Grab your favorite 9-iron and get ready to experience a variety of great golf courses in New Jersey. While many people visit The Garden State for the miles of sandy beaches and boardwalk piers, avid golfers will quickly learn that Jersey offers plenty of courses that are worth planning your vacation around as well.

Here are some of our favorite golf destinations in New Jersey that are worth setting up a tee time for. And to make sure everyone gets a chance to play, we’ll even list only the courses that are open to the public.

Atlantic City Country Club

Countless people visit New Jersey each year with the hopes of hitting in rich at a casino in Atlantic City. But if you aren’t interested in the slots or tables, then instead spend your days at the Atlantic City Country Club. This course is over 100 years old, and it was recently remodeled in 1999. The new additions to the clubhouse made for a first rate facility that golfers will enjoy the moment they step foot on the grounds.

What we also love about ACCC is the former golf pros who come by to spend their retirement helping others get better. If you are looking to improve your game, spend part of your time in New Jersey getting lessons from a golf pro at Atlantic City Country Club and you’ll be able to impress everyone on the course when you head home.

The Architects

One of the newest courses on the list, The Architects is a par 71 diamond in the rough found in Phillipsburg. Once you come to the Architects, you’ll find a course that has had every hole planned out in the most precise way possible. It’s hard to match the beauty of this course, but don’t understate the difficulty. Things start off with a 509-yard hole 1, and No. 3 is a 521-yard go as well. This course is going to be a challenge, but certainly a worthy one after you complete it.

Ballyowen

With a total course distance of 7,094 yards, Balloywen is one of the longest courses to make our list. The final result is a par-72 challenge that sprawls access a 250-acre lot in Hamburg. The course has a total of 71 bunkers and plenty of water hazards as well. Be sure to keep your calm, as this course can turn difficult in a hurry. But if you can keep your ball on the fairway, or at least out of the really rough stuff, then you’ll walk away from this course with an enjoyable memory.

It should come as no surprise that the courses on this list are some of the most beautiful options in all of New Jersey for golfers. But if you’re looking for more than just beauty, then consider these three unforgettable golf destinations in New Jersey. While they may have their moments that prove to be very challenging, you’ll be pleased that you took the time to get in a round, or two, of golf while on vacation in The Garden State.