History: Originally founded as the Park Club of Plainfield in 1889, the Club built its first golf course in 1898 with Tom Bendelow as the architect. The name was soon changed to Hydewood Country Club and the course was forced to move in the 1920s when the State of New Jersey built a road through the existing course. Membership found suitable land in nearby Watchung and contracted Seth Raynor for the project. While Raynor designed the course, he died before it could be built and it was instead built by Plainfield’s pro Marty O’Loughlin in 1926. The Club was briefly renamed Watchung Valley Country Club before being renamed again to Twin Brooks Country Club. It underwent some minor changes in 2001 from Tom Devane before being fully restored by George Waters in the late 2010s. During the restoration, the course was renamed Watchung Valley. The course holds the following award:
- #29 Best Course in New Jersey – Top100golfcourses.com (2020)
Conditions: 8/10, Watchung Valley is in very solid shape with speedy greens and overall well-conditioned fairways and bunkers.
Value: N/A, This is a private course.
Scorecard:
Tee Par Yardage Rating Slope
Blue 72 6670 72.3 141
Green 72 6393 71.0 136
White 72 6013 69.4 132
Forward 74 5367 72.0 138
Hole Descriptions: Sadly Seth Raynor passed away before building Watchung Valley, but I think he would be proud of Marty O’Loughlin’s work and the faithful recent restoration from George Waters. As it stands today, the course certainly feels like a MacRaynor design with numerous templates, large greens, and striking bunkering. Built on hilly, almost mountainous terrain, this is a fun and fairly challenging course that I got the impression has a younger and better golfing membership than surrounding courses. New Jersey as a state has some of the best private depth in the country and Watchung Valley is a great example of a very good course that is well-worth a play but doesn’t quite reach the level of elites.
Watchung Valley’s opening hole is a 362 yard slight dogleg right par 4 that plays up the hill. Featuring somewhat of an awkward teeshot with thick trees down the right obscuring part of the fairway, this fairway contains a pair of bunkers down the left at 250 yards and one down the right at 230 yards. This hole then continues uphill towards a large, severely back-to-front sloped green defended by a bunker right.
At 443 yards, the number 1 handicap 2nd hole is one of the longest par fours on the course and plays straightaway along the hillside with a severe left-to-right sloping fairway. Tree removal has really enhanced visuals here and the only danger on this teeshot is sequential crossbunkers beginning down the right at 175 yards. Golfers will be left a longer approach with an awkward lie to a left-to-right sloping green lined by bunkers long and right.
The 3rd hole is the first of a strong set of par fives at Watchung Valley. At just 475 yards, this hole plays slightly uphill but is still reachable with a strong teeshot. Thick forest lines the right side the entire way and this fairway slopes hard right-to-left towards a beautiful trio of bunkers between 195 and 225 yards. A right crossbunker at 260 yards is also to be avoided. Another well-placed crossbunker lies on the left fairway about 100 yards short of the green and must be avoided on a lay-up. This green is lined by bunkers on either side, a false front, and features two tiers with a strong right-to-left slope.
The 4th hole is the first of the recognizable templates at Watchung Valley as a 132 yard “Short” par 3. Playing uphill to an elevated back right-to-front left sloped green, this hole plays longer and also features four deep bunkers on all sides. It is a solid hole but I don’t love how thick trees surround it and cover it in shadows for much of the day.
After climbing the hill for the first four holes, the 5th plays straight downhill from one of the highest points on the course as a 512 yard par 5. Another beautiful hole, this teeshot is exhilarating towards a generous fairway lined by sporadic trees down the right and crossbunkers down either side at 230 yards. Like the 3rd, another strategically placed crossbunker sits about 100 yards short of this green and should be avoided. This green is another severe one, sloping hard back-to-front with two tiers and numerous bunkers along its edges.
The 6th certainly feels like a Raynor hole as a 328 yard straightaway uphill par 4. Sharing a fairway with 7, this hole features gorgeous geometric bunkering beginning with a central crossbunker around 225 yards. With additional bunkers at 255 yards and near this green, it might make sense to lay-up here with less than driver. Extremely deep bunkers line this back-to-front sloped green on either side.
The 7th is Watchung Valley’s “Road” hole as a downhill 417 yard dogleg right. Featuring OB right the entire way, this fairway is generous but lined by bunkers down the left at 210 and 255 yards. This green slopes predominantly right-to-left with a small bunker short left and another long.
A hole seemingly altered quite a bit from Raynor’s original layout to build the range, the 8th is the worst on the course as a 337 yard par 4. A strange and awkward hole, this fairway runs straight for the first 230 yards before turning 90 degrees left and ending at this point. A long crossbunker runs down the left side between 200 and 225 yards and trees down the left block any view of the green. This approach then runs downhill towards a right-to-left sloped green lined by a creek short.
The front nine closes with the longest par 3 on the course in a 193 yard Redan. This difficult one-shotter is actually a reverse Redan with a steep left bank that caroms balls to the right. Deep bunkers line the green on either side.
The back nine is the superior side at Watchung Valley and it begins with an interesting hole in the par 4 10th. Although named “Cape”, this 343 yard hole is not your typical cape hole as a slight dogleg right with no large hazard or pond. Thick forest lines the right side the entire way with a pair of bunkers down this side between 180 and 210 yards. The most notable feature of this hole is a creek that runs directly in front of a narrow, two-tiered, back-to-front sloped green lined by deep bunkers left, right, and long. Although you’ll only be left a wedge or short-iron in, this approach much be accurate or a big score is possible here.
At 170 yards, the 11th hole is an excellent Eden template, playing uphill over a creek and false front. This green is quite wide and slopes left-to-right, defended by two deep bunkers short and another hidden one long.
The 12th is another real standout hole at Watchung Valley as a rare “Bottle” template. At 426 yards, this strong par 4 features a short forced carry over a hazard to a generous fairway. True to its name, this hole features a string of four midline bunkers down the center of the fairway between 205 and 250 yards that create bottlenecks on either side. This approach is a memorable one, playing over a creek and valley towards a back-to-front sloped green defended by numerous bunkers on all sides but short.
The 13th hole is another unique one as an 145 yard punchbowl par 3. A true hole-in-one hole if I’ve seen one, this green funnels all balls to the front left and is semi-blind from the teebox with a ridge and several bunkers short dominating your view.
At just 455 yards, the 14th hole is the shortest par 5 at Watchung Valley but plays longer with the steepest uphill gradient on the course. Playing straightaway, this is a visually attractive hole with OB right the entire way and three large bunkers down the right beginning at 270 yards. An Alps template, beware of a deep crossbunker running across the fairway about 40 yards short of the green. This green is one of the more difficult on the course with a horizontal ridge through the middle and strong slopes both left-to-right and back-to-front.
The 15th hole is the shortest par 4 at Watchung Valley and is perhaps my favorite hole. At just 308 yards, this hole trundles downhill the entire way and is reachable for longer hitters. A large crossbunker sits down the right at 225 yards while another is found on the left at 260 yards. This green is open up front but slopes front-to-back with a moat-like bunker surrounding its back.
The 16th hole is the longest par 4 on the course and likely the toughest as well at 446 yards. A big sweeping dogleg left with thick forest left and a skinny fairway, this hole doesn’t turn left until about 290 yards, leaving those short of this blocked out. Several bunkers on either side for much of the landing area make this teeshot even more difficult. Those who lay-up will need to be careful of a trio of crossbunkers jutting into the left fairway about 75 yards short of the green. This right-to-left sloped green is again open in front and defended by bunkers on either side.
Arguably the least interesting hole on a very strong back nine, the 17th is a straightaway tree-lined 368 yard par 4. The namesake and most interesting feature of this hole is a Principal’s Nose bunker in the middle of the fairway at 265 yards. Bunkers line a narrow, back-to-front sloped green on either side.
Watchung Valley’s closing hole is also its longest as a 533 yard uphill par 5. This hole begins with a generous fairway lined by a bunker on the right at 215 yards and left at 255 yards. At about 300 yards, this fairway ends with a large pond you must carry on your second shot. Once you cross the pond, this fairway continues straight but plays steadily uphill towards a back-to-front sloped green defended by bunkers on either side. Pars are well-earned here.
General Comments: Watchung Valley’s practice facilities include a range along the 8th hole and practice green near the clubhouse. While the course is walkable, it is a difficult walk with a hilly property. Instead of traditional flags, Watchung Valley’s pins contain pennants which is a memorable and interesting quirk.
Verdict: A great example of the very strong private golf depth in New Jersey, Watchung Valley is a challenging yet fun design featuring many of Raynor’s template holes on a hilly property. Recent restoration efforts have only enhanced it and it is well-worth a play if given an invite.
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