SPDB
Re: Due Process( from
www.nbc4.com)
The Golf Course:
The odd name of this ultra-exclusive club was taken from the horse farm that previously occupied the land. Robert Brennan, former head of First Jersey Securities, hired Johnny Miller’s architecture firm (yes, that Johnny Miller) to design the course, which opened in 1994. The philosophy was to make it difficult to get to the greens, but fairly tame once there. This was achieved by lining the wide, gently rolling fairways with very tall, penal fescue from which balls can often only be liberated with a high-lofted club and a chopping motion. The greens, while fast, are mostly flat, allowing many putts to be made. Mature trees and natural waterways add to the aesthetics of the otherwise links-style layout.
About five years later, Brennan ran into some legal and financial troubles, forcing him to auction off the course. In January 2001 it was picked up for a cool $21 million by current owners John Ferolito, CEO of Arizona Iced Tea, and Peter Gerhart, an investment company executive.
The course is always meticulously maintained and, because of the clay base upon which it sits, is normally very lush. One golfer familiar with the course says it has the nicest collection of par-5s anywhere. However, he also says it is “one of the hardest courses in the state,” citing its 142 slope rating. “And the hardest holes play into the wind.”
Besides using furlong poles to serve as yardage markers, there are other hints of the property’s equestrian roots. The clubhouse is a converted barn and doors that once closed horse stalls now hang in front of the lockers. By the way, it’s been said that Due Process has the nicest showers of any country club in the country. They’re those large, round, overhead kind.
The Membership:
Due Process is one of the most exclusive clubs in the state, if not the country. It’s 65 members (that’s not a misprint: it’s six, five) are multi-millionaires and billionaires. But unlike Donald Trump, these guys like to keep a low profile, and thus, an air of mystery surrounds the club. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone — members or staff — willing to talk about it.
Despite a club that employs a five-star staff including master chefs, the members prefer a casual atmosphere. In what must be an escape from their normally buttoned-up lives, many prefer to walk around in T-shirts and jeans versus collared shirts and slacks. After all, they need to be comfortable when they’re flying in by helicopter.
Our insider says that the initiation fee is $300,000 and will likely jump to $500,000. Annual dues are around $20-$25,000. The guest policy is very restrictive, “almost to the point of secrecy,” he says, but celebrities and big-name athletes are a common sight. But even if you were lucky enough to somehow score an invite to Due Process, you probably wouldn’t see anyone besides your group out there. It gets as little as two to four players a day.