Running Deer Golf Club

the greens have 5 different grasses it feels like and they have patches all over of different colors. because of this they roll horribly. ball bouncing all over the place and pace is fast slow fast slow all on 1 putt. teeboxes aren't level on some of the par 3s and if your off the first cut the grass is clumpy. hopefully this is just because of winter conditions but I have a hard time believing that with how patching the greens and rough are.

Played this course over 25 times. This past year they have made it a point to squeeze out the public both in tee times and price. If you’re a non member, you can’t get a tee time until the afternoon. It’s also quite common for the members to play in groups of 5 and 6 and clog up the course.

The latest issue was the course being cart path only on 12/28. We had two disabled in our party and were told there was nothing they could do for us, and were not allowed to have handicap flags as there were cart restrictions on the course. However, the conditions did not warrant cart path only. For example, I played Centerton, literally 1 mile away, two days prior, and that was dry enough for carts. Two days later with no rain, can’t imagine why it would be cart path only.

Anyway, very disappointing here lately . Squeezing out the general public, no consideration for the disabled, rising prices, no tee times, etc. E - A - D!

I am in the golf business and play a lot of golf, this course with public access is a hidden gem. The course is in magnificent shape and the Pro shop is better than many private clubs. The only downside is the course is located in the middle of nowhere., But when you get there you will be pleasantly surprised

A party of three foursomes started ahead of our group - a twosome. The first two foursomes made decent time, but the foursome in front of us lost contact with those ahead. This last group would not let us through even though it had fallen several holes behind. I don’t know what Running Deer could have done — maybe have someone check on large group’s pace of play because they potentially can clog pace of play for the entire course. After the round, one member of the group apologized. His reason not to let us through was the three foursomes wanted to stay together (though the last group had clearly fallen behind). Maybe a lesson learned is when getting a tee time, check for large groups. Overall, the course design is one of the best in South Jersey. No complaints! Will definitely return..

Great course. The staff was incredibly friendly. Love to have more Hot Deals available. It’s definitely Jaworski’s gem.

We originally came here to take part in the Junior series that they were offering on Mondays, however when we got there we found out it was cancelled which my son was disappointed. We did however Golf by ourselves and with ron jaworski golf pass and his youth on course card we only paid $30 and had the golf course mainly to ourselves, it was wet and drizzling however the course was very playable must have great drainage. It was challenging for me being a below average golfer, but my 12 year old son did well and the fairways were in great condition, the greens perfect and traps a little flooded but in good condition. We will be back in spring for their Junior series again.

I have played here many times (had a then career round of 77 first time there a few years ago) and always enjoy the variety of the holes. The greens are really tough if you are out of position on them. On this day the course was really wet and it was cart paths only (except for the senior foursome in front of us which we assumed were members). It was a lot of tough walking on soggy turf as I don't have skill to hit near cart path on every shot. Combined with wind this older guy was worn out at the end of the round. Highly recommend. Have some photos but they are in my phone.

Pace of Play: 4:30 on a Sunday afternoon, seems about right for this difficult course.

Conditions: It has rained a few days before and the course seems to hold water pretty well so the fairways and tee boxes were a little hairy. Greens rolled at an average pace but were a little bumpy. Overall not bad.

Layout: Great layout, the epitome of South Jersey "Pinelands Golf" with tons of bunkers and VERY UNDULATING GREENS. I'd say about half the holes were pure target golf. The course is set on a nice property and you only see the hole you're playing on for the most part. Unique and challenging layout.

Staff Friendliness: No complaints; everybody was very pleasant.

Amenities: Being a semi-private course, the amenities are very nice; grass range, two practice putting greens, a halfway house for food/drinks and a nice indoor restaurant/bar. Only needs a bigger short game (pitching/chipping) area to get a 5-star.

Overall: A great course; it's classic Pinelands golf and easily Jaworski's best course. Don't let the distance from Philadelphia scare you away, it's an easy drive and worth the hassle. Just be prepared for challenging greens!

Greens are gigantic and undulating. Knowing distance to pin is critical to avoid 60ft putts. Pin locations didn't match flag on a few holes which was somewhat annoying. Fairways and greens were in good shape. Tees on driving range were mostly dirt.

I tried out Running Deer for a mid week round on my day off. You can tell just by looking at a few holes when driving up to the clubhouse that this is a prime facility. The course was emerald green and had gotten a pretty good soaking the night before.

The staff was professional and pleasant when I arrived and the locker room is what you'd expect from a nice private club. I played the first 9 with a member and the back nine with 2 very nice daily players like me.

Every hole at Running Deer is cut out of the tall pines and framed by them. You'll notice tons of traps and waste areas but the fairways are extremely generous in most places. You'll need excellent distance control with your drives and approaches to keep out of the bunkers. There is some high fescue if you miss which is difficult to get your club through.

Most of the holes are straight with few doglegs. The hard part of the course is the enormous undulating greens. You have to keep your shots on the right tiers of the greens or 3 putting will be routine. The greens were a bit slower than anticipated and that could be due to the overnight rains. If you have a good short game, you can get up and down as there is ample room to wedge it close when you miss a green.

The cart girl had a very well stocked cart especially with liquor and she was very sweet. There was plenty of cold water to drink on the course at the tee boxes which was a nice bonus.

If you play the back tees, the course is much tougher and I played with the rest of group from the white tees at 6400 yds.

The course is visually stunning and in excellent condition even though the greens were a little spongy and soft from the overnight rain.. I'll be back soon!

Jaws has done a masterful job taking over this fine layout. Some good changes (landscaping ,& playability behind & waste area on hole 9, improved bunkers & excellent greens. I did not like that they removed the front bunker on 8 & waste area on hole 3, that makes the greens way to easy to access. Conditions where very good will be prime in 1-2 weeks for qualifier. If you get a chance to play this gem hidden in deep South Jersey, I recommend it.

This is a top quality design and it is kept in great condition. If I lived closer I would be there a lot. No two holes are even remotely alike and every hole is a challenge. No really easy holes.

What challenging greens. Very large and undulating so make sure you are on the right level if you want a makeable putt. The conditions of the fairways and greens were great but the tee boxes could use work around white tees. Fairway bunkers are placed very strategically around this course and make you think off the tee. If I am nit picking, I was not pleased with the par 5s. All four of the par 5s made it nearly impossible to reach in two as unless you can carry it 270+ you had to layup to specific positions. It would be nice for at least one of them to be a grip it and rip it hole.

For the money, you cannot beat this course. The conditions are outstanding, the greens can be evil. That's what makes it fun. Lot's of dirt, lot's of trouble. Makes you use all your clubs.

This course is serious bang for the buck. It's hard, but that's what makes it worth the money. Conditions were great, the greens can be diabolical. The staff was as friendly as you could ask for. The pub has great food.