Originally Designed by the then Baltusrol Country Club professional, George Lowe, in 1913. Weequahic Golf Course began play in 1914, and is the oldest public golf course in the state of New Jersey. Over time renovations were done to turn it into an 18-hole golf course by 1969. From September 2024 to only just recently, Weequahic GC underwent a full renovation by Atlantic City area based, but West Chester County, New York native, architect Stephen Key. Kay, who built Blue Heron Pines, Harbor Pines and McCullough’s Emerald Golf Link down the Shore, and more recently built the new, and highly praised, Rose-Lambertson Golf Course in Old Bridge, Middlesex County. Kay’s mind-blowing vision constructed brand new greens, tees, and bunkers while updating WGC’s routing to provide more, and much improved, playability.
The word “Weequahic” is from the Lenni-Lenape Native American term for “head of the cove”. The course sits next to the 300+acre Olmstead Brothers created Weequahic Park.
The course sits amongst the beautifully scenic, and surprisingly peaceful, Weequahic Park on the shoreline of a 200-acre lake with the very same name. It offers rolling topography and beautiful conditions that offer extreme value. The course was described in 2016 by The Golf Channel as a “hidden gem.”
WGC is a historic course nestled in the heart of Newark with easy access from multiple major highways awaits. From beginners to experienced golfers, this course, situated uniquely along the outskirts of Newark Liberty International Airport, and with magnificent vistas of New York City, is incredible for all playing abilities. With views of One World Trade, the Iconic Anheuser-Busch building, and departing jets taking off nearby, you will want to keep coming back.
Weequahic was home to golf pro legend Wiley Williams, who was one of the first African-American golfers to win a major New Jersey golf event, worked to introduce city youth to the sport.
Weequahic tees off with a short, slight dogleg right Par 4 named Coffin Corner. Three bunkers stand sentinel front and to the right followed bya160-ish yard Par 3 for Hole No.2, named Long Look.
Other holes named Early Grave, Burial Mounds, Mountain of Fire(a Par 5), Dayton Dread, Infinity Tree Trouble and Steep Slope round out the Front Side. One of Weequahic’s most interesting holes is No.15, a dogleg left Par 4 named Fork of the River. Average in size for a Par 4, playing only 300 to 371 yards, and with the largest fairway on the property, be careful of mishitting your drive to the right where you could get skewered by the fork of a now dried up river bed where the fairway bends to the left. Eighteen, the Home Hole named Home, is, on the other hand, a trickier Par 4 bending right and then left Mounds down by the green on the right and surrounding the green make getting up and down in two following an errant approach a most challenging proposition.
Only 5,262 yards from the White Tees, and less than three hundred yards more from the Back, or Blue, Tees, Weequahic, a true turn of the Century old-fashioned golf course demands patience and accuracy and a good short game way more than Power. That being said, breaking 90, or even 100, is a very good score for a day on the wonderful Weequahic links. Lovers of Golf Strategy, History, and a nice day outside with friends, and new found friends, will really enjoy playing Weequahic again and again and again.
“For many years we looked forward to getting to the Weequahic improvements done, we ultimately knew with the great elevation change and the iconic urban sights that the course would really be something very unique,” said Essex County Parks and Recreation Director of Golf Timothy Christ.
“Classic old-school golf course architecture in a very unique urban setting always stirs your emotions, the clash of scenery, jumbo jets taking off in the background of mounds of fescue, skyscrapers seen off in the distance of 100 year old oak trees and lush green fairways, it feels as if you are experiencing something special with every hole.
“I feel strongly that Stephen and our entire team have rebuilt something really special, even though Weequahic will never host a championship or be talked about as one of the truly great golf courses of New Jersey it will be a course favorite among the everyday public golfer! No doubt a fan favorite for the fun people will have playing this great game of golf and that is pretty significant!”
1 Thomas Carmichael Drive
Newark, NJ 07113
973-926-2520
