Worldgolfer's Golf Course Reviews

Designer: Stephen Kay (2023)

Location: Matawan, New Jersey

History: After years of anticipation, the municipally-owned Old Bridge opened in September 2023 and was designed by architect Stephen Kay.

Conditions: 7/10, The playing conditions at Old Bridge are pretty solid with especially strong bunkers but some of the course can get soggy and there are a few too many barren spots in the rough.

Value: 7/10, Old Bridge is an affordable option that offers good value for the area at $65 to $85 to walk with further discounts for seniors, juniors, and twilight.

Scorecard:

Tee                     Par         Yardage         Rating          Slope

Rose                  71            6509               71.1               126

Black                 71           6120                69.4              123

Blue                   71           5584                66.9              115

White                71           5045                 69.2              119

Hole Descriptions: Good public golf in the Greater New York City area can be hard to come by, as high demand creates teetime scarcity and courses are more likely to close than open due to the high real estate value. For this reason, a course like Old Bridge is a very welcome addition to the area and provides solid, affordable, municipal golf just under an hour south of Manhattan in Central New Jersey.

The course’s greatest strength is its greens, which are a varied and interesting group and among the best public putting surfaces in the state. Additionally the course is quite playable, at a mere 6500 yards from the Tips with enough challenge for better players but plenty of width for golfers of all levels. My major criticism of Old Bridge is the routing, with too many holes running back-and-forth in parallel lines, taking away strategic interest and slowing down play due to groups playing from the wrong fairway. Overall, however, this is definitely one of the better public options in the area and is worth a play.

The first three holes occupy a small and narrow piece of property next to the clubhouse and feel somewhat cramped compared to the rest of the course. These holes are short and tighter beginning with the 359 yard par 4 1st. A straightaway par 4, this fescue-lined fairway is undulating with the range down the right and a hidden water hazard and bunkers beginning down the left around 240 yards. This green is wide and shallow, with two-tiers and an overall left-to-right slope. A swale just short leaves a difficult chip and a small bunker defends the green short right.

The 2nd hole is the shortest par 4 at Old Bridge and is reachable for longer hitters at just 325 yards. Playing straightaway, this is the tightest and most intimidating teeshot on the course with OB right the entire way, water down the left for the first 210 yards, and a tight fairway lined by a total of eight bunkers. This green is relatively subtle and easy, however.

At 151 yards, the 3rd hole is the shortest and easiest par 3 on the course. This hole features a giant, undulating green with a back left plateau and several ridges defended by bunkers left, short, and right.

After a decently long walk across the parking lot and street, you reach the 4th hole and rest of the course. As mentioned above, there are too many holes running parallel to each other and the stretch from 4-7 is the most egregious example of this. The 4th hole is a 497 yard reachable par 5 with a wide, left-to-right canted fairway defended by crossbunkers right at 230 yards and left at 290 yards. The better miss here is left, where you’ll contend with tall trees but be safely on the 5th fairway. Thick forest and OB line the right the entire way. This second shot plays downhill and semi-blind to a receptive, two-tiered, right-to-left sloped green. Those who can carry a well-placed crossbunker 50 yards short of the green may bound down onto the putting surface.

The 5th hole turns back around as a tighter, tree-lined 383 yard par 4. While you won’t be able to see this green from the teebox, trust that anything long and straight will be fine here. The second half of this hole bends left with a water hazard down the right for the final 80 yards. This giant green is one of the most difficult on the course, overall sloping back-to-front with numerous mounds.

The 6th hole again turns back around as a 519 yard downhill dogleg right par 5 that plays very similar to the 4th hole just two holes before. While a water hazard lines the right side for the first 185 yards, the major difficulty on this hole is a tighter fairway lined by tall trees on either side. An interesting feature here is a mound of rough and fescue about 70 yards short of the green you’ll want to avoid. While this green appears like it slopes back-to-front, it tends to play flatter with two bunkers short right.

The 7th hole is the last of the parallel holes for a bit as an 194 yard par 3. In my opinion one of the most difficult holes at Old Bridge, this hole is visually intimidating and plays longer uphill with OB right. This bean-shaped green slopes left-to-right like a reverse Redan with a center swale as well and bunker right. I imagine par is not common here.

Sitting the furthest point from the clubhouse, the 8th hole is one of the tougher holes on the course as a 425 yard straightaway par 4. This fairway is quite generous, but slopes right-to-left with OB right and a pair of bunkers down the left at 250 yards. This green sits in a natural amphitheater and features an interesting design with a back-to-front slope and vertical ridge that divides the green in half.

The front 9 closes with one of the best holes at Old Bridge in an 168 yard par 3. Playing slightly downhill, this beautiful one-shotter plays over water the entire way to a square, back-to-front sloped green lined by a long left bunker.

The 10th is another well-done hole as a risk/reward, reachable 465 yard par 5. The back 9 plays wider with less trees than the front and this is seen here, with a generous fairway lined on the right by OB. With about 150 yards remaining, this fairway narrows quite a bit with water down the left all the way to the green. The green then sits perched above the water and plays back-to-front with a back left plateau. Longer hitters can definitely get home in two here, and it is an exhilarating second shot over the hazard.

The 11th hole is the longest par 3 on the course at 218 yards with a wide, very undulating green lined by a bunker short. You’ll be hard pressed to lose a ball here, but this is another par 3 where I can’t imagine there are many pars.

At 438 yards, the 12th hole is a quality par 4 with an initially very generous fairway lined by a bunker down the right at 280 yards and water down the left beginning at 290 yards. This hazard runs all the way to the green, which is also defended by a bunker left and runs hard back-to-front.

The 13th hole offers a good birdie opportunity as a straightaway 348 yard par 4 playing slightly uphill. There’s a crossbunker down the left at about 280 yards but anything short of this leaves a short iron or wedge into a back-to-front sloped green surrounded by steep slopes of rough and a bunker short.

After another little walk through the forest, you come across 14, the longest and final par 5 at Old Bridge. At 555 yards, this is likely a true three-shot par 5 for most with a wide fairway lined by a hazard down the right the entire way. The defining feature of this hole is a string of diagonal bunkers that run across the fairway about 120 yards short of the green and complicate the lay-up. A small creek also runs across the fairway just short of the green and can’t be seen from the fairway. A large back-to-front sloped green awaits at the end.

The 15th hole is another standout as an 197 yard Biarritz par 3 with two bunkers right. It’s important to be on the right portion of green here, as this putting surface is huge and features a severe middle swale.

The closing holes are three par fours that unfortunately run parallel to each other beginning with the number 1 handicap 456 yard 16th hole. Although long and uphill, this may be the widest hole in New Jersey as you can pretty much hit it anywhere off this tee and be fine, with the 14th and 17th fairways lining this hole. Outside of its length, this hole is difficult due to its approach, which often plays blind to a wavy, right-to-left sloped, diagonal green defended by a hidden water hazard long left.

The 17th hole runs back the other direction as a 394 yard straightaway par 4 defended by mounds of rough down either side and a left bunker at 265 yards. This green is on the smaller side and contains a separate back plateau.

Old Bridge closes with yet another straightaway par 4, this time at 417 yards slightly uphill. This teeshot is again very straightforward with plenty of room to miss left and a pair of bunkers down the right beginning at 240 yards. This green is excellent, with a severe back-to-front tilt and vertical ridge and numerous bunkers lining it left and long. It is a good closing hole and difficult par given the green.

General Comments: Practice facilities at Old Bridge include a range and practice green next to the 1st tee and miniature golf course near the clubhouse. Despite the separation between some of the holes, the layout is relatively flat and a very pleasant walk. Pace of play has been better than expected both times I’ve played.

Verdict: A welcome new addition to the New Jersey public golf scene, the municipal Old Bridge is an affordable, playable layout with a particularly notable set of greens. It is worth a play if in the area.