Baltusrol Golf Club
Upper Course
7,392 Yards / Par-72
Springfield, NJ, USA
Rating: Eagle
Tradition. In golf, the connection to the past is an important and enduring bond. However, living in the past means remaining there.
A number of influential golf clubs throughout the United States have taken key steps in re-establishing long ingrained traditions in the post pandemic period. Forged as golf blossomed early in the 20th century but resolute in creating enduring pathways, a number of key clubs have sought a reconnection to their genesis.
These titans of American golf went through a self-examination in a clear desire to reconnect with their core roots. This effort followed the direction outlined by Clifford Roberts, the former major domo of Augusta National who when asked about the changes made at the club was quick to rebuff the questioner’s faulty premise with the laser-like comment — “Sir, we do not change Augusta National – we seek to improve it.”
Baltusrol Golf Club shaped the discussion of golf in the United States as the game was germinating in the very late 19th century. Louis Keller, the club’s founder, sought to create a riveting golf oasis near enough to New York City as a mechanism to attract deep-pocketed golf enthusiasts.
A central emphasis for the Springfield, NJ-based club was manifested early on in serving as the host venue for the staging of national championships. The club originally started as a 9-hole course in 1895 and expanded to 18 in 1898.
Five USGA championships were played in its early years – including the 1903 and 1915 US Opens, respectively.
In 1922, at the directive of Keller, A.W. Tillinghast was hired and the renowned architect plowed under the original 18-hole layout and created two distinct courses called Lower and Upper respectively. The move to completely start anew was unprecedented for its boldness and the final landscape created by the gifted architect was hailed for its ultimate brilliance.
Additional national championships followed — with both “new” courses serving as host venues for the US Open. When the 1954 US Open was staged on the Lower Course the layout was updated and bolstered by the prolific architect of the time — Robert Trent Jones, Sr.
Through 2016 Baltusrol would host a total of seven US Opens and two PGA Championships.
Even with such a sterling record the club leadership opted to hire the renowned architect Gil Hanse in 2018 in order to bring back to life the qualities of the design originally created by Tillinghast. The general consensus among the senior club leadership was that the two courses had moved away from that central philosophy.
The Lower Course was the first to be completed by Hanse in Spring 2021. The Upper Course followed and re-opened for play in May of this year.
Ask members at Baltusrol which of the two they personally favor and you will hear a good number opt for the Upper as the preferred choice. Even though guests often want to play the Lower because of the various US Open and PGA Championships played there.
Hanse smartly included a number of key dimensions to bolster the Upper.
The opening hole had been a rather bland starter — a pedestrian short par-5. Hanse smartly eliminated a contrived practice putting green immediately near to the clubhouse and a teeing area has now been added which adds a good bit more yardage and challenge.
The next five holes on the Upper hug closely to adjoining Baltusrol Mountain and each has been wisely updated by Hanse with the field work carried out by Labar Golf Renovations.
The long 2nd plays 463 yards and the sloping right-to-left fairway on this par-4 has been widened to handle the movement of any golf ball landing in the short grass. Golfers able to use the natural contour can reap dividends while those who fail to do so will only compound the requirements that follow.
One of the more interesting – and some may opine as a controversial aspect — is the elimination of the first cut of rough. Generally, most USA courses provide for a grass area — approximately no more than six-feet wide as a buffer between fairway and primary rough. Such an area is cut higher than fairway grass but less than primary rough.
Classic golf architecture in the days of Tillinghast, and stretching back to the roots of the game’s development in Scotland, did not have such an intermediate grass cut.
When balls roll off fairways it’s very likely that unless there is some residual movement a ball may find itself abutting such primary rough. Being able to avoid such matters is a major point of emphasis during the round.
One of the most enduring contributions from Tillinghast was the insertion of the long par-3 into the mixture. The Upper provides two such holes with the 3rd stretching to over 260 yards from the tips.
Play begins from an elevated tee and often the prevailing wind pattern is into the players. A tee shot must be exact — space is provided between four bunkers but each is ever quick to snare the slightest mishap.
Three quality par-4s follow – the 4th at 445 yards, the downhill dog-leg right 5th at 452 yards and the 6th at 443 yards, respectively. Each uniquely different in its requirements.
The 4th mandates a lofted iron hit with total precision as a menacing false-front is quick to wreak havoc with any impostors. The 5th requires a keen tee shot placement. Those foolishly attempting to cut the corner will find quick pushback. The 6this bolstered by a cross-bunker complex located 40 yards in front of the green. The overall flow of the hole was also aided by the removal of 46 evergreens and one maple on the left side.
The elimination of countless and intrusive tree growth has reinvigorated the full scope of the Baltusrol landscape. The previous clutter is now a matter of the past.
The par-3 7th is located in the most distant corner of the property and is another long par-3 of 252 yards. The hole begins from an elevated teeing area and is one of the few holes on the Upper that treks in a different direction than the north/south and south/north formula that dominates the routing of the layout.
Once one moves away from the close proximity to Baltusrol Mountain you encounter a series of holes (8 thru 13) on flat terrain. However, the most notable exception in the mixture comes with the scintillating par-3 10th.
The seductive hole is listed at 166 yards but the green is placed on the top of a knoll and contains an array of puzzling internal movements. Judging proper club selection is essential.
Holes 8 and 10 are good as a par-5 and short par-4 respectively but they are not especially noteworthy. Regrettably, the entire 36-holes at Baltusrol does not have one compelling short par-4 (350 yards or less) of note even though Tillinghast was more than capable in delivering on this front with engaging examples at the 15th at Fenway and 6th at Winged Foot West.
Tillinghast interestingly used the narrow corridor of land in this section of the property to include two of the par 5 holes — the 8th and 11th — are parallel to one another but go in different directions.
There are also two par-4s in this area of the routing – holes 12 and 13. Both are good, yet hardly exceptional even with quality green contours on each of them.
Fortunately, matters change considerably with the stellar 14th. The uphill par-4 hole is one of the very few on the Upper that moves in an easterly direction. The intersection of the land and the overall shaping of the hole makes for arguably the best hole on the entire property.
Credit the club and Hanse in smartly re-establishing the double-green complex. The inclusion turned a stellar hole into an unforgettable one and one of the Garden State’s 18 best.
Related: Grade “A” Architecture – Baltusrol Golf Club
Three of the final four holes on the Upper (15-17) are a worthy combination with a 3, 4 and 5 par designation respectively. However, the closing hole is the one that leaves an indelible impression.
The 510-yard par-4 mandates both sufficient length and placement off the tee. The green is superbly placed — closely tugged alongside the stately clubhouse. The putting surface has a number of vexing internal contours and those escaping in less than five strokes will leave the green with a lasting smile.
Beyond the design inclusions carried out by Hanse the overall look of the property has been expertly carried out by the Director of Grounds at Baltusrol — Greg Boring. Prior to the project, the invasive imposition of trees and the systematic narrowing of fairway area in tandem with smaller-sized greens had clearly taken away from the fundamental character of the Upper Course.
Boring and his skillful team have provided a much-needed crucial link between the art of the architecture and the science in having turf quality that adds immeasurably to the golf experience.
One of the limitations with the Upper is the shape of the available acreage that impacted what Tillinghast ultimately did with the design. The Upper is fitted via a rectangular piece of property and that necessitated the flow of the holes to be in two primary directions.
With just three exceptions – the holes follow a north/south and south/north direction.
Credit the talents of Tillinghast in superbly routing both courses through such a varied property configuration. The nearly $23 million project has magnificently updated the Upper — linking the genius of its storied architect and maintaining the challenges ever evolving with today’s golf ball and club technology.
Baltusrol’s Upper hand indeed.
Upper Course images courtesy of Evan Schiller
***
Ratings AssessmentDouble Eagle — Not a hole to be missed. Compelling architecture throughout testing mental and physical resolve. Your heart bumps with exhilaration from 1st tee to 18th green. Eagle + — Superior shotmaking values in tandem with related turf quality melding an experience of the highest order. Eagle — Like its namesake – flies high in the clouds. Consistent variety with strategic holes demonstrating brilliance at various moments. Birdie + — Engaging design providing thoughtful intersections with creative results front and center. Birdie — Quality architecture exists but held back by limited standout holes encountered. Par+ — Has several holes of note but too many pedestrian ones subtract from the experience. Par — Enjoyable but like vanilla ice cream – mainly ordinary. Bogey — Little substance of note – has design fumbles that are more prevalent than need be. Double-bogey — A total mistake — in need of upgrades with substandard holes, inferior routing and substandard conditioning. Triple-bogey — An utter mess. Avoid the pain of the experience and the loss of time / money. ***
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