Suneagles Golf Club

Back in the 1920s, Suneagles Golf Club was one of the most exciting golf course projects in Monmouth County, New Jersey. It’s back to generating excitement as new ownership has invested in this A.W. Tillinghast public layout, preserving some of the original course intent and improving conditions. A member of the founding family of Phillips Van Hausen shirt company acquired an estate and farm land in the 20s and hired Tillinghast to build Suneagles, which opened in 1926, but the U.S. Army acquired the land of the renamed Monmouth County Country Club during World War II, opening up Fort Monmouth on the property. Though holes were rerouted after the army’s acquisition, a number of Tillinghast’s original greens can be found here, including the incredibly undulating sixth green, a long par 4 with water fronting the green complex. The course measures just over 6,300 yards from its back tees, down from Tillinghast’s original 6,600-plus-yard design, but playing conditions are as good as they’ve been in years, making this another top option in the public-golf-rich Monmouth County area. (Though word is the course might go private once a massive townhouse project is complete.) –Stephen Hennessey