People come to the Shore for the beach. Smart people come for the golf too. The strip of coastline from Asbury Park down to Cape May Court House is lined with public and semi-private tracks that rival anything in the state - and a few that make national top-100 lists. You just have to know where to look.
We covered every public course within a reasonable drive of the water and came back with the ones worth building a Shore weekend around. Listed roughly north to south.
"The Jersey Shore golf scene is one of the most underrated in the country. Between the wind, the layouts, and the scenery - there's nothing else like it in New Jersey."
The crown jewel of the Monmouth County Park System. Robert Trent Jones designed this 7,049-yard layout with 138 bunkers and water on four holes - and it has hosted two USGA National Amateur Public Links championships. Consistently rated one of the top public courses in New Jersey by GolfPass and Golf Digest alike. Challenging enough for serious players, beautiful enough that everyone notices the setting. If you're making one Shore golf trip this season, this is where to go.
Often rated New Jersey's top public golf course and named one of the state's best values. 36 holes across two 18-hole championship layouts - North and South - each offering a distinct challenge. Full amenities including a driving range, putting green, locker rooms, and the Hominy Hill Grille on site. The kind of facility that makes you want to stay all day. A Monmouth County golf card makes this an even better deal for residents.
NJ's most underrated public course - full stop. Better greens than tracks twice the price. Opens with back-to-back 420-yard par 4s and closes with one of the toughest finishing stretches in the state. Golf Digest has repeatedly included it among their favorite Shore courses, calling the closing holes some of the most difficult in New Jersey. At the price point, there's no excuse not to have played this one.
Situated within Allaire State Park woodland, Howell Park is Monmouth County's best-kept secret in the park system. A scenic 18-hole championship par 72 with a reputation for peaceful, natural surroundings and well-kept greens. The setting makes this feel like a private club experience at a public price. Perfect for a weekday morning when you want the course to yourself.
The most unique round at the Shore - 100+ bunkers, links-style waste areas, and wind that changes the course completely depending on the day. Golfweek ranks it among the top 4 public courses in New Jersey. New Jersey Monthly called it one of the most challenging public courses in the state. Play it once and you'll understand why it keeps showing up on every best-of list in NJ. Book a morning tee time and pair it with Ballamor in the afternoon for the best Shore golf day in the state.
Championship-caliber golf just minutes from Long Beach Island - one of NJ's better-kept secrets for Shore visitors. A meticulously maintained 18-hole layout with a boutique inn on site if you want to make a full weekend of it. Described as a premier public golf destination near the Shore and consistently praised for staff, conditions, and layout by GolfPass reviewers. The resort option for the serious Shore golfer.
The destination round at the southern tip. Voted one of the Top 50 Best Places to Play in America. The layout winds through wetlands and pine barrens with Golf Digest recognizing three of its holes among the best in New Jersey. If you're making it all the way to Cape May, this is the course that justifies the drive. Worth every mile of the Parkway.
The Shore golf scene runs deep. These seven are the ones worth anchoring a trip around - but between Ballamor, Bey Lea, Shore Gate, and the county tracks in Monmouth and Ocean, you could fill a full week of golf without running out of options. Pack the clubs every time you head south.
Know a Shore course we missed? Email us at hello@gardenstategolf.net or tag us @gardenstategolfer.
Every public and semi-private course in New Jersey - reviewed by real players.