[mark chalfant]

This remarkable course is a splendid walk in the park helped by Ron Prichard's restoration

rolling land
great routing
wonderful maintenance meld and texture
very fine green complexes

numerous great holes such as 4,7,9,13,17, and 18

any thoughts ?

[Paul_Turner]

Mark

I did have a very brief look at it (forgot to tell you).

I thought the EDEN at Morris County was the best hole of that type I've seen from Raynor and Co.  Very tough too.

[Matt_Ward]

No doubt you are correct. The nature of the terrain is quite unique and the varied holes -- particularly when you reach the 7th tee with the "Big Ben" hole is really where the qualities of Morris County begin to shine.

Few people evere play it because so few know about it.

It is without question a layout that any Seth Raynor fan should play when in the area.

Mark -- you also need to include holes like #8 and #10. Let me put it this way -- the four consecutive par-4 holes encountered starting with the 7th are easily among the best you can play in the Garden State IMHO.

[Donnie Beck]

Does anyone have photo's of the short and PunchBowl?

[gookin]

Where is this course located and how do you get access to play?

[Brian_Gracely]

Where is this course located and how do you get access to play?

http://www.golfcourse.com/search/coursedtl_ga.cfm?clubid=10735&courseid=10748&source=GA&start=1&count=10&sort=clubname&usstate=NJ

[Mike Hendren]

Cool pics:

http://www.earthforce-gcm.com/morris_county_country_club.htm

Check out the mounding behind the 7th green.  I dig it.

[mark chalfant]

David, the course is in Convent Station, NJ which is about
30 miles west of midtown Manhattan.

[ed_getka]

Mark,
    Great call on Morris County. Matt Ward took Baxter Spann and me out there after the winter meeting, and we quickly toured a few holes. I loved it from the minute we started walking up the first fairway. The first is a shortish par 4, where you tee off over a large swale to a rollercoaster fairway with lots internal humps. The approach is into a green that is sliding away from you from right front to back left. Guarded in the front left by a bunker. The course starts right out testing your short game and ability to control the ball.
     Behind the first green was the 4th green, which is a double plateau, sort of set up as you approach it like a capital L. The long part of the L has a raised plateau at the back and is flanked on either side by bunkering, and is maintained such that a misplayed shot can roll off into the bunker (without hanging up in collar and rough). More later, I have a sick child to attend to.

[Donnie Beck]

"Check out the mounding behind the 7th green.  I dig it."

Mike,

That mounding behind the No. 7 Reconstructed Green is ( Or WAS) the punchbowl.  I don't know about anyone else, but that is the first time I have seen bunkers inside a punchbowl ??

[Matt_Ward]

Morris County Golf Club is the kind of layout that raters -- and those who are equally passionate about the game -- should find the time to play.

With all the hoopla tied to the latest GolfWeek ratings the focus too often is on the "big name" or "star" courses that exist. What then follows is the "herd" mentality to reaffirm all the pre-buzz that's ben generated.

Morris County will never host a major or PGA Tour event. It is not a big ticket item in Jersey golf circles for many people who often either don't know anything about it or dimiss it from ignorance because the total length is less than 6,500 yards.

However ...

Morris County provides plenty of the details that some people fawn over in terms of Seth Raynor designed courses. I'm not holdoing up Morris County for sainthood but when I see all the ink that Shoreacres gets it makes me wonder what people see with the Chicago area layout and miss from the one in Jersey.

Morris County has many devilish little bunkers --- the ones behind the 7th green are a good example. You also have the unique green contours that few Jersey courses can match -- just check out the fascinating combo of rolls and movement you get with the long par-4 9th.

Let me also mention the unique closing holesat Morris County. The par-3 17th is well done and the mid-length closing hole at 412 yards is a solid end to your round. The blind approach is well done and the solitary bunker that hangs a number of yards in front of the green is also well positioned.

If raters are to be doing their homework it should come from unearthing courses like Morris County. No -- I would not have the course among the state's top 20 courses but that's only because the depth of courses is thaaaaat deep. Morris County provides a "fun" spect that a range of players would enjoy.

If people are interested in touring the course I'd be happy to assist with the appropriate contacts as I did for Baxter Spann and Ed Getka when they were in Jersey for the Winter Conference.

[ed_getka]

I don't know if #7 was ever a punchbowl, but that ridge that encloses the back and right side of the green is probably more for containment purposes as the ground falls away dramatically behind the green. I don't care for the look of it, and the multiple, small, relatively shallow bunkers at the back seem out of place to me. The bunkering to the right of the green seems more appropriate.Playing the tee shot on that hole is quite interesting, and blind, as are a number of tee shots at Morris County. Once your drive gets over the crest of the first rise, the fairway tumbles down towards the green in roller coaster fashion, so you can never be sure whether you will have a flat lie, downhill lie, or blind approach in. I think the topography of the hole leading down to the green probably fools people into underclubbing the first few times they play there. A good challenging hole, other than the embankment and bunkering I noted earlier, that seem out of place.

[ed_getka]

Matt,
   I know I saw at least 3 blind tee shots on the holes we looked at. How many are there in the 18?
 
   For a shortish course, Morris County has an interesting mix of holes. From short holes with devilish greens to long stout par 4's that will keep even the long knockers honest.
   After seeing a few holes at MC I began to get the same feeling I have about North Berwick, where I know I will always be excited to play another round. Its not a "championship" course, but I doubt few here would get bored playing it.

[Donnie Beck]

Matt,

I agree Morris County is a great track and is very fun to play, but what other course did Raynor design all these numerous little bunkers you are talking about? Am I missing something about this restoration or Renovation that others are seeing?

[Matt_Ward]

Ed:

If memory serves there are no less than five (5) on the course -- the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 7th and 18th holes where a blind tee shot is involved.

Whjat's interesting is the varied nature of the different blind shots. Nothing is the same between them all.

The only weak aspect of Morris County is the par-5's -- they are Ok although the 2nd is quite unique courtesy of the hilly terrain.

Donnie:

I never said Morris County was a 'great track' -- it's a fine course where the fun meter is a real treat for all levels of players. Some of the small bunkering you see at Shoreacres reminds me of what is there at Morris County -- one of the better instances at Morris County is the small dot of a bunker that exists at the 225-yard mark on the 1st hole -- how neat is that bunker !!!

You would also find similar type bunkering at Camargo just outside of Cinncy -- ditto with Fisher's Island.

The thing that makes Morris County work so well is the pacing of the holes and the nature of the property. Everything fits as snugly as the words on a NY Times crossword puzzle.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Dave Gookin,

I can arrange for you to play there.

Mark Chalfant,

Morris County is quite enjoyable, both sporty and challenging due to the varied nature of the holes.

It starts off benign, short but tight, and then turns into a bear and then goes back and forth between the two.

A short, a reverse redan and other neat, interesting holes make it fun to play.

It's another of a good number of oustanding courses in the area that few have ever heard of outside of the area.
Hidden Gem ?  Absolutely.

If it has one shortcoming, it would be the range, but, that's not a terrible shortcoming.

Donnie Beck,

One of the last times I played those holes my scores totalled 3, so I'm partial to them and the golf course.

[gookin]

This site just keeps on giving.  I hope I can take you up on your offer some day.

[Tags:]

Tags:

[Tags:]

Tags:

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()