Plainfield's Role in Golf Handicapping
Leighton Calkins, a Plainfield mayor and club member, established the handicap system that became the model for fair play in golf worldwide. His contribution changed competitive golf forever.
The verdict
Ross pedigree revived for shotmakers
Plainfield Country Club is a Donald Ross masterpiece, meticulously restored by Gil Hanse. Its demanding greens, strategic test, and storied history make it a must for Northeast golf aficionados, though its private status keeps it exclusive.
Course DNA
Difficulty
85
Scenery74
Conditioning89
Shot Variety86
Walkability74
Green Complexity95
Wow Factor82
Design Quality89
At a glance
Quick facts
Original founder
Hillside Tennis Club (1890)
Restoration architects
Gil Hanse & Jim Wagner
Walking policy
Walking-only, no carts for daily play
Historic greens
16 greens expanded and restored
Total trees removed
Over 2,000 trees cleared in restoration
Famous tournament
The Barclays PGA Tour (2011, 2015)
Signature original features
Ross-style bunkers, false fronts, open vistas
Handicap system origin
Leighton Calkins' system, adopted by USGA
The design
The architecture
Plainfield Country Club is an exemplary Donald Ross design that seamlessly blends rolling New Jersey terrain with bold green contours and restored classic bunkering. Its routing capitalizes on every ridge and valley, punishing poor angles and rewarding canny shotmakers. Gil Hanse’s restoration has stripped away decades of overgrowth, recovered lost vistas, and brought back the original green shapes, restoring the course’s strategic intrigue and visual breadth. The greens are legendary — often sloping dramatically, spilling errant approach shots into collection areas, while long par 4s and deviously short par 4s ask for precision rather than power.
Donald Ross’s touch is everywhere, with Hanse and Wagner’s faithful restoration recapturing lost nuance.
Defining features
- Sharply contoured, multi-tiered greens with false fronts
- Ross-style bunkering: deep, irregular, and visually deceptive
- Rolling fairways routed over natural ridge lines
- Strategic water hazards on holes 3, 13, and 14
- Walking-only play, emphasizing ground game and positioning
- Open vistas restored after substantial tree removal
Hole by hole
Signature holes
Hole 3
Hole 3
PAR
3
YARDAGE
196 yds
A dramatic downhill par 3 over water, recognized as a signature one-shotter. The pond right of the green creates instant visual intimidation, while subtle winds influence club selection.
Play it smart
Aim safely left of the pin and favor the ridge line to feed the ball onto the green. Distance control is a must to avoid the water and finding the right tier.
Where it bites
Miss right and your ball is wet; short or long brings bunkers or collection areas into play.
Course management
Shots to think about
Approaching from above the hole on any green
Do everything possible to leave your ball below the hole; putts from above are treacherously quick.
Tee shot on the 4th hole
Lay back to avoid the downslope; position is critical for a controlled approach.
Second shot to par-5 5th
Resist going for the green unless perfectly placed — rough can kill birdie chances.
Attacking back pins on the 11th or 3rd
Only fly it all the way if you’re dialed in; safer to play for the center and two-putt.
Driving 7th or 10th
Favour the side that opens the angle to the green, and don’t chase extra yards if it brings bunkers into play.
Club selection on downhill par 3s (3 and 11)
Factor the drop and wind; play less club and trust your aiming point away from water.
16th–18th approach shots
Accept par and avoid hero shots; miss in the safest spots and survive the closing gauntlet.
Watch
See it before you play it
On the day
What to expect
Conditions
Pristine fairways and ferociously quick, contoured greens. Shotmaking rewarded, poor angles penalized.
Pace
Deliberate, members’-club pace; rounds move at the rhythm of the group.
Vibe
Classic, old-money Northeast private club — friendly but proud of its history.
Dress code
Standard private club golf attire strongly enforced
Before you tee off
Your game plan
01
Dial in your putting touch
Practice lag putts on severe slopes; the greens at Plainfield are lightning fast and full of subtle breaks.
02
Brush up on strategic course management
Rely on smart placement and aim for the fat side of every green. This isn't a bomb-and-gouge track.
03
Bring comfortable walking shoes
Hilly, walking-only terrain means you’ll cover plenty of ground — comfort is key.
04
Study the course restoration photos
Understanding which trees and bunkers were restored pays off in reading lines and appreciating the Ross/Hanse vision.
The lore
How it came to be
- 1890
Founded as Hillside Tennis Club
- 1895
First nine-hole golf course added
- 1898
Expanded to 18 holes by Tom Bendelow
- 1916
Donald Ross commissioned for new design
- 1921
Ross championship course opens after WWI
- 1999
Gil Hanse develops first master plan
- 2015
Restoration completed, Ross features revived
Stories & legends
What makes it special
Ross vs. the Greats: Choosing the Architect
Plainfield considered hiring C.B. Macdonald and Walter Travis before selecting a young Donald Ross, shaping the club's destiny. Their choice is now admired as a stroke of architectural genius.
Tree Removal Transforms Playability
The Hanse restoration felled over 2,000 trees, reopening dramatic ridgeline vistas and strategic lines lost for decades. What once felt narrow and enclosed now breathes with classic Ross scale.
PGA Tour Returns to Ross Roots
Hosting The Barclays in 2011 and 2015, Plainfield stood up to the world's best. The rolling greens and demanding angles kept even the pros on their toes.
For the group chat
Fun facts
1
Plainfield's original golf course began across the street, now Plainfield West.
2
The modern USGA handicap system traces directly to a Plainfield member.
3
More than 2,000 trees were removed during restoration to recapture Ross vistas.
4
Ross’s design was delayed by World War I, with completion pushed to 1921.
5
The Tudor clubhouse was designed by Roger Bullard in 1929.
Build the trip
If you're making a Northeast architecture road trip out of it
CourseAccessWhy it's on the listTrip
Pine Barrens Golf Club
Public
Superb daily-fee course open to all — a modern, bookable contrast to the region's private classics.
Baltusrol Golf Club
Private
Major championship pedigree, iconic clubhouses, and serious architectural stature.
Hudson National Golf Club
Private
Dramatic river views and bold modern architecture make this a destination for connoisseurs.
The Ridge at Back Brook
Private
Arguably the region’s best modern private layout, stretching shotmakers and rewarding bold play.
Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club
Private
Multi-course complex known for conditioning and group-trip friendliness.
Westfield, Summit, or Scotch Plains for prime access to club clusters and local dining
Course DNA
If You Like Plainfield Country Club
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Strong DNA Match8.7
The Country Club
Pepper Pike, OhioGreen Complexity
Why it matches: If Plainfield Country Club is your kind of course, The Country Club is worth a look because it demands the same precision once you reach the putting surface.
Strong DNA Match8.7
Rolling Green Golf Club
Springfield, PennsylvaniaGreen Complexity
Why it matches: There is real overlap here. Rolling Green Golf Club makes the greens a central strategic puzzle, making it a compelling counterpart to Plainfield Country Club.
Strong DNA Match7.7
The Heritage Club
Mason, OhioGreen Complexity
Why it matches: The Heritage Club is a natural next stop after Plainfield Country Club: it makes the greens a central strategic puzzle.
Community Sentiment
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