West Orange, New Jersey
Crestmont offers a strong Donald Ross test with beautifully contoured greens and classic cross-bunkering, restored to original intent. While private and not a national-bucket-list stop, it stands out for regionally elite golf and a sense of old-school competition.
Ask the caddie to show you the original Ross cross-bunkering sketches—they’re often kept in the caddie house and offer a fascinating glimpse of course history.
Crestmont Country Club epitomizes the enduring allure of Donald Ross parkland golf—a landscape of lush fairways, bold cross-bunkering, and famously undulating greens restored to their 1920s strategic brilliance. The routing leverages the area’s rolling topography, producing a flowing sequence of long and short holes that demand both placement and creativity. Recent restorations have returned fairway widths and green contours to classic Ross specifications, rewarding shotmakers and making every approach a study in angles and touch.
Donald Ross’s hand remains evident throughout Crestmont, with recent projects elevating the club’s architectural fidelity and honoring its rich design heritage.
This mid-length par 3 embodies Ross’s knack for deception, with a green canted at an angle and protected by deep bunkering front-left. Distance control and a precise trajectory are a must to hold this tricky target.
Favor the right half of the green to allow for release and minimize the danger from the fronting bunkers.
Miss left and find deep sand—making par from there is a true test.
Consistently manicured fairways and restored, lightning-fast undulating greens.
Generally prompt member pace; expect to move quickly if joining a regular group.
Classic, understated, and tradition-rich private club atmosphere with caddie accents.
Traditional private-club standards—collared shirts, no denim, and respect for heritage.
Spend serious time on the practice green—Ross slopes and speed will test any putter.
You’ll want comfortable shoes; elevations add up, especially with a caddie by your side.
Cross-bunkers demand high, soft escapes—bring your best sand game.
Watch roll-outs and prepare for bump-and-run chips from tight surrounds.
Founding of Crestmont Country Club
August C. Sipple builds first 13 golf holes
Donald Ross commissioned for full 18-hole redesign
Robert Trent Jones Sr. remodel undertaken
Ron Forse leads sympathetic Ross restoration
Ray Hearn restores 11th green to Ross intent
Donald Ross was brought in to reimagine Crestmont, largely setting aside Sipple’s original 13-hole design. Ross’s full 18 marked a turning point, embedding strategic cross-bunkers and artful green contours that remain central to Crestmont’s identity.
A major restoration push came in 2008 as the club prepared for U.S. Senior Open sectional qualifying. Ron Forse’s work revitalized Ross’s original intentions, especially in the bunkering and green complexes.
The club and Ray Hearn dove deep into the Tufts archives, using original Ross sketches and historic photographs to restore the 11th green in 2025. This targeted project exemplified Crestmont’s continued commitment to classic architecture.
Crestmont continues its old-school vibe through a deep-rooted caddie program, a nod to early 20th century competitive golf in New Jersey. Walking the course with a caddie is still the ideal way to absorb Crestmont’s parkland beauty.
Built on the site of a 1913 13-hole course by August Sipple—now a full Ross classic.
Crestmont’s rolling topography creates dramatic shot values and walking adventure.
Club caddie program remains a cherished tradition, rarely found at most modern clubs.
The 2025 restoration used original Ross and Tufts Foundation archival material to reshape the 11th green.
Club lore says famed cross-bunker sketches live in the caddie house—ask nicely to see them!
Historic classic club just minutes away
Donald Ross municipal routing, welcoming to all
Rich history and storied exclusivity
Top Ross design with major tournament history
Affordable public round with Golden Age roots
Montclair, South Orange, or Newark Airport-area hotels for quick course access
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Why it matches: What links these two? A comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character — a familiar feeling, expressed in The Country Club of Troy's own setting.
Why it matches: What links these two? A comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character — a familiar feeling, expressed in Seminole Golf Club's own setting.
Why it matches: If Crestmont Country Club is your kind of course, Cohasset Golf Club is worth a look because it a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character.
Community Sentiment
See something inaccurate in this listing?