Rock Spring Club

I have been playing this course for several years., a few times when it was a private club..It’s a classic old 100 plus year old course designed by Seth Raynor.
The Town has done a good job of tuning this course up since it became public 3 or 4 years ago.
THE GPS ON THE NEW CARTS ARE TERRIBLE.!!
They are addressing a problem that doesn’t exist: Keeping carts from going too close to greens. The screen tells you don’t get closer than 30 yards from green but it goes off 80 to 100 yards from green and you have to reverse dozens of yards to get the thing to release.
Rip them out. everybody has range finders
And all you have to do is put white stakes up where cars should exit the fairway which work just fine.
Also, the rates have been jacked up, which is disappointing. A little moderation on that front would be appreciated..

Played in a small outing with a group at this course. Used to be private, now is public. Lots or promise, but current price doesn't reflect conditions.

Not many public Seth Raynor courses to play so it’s always great to get a chance to play. Course was in good shape and had some tough pin placements. They are doing work on the cart paths but that’s no big deal. Only small issue is some workers just drive around not looking or paying attention. Grab a bite to eat in the restaurant after the round

Course is a terrific golden age gem designed by Seth Raynor and finished by Charles Banks. Course had most of his famous template holes except the Biarritz. Conditions were a little spotty, but everything else makes up for it!

I have been playing this course since it first went public, I believe 3 years ago. As one of only 2 public Seth Raynor designs (and with the other costing several hundred dollars per round), I want this place to succeed so bad. Each year since going public has seen the conditions gradually deteriorate. The prices go up, but the conditions get worse. The fairways have lots of dead patches, crab grass patches, and clover patches. The rough is non-existent in parts. I mean, there's grass there, but it's not "rough," it just slightly longer than the fairway. At on point I had a lie in the rough that was better than any fairway lie I had, as the ball was sitting up perfectly as if on a tee, and not in the way you sometimes get lucky, this was just the nature of this patch of rough. The rough was splotchy in other parts. The greens generally were rolling good and true. On the plus side, it appears they've heard the message about the bunkers and are in the process of replacing the sand throughout. Hopefully they'll take the time to put some love into improving and maintaining conditions throughout the rest of the course to give this Seth Raynor gem the conditions it truly deserves.

Played here for the first time in a few years, when it was private and now is a municipal course. I like the course overall - it is challenging enough for me and most golfers with a nice layout. I have heard from others that the course always seems to be wet and muddy and this was true when I played. There was also goose crap everywhere - on a couple greens it was bad enough that we could not putt without kicking it aside which is terrible. I hope they can improve the conditions as I'd love to play it again.. The course did not seem too chewed up with the increased traffic it must be getting as a muni.

I have played this course a few times now starting shortly after they opened to the public. The conditions have not improved but have gotten worse. I don't know what it was like as a private club but the course has poor drainage with standing water on the course a couple of days after rain, that combined with carts on the fairways is not good.
The city is not treating the course like the gem it could be but still charging a 5 star price. For the money there are better places to play.

Rock Spring Club is the place to go if you want to play a pro-level course built for the average golfer. The layout features many of the template designs, including the Bottle, the Leven, the Short, the Redan and the Eden, and geometrically-shaped greens and bunkers for which Seth Raynor is most noted. Golfers are presented with well-placed hazards that require some thought or precision shot-making in order to avoid, but the wide fairways and generally short holes make the challenge manageable for the average player. As with all good course designs, there are bad misses and good misses, and there's always a way to play it safe and make a par. Greens are moderately contoured, but play fairly difficult if you aren't close.

We played in the afternoon following drenching rain overnight, so the course was very soggy in spots and the greens were exceptionally soft, but putts rolled pretty well. Fairways were mostly good condition, but there were a few areas that were under repair. Tee boxes were in mostly-good shape.

We played on a Wednesday, starting after 2PM when the rate drops to $59. For that price, this course is an exceptional value. On weekend mornings, the rate climbs to $99 which might be a little bit steep.

We got through 9 holes of the course until the heavy rain came down and they told us we could either walk or leave. The course is not designed for cart path only rules so the cart we paid for was useless. The ranger told us we would get 50% of our money back if we decided to head back to the clubhouse, when we went back they provided the money back but ONLY as a future credit at the course.

I understand that it is August in a busy golf summer, but the course was way too over priced for a what they offered. It should have been half the price of what it was like other public courses in the area.

Township needs to put some TLC into course!
For green fee charged not a well kept course.

Structure and challenge of course excellent, however not worth the green fee for course that needs a lot of care. Tee boxes loaded with crab-grass, driving paths horrendous conditions, several fairways need re-conditioning. Drive up appeal .......thought I was going to play at abandon course..
Township needs to fix up.... could be a gem of a course in near future.
Would not recommend until they get the place a much needed face lift.

Great layout, greens are pretty quick: would highly recommend with the exception of the landscaping crew who blatantly disregard golfers and leave their engines on, etc.

I’ve played the course maybe 4 or 5 times now. Obviously I’m a fan because I continue to return. The layout is fantastic, hilly with some huge greens. The bunkering is fantastic, although due to Covid they don’t get the treatment they deserve and need. The greens were the best I’ve played so far this summer. Rolled great, not fast but certainly not slow either. The fairways were probably as good as they could’ve been. Some tee boxes were a little scraggly, but otherwise very good. Will definitely be back as long as maintenance is sustained.

I have played this course a couple times when it was private. This year, i started playing just about once a week since they opened up post COVID. At first, the conditions were moderate but i was under the assumption it was because of the weather transition of spring-summer. Each week i played, the course conditions got better and better. Very big fan of Rock Spring

When I played it, we were still in the normal world and expecting a great Golf season! I can only imagine it is even better now but it was a great experience and layout. Hope to make it back soon to play it while plush & green.

This course was re-opened during the past year or so and was originally a Country Club that the Town of West Orange took over. They need to redo the clubhouse, especially the outside, but inside is coming along nicely. The course itself is very nice, with challenging holes, and some moderate easier holes. Really enjoy playing this track and rarely have a difficult time getting on. Especially love holes 4 and 5 (just over the road) as they are long, wide and good scoring holes, followed up with 6 which is a little tricky Par 3 from an elevated green.

When it comes to the course itself, it was a pleasure playing Rock Spring. A formerly private course, the conditions were great, the weather was beautiful, and the sights of NYC and scenery phenomenal. When it comes to the golf, I really enjoyed it.

My day unfortunately had a damper put on it from the moment it began, however, when my new Bushnell Rangefinder was stolen off my bag while on the putting green. The course was busy the day I played. My group was next off the tee, and I pulled my cart up next to the putting green/ 1st tee to putt around while waiting to tee off. While putting, a staff member (without me knowing) got into my cart and moved it back to the entrance to be next to the other carts. After a couple minutes I went to go back to my cart and realized it was gone. I walked back to the entrance and found it there. I asked why my cart was moved and they told me that the carts have to wait there as to not block the path to the 1st tee. No big deal, no harm no foul. I then went with my group to the 1st tee, hit my tee shot and drove to my ball. When I went to grab my rangefinder, I realized it was gone. I knew I had just taken it out of my bag 10 minutes ago (I always keep it in my bag and take it out while waiting on the 1st tee when I grab my tees, divot tool, ball marker, etc) so I went back to see if it fell off the cart anywhere. Unfortunately it was gone, and no one had seen it, and it never showed up again. The only thing I can think of is that someone, whether it be another player or a staff member, must have unclipped the rangefinder off my mag and taken it. These things happen, its unfortunate, and I do not hold it against the course. But it definitely put a damper on my day and left a sour taste in my mouth.

Rock Spring was a Private club that went public this year. I had a tee time for 230pm which is when rates go down to $47.The pace of play was great. We may have waited a minute on 1 or 2 holes.
The course was very challenging. The funny thing was, they aerated few days earlier and I still had a great round.
I cant wait to play the course again.
Oh, and the 19th hole was so relaxing!!

Used to be a nice private track, but since it went public went way down hill. Divots and ballmarks all over the place, greens slow and no sand in traps. I was disappointed to say the least and not worth the 90 bucks they charge on the weekend.

Course was saturated after all night rain night before. Walking only was the rule of the day. Golfers have to start taking care of the course replace divots and fix ballmarks or the course wil be destroyed in a year.