Designer: A.W. Tillinghast (1917), Tom Doak/Brian Slawnik (2010, Restoration)
Location: Bernardsville, New Jersey
History: Originally founded in 1899 along the Raritan River, Somerset Hills soon outgrew its primitive 9-hole course and moved to Bernardsville in 1917. A young A.W. Tillinghast designed the course, which remained relatively untouched until some recent restorative work from Tom Doak and Renaissance Golf. The course has hosted the 1990 Curtis Cup and numerous local events, but has mostly stayed out of the national spotlight. Despite this, Somerset Hills is considered one of the best courses in America, currently holding the following accolades:
- #51 Best Course in the World – Golf Magazine (2025)
- #40 Best Course in the World – Top100golfcourses.com (2025)
- #22 Best Course in North America – Top100golfcourses.com (2025)
- #56 Best Course in America – Golf Digest (2025)
- #27 Best Course in America – Golf Magazine (2024)
- #22 Best Course in America – Top100golfcourses.com (2024)
- #22 Best Classic Course in America – Golfweek (2026)
- #3 Best Course in New Jersey – Golf Digest (2025)
- #2 Best Course in New Jersey – Golf Magazine (2024)
- #2 Best Course in New Jersey – Top100golfcourses.com (2024)
- #2 Best Private Course in New Jersey – Golfweek (2026)
Conditions: 10/10, Although the course was predictably wet after a big storm, Somerset Hills was in fantastic condition with pristine conditions, thick rough, and fast greens.
Value: N/A, This is a private course.
Scorecard:
Tee Par Yardage Rating Slope
Blue 71 6784 73.2 137
Blue/White 71 6532 72.2 137
White 71 6350 71.2 132
White/Gold 71 5912 69.3 128
Gold 72 5637 73.7 143
Hole Descriptions: It’s an unfortunate reality that many of the world’s best courses feel like factories. This is especially true at top public courses and Ireland/Scotland, where 5+ hour rounds are a given and courses are clogged with many golfers who won’t break 100. However, it is also true at many big-name private clubs, where a member plus three guests is the norm and you sort of feel like a sardine at times. While I obviously still love playing these places, there’s something to be said about a truly private club, where members are the priority and things feel relaxed and laid back. I’m sure there’s a lot of guest play at Somerset Hills, but the vibe here is different and it is somewhat unique amongst top courses in this way.
When you pull up to Somerset Hills, the entrance is subtle and a long driveway leads you to a small parking lot. The clubhouse is sufficient but small and the practice facilities and other amenities are not extensive. It is one of the quietest top courses I’ve been at and truly feels like any number of random private clubs in the northeast. That is, until you start playing the course and realize how truly special Somerset Hills is. This is not a championship course at just under 6800 yards, but is better because of it, as Tillinghast’s wonderful design is still relatively untouched since 1917. I’ve seen the routing described as “Jekyll and Hyde”, as the front 9 plays somewhat open over an old farm and much of the back 9 plays over rugged terrain with forests and wetlands. These different nines create tremendous variety for the golfer, but the course still feels very cohesive and is easily walkable. The final thing that makes Somerset Hills so great is its putting surfaces, which are quite creative and perhaps the best set Tillinghast ever built! It is truly a joy to play a course as fun, fair, and varied as Somerset Hills, and it is a place that would be on my short list for places I’d most want to join.
Somerset Hills is not a long course by today’s standards, but there are some lengthy par fours, beginning with the 462 yard opener. This challenging hole is a downhill dogleg right with a generous fairway turning right at about 205 yards. The ideal teeshot cuts the corner over small trees on the right, but avoids the fescue and string of bunkers that begin down the left around 290 yards. This large green is open up front and very accepting, with an overall left-to-right slope and a pair of bunkers right.
The 2nd is probably Somerset’s most iconic hole as a 205 yard “Redan” par 3. This is a majestic one-shotter that plays slightly downhill to a raised, shallow green with a right bank that kicks the ball hard right-to-left. Deep bunkers defend the green short on either side and a trio of pretty bunkers runs across the fairway well-short of the green. I remember feeling somewhat sad that this hole came so early in the round, but it is a spectacular par 3 and not the only Tilly template on the course!
The 3rd hole turns around back towards the clubhouse as a shorter par 4 at 376 yards. Running slightly uphill the entire way, this is a solid hole featuring a very wide fairway lined by bunkers on either side around 200 yards. This approach must play over additional bunkers towards a raised, back-to-front sloped green defended by a false front short.
At 460 yards, the 4th hole is another lengthy par 4 but a fairly straightforward hole that plays shorter downhill. This fairway is also pretty generous, only really defended by a right bunker at 220 yards and fescue down this side. The hole is known as “Dolomites” after mounding that lines much of the left rough and also cuts across the fairway with a crossbunker about 75 yards short right of the green. This putting surface plays a bit back uphill, sloping severely back-to-front with a right bunker.
The 5th hole is a shorter par 4 at 350 yards, but a fun and strategic hole with a lot of interesting features. The fairway plays as a slight dogleg left with an ideal teeshot carrying a left crossbunker and dolomites around 175 yards and avoiding fescue and a right bunker at 250 yards. An old horse track used to sit on the land of the 5th – 7th, and this is evident, with an interesting ridge running across the fairway. This approach is exacting, playing over two barrier bunkers short to a smaller green surrounded by bunkers on its other three sides as well. The green is one of the most interesting on the course, with an overall back-to-front slope and a two large back right humps leading to some challenging two-putts.
Somerset Hills’ three par fives are all great scoring opportunities with the first coming at the 501 yard 6th. This is a somewhat quirky hole that begins with an 165 yard carry over fescue and a crossbunker to reach an initial slab of tree-lined fairway. There’s an additional crossbunker down the left around 230 yards and the hole turns nearly 90 degrees right at 260 yards, with the fairway ending at this point. For many golfers, this means driver is not an option here. The remainder of the hole is fairly straighforward with a narrower fairway defended by a large left crossbunker about 100 yards short of the green and mounds down the right. This green is narrow, defended by bunkers down either side, and runs back-to-front with several dips through its surface.
At 493 yards, the 7th hole is the longest par 4 on the course and a very deserving number 1 handicap. Running along the edge of the property, this monstrous par 4 features a generous fairway lined by OB to the far right and trees and fescue down the left. This teeshot is somewhat blind, with the second half of the fairway running straight downhill and a hidden left crossbunker at 285 yards. An additional deep crossbunker juts in down the right about 100 yards short of the green, which is large and somewhat dome-shaped. Tight fairway lies surround the putting surface, with bunkers left and long a bit further away. A par here feels like a birdie.
The 8th is the course’s longest par 3 at 230 yards and another intimidating hole. Nicknamed “Dip” after the water hazard and small valley you must traverse, this one-shotter features a large, subtle green defended by numerous small bunkers short and left.
The 529 yard 9th hole is Somerset Hills’ longest hole and my favorite of the par fives. Another quirky hole, this teeshot plays blind uphill over mounds and fescue to a fairway that ends abruptly around 250 yards. At this point, a giant Great Hazard bunker complex bisects the fairway and the hole turns hard to the left. The remainder continues uphill with a fairway that slopes right-to-left with several bunkers down this side in the lay-up area. This green is potentially reachable in two but slopes hard right-to-left with numerous internal ridges and deep bunkers on either side.
Somerset Hills’ back 9 opens with a consecutive and final par 5 at 490 yards. Probably the easiest hole on the course, this par 5 runs steadily downhill off the tee with a fairway that doglegs to the right around two right bunkers around 255 yards. Lengthened in the mid-20th century, this is the only non-original Tillinghast green and does maybe feel a touch out of place, with a guitar-pick shape and left-to-right slope with multiple tiers. Two modern looking bunkers defend the green on its front corners.
The 11th hole takes you away from the open feeling of the first 10 holes and begins a phenomenal stretch of holes. At 413 yards, this world-class par 4 is my favorite hole on the course and named “Perfection” for good reason. This teeshot takes you downhill between a chute of trees to a tighter fairway lined by a creek down the right. At about 270 yards, the fairway ends with a creek and the hole turns nearly 90 degrees to the right over the hazard. This epic approach runs slightly uphill towards a severely right-to-left sloped green defended by a deep left bunker.
By the time you reach the dogleg at 11, another iconic Somerset par 3 is in view just to your left. The 12th is the shortest hole on the course at just 150 yards, and is a gorgeous one-shotter featuring a small green that juts out into a pond. This putting surface slopes hard right-to-left and back-to-front and is an intimidating target, with water lining left and short and bunkers long and right.
The 13th and 14th are two longer par fours that run parallel to each other in the corner of the property. At 415 yards, the 13th is the shorter of the two and features a semi-blind teeshot over a plateau to a fairway lined by forest down the left the entire way and a bunker down the right around 165 yards. The hole gains interest once you reach the plateau, with a Principal’s Nose bunker about 70 yards short of a phenomenal Biarritz green lined by bunkers on either side. Like the 2nd, this hole feels like it belongs on a Macdonald/Raynor course.
The 422 yard 14th is the longest par 4 on the back but a pretty straightforward hole overall. Running alongside the 13th, this hole features a razor-straight fairway defended by bunkers on either side around 205 yards. Like the previous hole, the putting surface makes the hole, with a peculiarly shaped green defended by numerous bunkers on either side and short. The back portion of the green is raised and steep slopes long make for a brutal up-and-down.
The 15th is another world-class par 4 and a hole that would probably be the best on most courses. At 404 yards, this is a beautiful dogleg right that turns around 200 yards through a corridor of trees. The ideal line is a high cut over a right crossbunker at 165 yards and avoids the hidden left bunker at 235 yards. This approach runs downhill towards a back-to-front sloped green lined by a babbling creek left and short.
The last of a wonderful set of par threes, the 16th hole plays 170 yards over a pond to a raised green. This putting surface has severe left-to-right slope with deep bunkers long, left, and short.
At 370 yards, the 17th hole is an interesting par 4 with a completely blind teeshot uphill over a “Quarry”. An initial tongue of fairway begins down the left at 150 yards, with a wider fairway requiring a 210 yard carry down the right. It is better to aim left here, as the progressively narrowed fairway slopes severely left-to-right and downhill and anything hit too far to the right can reach hidden bunkers beginning around 270 yards. This green slopes back-to-front on its posterior and front, with a flatter middle portion. Three bunkers line the right side of the green while another defends short left.
I’ve seen some criticism lobbied at the short par 4 18th, but it is a fitting end to a course that prioritizes member play and fun. At 344 yards, this is a shorter par 4 but plays longer uphill with a forced carry over fescue to find a wide fairway. A large right bunker around 215 yards should be avoided and longer hitters need to be wary of deep bunkers up ahead that surround the green. The green itself features lots of movement, with an overall severe back-to-front tilt broken up by a flatter middle portion.
General Comments: Despite its lofty status amongst golf rankings, Somerset Hills remains a quiet, unassuming members’ Club with a small, exclusive membership. The clubhouse is small and the makeshift practice range is somewhat cramped between several holes on the front 9. Outside of golf, the Club is known for its fine tennis program. The course is a hilly but pleasant walk with a caddie.
Verdict: A quiet, unassuming Club in northern New Jersey, Somerset Hills features a spectacular A.W. Tillinghast design characterized by tremendous variety, occasional template holes, and some of the most interesting greens in golf. This is an ideal member’s course and an invite you shouldn’t pass up.