Designer: Willie Norton (1903), Walter J. Travis (1920, Redesign)
Location: Lakewood, New Jersey
History: Perhaps the most interesting thing about Lakewood is its history, which is quite impressive and the reason I sought out to play here. The original Golf Club of Lakewood was founded in 1893 by prominent New Yorkers who vacationed at the Jersey Shore. This primitive course was built by Willie Dunn and was one of the first ten clubs to join the U.S.G.A. In 1895, the first hole-in-one in America supposedly happened here. Then in 1898, Tom Bendelow built a new course for Lakewood down the street. At the same time, an organization called the Ocean County Hunt and Country Club built a course nearby in 1896 with a design from the first U.S. Open Winner Horace Rawlins. In 1902, these two clubs merged and first pro Willie Norton built a new course in 1903. The course we play today was completely revamped by Walter J. Travis in 1920. Lakewood hosted several big tournaments in its early years and held the 1922 Met Amateur won by Jess Sweetser of Siwanoy.
Conditions: 6/10, The conditioning at Lakewood is average with slower greens and hit-or-miss fairways and teeboxes.
Value: 6/10, Lakewood offers competitive rates with teetimes ranging from $30-50 depending on the day and season.
Scorecard:
Tee Par Yardage Rating Slope
Back 72 6541 71.4 129
Middle 72 5929 68.9 125
Forward 72 5258 69.3 119
Hole Descriptions: I had somewhat decent expectations for Lakewood given its history but came away with mixed feelings about the course. On the positive side, the greens are a real highlight here, and this is not surprising given Walter Travis designed them. Small, varied, and occasionally wild, these are among the most interesting putting surfaces in New Jersey. There are several strong holes, a number of mundane holes over relatively flat, sandy terrain, and two of the worst holes I’ve ever seen in 5 and 16 that really sour the round. Combined with lackluster conditions and rampant tree overgrowth, Lakewood is a course that would greatly benefit from a renovation and some more care. As it stands currently, it is worth a play for hardcore Travis fans and locals but is not a course I’d go out of the way to play.
Lakewood opens with a 385 yard straightaway par 4 over flat land. There are some bunkers down either side for the first 180 yards, but little to no danger after this point. As is the case with most of the holes on the course, the most interesting aspect to this hole is its small green, which mostly slopes back-to-front with a pesky middle mound. Bunkers flank the green on either side and your approach must carry a sandy cart path.
The par 4 1st
While the course is not long by any means, the four par threes are on the longer side and are some of the toughest holes. The 184 yard 2nd hole is the shortest one-shotter and plays to another small, excellent green which plays elevated and contains a large back right mound you can use as a backstop. Numerous bunkers surround the putting surface and I would say this is comfortably the best par 3 here.
The par 3 2nd could likely benefit from some tree removal down the left
The 3rd is another nice hole playing slightly uphill and straightaway at 362 yards. Sporadic trees line the fairway and bunkers and mounds of rough are found down either side around 200 yards. While tee-to-green this hole is fairly average, this green is a true Biarritz with bunkers on either side and is a blast to play.
The par 4 3rd doesn’t look too impressive at first…
…but contains an uncommon public Biarritz!
After crossing a road, you arrive at my favorite hole on the course, the beautiful 387 yard dogleg right par 4 4th. Beginning with a teeshot through a chute of trees, this Cape-style fairway turns hard to the right around 210 yards with a giant wastebunker hugging its right side. The approach is equally as exhilarating playing blind over a trio of bunkers towards a green that slopes hard left-to-right.
The fun par 4 4th evokes images of nearby Pine Valley with its sandy challenges
After three excellent greens and an awesome 4th hole, I was somewhat optimistic about Lakewood but then I reached the 5th hole. One of two truly dreadful holes on the course, this number 1 handicap plays tight, tree-lined, and uphill at 372 yards. The defining feature of this hole is a giant tree in the middle of the fairway around 240 yards right where most golfers would be aiming their drives. This tree is certainly needless and silly and I’m sure Walter Travis would be rolling over in his grave if he were aware. Once past the tree, this approach continues uphill to a two-tiered, back-to-front sloped green lined by a right bunker.
The tough par 4 5th
A chainsaw is certainly warranted at 5
The 185 yard 6th hole could be a strong par 3 but falls into similar problems as the previous hole with tall trees encroaching way too close to the green to give the golfer options. The putting surface itself is narrow and features a vertical ridge which leads to some difficult putts. A large wastebunker defends short right of the green.
The tight par 3 6th
At 340 yards, the 7th hole is a straightaway par 4 with an 150 yard carry over a giant wastebunker that wraps around down the left for nearly the entire length of the hole. Trees line the right side of the very narrow fairway, forcing golfers to be accurate here. This green plays as sort of a subtler, wider Biarritz with small bunkers left, long, and right.
The sandy par 4 7th
You cross back over the road again after 7 and the next four holes play over flat land and are honestly quite boring. At 375 yards, the 8th hole is a straightaway par 4 sandwiched between the 3rd and 16th holes. While there a few bunkers and scattered trees, this is a generally open hole without real danger. This green is on the flatter side. The 9th hole plays back towards the clubhouse as a 522 yard par 5. Also playing dead straight and flat, this hole is generally forgettable and features another flatter, small green lined by bunkers on either side.
The 219 yard 10th hole is the longest par 3 on the course, but is easily the least interesting of the one-shotters playing to a flatter, somewhat crowned green surrounded by rough and a right bunker. At 539 yards, the 11th hole is the longest par 5 at Lakewood and runs parallel to the 9th. With trees to the far right, a right bunker at 220 yards, but little other danger, golfers can swing away here with little fear. There’s a rough patch bisecting the fairway for about 50 yards around 320 yards and the second slab of fairway also plays open without hazards. The most notable thing about this hole is an elevated, small, undulating green.
You turn to the right and down a hill through the forest to get to holes 12-15 and this stretch feels like a different course on hilly, swampy terrain. The 12th hole is probably the most interesting hole at Lakewood as a 332 yard wild par 4. From an elevated teebox, this teeshot plays over a creek to a flat slab of fairway that ends at around 275 yards. The green sits atop a steep, intimidating hill full of grass bunkers and one bunker just short. This approach must be aerial and a tricky, front-to-back sloped surface makes it tough to get close. I’m not sure how good this hole is, but it is certainly memorable and interesting unlike much of the previous eight holes.
The par 4 12th with the “LCC” bunker on the nearby 15th
The ominous approach at 12
The 13th hole is a reachable 493 yard straightaway par 5 that requires a brief 150 yard forced carry over a valley of rough to a generous tree-lined fairway with little other danger. The fairway continues straight and featureless until you reach a wide green containing a large left mound that kind of reminds me of the 11th at Kittansett.
Apparently Walter Travis thought the 14th hole “was the equal of any two-shotter in the country” and it is indeed a very solid 382 yard par 4. A clever double dogleg with compelling land movement, this teeshot initially plays downhill to a narrow fairway that bends to the left with a severe cant in this direction. At around 240 yards, the fairway becomes quite tight and starts to move back to the right and slightly uphill towards a small, back-to-front sloped green defended by a short right bunker.
Some 100 yards were added to Travis’ 15th hole, which is now a lengthy and challenging 200 yard par 3. This teeshot must navigate tight trees and traverse two water hazards to reach a small green with a left falloff. The only bunker on this hole is carved into the letters “LCC” just short of the green and this felt very gimmicky.
The par 3 15th
Although officially 512 yards, the par 5 16th hole is only about 290 yards if you draw a direct line from tee to green. However, going for the green in one is impossible as tall trees and houses span the distance between the two. The hole is meant to be played as a forced three-shotter with an initially straight teeshot to a very tight, tree-lined fairway that ends around 250 yards. At this point, the hole takes a 90 degree turn to the right to a wider fairway featuring a midline bunker about 100 yards short of the green. This fairway also ends and the back-to-front sloped green is off again to the right, making the hole play in essentially a U-shape. The tall trees and tight nature of this hole basically force the golfer to lay-up three times and it is an absolutely terrible design.
The 17th hole is a more reasonable dogleg as a 354 yard par 4. This hole turns sharply to the left around 210 yards with bunkers and mounds on the outside corner and a chance for longer hitters to cut the corner over the trees down the left. This approach plays to a mildly elevated, two-tier, back-to-front sloped green defended by two left bunkers.
The par 4 17th
The approach at 17
Lakewood’s closing hole is a 398 yard par 4 that plays straightaway and tree-lined back towards the clubhouse. This fairway is initially quite generous but trees do creep in on either side the closer one gets to the green. The green itself is defended by a right bunker, surrounded by trees, and contains numerous plateaus. Par is a strong score here.
General Comments: Practice facilities at Lakewood include a small practice green near the clubhouse and pretty dilapidated range next to the parking lot. Pace of play was fantastic when I played on a weekday morning.
Verdict: Although it has an impressive history and greens, Lakewood is a bit of a mixed bag with many mundane holes, two awful holes, and lackluster conditioning. This Jersey Shore public course is certainly interesting but not somewhere I’d go out of my way to play again.
