Worldgolfer's Golf Course Reviews

Designer: Roger Rulewich (2001)

Location: Hamburg, New Jersey

History: One of six courses at the sprawling Crystal Springs Resort, Wild Turkey opened in 2001 and was designed by Roger Rulewich. Like other courses at the Resort, Wild Turkey is award-winning:

• #74 Best Course in New Jersey – Top100golfcourses.com (2024)
• #12 Best Public Course in New Jersey – Golfweek (2025)

Conditions: 7/10, Conditioning was solid but only slightly above average when I played with some patchy fairways and slower greens.

Value: 3/10, As with nearby Ballyowen, Wild Turkey will be expensive with rates routinely above $100 and nearing $200 during peak times. While a nice course, this is too expensive.

Scorecard:

Tee                     Par         Yardage         Rating          Slope

Black                 71            7202               75.3                135

Blue                   71            6555               71.7                132

White                71             5942              69.0                129

Red                    70             5004             68.5                116

Hole Descriptions: One of six courses at Crystal Springs Resort in northwestern New Jersey, Wild Turkey is widely considered the second best of the group and I would agree with this assessment. This modern design features large greens and is routed over a huge, hilly property and around housing developments. Architecturally, the course is somewhat of a hybrid between Ballyowen and Crystal Springs, with some severe elevation changes and even a quarry par 3 (7th) like Crystal Springs and then a more open, linksy stretch on the back 9 similar to Ballyowen. While Wild Turkey is often too expensive during peak times, it is a very solid course with some memorable holes and is one of the better public offerings in New Jersey.

Wild Turkey opens with a fun 387 yard par 4 that plays straight downhill and shorter than the scorecard. The fairway here is initially very generous but longer hitters may want to think twice about hitting driver, as large crossbunkers on the left at 260 yards and right at 285 yards really constrict the fairway. This approach runs slightly back uphill towards a narrow, long, back-to-front sloped green defended by bunkers on either side.

The 2nd hole continues downhill in the same direction as an 163 yard par 3. This is actually the shortest of five excellent one-shotters on the course and plays a club less to a front-to-back sloped green lined by large bunkers on either side.

After a drive through a main road and housing developments, the 3rd hole is Wild Turkey’s shortest par 5 at 519 yards. This is one of several blander holes on the course that keep it from being ranked higher and plays straightaway and level with forest down the left the entire way and two bunkers down the right at 215 and 295 yards. The fairway remains rather narrow in the lay-up zone with a bunker down the right. The green here is large and pretty flat with bunkers short on either side.

Like its sister courses, Wild Turkey can be a challenge, especially from the Black Tees which stretch over 7200 yards! The number 1 handicap 4th is one of the toughest holes on the course as a 431 yard par 4. An uphill dogleg right, this hole begins with an intimidating teeshot to a narrow fairway that begins to turn right between two bunkers around 230 yards. This approach continues steadily uphill towards a two-tiered, back-to-front sloped green surrounded by bunkers.

At 450 yards, the 5th hole is the longest par 4 on the course but runs downhill the entire way, making it play a bit easier than the previous hole. A dogleg left as well, this teeshot is somewhat blind over a hazard to a wider fairway lined by bunkers down the left between 200 and 260 yards. This approach continues downhill towards a wide green defended by bunkers short and left. If you can make it through 4 and 5 at even par, you’re playing some great golf.

The 6th hole is a gentler but very interesting par 4 at 329 yards. Playing downhill and straight, this hole is potentially reachable for longer hitters and gives the golfer lots of options off the tee. The fairway here slopes extremely hard right-to-left, with OB right the entire way and a tall tree down the left at around 270 yards. Those who play too far to the left may be blocked out but those stuck in the right rough will face an awkward lie. This green sits on a pedestal and slopes hard right-to-left with the land with a small, deep potbunker short.

The 7th is Wild Turkey’s signature hole as an 181 yard par 3 playing over a natural quarry. This is an extremely intimidating one-shotter playing slightly uphill with a carry the entire way over water to a shallow, subtle green lined by a bunker long. I suspect the majority of golfers that play this hole are losing at least one ball.

The 8th hole is a 528 yard dogleg right par 5 with another fairly intimidating teeshot requiring a 240 yard carry over rough and fescue to reach a fairway that turns right soon after it begins. OB lines the right the entire way and a large bunker begins down the left around 280 yards and is a good aiming point. Once safely in the fairway, this hole is pretty straightforward with a generous fairway lined by a bunker about 100 yards short on the left. Like the fairway, this putting surface slopes left-to-right with a bunker short right.

The front 9 closes nowhere near the clubhouse with a straightaway 371 yard par 4. With trees lining both sides the entire way, this hole features a wide fairway notable for a large bunker in the center around 240 yards that creates a split fairway. The left side is wider than the right, but I’d honestly recommend laying up short of the hazard as this isn’t a long hole. This green is long and narrow, sloping back-to-front with a large bunker on the right.

At times, the routing feels a bit disconnected due to the long distance between holes and nowhere is this felt more than the 10th, which requires a long drive from the 9th and sits somewhat isolated on the property with the 11th. With expansive views of the surrounding mountains, this is a lengthy 218 yard par 3 that plays severely downhill, making club selection difficult. While this green is small and lined by bunkers on either side, there’s not much danger otherwise and even shorter golfers should be able to make bogey here.

The 11th plays off to the right of the 10th green as a 544 yard par 5. With danger down the left the entire way, this narrow fairway slopes right-to-left off a right hill for the first 375 yards or so. At this point, the fairway then dips and turns left, often making this second shot blind. This bunkerless hole concludes with a kidney-shaped green that slopes right-to-left.

The 12th through 17th (along with the 3rd) occupy a part of the course named “The Hollow”, which plays more open and expansive similar to what you’d find at Ballyowen. The 12th hole is a straightaway 380 yard par 4 with a generous fairway lined by trees down the left the entire way and two bunkers on the right between 250 and 295 yards. This green slopes left-to-right with the land and is defended by a giant right bunker.

The 13th hole is a medium-length 367 yard par 4 that again plays straightaway along the edge of the property. With OB down the left the entire way, this fairway is very tight and features a speed slot at around 200 yards. Crossbunkers on the right at 200 and 250 yards are to be avoided. This approach will likely play uphill towards a large, left-to-right sloped green lined by a deep bunker short right.

At 187 yards, the 14th is a pretty par 3 playing slightly downhill to a giant yet subtle green lined by severals bunkers short and right. This elevated teebox provides gorgeous views of the surrounding holes and mountains.

The 15th is one of the more difficult holes at Wild Turkey as a 392 yard par 4 playing along the lowest point of the hollow. A somewhat awkward and contrived hole that feels crammed, this teeshot requires an immediate 180 yard forced carry over a pond to an initially generous fairway lined by trees down the left and a hill on the right. The fairway progressively narrows the further you hit it and shrinks to only a few yards wide at 270 yards with a bunker on your right. This approach is not much easier, playing to an elevated, very narrow, diagonal green defended by a deep bunker short left. The hole isn’t terribly long, but there are lots of ways to make big number here.

The 16th hole is the final par 3 at Wild Turkey at 170 yards and plays over water the entire way similarly to several of Ballyowen’s par threes. While there are no bunkers here, anything short or left will find the hazard and this large green contains a prominent central hump.

At 577 yards, the 17th is a monster hole and one of my favorites at Wild Turkey. This marathon par 5 begins with an intimidating teeshot requiring an 180 yard forced carry over fescue to a fairway that turns to the left. There’s a small hazard to the right which shouldn’t really be in play, but another down the left for much of the landing area.  A large bunker also occupies the right half of the fairway and only the best teeshots will find the short grass here. The second half of this hole plays uphill and three bunkers run diagonally across this fairway in the lay-up zone, giving golfers something to think about on their second shot. This putting surface is large and slopes back-to-front, with bunkers short and left forcing an aerial approach.

Wild Turkey’s closer plays alongside the 1st on the other side of the road as a 361 yard par 4. While the teebox is elevated here, the entire fairway runs uphill, making the hole play longer than the scorecard. This fairway is quite generous, with trees to the far right and a pair of crossbunkers on the left at 225 yards. This approach plays at least a club uphill to a perched, back-to-front sloped green defended by steep slopes of rough and a bunker short.

General Comments: Sharing a clubhouse with the Crystal Springs and Cascades courses at the main Resort, Wild Turkey’s practice facilities include a large range and putting green. This hilly course requires a cart and pace of play was very slow when I played.

Verdict: Arguably the second best of Crystal Springs’ six courses, Wild Turkey is a difficult but fun public course defined by its huge hilly property, scenic views, and some very memorable holes. While overpriced for much of the year, this is a course worth playing.