105 Wheatsworth Rd,
Hamburg, New Jersey 07419
Office
+1 (973) 827 5996Pro shop
+1 (973) 827 5996Fax
+1 (973) 827 0604Website
Visit websiteGolf pro
Tom Reynolds (Director of Instruction).Academy
David Leadbetter Golf AcademyThe Course:
18 holes. Links-style course. Gently undulating terrain - a few slopes to climb.
Surroundings:
Woodland and open countryside.
Designer:
Roger Rulewich
Crystal Springs Resort offers six golf courses. Alongside the Grand Cascades Lodge is Crystal Springs GC (par-72, 6816 yds, Robert Von Hagge, est. 1992); Wild Turkey (par-71, 7202 yds, designer Roger Rulewich), and Cascades (9-hole, par-36, 3627 yds, Roger Rulewich).
A short distance from Grand Cascades Lodge are the following: Black Bear (5 mi S, par-72, 6673 yds, Jack Kurtlander & David Glenz, 1996); Ballyowen (3 mi SW from Lodge, par-72, 7094 yds, Roger Rulewich, 1998), and the family-oriented Minerals executive course (3 mi NE at Minerals Resort, 9-hole, par-31, 2305 yds, Robert Trent Jones).
41.135211
-74.582072
1.5 mi S of Hamburg / 47 mi NW of New York City (Times Square, Manhattan).
Crystal Springs (Ballyowen)
The Ballyowen course at Crystal Springs Resort is widely regarded as one of the Northeast's finest golf courses. This excellent quality layout delivers as authentic a links golf experience as you'll find, akin to the great British and Irish seaside courses. However, in Ballyowen's case it's rolling rural countryside that flanks the course, rather than the sea or ocean.
The undulating dunelike mounds that make up the flowing layout, have the shape, contours and fescue grasses characteristic of all true links courses. The rise and fall of the terrain allows for some nicely elevated tees and one or two extravagantly perched greens. The most daring of these comes at the short par-4 13th.
The rolling, tumbling fairways offer plenty of space to land your drives, while bunker hazards lie in wait around the fast-paced, undulating greens. Water puts in a few telling appearances, as you'll discover in front of and alongside the green of the attractive par-3 6th.
The course broadly conforms to one of the defining traits of links golf, that "all living things might be found on the course, but not trees". Also pleasingly absent is any hint of roads and/or housing. As for authenticity of design, there's nothing tricked-up on this top-quality and challenging layout.
From the course you'll enjoy views onto tree-clad rolling hills, both near and far. Links aficionados may wistfully dream of "seaweed smells from sandy caves" and gently breaking waves. That aside, the Ballyowen delivers everything else you'd expect from a full-blooded links golf course.
Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends.
Must book in advance.
Contact club for full details, discounts, Stay&Play packages, etc. [Last updated: 2024].
Walking permitted. Caddies available June thru' August (if pre-booked).
Excellent
Crystal Springs Resort is home to six golf courses, located in and around the neighbouring towns of Vernon and Hamburg, New Jersey. The standard-bearer for the resort is the highly-rated Ballyowen course, a classic links-style layout. Surrounding the resort's Grand Cascades Lodge you'll find the also well-rated Wild Turkey and Crystal Springs courses. Nearby are Black Bear (18-holes), Cascades (9-hole) and Minerals (9-hole), which complete the Crystal Springs sextet.
The resort was also previously home to Great Gorge GC , located 4 miles NE of the resort centre. This 27-hole layout was designed by George Fazio. Originally owned by Hugh Hefner (founder of the Playboy magazine and Club), the course opened in 1970 as the golf course of The Great Gorge Playboy Club. Whereas the Playboy Club at Great Gorge has ceased to operate, the Great Gorge Golf Club is very much alive.
Wild Turkey Way, Hamburg, NJ 07419
+1 (973) 827 5996
Visit websiteCrystal Springs is a world-class, year-round resort, located in the rolling farmland of northwest New Jersey and just an hour from New York City. Covering a huge area, the resort offers a myriad of opportunities and activities, both indoors and out. In winter, nearby Mountain Creek has over 40 ski trails. In summer, Crystal Springs' six championship golf courses come into their own, complemented by a David Leadbetter Golf Academy.
Accommodations are based on the luxurious Grand Cascades Lodge, family-friendly Minerals Resort & Spa or recreation-oriented Mountain Creek in Vernon. The resort offers 12 restaurants, cafes, & bistros, with the Latour restaurant boasting an award-winning wine cellar.
Two day spas, including the new Reflections Spa and Elements Spa are also available to guests. The resort also offers endless events, activities and area attractions, including hiking, wine tasting, festivals, shopping, skiing & snowboarding, mountain biking, waterparks and more!
Wild Turkey and Crystal Springs courses.
Ballyowen, Black Bear, Great Gorge, Cascades (9-hole) and Minerals (9-hole family golf).
Berkshire Valley
Sony Open in Hawaii: played at Waialae Country Club near Honolulu, the Sony Open takes over the spotlight from The Sentry as the PGA Tour’s calendar-year opening event (Jan 15-18). The Sentry (not being played in 2026) was formerly known as the Tournament of Champions, with a field typically restricted to golfers who won a PGA Tour event in the previous calendar year.
Dubai Desert Classic: the DP World Tour’s first Rolex Series event of 2026, is contested for the 37th time (Jan 22-25). First won by Englishman Mark James in 1989, it now boasts a four-time winner, Rory McIlroy. Played on the Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis course, this once desert-surrounded course is the long-time flagship for Golf in Dubai.
Our visit last month included two rounds at Golf de Chantilly, one of France’s most prestigious clubs.
It offers two superb layouts: Le Vineuil, a five-star championship course with a rich history, and Longères, an excellent four-star course that provides a strong and enjoyable test.
The wider Paris region offers plenty more. Courses such as Fontainebleau, Golf de Saint-Germain, and several other top-rated layouts make this area one of Europe’s most rewarding golf destinations, offering a mix of woodland, heathland, and parkland designs.
The Dutch: "It's no' just a game", as they say in Scotland, and that's certainly true at The Dutch. With 5-star services throughout, a lavishly comfortable Loch Lomond-inspired clubhouse, and a superbly designed and presented golf course, one could not ask for more from this top-end private club.
Join us at The Dutch from August 21–24 for the Festival of Golf, featuring the HotelPlanner Tour. Experience four days of top-tier sport, live music, incredible food, and unexpected surprises. Explore the grounds, connect with others, embrace new challenges, and dive into an unforgettable celebration. Click here to buy tickets.
Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.
Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available
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