Every late summer I attend a charity golf outing at Stanton Ridge Golf and Country Club to benefit Patrick’s Pals, an organization that supports children with multiple disabilities and their families. The event is always well organized, relaxed and fun, and it gives golfers a chance to play a quality course while supporting a worthy cause.
I was invited by Mike Donahue, a member of Global Traveler’s Advisory Board, and we decided to take my recently restored 1972 Dodge Dart Swinger on a short road trip to the course, which is about an hour away in north central New Jersey. Our foursome included Mike’s father, Tom, and Jim Bolger. The drive set a nostalgic tone for the day and the company made it a memorable outing.
Designed by Stephen Kay in 1993, Stanton Ridge reflects Kay’s philosophy of honoring classic course architecture while giving golfers plenty of space so they don’t feel crowded by other players. Kay’s other New Jersey projects include Blue Heron Pines and The Architects Golf Club, the latter famous for recreating signature holes from courses around the world into a single 18-hole layout.
We played the event in a scramble format, which encourages aggressive play and team strategy. Although the scramble suited the charity format, I’d welcome a return visit to play my own ball and test the course under more traditional scoring conditions.
Hole 3 | 371 yards, par 4
This hole often causes surprise when groups tee off: many drives come up short. Out-of-bounds lurk to the right near several expensive homes, while hard left leads into a wooded area and the front nine pump house. The hole plays uphill and is longer than it looks, a detail we all underestimated. We managed a clean drive left of center that left a reasonable chance to reach the green. Mike and Tom were just short, and both Jim and I missed our approaches to the right — mine nearly carried past the green and out of bounds. A simple chip got us on in three and a single putt for par made the scramble a solid result.
Hole 6 | 533 yards, par 5
The course’s toughest hole by handicap, this long par 5 is deceptive. From the tee it may look like it bends right, but it really plays straight with the best drive favoring the right-of-center fairway. Hit too far right and you risk the hill that feeds into the woods. Jim unleashed a perfect drive, catching the downhill crest and picking up extra roll while avoiding the pond on the left. From there the hole opens enough to reach with a fairway wood and approach the elevated green with a wedge. There are many bunkers and traps around 130 yards out, so accuracy is essential for scoring.
Hole 7 | 213 yards, par 3
This par 3 is frequently underestimated. Members know it plays longer than it looks and usually requires more club than visitors expect. A pond sits between tee and green, ready to collect timid shots. After watching teammates try various clubs, I chose a 3-wood and committed. The shot held well and stopped about 15 feet from the flag. I two-putted for birdie. A hole-in-one here would have won a C-Class Mercedes-Benz at the outing, but the applause from the gallery felt like a prize in itself.
Hole 8 | 509 yards, par 5
This long hole climbs gradually to its green and demands an accurate tee shot. Trees line the right side with houses and out-of-bounds beyond, while the left features thick woods and a fairway bunker. Our group hit a perfect drive followed by a solid fairway wood, which put us in position to attack the clover-shaped green. By that point we were close to the turn and the smell of grilled hamburgers for lunch, but the short game remained sharp: Mike chipped well and Tom sank the birdie putt.
Hole 10 | 475 yards, par 4
Another long, demanding hole and the No. 2 handicap on the course. It doglegs left so a controlled draw off the tee is ideal, avoiding woods on the right and a sizeable pond. Our approach into the green was a longer shot — roughly 170 yards — with two bunkers guarding either side. The green itself is straightforward but rewards precise distance control.
Hole 12 | 196 yards, par 3
On paper this par 3 doesn’t appear especially difficult, but its length and the valley below the elevated tee lead many players to come up short or miss into the bunkers. All three of my teammates misjudged the distance and ended up in sand or short of the green. A strong, straight tee shot is required to carry the incline. We managed a bogey as a team and moved on.
Hole 13 | 327 yards, par 4
Poor drives made this dogleg left tougher than it should have been. My tee shot looked great but lacked the carry to clear the fairway bunker at the turn. Jim, benefiting from recent tips, hit a long tee shot but it didn’t quite clear the wet grass area known locally as the “shmoo.” He and I were able to play out of the rough; Jim’s ball sat up nicely. On our scramble shots we both reached the green, while Mike and Tom rolled off the back. I hit a high chip to about 20 feet; Tom had the best stroke and left his shot a foot from the cup. We converted the birdie and walked off satisfied.
Hole 15 | 456 yards, par 4
We found another birdie opportunity on this dogleg left by attempting to cut the corner near a high power-line tower. Jim threaded one around the left side and landed past the bunker, setting up an easier approach. Mike’s shot rolled close enough for a birdie attempt and Tom sank a confident 15-foot putt for birdie. I didn’t contribute much this time, but the team celebrated the result.
Stanton Ridge Golf and Country Club
25 Clubhouse Drive
Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889
tel 908 534 1234
stantonridgecc.com