Glen Ridge - New Jersey - USA

Glen Ridge is situated on a very cramped piece of land but makes the most of it with a number of fun holes. The course is not about length and therefore appeals to shorter players who do not feel under the gun in having to stripe each tee shot with all the might they can muster.

The holes on the west side of Broad Street are noticeably hilly and appropriately challenging. When you cross over Broad Street the remaining 14 holes are located there. The course has five par-3's and they all add to the challenge -- varying in terms of length, direction and demands.

The strength of the course if the varied putting surfaces. A number of them are sloped from back to front and heaven help the player having a poor day with their approaches as recovering will likely prove exasperating. A skilled wedge and putting game pays dividends here.

Glen Ridge is the kind of course you feel you should score a low number but when you tally the card it can be a head scratcher at denying you that satisfaction. While there's no doubt in my mind that the course is among the State's elite, however, Glen Ridge still has enough architectural heft to never be boring. That certainly says something for sure.

M. James Ward