Aerial view from Crystal Springs Golf Club.
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Rating Index Rating
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4.2
323 Reviews (323)
5 Stars
134
4 Stars
126
3 Stars
49
2 Stars
8
1 Stars
6
Conditions
4.1
Value
4.1
Layout
4.4
Friendliness
4.3
Pace
3.8
Amenities
4.2
88.5%
Recommend this course
275 out of 323 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.5
16 Reviews (16)
5 Stars
10
4 Stars
4
3 Stars
2
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.3
Value
4.4
Layout
4.7
Pace
4.4
Amenities
4.5
StaffFriendliness
4.6
93.8%
Recommend this course
15 out of 16 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.3
55 Reviews (55)
5 Stars
26
4 Stars
21
3 Stars
6
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
2
Conditions
4.1
Value
4.2
Layout
4.5
Pace
3.9
Amenities
4.3
StaffFriendliness
4.4
89.1%
Recommend this course
49 out of 55 reviews
Read Reviews

About

Holes 18
Type Semi-Private/Resort
Par 72
Length 6816 yards
Slope 139
Rating 73.5

Crystal Springs Golf Club in Hamburg touts a reputation of being not only the most challenging golf course in New Jersey, but also one of the most challenging layouts east of the Mississippi. The site filled with water after its use as a limestone quarry in 1929, which formed the natural springs on the 10th hole that the course is named after. The layout is definitely a shot-maker's course. Carefully sculpted mounding that frames the fairways and greens defines each hole. There is also tall and gnarly rough treacherously guarding the tight fairways. The golf course sits just a few miles from New Jersey's highest point, sprawling across an undulating terrain that makes it difficult to find an even lie. One of the most notably difficult, and subsequently the most talked about, holes is the 11th. The hole is perched atop a cliff overlooking the Windsor Quarry.

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Course Details

Year Built 1992
Fairways Bentgrass
Greens Bentgrass
Golf Season Open: 3/15 Closed: 12/12
Architect Robert von Hagge (1992)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fees
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Golf School Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Amex Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No

Food & Beverage

Bar, Snacks, Restaurant, Beverage Carts

Lodging

Lodging Available

Available Facilities

Showers, Lockers

Accolades

  • Golf Advisor: Top Courses in New Jersey (2015 #8)

Reviews

4.2
323 Reviews (323)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 22
Dinner 15
19th Hole Scenic Views 10
Course Challenges Include:
Elevation Changes 38
Bunkers 37
Undulating Greens 36
This course/club is great for:
Advanced Golfers 32
Wildlife/ Scenic Views 28
A Weekend Splurge 18
This Course's Location is:
At a Resort 36
Worth the Drive 35
In the 'Burbs 12

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 79
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 23
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing

Challenging

Beautiful place with inspiring views. Definitely a challenging course. Played between bogie and double bogie golf but definitely proud of my play on such a challenging course.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 29
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 31
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Great Shape and Challenging Course !

The day of Pace were very slow. But they have a nice shape and good challenging course !
All Staffs were very friendly .
I love there course !

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 17
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Course is getting better

Compared to two weeks ago, the course had dried out well and carts on fairways
Greens still pretty bumpy after being aerated two weeks ago
Will be another 2 weeks until decent
They give you practice balls included but the ball machine was empty yet again
Slow round.. We hit off 15 minutes late and took over 5 hours
13 dollars for brat at halfway house... seems expensive to me
Part of that is just it is a hard course and too many beginner players that would have more fun at black bear

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 8
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Cold weather
Used cart
Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 192
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 500 Contributor
Previously Played
Cold weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 17
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Previously Played
Cold weather
Used cart

Greens were sanded and course quite wet

Great layout but greens heavily sanded last week
Cart part only as was surprisingly wet
Talk the green fee going to 180 this summer
Great layout - Hard par 5s and 3's
Will be expensive for me to drive from NY - 30 dollars in gas

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

Noice

Tough but awesome. Don't expect to shoot your lowest score. But enjoy the views and make some hero shots.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Difficult but fun

Beautiful, very narrow fairways , challenging. Not a place get your best score! But Beutiful

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 46
Skill Intermediate
Plays Twice a year
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 43
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

dont play here, no bueno!

5.5 hour round on the weekend. the place has no staff, no rangers, no balls at the driving range because they have no help. it s a free for all on the course. the course is challenging, but you get newbies or hacks out there and it takes forever. everyone has a right to play, but without any rangers to keep the slow people on pace its is a nightmare.

it will be a long time before i go back, not a great way to maintain customers. pace is everything, i would rather play a round in a reasonable time on a mediocre course than play a long round on a premium course. for that premium the pace has to be right or why bother.

Conditions Excellent
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 59
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 1000 Contributor
First Time Playing

Difficult but FUN

I’ve always heard about this course, and I have to tell you, I was pleasantly surprised. Conditions were great, in spite of all the rain they’d gotten. All the greens are flawless and rolling perfectly. I am a single handicapper but a few holes did jump out and bite me in the butt. The best advise I received (from the starter), and would like to share with you is keep the driver in the bag unless you absolutely have to use it. 200 yard off the tee will save you a lot of strokes. That par 3 off the cliff is an absolute gem. What a beautiful view.
The post round meal and service was delicious. Staff was very friendly as well. My only disappointment from my whole experience at crystal springs was that the driving range was closed.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 8
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart

Stupidest design I have ever played

I don't mind a hard golf course ; but this one is just a stupid layout. The dude that cut the pins today was a sadist!

Conditions Average
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 15-19
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a week
3.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

I am not good enough to enjoy this course

if you are an average to below average golfer like me you should skip this course. I would recommend spending a bit more and playing Wild Turkey right next door. This course with its impossible pin placement, moguls and bunkers, water hazards and impossible thick rough make this a very hard course. I spent way to much time searching thick rough for my ball and you almost never have a flat lie even on the fairway. You are always shooting on an angle or blind or over a bunker. Pin placements are evil too some impossible to hit even for the best golfers. Overall the pace of play was a bit slow too. The course is not too long but I wont be playing again the cost is good but there are many other options that are more fun in my opinion. Try Wild Turkey, Black Bear, Great Gorge or Farmstead if you want to play in Sussex county.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Fair
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 90
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Wet weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 90
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
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