Ballyowen Golf Club

Ballyowen Golf Club opened in 1998 as the crown jewel of Crystal Springs Resort in the Kittatinny Mountains of northern New Jersey, roughly 50 miles from midtown Manhattan. Designed by Roger Rulewich, the longtime lead design associate for Robert Trent Jones Sr., the course occupies a 250-acre treeless plateau with natural links-like conditions.

Rulewich designed Ballyowen to evoke the links courses of Ireland and Scotland. The exposed, windswept terrain is rarely found in the northeastern United States, and the course earned immediate critical acclaim as one of the best new public courses in America.

Ballyowen is part of Crystal Springs Resort's six-course collection, but stands apart as the most celebrated, offering a style of golf unavailable anywhere else in the New York metro area.

Ballyowen delivers a genuine links experience without crossing the Atlantic. The treeless plateau sits high in the Kittatinny Mountains, creating an exposed, windswept environment. Fescue grasses, deep pot bunkers, and firm running fairways encourage a ground-game approach.

At 7,094 yards from the tips, the course is a serious test when the wind blows. Mountain views are spectacular, particularly in autumn.

Wind is the primary defense. The exposed hilltop location means conditions can shift dramatically during a round. Keep the ball low and embrace bump-and-run shots around the greens.

Firm fairways provide generous roll, so consider less club off the tee on shorter holes. Avoid the deep pot bunkers at all costs, as many require a lateral escape.