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Mike_Cirba

Paramus NJ had 81 holes of golf, now just 72
« on: January 24, 2009, 02:37:30 PM »
With Arcola Country Club lying just a few blocks south, Paramus had one of the densest concentrations of golf on the East Coast as this 1953 aerial shows.

In the east is the 27 holes of Ridgewood CC, and just west is the 18 holes of the former Saddle River CC (now the public Paramus GC) where US Open champion Cyril Walker was the first pro that coincidentally opened in the same timeframe (1928) as Ridgewood.   Just north of Saddle River is the Orchard Hills GC, also built in the 20s, but which today only has 9 holes as Bergen County Community College was built atop it.

We know Tillinghast designed Ridgewood, but there is no record of who designed either Saddle River or Orchad Hills, despite the fact that they were built almost simultaneously and despite the fact that zooming in on them shows clear signs of the involvement of a professional architect.

Hey Phil Young and you Tillyites...get on the case!  ;)

http://www.historicaerials.com/default.aspx?poi=3865

« Last Edit: January 24, 2009, 02:42:17 PM by MikeCirba »
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Mike_Cirba

Re: Paramus NJ had 81 holes of golf, now just 72
« Reply #1 on: January 24, 2009, 02:46:13 PM »
Of course, not all was peaceful in such a congested golf neighborhood;

http://select.nytimes.com/mem/archive/pdf?res=F30C16F63E5C16738DDDA10A94DD405B838FF1D3
« Last Edit: January 24, 2009, 02:47:55 PM by MikeCirba »
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Matt_Ward

Re: Paramus NJ had 81 holes of golf, now just 72
« Reply #2 on: January 24, 2009, 09:05:53 PM »
Mike:

In regards to golf options in Paramus -- another community that has had its share of golf holes is West Orange.

Home to the following ...

Montclair GC (36)
Rock Spring (18)
Essex County CC (18)
Francis Bryne (18)
Pleasant Valley Way (9) *no longer in existence

Last thing -- before Bergen Community College came into existence I can vaguely remember the full 18 at Orchard Hills -- my late Dad always liked the course and was really disgusted when the college claimed nine holes there.
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George_Bahto

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Re: Paramus NJ had 81 holes of golf, now just 72
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2009, 11:35:22 AM »
Matt - there was another course in West Orange early on, to the east of Mayfair Farms but between there and Montclair CC - on Prospect Avenue.
It was a nine-hole course they used to call Goat Hill, as a nickname and I think it was the forerunner to the the Mountain Ridge members and course.

..... not in West Orange, but just a few long fairway woods away, there is Essex Fells CC and Crestmont CC (originally Newark Athletic Club Course
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If a player insists on playing his maximum power on his tee-shot, it is not the architect's intention to allow him an overly wide target to hit to but rather should be allowed this privilege of maximum power except under conditions of exceptional skill.
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George_Bahto

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Re: Paramus NJ had 81 holes of golf, now just 72
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2009, 11:43:43 AM »
Old Timer, Pat Mucci may help remembering the course I'm referring to in West Orange

I remember it well because my father used to drag me there to caddy for him - I must have been 13-14 at the time

between caddying for him there - "Goat-Hill" - and my first caddying jobs as a young teenager caddying at the very hilly Montclair CC, it made me a true golf course hater at the time
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If a player insists on playing his maximum power on his tee-shot, it is not the architect's intention to allow him an overly wide target to hit to but rather should be allowed this privilege of maximum power except under conditions of exceptional skill.
   Wethered & Simpson

Matt_Ward

Re: Paramus NJ had 81 holes of golf, now just 72
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2009, 01:32:51 PM »
George:

Forgive me -- I forgot to add Crestmont which lies in all of West Orange -- so you have another 18 holes there. There may be a few holes as wll with Essex Fells within the border of the township.

George, I believe the 9-hole course you refer to later became Pleasant Valley. Likely, someone may be able to clear this up.

In sum -- West Orange may be NJ's golf mecca given the sheer quality of layouts that are present.

Too bad, the original Francis Bryne could not have been restored to its glory days.
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Mike Policano

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Re: Paramus NJ had 81 holes of golf, now just 72
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2009, 01:58:25 PM »
Mike,

I believe that Arcola was built around 1911-12 by Herbert Barker.  An English pro and sometimes architect.  I remember a story that when Ridgewood Country Club was looking for land for a new course around 1925-26, there were three large parcels to choose from.  Tillinghast was retained to assist in selecting the parcel to be purchased.  He chose the current site of Ridgewood and the other two sites became the Saddle River Golf Club (now Paramus Golf Club)  and Orchard Hills GC (which lost 9 holes to Bergen Community College). Ridgewood opened for play May 1929 just before the crash.

Paramus is only 8 miles due west of the George Washington bridge on route 4 which traces its orgins to the early 1700's.  

Not only does it include all the course you mentioned, but the venerable Hackensack Golf Club lies just two miles off the northeast corner of Paramus.  And in case you were wondering, Paramus is an Amerian Indian dialect for "Land of the turkey" which are back in surprising numbers lately.

Cheers, Mike
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George_Bahto

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Re: Paramus NJ had 81 holes of golf, now just 72
« Reply #7 on: January 25, 2009, 01:59:39 PM »
"Too bad, the original Francis Bryne could not have been restored to its glory days."

...... my course for over 17-yrs - that was (repeat, was)  - I think, a better course the one we restored above

I turned down the opportunity to work on that course because all they wanted to do was clean it up, fix tee and fix the drainage ......  nothing in the name of restoration .......

Matt there was also a short course over at the Hotel (what the heck was the name of that hotel?) on Pleasant Valley Way near the junction of Eagle Rock Ave
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If a player insists on playing his maximum power on his tee-shot, it is not the architect's intention to allow him an overly wide target to hit to but rather should be allowed this privilege of maximum power except under conditions of exceptional skill.
   Wethered & Simpson

George_Bahto

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Paramus NJ had 81 holes of golf, now just 72
« Reply #8 on: January 25, 2009, 02:00:51 PM »
"Paramus is an Amerian Indian dialect for "Land of the turkey" which are back in surprising numbers lately"

Mike, that's funny   :P
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If a player insists on playing his maximum power on his tee-shot, it is not the architect's intention to allow him an overly wide target to hit to but rather should be allowed this privilege of maximum power except under conditions of exceptional skill.
   Wethered & Simpson

Patrick_Mucci

Re: Paramus NJ had 81 holes of golf, now just 72
« Reply #9 on: January 25, 2009, 07:03:53 PM »
Quote from: Matt_Ward on January 24, 2009, 09:05:53 PM
Mike:

In regards to golf options in Paramus -- another community that has had its share of golf holes is West Orange.

Home to the following ...

Montclair GC (36)
Rock Spring (18)
Essex County CC (18)
Francis Bryne (18)
Pleasant Valley Way (9) *no longer in existence

Last thing -- before Bergen Community College came into existence I can vaguely remember the full 18 at Orchard Hills -- my late Dad always liked the course and was really disgusted when the college claimed nine holes there.


Matt,

You forgot Crestmont, Essex Fells and the NLE course at the Essex Green Shopping Mall.

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George_Bahto

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Re: Paramus NJ had 81 holes of golf, now just 72
« Reply #10 on: January 25, 2009, 11:04:53 PM »
Pat - I mentioned those but what do you remember about the course by Essex Mall
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If a player insists on playing his maximum power on his tee-shot, it is not the architect's intention to allow him an overly wide target to hit to but rather should be allowed this privilege of maximum power except under conditions of exceptional skill.
   Wethered & Simpson

Richard Hetzel

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Paramus NJ had 81 holes of golf, now just 72
« Reply #11 on: January 26, 2009, 07:53:25 PM »
Ahhhhh Paramus CC, I was born in Oradell.

A few years back I waited over 5 hours one morning to play there. Non-residents can only walk on, ont he third day they got me on with a group of men in their 70's, they all walked and I had a great time. Liked the graveyard near a few holes on the back nine.

Not so sure it was worth the long arse wait, but what the heck, I was wanting to play some golf!  I might have had better luck asking to play one of those privates within a baseball throw.
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Patrick_Mucci

Re: Paramus NJ had 81 holes of golf, now just 72
« Reply #12 on: January 26, 2009, 08:39:41 PM »
Quote from: George_Bahto on January 25, 2009, 11:04:53 PM

Pat - I mentioned those but what do you remember about the course by Essex Mall

George,

I remember very little about the golf course, only it's location.

It had the same configuration as Montclair in that the clubhouse sat off of Mt Prospect and the course unfolded, down the hill toward Pleasant Valley way.

The Essex Green Mall and a housing development now occupy that land.
I think the course was taken long before I-280's AROW.

I think the clubhouse might have occupied the lofty peak rising to the north of the Mall, where the Rusty Scupper restaurant sat a while ago, but, I'm not certain.
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