Bowling Green Golf Club
About
Bowling Green Golf Club is in the heart of northern New Jersey, surrounded by miles of idyllic countryside. An abundance of mature oaks and towering red pines characterizes the scenic course. This quick, shady layout is a great round for walkers. The golf course has a classic links design that is easily played in less than four hours. Like most traditional links courses, the gently undulating terrain has the perfect pitch and roll. It also provides each hole with unique challenges that require accuracy and strategy. Trees heavily line the fairways, presenting some of the course's most formidable challenges. Bowling Green Golf Club's front nine is slightly more forgiving than the back nine, which incorporates the natural ponds and wetlands on a few holes. There are also some tricky doglegs to contend with.
| Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornish | 72 | 6863 yards | 73.2 | 134 |
| Tournament | 72 | 6584 yards | 72.0 | 129 |
| Member | 72 | 6399 yards | 71.1 | 128 |
| Club | 72 | 6244 yards | 70.2 | 127 |
| Club (W) | 72 | 6244 yards | 76.7 | 136 |
| Classic | 72 | 5763 yards | 67.9 | 121 |
| Classic (W) | 72 | 5763 yards | 73.5 | 131 |
| Forward (W) | 72 | 5034 yards | 69.3 | 124 |
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comish M: 73.0/137 | 359 | 379 | 227 | 491 | 357 | 428 | 434 | 215 | 480 | 3370 | 405 | 190 | 408 | 359 | 537 | 354 | 214 | 415 | 611 | 3493 | 6863 |
| Tournament M: 71.8/133 W: 78.2/138 | 346 | 371 | 203 | 480 | 347 | 418 | 423 | 201 | 470 | 3259 | 391 | 180 | 387 | 316 | 518 | 337 | 203 | 408 | 585 | 3325 | 6584 |
| Member M: 71.0/131 W: 77.2/135 | 346 | 371 | 196 | 480 | 347 | 396 | 398 | 176 | 470 | 3180 | 379 | 180 | 371 | 316 | 518 | 337 | 175 | 375 | 568 | 3219 | 6399 |
| Club M: 70.2/130 W: 76.3/134 | 334 | 355 | 196 | 456 | 330 | 396 | 398 | 176 | 461 | 3102 | 379 | 160 | 371 | 303 | 491 | 320 | 175 | 375 | 568 | 3142 | 6244 |
| Signature M: 68.7/129 | 334 | 355 | 178 | 456 | 330 | 372 | 378 | 157 | 461 | 3021 | 340 | 160 | 330 | 303 | 491 | 320 | 145 | 347 | 547 | 2983 | 6004 |
| Clasic M: 67.4/124 W: 73.2/131 | 300 | 339 | 178 | 432 | 321 | 372 | 378 | 157 | 438 | 2915 | 340 | 120 | 330 | 265 | 456 | 298 | 145 | 347 | 547 | 2848 | 5763 |
| Green M: 64.1/112 W: 69.0/122 | 298 | 290 | 178 | 420 | 271 | 301 | 295 | 117 | 368 | 2538 | 288 | 120 | 283 | 265 | 355 | 258 | 145 | 336 | 463 | 2513 | 5051 |
| Handicap | 17 | 13 | 9 | 5 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 11 | 8 | 18 | 4 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 10 | 6 | 2 | |||
| Par | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 36 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 36 | 72 |
Course Details
Rentals/Services
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Reviews
Reviewer Photos
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Photo submitted by zhugolf on 05/30/2025
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Photo submitted by Franco6968 on 11/29/2020
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Photo submitted by IanSalmon on 10/29/2020
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Photo submitted by IanSalmon on 10/29/2020
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Photo submitted by IanSalmon on 10/29/2020
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Photo submitted by IanSalmon on 10/29/2020
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Photo submitted by IanSalmon on 10/29/2020
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6th Tee Photo submitted by agurango on 05/24/2013
worth a play
give it a shot and you'll be happy. front nine is tight but not incredibly difficult. back nine is more open and long.
Wow
Took advantage of the Fall senior's special to play Bowling Green for only the second time this year. Well worth the hour's drive from Manhattan. The course is in pristine condition, and this is no hyperbole. My only concern is that the carts, which run fine, are really outdated . . . No GPS and, more importantly, no fillers holders for divots.
Nice course
Course is in great shape and the pace of play was excellent. I will be back to play this course before the year is out.
Great shape for a public course.
Booked on Golfnow for $38. Two other guys booked for $19, so there's deals to be found.
The course is in great shape.
Somewhat narrow fairways, lots of trees. Pin places were tucked in pretty well on some holes. Greens had lots of curves.
Pace was slow because a 3-some ahead of us were playing the tips, while not hitting it past the front tees on most holes. No ranger to move them along. Did get all 18 in before dark.
Hotdogs from the grill were good. Better than most courses.
Bunch of wildlife on the course. Was nice to see.
Second Review for this season, much better.
This is my second review of this course for this season. After playing here for the second time this season, I felt that the course was good. The conditions were very good.
Surprise
Course layout and the staff was very nice. I just wish I knew the greens were recently punched. I think the price should have been lowered to reflect the green conditions.
Front very different from the back, with both good challenges
The course was in good condition with a fairly narrow layout with the exception that we were surprised that the greens had been recently aerated and pretty hairy by sunday afternoon. . Perhaps that is why the great hot deal that day. The ranger was even pretty nice when he reminded me that carts are not allowed in the treeline.
Nice cloudy afternoon golfing with friends
Course conditions are in good condition. Fairway is narrow. Fairway bunkers are in play with lots of holes. We started with good pace. No one in front and behind us. We caught up a slow 4-some at 7 holes. The overall pace is OK. We manage to finish the round under 4 hours. The only complain is the aerating greens, which make the judgement of speed and break a little of difficult.
Long, but fair.
Course is always in great condition. Hole 4 is a strange dog leg left. Blind shot to shorten it, but you have to hit it very high and very long. Greens in nice condition. Some pin placements can be a challenge as several greens are mounded. Fairly open layout so you will find all your strays. Hitting fairways rewarded. Do not need driver on some of the par 4's. Most par 3's are longer than most. You will use all your clubs. Properly managing the course takes a few rounds.
Staff is friendly and helpful.
Great course
Very challenging layout. You need to be able to work the ball both ways to really shine here. The white tees are great for high handicaps but the entire layout is great. Great conditions, serene setting and great staff.
always a good test of golf
i enjoy playing the course because you hit ever club in the bag. greens are undulating so never an easy task to putt well there.
One of the best courses in NJ.
It is a great course with some of the most difficult Par 5's on Front and Back. Mid-Handicappers will easily score over 100 on this course. You have to play with a lot of skill but even bad shots can be recovered, mostly. Friendly people at check in. There's a driving range on the course. All in all a great experience and would love to play again.
Nice course 1 hr from Manhattan
Overall: A top choice within 1 hr of Manhattan
Pros: Tree lined course+greens in nice shape (should be beautiful in fall), amazing pace of play! (threesome in less than 4 hours on a Saturday morning)
Cons: Front nine a bit unimaginative, greens fairly pedestrian, on course facilities average
A well kept parkland course
Bowling Green is a course made for walking. It has very little in the way of elevation change, and yet it is varies in its layout and fun to play. It is well kept, framed by towering oaks and spruces. The rough is low and well-groomed. There are limited opportunities to lose a ball here, unless you hit into the water, which comes into play most prominently on 4, but also on 8, 10 and 12.
The restaurant/bar is great, very friendly, and so are the course personnel.
I've had two unusual experiences at Bowling Green. Last year, there was a black bear hanging out on the 17th fairway, and I had to play a shot about 50 years from him (her?). This most recent time, the wind was blowing hard as we started, and after hitting our first shots, a very large oak crashed down about 30 years in front of us. We all claimed free relief.
Fabulous course
I've played Bowling Green at least 6-10 per season and its always in great shape. The started, (Ed) is cordial and accommodating. Even those that are grooming the course while I'm playing quickly move out of range. My round has never taken more than 4 hours because that have a ranger that pushes slow play along. Only one hole layout, (4) is a bummer. It has a 90 degree dog leg. Tough to hit the green in 2.
pace
For a golf course, whose website emphizes, a 4hr 10 min round, they failed misarably. We teed off about 10 minutes late (we were on time), and the round took just under 5 hours.
If you are going to promote pace of play, then I would expect someone (anyone), to make sure that happens.
Beautiful wooded course
We played early. Pace of play was great. Played as a twosome and finished in 3 hours. That's right 3 hrs without rushing.
Good Condition, Good Layout
Took a chance as a single and it worked out for me, hooked up with 3 guys in their late 40's (I'm 66) who came to play golf. One guy was a 7 handicap. That particular day everything was perfect. Weather, pace of play (4 hours) condition of course all excellent. If you can hit the ball straight this course will suit you. Otherwise you will get frustrated. Some narrow fairways, doglegs, water, and woods make this course challenging. The greens played pretty fast and there are plenty of sand traps guarding them. Be sure to play from the appropriate tee box or the course will play too long for most golfers. I think it's an excellent course but overpriced.
Cart paths only?
Wouldn't it have been nice for them to let us know that it was cart path only. We may have chosen to walk if we knew. We only knew because an older gentleman drive back to the starter and asked where he could get a flag for his cart as he was not able physically to walk. Course was in really nice shape. It is always a fun round of golf at Bowling Green. It might have been nice if the half way house had remained open when we made the turn. The cart girls made 2 passes and then ended her day. But all in all an enjoyable experience
Well kept course with some challenging holes.
Played after heavy thunderstorms the night before so we were regulated to the cart paths. Unlike a lot of courses, these paths are smooth and well taken care of. Course drainage was great considering the amount of rain. Balls still traveled and the greens were consistent and were almost dry. Some tough water holes if you can't drive the ball. Pace was a bit slow but not outrageous.
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