Hominy Hill

[Tim_Weiman]

I grew up in New York, but for some reason never made it down to Hominy Hill in Jersey despite its strong reputation while I was growing up. In fact, I probably heard more about it than Bethpage.

Forgive me if this issue has been covered, but I was wondering if someone could give an update on this course.

How good is it?
Is it still among the elite of muni golf?
Is it worth a special trip if you are in the NY/Phillie area?
What's the atmosphere of play like?

[Matt_Ward]

Tim W:

Hominy Hill is still worth a look but because of the number of new courses that have come onto the scene in the Garden State in the last 10-15 years I would say the course falls just outside a top ten public listing.

Nonetheless, the qualities of Hominy Hill really don't get going until you reach the long and demanding par-4 8th. From that point on you have a very good golf course even though much of it sits on dead flat land.

P.S. The par-4 10th and par-3 11th with water to the left are also strong holes.

In answering your question I would certainly say that Hominy Hill is easily among the top 25 muni owned courses in the USA. But just realize that muni golf has also evolved since the time Hominy Hill came into being. I would also keep The Knoll in Parsippany on yourt radar screen as another "muni" of considerable clout.

Tim, don't forget that the original qualities of Hominy Hill were as a very private club by the late Henry Mercer (he formerly used the land as a location for his prized Gurnseys) whose wife then passed on to Monmouth County (upon his death) to forever keep the course within the public domain.

[Tim_Weiman]

Matt,

Thanks. FYI, I think both Manakiki (Ross) and Sleepy Hollow (Thompson), the two best muni courses in Cleveland also began as private clubs. However, I beleive is was a lawsuit by former Senator Metzenbaum rather than generosity that accounts for the change.

Thanks also for word on the Knoll.

[Scott_Burroughs]

I thought I recalled hearing/reading that when Hominy Hill was private, it was a predominantly Asian club.

I played HH 6 years ago, and recall that it was a RTJ, Sr. design (?), with a number of strong, long par 4's.  It was also pleasantly open, with very few trees , especially in play.  But yes, it is also mostly flat.

[David_Tepper]

Scott-
I grew up in Long Branch, NJ, not too far from Hominy Hill, which I have only played once. I believe it is the only course to have hosted both the USGA Mens and Womens Public Links Championships, although I would not bet my life on that. In fact, I played it in June of 1995 and the Womens Publinx was played there later that summer.
As I recall, the history of the course is that it was built in the 1960s by one man (his name may have been Mercer) who was very big in the global shipping business. He did a lot of business with Asians and frequently entertained them at the country club at the Jersey Shore to which he was a member.
At some point he was told that his Asian business guests were not especially welcome at the country club. He then built Hominy Hill pretty much as a very, very, very private/personal club for use almost solely to entertain his Asian business clients. In all the times I drove by the course in the 1960s, I don't think I EVER saw anyone playing on the course. I doubt there were 1,000 rounds played a year when the course was owned by this gentleman.
At some point (in the late 1970s/early 1980s), the owner died and I believe his heirs either donated the course to Monmouth County or sold it to the county for a nominal amount.