First Impressions
In the constant pursuit for innovation, we strive to push the boundaries of what “makes sense”. Mixing things so outlandish that nobody else would even think to attempt it. Some things don’t work, like peanut butter and mayo per se, yet we chase the magic when two opposites click. There’s no better example of this in golf than Bayonne Golf Club.
The club’s history is fascinating despite being less than 20 years old. Bayonne itself isn’t a place you’d expect to find an exclusive golf oasis. It’s an industrial town that could use a facelift, without much going on besides the harbor. However, tucked in the corner of an inconspicuous road littered with warehouses is a subtle gate, unlocking a site that looked much different until the early 2000s.
“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” has never held truer than Bayonne Golf Club, as it is built quite literally on a landfill site. In order to accommodate the dredging needs of the emerging New York Harbor, the site of the club was chosen as a depository for millions of cubic yards of silt. Mixing the sludge with cement gave the mixture more structure, and the team of Eric Bergstol and Rinaldo D’argenio began seeing the potential of a golf course on the site.
It took 6 years of Bergstol guiding the black muck filled dump trucks to form the foundation of the course, followed by soil growing medium and layers of sand. When it was all said and done, an eye watering 7.5 million tons of material were needed to form the dramatic dunes that give the course its links identity.
While the course is spectacular, the clubhouse may be even more memorable.
One of a kind in golf, the iconic lighthouse clubhouse was completed in 2008, complimented by an enormous American flag, the 2nd largest on the East Coast. Its presence looms large throughout the round as the highest point on the property and makes photos around the club come to life.
The interior is just as stunning, beautifully accented with dark wood and class throughout. A post round shower here can’t be missed, a biblical experience that is comfortably atop my golf shower rankings.
A club with many one of a kind moments and features, it should be no surprise that the range at Bayonne is one you won’t find anywhere else. I’ll let the pictures do the talking.
Needless to say you could leave the club feeling like you’ve seen something special at this point, but the course awaits and is worth every minute.
The Course
Design: Eric Bergstol
Year Built: 2006
Yardage: 7250 (Black)/6980 (Green)/6557(Blue)/6123 (White)/5378 (Red)
Rating: 75.0 (Black)/73.7 (Green)/72.0 (Blue)/70.0 (White)/ 72.3 [Ladies] (Red)
Accessibility: Private
Cost: $0 (Guest of Staff)
The Front 9
The opening sequence of the course emphasizes placement over distance, beginning with a 339 yard par 4. The tee box is slightly elevated, playing into a tumbling valley framed by fescue laden dunes on both sides. The fairway is welcoming, and a solid 200-220 yard shot is all that’s needed, no driver here.
The visibility of the approach is dependent on the side of the fairway your tee shot ends up on. From the left, a dune blocks the sightline of the green making the shot completely blind. The view of the green opens on the right side making it the preferred angle in. The green slopes back to front and features a few subtle ridges. The hole is modeled after the Dell hole at Lahinch and is a gentle albeit captivating opener.
The 2nd is a dogleg left par 4 requiring two accurate shots to avoid serious trouble. While the 8th fairway runs parallel to the right, the correct fairway is on the left and is hugged by a marsh waste area with a stream the whole way down once the dune is cleared. Like the first, driver isn’t needed but don’t hook anything left.
From the fairway, a short iron is all that should remain to a green tucked in behind the burn. While there’s a decent amount of room on the green, any miss is heavily punished with severe downhill lie awaiting anything long and an especially treacherous front bunker guarding the front.
The first par 3 is the Redan 3rd, playing 167 yards to a green sloping from front right to back left. The hole plays a bit shorter as its downhill, and the right side features a backboard of sorts that feeds balls perfectly to the green. A bunker lurks on the lefthand side, yet the hole is docile if your tee shot finds the generously sized green.
The 4th is a unique par 5 where a long iron could be the better play off the tee. The fairway is segmented and bisected by waste bunkers. The fairway is very narrow where most drives will end up, so two well place iron shots should leave a manageable approach to a wide but shallow green which is guarded by a large bunker in the front right and a severe hill on the back. The emphasis on precision over power continues.
The 5th is a short par 3, just 153 from the tips and 140 from blues. The challenges on the hole are a formidable sod packed bunker in front of the green and the severe undulations the green features. There’s a safe amount of space beyond the bunker so there’s no need to take it on.
A decision awaits on the 6th, a par 4 on the shorter side at just 330 yards. Only top drivers of the golf ball should consider going the green off the tee as there is tons of trouble surrounding the putting surface, a shorter club is incentivized as the fairway narrows as it goes. Living on the fairway is imperative here as it is on nearly every hole at Bayonne, as the fairway waste bunkers and fescue lined dunes are pretty impossible to get out of cleanly.
On the approach, missing right is out of bounds and a large bunker guards the front of the green. I forgot to grab a photo from the tee box so here is a view of the hole from Bayonne’s website.
Finally, we encounter a hole that safely calls for driver as the course opens up a bit starting with the 7th, a slightly right bending par 4 that plays longer than its yardage of 415. Uphill and into the wind, the hole has real teeth, despite a docile proposition off the tee with the only trouble being a mound of bunkers on the left.
While the driving challenge is certainly manageable, the approach is demanding and often 170+ yards with the aforementioned wind and uphill factors coming into play. A bunker awaits on the left and the right has a collection area for shots that come up short, which I imagine are a plenty.
The 8th and 9th are my favorite holes on the front, both unique in their own rights despite sharing similarly exhilarating tee shots.
The penultimate offering on the front 9 is an awesome par 5, amongst the most unique I’ve played this year. The defining factor and namesake for the hole is the salt marsh, but that doesn’t reveal itself off the tee. The tee box is situated to the left of the 2nd, with the fairway playing to the right. There’s more room on the left than it appears from the tee box, and I’d argue a longer drive to the left leaves you in better position. Hazardous dunes guard the right side of the fairway and bunkers flank the left.
The strategy and fun in the hole comes to life on the 2nd shot. I thought my drive was pulled left enough to be in trouble, but the fairway really opens up over there and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at your fortunes. From here a decision awaits, challenge the salt marsh from around 220-240 yards to a wide yet narrow and tucked green or take advantage of the generous split fairway riding the right side of said marsh. As much as I wish I had the perfect 3 wood shot to the green in my bag, I chose prudently and took a stress free par. The contours of the fairways run right to left throughout so consider this while playing the hole. A really fun par 5!
The view and shot required from the 9th tee box are why we play golf. With the clubhouse serving as a stunning backdrop, the tee shot is played over the 8th uphill to a left to right diagonal running fairway. There are bunkers guarding the front of the fairway on the optimal line, but anything clearing them or playing slightly to the left of them will be fine. The longest hitters can bypass the fairway completely and attack the green but I wouldn’t advise it.
The approach is excellent as well, the green surrounded by 3 prominent pot bunkers. A good drive will only leave you with 100-120 in to the left to right sloped green, be sure to avoid those bunkers as they’re particularly deep. An absolutely stunning hole from start to finish and one of my favorites on the course.
The front 9 starts cautiously, weaving throughout requiring safe precise shots before opening up in scale and drama. I’d rank the holes 9,8,1,7,3,2,4,6,5
The halfway house is awesome and reminds me of Hobbiton!
The Back 9
The back gets started with a longer (427 yards) dogleg right par 4 winding through the depths of the dunes. The fairway reluctantly peaks itself through the dunes before veering off nearly 90 degrees to the right. The fairway is laden with contours sending your ball whichever way their moods dictate.
From here, the fairway works slightly uphill to a bunkerless green in a punchbowl like setting. The green has a ridge bisecting the right side that must be contended with.
The 11th is the longest par 3 on the course, playing 200 yards and guarded by a bunker on the left and a dune on the right. Don’t miss long as the green is hugged by steep mounds that are impossible to get your ball out of.
The course really starts ramping up again from here, with the par 4 12th being perhaps the most exhilarating tee shot on the course (amongst several options). From an elevated perch, the hole is laid out in front of you, the fairway inviting and wide playing straight downhill before bunkers stand as a divider to the green.
It is a challenge to focus on the fairway however, as the harbor provides a backdrop that had everyone reaching for their phones to take photos on the tee box.
When you gather yourself from the tee shot, the visual on the approach is laden with bunkers and the look of an infinity green. There’s more space than you think, with the exception of a bunker guarding the right side and a fall off on the left. An awesome par 4 that sticks with you after the round.
The majestic American flag guides the way for the par 5 13th that checks in at 537 yards but plays uphill. There’s room on the tee shot, more of it to the left, with a blind second shot up the hillside awaiting. The hole plays pretty straight and the green resides at the base of the lighthouse. A straightforward par 5.
The 14th is another hole that provides a shot of adrenaline. A white knuckle 200 yard par 3 steps from the clubhouse playing downhill to a plateau green with steep runoffs on every side. Reminiscent of a turtle shell, this par 3 is attention grabbing and aesthetically striking, requiring every bit of your attention to succeed.
A risk reward par 4 is next- the quirky 15th. There’s a lot to interpret from the tee box as the hole plays uphill back towards the 14th tee. The hole is short at only 293 yards although wind and the slope can make that number feel drastically more.
The fairway on the left is reachable at just over 200 yards and the safe play as the fairway slopes right to left. A troublesome bunker complex lurks behind the mound on the righthand side and must be challenged going for the green. Aggression can be rewarded on this hole as there isn’t as much trouble closer to the green sans a modest bunker on the left. A punchbowl looking coliseum surrounds the back of the green which slopes front to back and right to left. This is a birdie opportunity as long as the bunkers are avoided.
I had heard the finishing stretch at Bayonne is the best part of the course, and the signature 16th certainly does its part to stand up to the claim. It’s also the hardest hole on the course.
A 458 yard par 4, the tee shot offers a generous landing area and one of many outstanding views. The hole bends to the right, so try not to push your luck on the left despite the vast fairway. The tee box is elevated, so enjoy watching a well struck tee shot fly with the harbor views before bounding out of sight down the slope.
It is likely that the approach facing you here will be the most harrowing of the day, especially if your tee shot is tugged to the left or short. On this day I was faced with 215 into the wind to a green tucked into the corner of the property. There are falloffs nowhere to escape on both sides of the green and trouble long as well. A bunker is hidden on the left of the green ready to demoralize those who think they’ve escaped disaster. The Manhattan skyline provides a stunning backdrop to this beast of a shot.
The 17th plays the closest to the water and runs right along the harbor at the lowest point of the course. Appropriately named “Water’s Edge”, the 423 yard dogleg left par 4 is thoroughly flanked on the left by the Hudson River and a beach bunker. Too far right is no good either (from personal experience) as fescue and slope make a grinding affair inevitable.
The lighthouse guides us on the finisher, a 415 yard uphill par 4 taking us from the harbor home in one swoop. The fairway is inviting at first but narrows as it gets closer to the hole. The hole bends slightly to the left making the dune blocking the left part of the fairway from sight the ideal line off the tee.
The final green is large and tucked into the hill with spines allowing for a variety of pin placements. A bunker is on the right side of the green but shouldn’t be overly dangerous with the size of the green.
The back is filled with several instances of drama, achieved through elevation change, views, and design. I’d rank the holes 12,16,14,17,15,13,18,10,11
Final Thoughts
This is truly a marvel in golf and architecture. It is as unique as any course I’ve played in America, a fine example of Irish links in the unlikeliest of settings. The course plays authentically, the temperament of the wind proving impactful while the ground game is permissible. Accuracy remains the requisite throughout, but there are a variety of challenges awaiting. While many clubs aim to provide an oasis from the outside world and tranquility, Bayonne makes its location pronounced, yet I’ve never felt further away from what the skyline makes obvious. A day here is unforgettable, and it is a place I truly hope to return to frequently. It is one of a kind.
Pros
-Exhilarating links course in as unique a setting imaginable
-Stunning clubhouse and views throughout
-Excellent conditioning throughout
Cons
-Be weary of a difficult walk if you aren’t accustomed to it
Favorite Hole
A tough one, but I think the elevated tee shot on 12 down to the infinity green takes the cake
What Would We Pay?
$6-700 to experience this exclusive gem
Final Score
8.75
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