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Barry Stern

  • Karma: +0/-0
New Jersey Golf - Upper Montclair CC
« on: May 17, 2010, 08:35:02 PM »
Hello all, my first post from here in NYC.  Avid golfer, but new to the golf architecture discussion scene.  I've done some reading on the site over the past few days and I'm amazed at how far i can sink into what for me will be yet another way to wax poetic about the game and its charms.  So I happen to love Tillinghast designs.  I have the pleasure to play Fenway (and to read the thoughtful review of the course on this site), WF West, Quaker, and Ridgewood (several times) - of all of these Ridgewood is my far and away favorite, combining some of secluded, wooded feel you get at QR, the beast-factor that you get at WF (i actually found some of the par 4's and 5's at Ridgewood far more bestial than those at WF, although i played WF at an outing so the tees were moved up), and the variety of terrain you see at Fenway.  But i've also had the chance to play the 3 nines at the Upper Montclair CC in Clifton, NJ several times a year and wanted to get some opinions about it.  I'm curious about it, as it's listed as an original Tillie design, but was later ravamped by RTJ Sr.  It does not feel so much like the more famous Tillinghast designs i mentioned above, yet for some reason i really love this golf course.  My friends always complain that its too narrow, too many trees lining the fairways (I say quit whining... if you hit the ball straighter, the course becomes much wider), but i love that feel along the fairways, i love the open fronts to many of the greens which allow, if you place your shot well, for running the ball up, and i find the green complexes fair, but quite challenging.  I was wondering what the knocks on this course are from an architectural / strategic standpoint, and people's thoughts on why it has not gotten more attention.  Looking forward to learning more and to being a part of this dialog and community.