Evan Schiller
Evan Schiller
Evan Schiller
Evan Schiller
Evan Schiller
Evan Schiller
Evan Schiller
Evan Schiller
Evan Schiller
Evan Schiller
Mountain Ridge Country Club
Mountain Ridge Country Club
713 Passaic Ave
West Caldwell, NJ 07006-6491
United States
Overview
Mountain Ridge Country Club has forever been one of North Jersey's great hidden gems, and after fabulous restoration work done over the past 10 years by Ron Prichard, the club is starting to get its due after hosting a number of events, including the 2012 U.S. Senior Amateur on its centennial, the 2020 MET Open and the 2021 LPGA Cognizant Founders Cup. This 250-acre site, perched atop an enormous ridge in West Caldwell, was acquired by the club after a move from nearby West Orange, and the club hired Donald Ross in the late 1920s to route a new 18-hole course, which traverses varied, interesting topography and features some genius putting surfaces. Mountain Ridge had a large-scale celebration in June 1931 to dedicate the Clifford Wendehack clubhouse and new course, of which Ross himself attended. The club has hired Andrew Green to complete a long-term plan to ensure that Mountain Ridge continues to be in the conversation as one of the country’s best-known secrets.
About
Awards
Ranking history:
Best in State: Ranked Top 10 in New Jersey in 2001 & 2017-2018; Top 15 from 1987-1999, 2003-2007, & 2011-2014, & since 2019; Top 20 in 2009 & 2015-2016.
2025-'26 ranking (and previous): 12th.
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
“One of the great underrated gems in the New York Metropolitan area. It is a better than most of the big name clubs in the area. It offers challenging greens and a wonderful routing around a spectacular property."
Read More2025
Review
“Between the stately clubhouse, beautiful locker room, prominent halfway house and immaculate driving range, Mountain Ridge is as enjoyable as golf gets in Northern New Jersey- all before one even reaches the golf course. The Donald Ross course weaves throughout the property smartly and takes players in and out from a central cluster of holes. Golf, food and drinks at Mountain Ridge are about as good as a morning or afternoon gets."
Read More2024
Review
“Classic Donald Ross design that provides wonderful views on a beautiful piece of property. The subtle greens provide great challenge. Recently renovated, the course provides outstanding playing conditions. This private club is a must play if you're invited for a round."
Read More2024
Review
“Excellent Ross design and club. Great property, friendly service too!"
Read More2024
Review
“Mountain Ridge is a Donald Ross design that hits strong marks across all categories. Conditions were great, particularly given it was early in the season. Variety of lengths and hole designs holds your attention through all 18 holes. Course property was beautiful and the clubhouse sits as a focal point where ever you are on the course. A course that you could play every day."
Read More2024
Review
“Mountain Ridge is a great club surrounded by many other great clubs and it is as good as any of them. It certainly has one of the better properties in the NY Metropolitan area, which is used wonderfully in the Donald Ross routing. It is certainly within the top 200 golf courses in the United States!"
Read More2023
Review
“Mountain Ridge is a delightful Donald Ross country club with the clubhouse and holes 1/7/9/10/17/18 occupying a prominent hill with beautiful views of the surrounding New Jersey countryside. This central hill plus a meandering stream working its way along the lower portion of the course creates a wonderful canvas of natural features well suited for golf. But the real standout at Mountain Ridge is its set of big and bold Donald Ross green complexes, which contribute meaningfully to its character and shot options."
Read More2023
Review
“Course plays up/down off the "mountain", offering a highly classic Donald Ross experience. Greens open from the front, but with severe slopes and high challenge to get the ball in the hole. Almost impossible to lose a ball here, but good luck making pars. "Easy bogey, tough par". Great walk for both men and women, with a strong caddy program in place. Tough to get on, but play there if you get an invite."
Read More2022
Review
“Wonderful Donald Ross design that has finished up a renovation in recent years. Stunning clubhouse sits above the property with both 9's finishing below it. Great classical golf course that is very enjoyable."
Read More2022
Review
“Resting high a top a ridge sits Clifford Wendehack’s clubhouse, as you start both nine’s heading downhill before finishing each nine with a dramatic rise back to this majestic clubhouse. This Donald Ross design features difficult green complexes with generous fairways. With the restoration work getting these complexes back to where Donald Ross originally created, it really stands out for a 1920s design. With stunning views and a challenging layout that captures every aspect of a golfers game, Mountain Ridge is severally underrated from an architectural standpoint and belongs in the discussion of those elites courses surrounding it in the New York / New Jersey area."
Read More2022
