 | 119 |
| White (W) | 72 | 5531 yards | 72.1 | 129 |
| Red (W) | 72 | 4903 yards | 68.7 | 123 |
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black M: 73.7/140 | 378 | 342 | 567 | 196 | 560 | 203 | 473 | 420 | 423 | 3562 | 513 | 195 | 350 | 395 | 480 | 212 | 451 | 520 | 416 | 3532 | 7094 |
| Gold M: 71.6/133 | 351 | 312 | 546 | 180 | 530 | 174 | 384 | 395 | 393 | 3265 | 482 | 161 | 328 | 360 | 448 | 167 | 420 | 490 | 387 | 3243 | 6508 |
| Blue M: 69.4/129 W: 74.6/137 | 328 | 282 | 505 | 159 | 509 | 159 | 347 | 374 | 364 | 3027 | 460 | 140 | 315 | 338 | 409 | 143 | 394 | 475 | 365 | 3039 | 6066 |
| White M: 66.3/119 W: 71.6/131 | 293 | 271 | 457 | 150 | 459 | 122 | 321 | 330 | 324 | 2727 | 446 | 109 | 286 | 321 | 394 | 111 | 374 | 425 | 338 | 2804 | 5531 |
| Red W: 68.8/124 | 286 | 212 | 423 | 95 | 422 | 107 | 285 | 283 | 282 | 2395 | 396 | 87 | 247 | 303 | 354 | 99 | 355 | 357 | 310 | 2508 | 4903 |
| Handicap | 13 | 11 | 3 | 17 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 18 | 14 | 8 | 4 | 16 | 2 | 10 | 6 | |||
| Par | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 36 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 36 | 72 |
| Handicap (W) | 11 | 13 | 1 | 17 | 3 | 15 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 18 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 16 | 2 | 10 | 8 |
Course Details
Rentals/Services
Practice/Instruction
Policies
Food & Beverage
Bar, Snacks, Restaurant, Beverage CartsLodging
Lodging AvailableAvailable Facilities
Clubhouse, Spa, Showers, LockersReviews
Reviewer Photos
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Photo submitted by u314160982379 on 08/24/2023
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Photo submitted by u314160982379 on 08/24/2023
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Photo submitted by rich4par on 06/07/2023
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Hole 1 Photo submitted by ArtofWar347 on 05/27/2023
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Photo submitted by underqover on 06/23/2021
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Outstanding views Photo submitted by Amirosenfeld1 on 12/18/2019
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Hole 2 Photo submitted by bledsoe2000 on 12/06/2019
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Photo submitted by LICC on 08/25/2019
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Photo submitted by LICC on 08/25/2019
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Photo submitted by LICC on 08/25/2019
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Photo submitted by LICC on 08/25/2019
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Photo submitted by LICC on 08/25/2019
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Photo submitted by LICC on 08/25/2019
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#1 on the railside Photo submitted by Brian8324235 on 06/13/2013
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6th Green Photo submitted by agurango on 05/24/2013
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14th Tee Photo submitted by agurango on 05/24/2013
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13th Fairway Photo submitted by agurango on 05/24/2013
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Ballyowen: view of clubhouse. Photo submitted by Vinh4484263 on 04/23/2013
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Photo submitted by null on 10/04/2012
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Photo submitted by null on 10/04/2012
Great facilities great view & layout
Always pleasure to play in top notch course like at ballyowen
MUST PLAY
Thanks to GolfNow for allowing those of us on a limited budget to play courses of this caliber. Stellar layout, fair but demanding. Impeccable conditioning. Welcoming staff. Everything that golf should be. Favorite course in NJ. Played Bethpage Black the day before. Ballyowen can hold it's own against any course in the area.
tough greens
very pretty and fair but must stay in play
Greens
For 156 dollars per golfer we should have been informed that the greens were recently aerated and not rolling true...
Made the value very poor...
rate should have been discounted....
It is September
Played tonight for $40. 18 holes in 2.5hrs. Can't beat that. Greens are aerated and pretty rough. For $40 can't complain. Just want others to know before making reservations. Course is overall in great shape.
Love this place.
Wow..
Not a long course, but straight ball striking is a must. The native grass eats balls like a predator. The greens are very undulated and extremely fast. Very nice course.
Another great day at Ballyoween
The course is in great shape. The fairways are soft and the greens are fast and true. What more could you ask for from a golf course?
Play moved along smoothly and ranger were there to ensure speed was maintained. Really nothing to add they someone else hasn't already stated.
If you have never played here then it is an absolute must on your to play list.
Half Tobacco Road half Miaconmet makes for a tough day
Let me start by saying that I agree with everyone who says pace of play here is horrible. We waited on every tee on a Friday midday. The layout was fantastic though with few trees and some water but fescue everywhere. You have to stay on the short grass or you're in jail. The greens were quick but like most resort course a little torn up by non caring players. This is a top 50 course in my book and a good challenge of golf.
Mr. G
Excellent conditions on this day! (all around!)
Great course
What a beautiful course. Conditions were excellent and course was in excellent shape!
An Absolute Gem!!!
This course ranks, without a doubt, top 3 places to play in the NYC Metro area! The course is as close to perfect shape as you could get. The layout is fantastic. Staff are great. The price is reasonable. Can't ask for much more... One of my favorite courses that I could play over and over again.
Great course
Don't get to play here often but the course is in great condition . Booked a 1:30 tee time through Golfnow but did not know nor was informed that there is a member tournament going on at the same time. Had to start at the 13th hole and unfortunately did not get to finish the round due to weather..rain and lightning
The best public course in New Jersey? Might be
My expectations were high, which makes my experience at Ballyowen all the more impressive. I found the course beautiful, but even more important, it was also a joy to play, with no two holes alike. While the course has a bit of a links look and feel (complete with the course starter dressed in a kilt), it certainly doesn't play like a links course. There are a few shots you can bounce into the greens, but for the most part, this is target golf.
Ballyowen - Wow
Played the day after memorial day. When I woke up, ridiculous deals were plentiful on golfnow. I paid $18 for the first round. The course was so intriguing that I plunked down the regular twilight rate $50,00 for the second round. Shot a 92 the first time and an 88 the second. For some reason there was a fivesome I caught up to on the back 9, but it gave me plenty of time to put two balls in play and hit a lot of practice shots (otherwise it was relatively empty) If you've never been here (like I hadn't until yesterday), do yourself a favor and go. They never charged me the $3 resort fee and welcomed me down to the range where there are basically unlimited balls to go knock yourself out (unlike wild turkey, where you get 20 balls). The wind was light but strangely swirling and some of the pin placements were hard. The back 9 is definitely more difficult. 14-15 are some of the toughest par fours I have played (and long), 14 goes up a huge hill to a very guarded green and 15 plays a dogleg left to a another very guarded green. My other favorite holes are 6 (par 3 over water). Hit them straight or you will be mindlessly wafting through the fescue (which didn't seem as high as it could be) looking for your ball. There's two cuts of rough around the greens. The maintenance staff always seems to be working, I saw the greenskeeper out at 7 PM. 5 stars. two rounds for $68, no complaints here.
For some reason I still think Wild Turkey is a little more difficult, but maybe that's because for my first time at Ballyowen, I kept it straight.
The fescue eats the balls so keep it straight.......
Very enjoyable memorial day round, and it felt like my son an I were the only two players on the entire course. Went on to play Blackbear afterwards, but should have played this track twice instead. Will be back once the fescue dies down a bit.
2nd visit
Course was in great shape. Got out in the afternoon. There was an outing, hurting the pace of play. The marshal let me repeat a few holes, then the rest of the day was at my own pace.
Better Starter and Ranger Control
I don't know why they don't try and group people together to avoid backups that I have experienced every time I play there. I went as a single and there was a single teeing off right in front and no effort was made to team us up.
Also there were two groups that were slowing things down on the back nine and the ranger, despite riding around and seeing the back up made no effort to speed up play or eject the offending foursome(s). Why bother having rangers or starters if they don't do anything?
live up to its name
beautiful and well designed
Great Course, Awful Staff
Ballyowen is beautiful, challenging, well kept, and all around great course. Unfortunately, their staff is rude and make me reconsider playing there ever again. We were playing 13-15 minute holes with the closest group TWO HOLES behind us and the ranger followed us for four holes telling us to pick up the pace each hole, obnoxious.
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