West Orange, New Jersey
Essex County Country Club blends Golden Age design with contemporary Hanse renovation, featuring rolling terrain, expanded greens, and historic strategy. The course now pops with definition, complexity, and elite shot values, making it a must for architecture purests and a stern examination for anyone who relishes a thoughtful, rewarding round. The storied, ever-fresh layout and quick pace of play seal the appeal for discerning golf travelers.
On No. 4, know why it’s called “Edison” — Thomas Edison was a member here for more than 40 years, and the club named the hole for him.
Essex County Country Club is a tour-de-force in Golden Age American golf, skillfully blended by three legendary minds—Tillinghast’s bold routing, Raynor and Banks’ masterful templates, and now Hanse’s modern revival. The 2023–24 restoration is transformative: every hole tweaked, nearly every bunker rebuilt or repositioned, lost greens and features reclaimed. Strategic shot values and architectural interest are in full force—bunkers now pinch approaches, green sites are more expansive and contoured, and broad vistas frame the course after massive tree removal. This is layered history, as vivid as the new sand and as challenging as anything in the tri-state area.
Three design giants—Tillinghast, Raynor/Banks, and Hanse—each layered their vision here, but the new 2024 restoration (by Hanse/Wagner) is what makes Essex sing anew.
The newly reinvigorated opener sets the tone: classic handshake tee shot with a sharper dogleg, brought to life by Hanse’s reworked bunkering and expanded landing area. This hole is both a nod to history and a statement of modern intent.
Find the right side of the fairway for the optimal angle into a receptive, expanded green. Club selection off the tee is key.
Rebuilt bunkers pinch the approach; misjudge the angle and the green’s new contours demand touch and imagination.
Pristine fairways and firm, fast greens after 2024 upgrades; bunkers sharp, sand pure, with strategic mowing lines.
Very fast and efficient for a private club; sub-4 hour rounds are the norm.
Classic, discreet, and architecture-forward—expect history talks, understated excellence, and a reverence for tradition.
Study Raynor’s Redan, Biarritz, and Eden strategies so you’re not caught off guard by bold contours and deceptive angles.
Expanded greens mean tighter edges and demanding approach shots—distance control is more valuable than ever.
Hilly terrain and repeated elevation changes make this a true test for walkers—hydrate and bring supportive shoes.
Recent agronomic improvements translate to fast, beautifully rolling greens—spend time on the practice green before you tee off.
Club founded as hunt club; becomes NJ’s oldest country club
Golf first played at Essex County
Moves to current West Orange site; Tillinghast designs original course
When A.W. Tillinghast laid out the original Essex County course, its success catapulted him to national recognition—a springboard for his work at legendary venues like Winged Foot and Baltusrol. The club’s lineage reads like a living history of American golf design.
Gil Hanse’s restoration didn’t just refresh Essex—it awakened its soul. Bold tree removal, deepened strategic bunkers, and expanded, wild greens brought the Golden Age DNA roaring back to life. Effect: playability and challenge both soared.
The club is adamant: their back nine is the best in New Jersey. After the restoration, with its punchbowl greens, towering approaches, and an architecturally revered 17–18 finish, it’s tough to argue otherwise—expect caddies and members to share their favorite moments.
Using aerial photography and careful research, Hanse and team re-created long-lost bunkers and recaptured Raynor’s sharper lines. The transformation gave old holes newfound definition and multiple new strategic puzzles for return visitors.
Essex County CC is New Jersey’s oldest country club and the sixth oldest in the U.S.
The club’s founders originally operated a hunt club, only adding golf in 1894.
The back nine is widely considered the best in the state—an opinion echoed by members and architecture aficionados.
Nearly 25 bunkers were recreated or repositioned in the 2023–24 restoration using vintage aerial photos.
Gil Hanse’s 2024 restoration reclaimed green shapes and lost putting surface, breathing new life into Raynor and Banks’ classic template concepts.
Major championship pedigree on both Lower and Upper courses; classic Tillinghast design.
Donald Ross bones, Hanse refinement, historic host of The Barclays and national events.
Best municipal challenge in North Jersey; open to all and recently renovated.
Modern starter-friendly layout with skyline views; very accessible for visitors.
Stay in Newark, Montclair, or Short Hills for best access to Essex County and elite private/public courses.
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Why it matches: There is real overlap here. The Heritage Club makes the greens a central strategic puzzle, making it a compelling counterpart to Essex County Country Club.
Why it matches: There is real overlap here. Atlanta Athletic Club (Riverside Course) offers similarly polished playing surfaces, making it a compelling counterpart to Essex County Country Club.
Why it matches: There is real overlap here. Riviera Country Club a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character, making it a compelling counterpart to Essex County Country Club.
Tillinghast classic refined
Tillinghast/Hanse, major event pedigree
Ground-up Hanse design
Community Sentiment
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