Representative image Photo: Stuart Logan · CC BY-SA 2.0
Somerset Hills Country Club
Bernardsville, New Jersey, United States
18 Holes · Par 71 · Private club — no published green fee; play is by member invitation · Parkland
— About
About Somerset Hills Country Club
Somerset Hills Country Club is a private club in Bernardsville, New Jersey, and its 18-hole course is an A.W. Tillinghast design that opened in 1918 and plays to a par of 71. Its two nines feel like different properties. The front nine spreads across an open hillside on ground laid out over a former racetrack, and the racetrack earthworks still come into play on several holes. The back nine turns hillier and wooded, with natural water features built into the routing. The second hole is a Redan par 3, a template that shows Tillinghast's Scottish influences. Seventeen of the eighteen greens are originals; only the tenth is a later replacement. Since about 2010, Tom Doak's firm has led a restoration that removed trees, widened fairways, enlarged greens and brought back native vegetation. In 1990 the club staged the Curtis Cup, which the United States won by 14 points to 4. The club has been running for more than a century and remains members-only, so a round here starts with an invitation from someone who belongs, since there are no public tee times and no published green fee.
- The second hole is a Redan-style par 3 that shows the Scottish influence on Tillinghast's design.
- Seventeen of the eighteen greens are Tillinghast's originals, and only the tenth green was replaced later.
- The front nine sits on a former racetrack, while the back nine climbs into hillier, wooded ground.
- Tom Doak's firm has led a restoration since about 2010 that widened fairways, enlarged greens and cleared trees.
- The 1990 Curtis Cup was played here, with the United States beating Great Britain and Ireland 14–4.
History of Somerset Hills Country Club
Somerset Hills Country Club is more than a century old, and its present course opened in 1918 to a design by A.W. Tillinghast. Seventeen original greens survive, and the tenth is the only one that was moved or rebuilt. Over the decades trees narrowed the corridors Tillinghast had drawn, and a restoration led by Tom Doak's firm began around 2010. It removed trees, widened the fairways, expanded the greens toward their old edges and returned native vegetation to the property. The front nine still runs across the earthworks of a former racetrack, while the back nine tumbles through woods. The club also has a place in international women's golf: in 1990 it hosted the Curtis Cup, and the United States won 14–4 against Great Britain and Ireland.
Signature holes at Somerset Hills Country Club
The second hole gets the attention: a par 3 built on the Redan model, and the main reason the course comes up whenever Tillinghast's Scottish influences are discussed. The 15th, a par 4 of roughly 405 yards, is a dogleg right that drops downhill toward a green guarded by a creek, so the tee shot needs care more than power. The nines set them apart. The front plays across open, gently rolling ground once used for horse racing, while the back nine works through woods and past natural water, so the round changes character at the turn.
When to play Somerset Hills Country Club
Golf in northern New Jersey generally runs from April through November. Late spring and early fall usually bring the mildest weather and the firmest turf, and October color suits a wooded back nine. July and August can be hot and humid. Somerset Hills is private, so the calendar matters less than the invitation: without a member host there is no way to book a tee time.
Playing Somerset Hills Country Club: tips
Somerset Hills does not sell tee times, and there is no public or unaccompanied play. Access is as the guest of a member. The club is at 180 Mine Mount Road in Bernardsville. Confirm the route from your arrival airport with your host rather than relying on an estimate, because traffic in northern New Jersey varies. Ask your host about dress code and arrival time, and expect the back nine to involve real elevation change. Check with your host on how the restoration has changed the course, since the fairways are wider and the greens larger than they once were.
Visit Somerset Hills Country Club
180 Mine Mount Road, Bernardsville, NJ 07924
Bernardsville, New Jersey, United States
— FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Somerset Hills Country Club
Can the public play Somerset Hills Country Club?
No. Somerset Hills is a private club in Bernardsville, and the course is played by members and their invited guests. It does not sell public tee times or publish a green fee.
Who designed Somerset Hills?
A.W. Tillinghast designed the course, which opened in 1918. Tom Doak's firm has led a restoration since about 2010, and seventeen of the eighteen greens are still Tillinghast's originals.
What is the best-known hole at Somerset Hills?
The par-3 second, a Redan, is the hole most tied to Tillinghast's Scottish influences. The 15th, a downhill dogleg-right par 4 with a creek by the green, is also singled out by writers.
What events has Somerset Hills hosted?
The most prominent is the 1990 Curtis Cup, which the United States women's amateur team won 14–4 over Great Britain and Ireland.