Bernardsville, New Jersey
Somerset Hills Country Club is a living time capsule—a beautifully preserved A.W. Tillinghast original that fuses Golden Age design with a near-century of club tradition. While it lacks the modern major-championship pedigree of some neighbors, its strategic variety, classic greens, and storied atmosphere will thrill any student of course architecture.
On No. 1, “Orchard,” the apple trees aren’t decoration — they sit inside the dogleg and are genuinely part of the strategy; both red and green apples still grow there.
Somerset Hills Country Club stands as one of A.W. Tillinghast’s most influential and best-preserved Golden Age works. The course’s distinct two-nines personality—open, strategic meadows early, then tighter, water-guarded parkland late—showcases Tillie’s talent for matching form to terrain. Original features like the sunken racetrack and vivid, old-school green complexes remain. Modern restoration by Tom Doak and team has revived fairway width, reestablished natural landforms, and honored the course’s architectural soul, making every round a masterclass in strategy and shaping.
A.W. Tillinghast’s hand is everywhere—from bold par 3 designs to sublime natural use of the property, and Tom Doak’s modern restoration ensures those Golden Age intentions live on.
A pure rendering of the Redan concept, this par 3 demands a high, right-to-left shot over a yawning front bunker to a sharply canted green. The angle and abrupt fallaway punish a miss left and long.
Aim for the right front and use the contours to funnel the ball to the hole.
Anything left or over finds severe trouble or leaves a near-impossible recovery.
Firm, immaculate turf with strategic mow lines and lively, fast greens restored to classic sizes.
Deliberate and thoughtful, typically four-hour rounds with time for strategic choices.
Old-world charm—quiet, understated, a traditional club with a golf-first mentality.
Traditional private club attire expected—collared shirt, no denim.
Preview his signature green shapes and hole templates for a strategic edge.
Tiny targets and brutal trouble around the greens put a premium on approach control.
Respect the tradition—collared shirts and slacks/appropriate shorts are a must.
You’ll want to walk it, but the back nine and green-to-tee transitions are rolling at times.
Club founded near Ravine Lake
Construction begins at present Mine Mount Road site
A.W. Tillinghast–designed course officially opens
Tom Doak-directed restoration begins, focusing on widening and natural areas
Greens expansion and tree removal revival of original design intent
Ongoing bunker restoration project nears completion
Few clubs can claim a literal racetrack as part of their land—the remnants of Somerset Hills’ equestrian past influence shotmaking on the front nine. Players thread approaches over or alongside the sunken oval where thoroughbreds once thundered.
The front side, open and rolling across meadowland, stands in sharp contrast to the water-guarded, parkland back nine. This dual identity makes every round feel like two courses in one—and keeps golfers on their toes.
In recent years, Tom Doak and his team breathed new life into Tillinghast’s design—restoring wide corridors, classic bunkering, and strategic green edges. The result: a time-capsule round that plays as true to the 1910s as any in America.
From the Redan 2nd to the infamous 12th, Somerset Hills’ greens are small masterpieces. They test nerves and touch alike, with many putting surfaces virtually untouched for over a century.
A full racetrack once encircled parts of the course—now a Tillinghast design trademark.
Many original 1918 greens still in use—virtually untouched for a century.
Tom Doak’s restoration reintroduced legendary angles and play corridors lost to trees.
The club has never hosted a major pro tournament—its fame rests purely on architecture.
Get your public major fix at a bucket-list venue, about 50–70 minutes away.
Tillinghast’s storied championship test, about 30–40 minutes.
A world top-20 and regular US Open host, brilliant architecture about 45–60 minutes.
Another Tillinghast classic, ranked among the best in the region, about 25–40 minutes.
Morristown for best hotels/dining, or Bernardsville for closest proximity.
Community Sentiment
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