Designer: Tom Fazio (2002)
Location: Ringoes, New Jersey
History: The Ridge at Back Brook is the vision of Joel Moore, a local businessman and developer who wanted to build a golf-only, private course in Central New Jersey. He found suitable land for the project in 1998 and enlisted Tom Fazio for the job. The Ridge opened to critical acclaim in 2002 and is considered one of the best courses in New Jersey:
- #186 Best Modern Course in America – Golfweek (2026)
- #14 Best Course in New Jersey – Golf Digest (2025)
- #17 Best Course in New Jersey – Top100golfcourses.com (2024)
Conditions: 9/10, The Ridge at Back Brook is in excellent condition, with firm fairways, thick rough, and speedy greens.
Value: N/A, This is a private course.
Scorecard:
Tee Par Yardage Rating Slope
Black 72 7215 75.2 141
Black/Blue 72 6867 73.5 139
Blue 72 6654 72.4 139
Gold 72 6319 70.6 137
Silver 72 6003 69.3 133
Silver/Green 72 5484 72.7 140
Green 72 5118 70.8 134
Hole Descriptions: Supposedly when Joel Moore came up with the idea for The Ridge, he wanted only Tom Fazio to design the course and would’ve reportedly abandoned the idea if Fazio declined the job. This would be a pretty crazy notion today, but you have to understand that Fazio was at the absolute peak of his career around this time. While he’s not always beloved amongst architecture circles, I’ve been fortunate to play a number of Fazio courses and generally enjoy them. His courses are always very visually appealing, in great condition, and are usually at high end clubs where the experience is a good one. I do think his designs can be a little vanilla at times however, and his style of architecture doesn’t really allow for an upper echelon golf course except for special cases (Wade Hampton, Shadow Creek, etc).
Set along the New Jersey – Pennsylvania border, The Ridge sits about halfway between New York and Philadelphia in a rural part of the state without much other great golf. It is one of the better Tom Fazio courses I’ve played and follows his typical design strategy with a big, beautiful property full of water hazards and flashy bunkering. The course is probably most memorable for its namesake red rock ridge, which features prominently on some of the best holes on the course and has a very unique aesthetic for the area. Overall, The Ridge is a solid golf course that would probably receive more attention if it were closer a major city or wasn’t in such a competitive golf state. It doesn’t crack the top 10 in New Jersey for me, but is a good course well-worth a play if given the opportunity.
The Ridge opens with a 381 yard par 4 that plays straightaway from an elevated teebox. The fairway is initially quite inviting but narrows around 275 yards with a bunker down the left and a small pond beginning down the right. The pond runs all the way to the green, which juts out diagonally near the water with a bunker short right as well.
The 2nd is the shortest hole on the course but a demanding par 3 at 160 yards. This one-shotter requires a carry over a water hazard the entire way to a peninsular green defended by water left, long, and short and a bunker right. This is one of the more interesting greens on the course, with a central, almost Biarritz-like swale.
A fitting number 1 handicap, the 3rd hole is a challenging par 4 playing uphill as a dogleg left. With an immediate forced carry of 135 yards just to find the fairway, this hole bends to the left with water down the left side the entire way. There’s a bunker on the right around 245 yards and just left of this is a good aiming point. The approach continues uphill towards an elevated, back-to-front sloped putting surface well-defended by a series of deep bunkers short left.
After a drive past the clubhouse, the 4th hole is another strong par 4 as a 410 yard dogleg right. Requiring an 150 yard forced carry over a chasm, this fairway begins to move to the right with a pair of bunkers down this side at 180 and 225 yards. A power fade over these bunkers leaves a downhill approach into a wide, shallow green with two distinct tiers. It’s best to use the slope and stay to the left on this green, as deep bunkers and a steep slope defend short right.
At 521 yards, the 5th is first of five par fives at The Ridge and one of the most interesting and memorable holes on the course. This hole begins with a semi-blind teeshot to a narrow fairway that sort of sits in a chute between thick rough and tall trees. At about 240 yards, the fairway bends to the left and runs downhill, offering longer hitters a chance to cut the corner and reach in two. The golfer is given options on their second shot, as the fairway continues downhill and ends abruptly with a hazard about 70 yards short of the green. Getting home in two would require a heroic shot over the hazard towards an elevated, shallow green fronted by a bunker and defended long by red rock outcroppings. In a way, this hole feels a bit forced, but the strategic options and visuals are undeniable.
The 6th hole is a straightaway par 4 that runs uphill the entire way and plays longer than 394 yards. With another forced carry over a valley, this generous fairway is lined by trees down either side and bunkers down the right at 245 yards and left at 280 yards. This diagonal putting surface contains a front swale and is defended by a deep bunker short right.
The 7th is the longest hole on the course and perhaps the most memorable as well. A true marathon par 5 at 568 yards, this beastly offering begins rather straightforward with a generous fairway lined by OB and two bunkers at 200 and 250 yards down the left. This initial fairway crests shortly after the second bunker and then runs downhill, ending around 330 yards. At this point, the fairway splits in two for the remainder of the hole with a higher right portion and lower left portion divided by red boulders and two large bunkers. Considering this is a three-shot hole for almost everyone, the golfer will definitely have options for their angle into this putting surface, which mostly slopes right-to-left off a right plateau and is defended by a left bunker.
The 8th hole is another memorable one and probably the best par 3 on the course. With four teeboxes on the left and three on the right, this hole usually plays between 150 and 169 yards and runs dramatically downhill from both angles. I played it from the right teebox, which yields a fairly straightforward downhill approach into a green with some depressions along its edges. This green is very well-defended with a pair of bunkers short on either side and a creek snaking around the left side and long of this green. An 80-foot red rock cliff sits in the backdrop behind this creek and creates a really memorable and unique hole.
The 9th hole returns you to the clubhouse as a 371 yard par 4. While the fairway is quite wide, a pond runs down the left for the first 190 yards and a large bunker begins down this side around 230 yards. Golfers who can avoid these hazards will be left a shorter approach over a creek and bunker towards a diagonal green that sits beneath red rock. This green is also defended by a small pond and rock wall short and left and primarily slopes towards this hazard.
The majority of the back 9 sits in the southwestern part of the property above the ridge on higher, flatter ground. While it is still a nice collection of holes, it is far less memorable than the front and somewhat holds the course back in my opinion. This side opens with a strong hole in a 384 yard dogleg right par 4. From an elevated teebox, this teeshot requires an 150 yard carry over a creek and hazard to a narrow fairway that bends to the right. Bunkers begins down the left at 245 yards and a creek runs down the right side the entire way, really making this a tough but excellent teeshot. This approach plays uphill towards a left-to-right sloped green flanked by bunkers with the hazard continuing down the right. This hole is unquestionably my favorite on the back 9.
At 516 yards, the par 5 11th hole plays slightly uphill and straight the entire way. The teeshot plays over a brief forced carry to a generous fairway lined by bunkers down either side around 245 yards. There are additional bunkers in the lay-up area down either side and just short of a wide, undulating green. It is a fine, albeit highly forgettable hole.
The 12th hole plays somewhat similarly to the 2nd as an 175 yard par 3 requiring a carry the entire way to a green jutting out into a pond. This green is on the flatter side with bunkers short and long left for those who bail away from the hazard.
The Ridge at Back Brook lacks a true, reachable par 4 with the 13th being the closest thing at 347 yards. Playing slightly uphill and rather straight, this hole features a tighter fairway lined by three right bunkers between 215 and 275 yards. This elevated green sits off to the left defended by deep bunkers short and is probably the most difficult putting surface on the course, with a false front and an overall left-to-right slope with three tiers. I applaud Fazio for the interesting green on this shorter hole, but think an opportunity was lost by not shortening the length and giving the golfer more risk/reward options here.
The 14th hole is a longer par 5 at 544 yards but plays steadily downhill the entire way and shorter. This is a pretty hole featuring an inviting, right-to-left sloped fairway lined by bunkers beginning on the right at 245 yards. The most interesting feature is a large bunker in the center of the fairway about 50 yards short of the green that certainly should give the golfer pause on their second shot. This green is flanked by bunkers on either side and contains several different sections.
There are two par threes in the closing stretch at The Ridge with the 15th being the longest on the course at 201 yards. This is an attractive hole playing over rough and bunkers to an elevated putting surface. The green appears like it should have Redan-like qualities, but actually plays more back-to-front with a notable backstop.
At 419 yards, the 16th is the longest par 4 on the course and another hole that really doesn’t do much for me. With relatively little danger off the tee, this hole invites aggressive teeshots to a generous fairway lined by a large right bunker around 210 yards. This undulating green sits slightly off to right with bunkers on either side. The length alone makes this a difficult par, but most golfers should be able to at least make bogey here.
The Ridge’s penultimate hole is another pretty par 3 at 179 yards. Playing slightly downhill, this infinity green sits along the edge of the ridge, with steep fall offs for those who go long here. A large bunker also defends short and right of the green and the putting surface itself contains a horizontal ridge.
The course closes with an interesting 526 yard par 5 that plays severely downhill. From a teebox set off in the back right corner of the hole, this fairway bends slightly to the right with long bunkers beginning down either side around 250 yards and thick foliage down the right the entire way. At about 275 yards, the fairway narrows and takes an extreme downhill tilt, potentially giving the longer hitter extra distance here. Somewhat similarly to the 5th hole, this fairway ends about 50 yards short of the green, which sits elevated on the other side of a hazard. This green slopes severely left-to-right with the land and is defended long by rocky outcroppings and short by bunkers. It is certainly a unique hole and one where all kinds of scores are possible.
General Comments: The Ridge at Back Brook is a golf-only facility but features a beautiful clubhouse which overlooks the course on top of a hill. Practice facilities are phenomenal and include a huge grass range, short-game area, and practice green. The course was fairly empty when I played and pace of play was excellent.
Verdict: Situated about halfway between New York and Philadelphia in rural western New Jersey, The Ridge is an upscale, golf-only Tom Fazio design notable for its excellent conditioning and unique red rock terrain. The course seems to fly under the radar a bit given its location and fact that it is in a very competitive region for golf, but is nonetheless a very solid course that is well-worth a play.