Courtesy of the club
Courtesy of the club
Arcola Country Club
Arcola Country Club
Route 4 and Paramus Road
Paramus, NJ 07652
United States
Overview
Big and brawny Arcola Country Club continues to get better year after year—as competitors found out at the 2022 U.S. Amateur when it co-hosted stroke-play qualifying with neighboring Ridgewood Country Club. Robert Trent Jones redesigned the course in the 1950s after the state acquired part of the property through the construction of the nearby Garden State Parkway, which eliminated four existing holes. Paul Dotti, the club’s Director of Grounds since 2009, has conducted some major projects to elevate Arcola’s stature in the state, performing major drainage work, tree removal, and rebuilding and reshaping bunkers and fairways. Dotti’s crew maintains some of the best conditioned playing conditions in the tri-state area—a bold statement given the depth of great layouts with incredible maintenance staffs—but on any given day, golfers will encounter firm-and-fast conditions with putting surfaces rolling above 14 on the Stimpmeter. The championship venue also hosts the annual Arcola Cup, which hosts some of the best amateur players in the area.
About
Awards
Ranking history:
Best in State: Ranked top 20 from 2017 to current.
2025-'26 ranking (and previous): 16th.
Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“Arcola is a golf-only, low-frills, exclusive club in Northern NJ with an excellent parkland course. The course is probably best known for its speedy greens, which routinely run over 15 on the stimp and make any putt a real challenge. At over 7800 yards from the Back Tees, the course is also very long and it's no surprise some of the best players in the state come out of Arcola. Aesthetically, the course reminds me a bit of a nearby Mountain Ridge, with beautiful bunkering, a hilly terrain, and tree-lined fairways. New Jersey is an extremely competitive state with a ton of quality private clubs, but Arcola is certainly in the mix for a spot in the top 15. This is definitely a course worth playing and would be an excellent place to play as a member."
Read More2026
Review
“Nice layout and great views of NYC, the changes made here are really good and conditions usually outstanding."
Read More2021
Review
“One of the gold standards of North Jersey golf clubs. A championship course with some standout holes and great scale. A fabulous setting with great ambiance — and a course that has continued to get better and better thanks to a smart membership"
Read More2021
Review
“Arcola is a classic "hidden gem" in Paramus, NJ. In August of 2018, it hosted a ProAm to benefit Morgan Hoffman who plays on the PGA tour as he was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy. PGA pros Rory McIlroy, Tony Finau, Bryson DeChambeau, Charles Howell III, Sam Saunders, James Hahn, Ryan Armour and many others attended and were all impressed with Arcola. With a backdrop of the NYC skyline and elevation changes and fast greens that run at an average speed of 13, it's a pure golf club and a must play."
Read More2018
