CRYSTAL SPRINGS RESORT

The rolling terrain of northern New Jersey's Highlands region creates natural elevation changes that architect Robert von Hagge exploited brilliantly, particularly on the uphill par-4 7th where your approach plays to a severely tilted green guarded by wetlands. Water comes into play on eleven holes, but it's strategic rather than penal—the risk-reward par-5 18th lets bombers cut the corner of a pristine pond for a chance at eagle. This mountain course rewards precision over power, with tree-lined fairways that demand course management and greens complex enough to keep scratch players guessing.