News

Bergen County New Jersey – Not a true steward of the game…

Published

17 years ago

Aug 20, 2009

R Hetzel

I was recently visiting relatives in northern New Jersey, Bergen County to be exact. Bergen County is not far from New York City, and millions of people. I thought I would do a course review for Golfwrx while I was there. I guess not. In today’s slumping economy, many golf courses, both public and private are suffering and in financial despair. Furthermore, many families have so much going on, long days at the golf course for Dad (or Mom) just are not as manageable as they once were.

Soccer, baseball, swimming, and myriad other activities all take a big slice of golf’s pie. Many city and county owned golf courses across the United States are up for sale and no longer profitable. Or at least their own government bureaucracy prevents them from being so.Courses are attempting all sorts of marketing tricks to remain in contention for that core golfer who actually plays the majority of golf rounds. I am that core golfer, I don’t belong to a club yet, and have already played over 60 rounds this year. In fact, many of these publicly funded courses have ditched their PGA pro staffers for workers who don’t really understand the business of golf. I am not begrudging these people trying to get some free golf in exchange for working, I am merely pointing out that the absence of a PGA Pro hurts the bottom line in my opinion. Many private clubs are doling out some unused tee times to the public in hopes of making more profits, or getting out of the red and back into the black. It’s real tough out there.

Valley Brook looks nice, but sure isn’t when you bring your "non-certified" kid along to play.

In fact, many private clubs are even going out of business. Many public courses are going under as well. Not so in Bergen County New Jersey it seems. In fact, a few weeks ago I was recently told that I could not play a public, county owned course (Valley Brook Golf Course) one evening . The course was not crowded, the golf leagues were already out and there was no one waiting for open play. Wow. I was astonished. That’s right, cold hard cash for greens fees in hand and then told to go play elsewhere. Wow, I was really stunned! It’s not like I showed up at Augusta looking to play 9 holes or anything. How is this possible you say? Especially at a run of the mill golf course like Valley Brook.

Bergen County sits at the Northeastern corner of NJ, not far from New York City.

Well, the story goes like this. I called on a Wednesday afternoon and inquired about getting nine holes in with my son in the evening. The gentleman that answered said, “Sure, come out at 5:30, the leagues will be finished going off and you can place your name on the list for open play. I arrive at 5:45 with my 7 year old son, who is chomping at the bit to play nine holes with me. The course is not crowded and there is no wait to get on the course. When we walk in the man says, “Is your son a member of the Pioneer Golf Program?” I reply, “Well, no. We live in Cincinnati, Ohio (over 700 miles away) and we are here visiting relatives.” He then says, “Sorry sir, kids under 12 cannot play at all (even if accompanied by a paying parent) if they do not participate in our junior golf program. I said that it would be impossible for him to participate since he lives over 700 miles away! “Go play at a different course, they might let him play.” My son, knows the rules, plays fast (we use a cart) has his own clubs (with Darth Vader head cover), has taken several lessons at a prestigious country club here in Cincinnati, and could probably beat many adults he is paired with. He even understands that slow play on his part means he has to skip that hole. I was shocked they were willing to turn us (more so him, than me) away from playing. On a side note, Valley Brook Golf Course (Rivervale, NJ) has NO PGA pro working there. I completely understand how their junior program works, and was bewildered why an exception could not be made for out of town folks (whose in town folks have been paying taxes in his county since the 1800’s). Bergen County has no problem overcharging me (3 times more than a county resident) for my round since I am not a county resident. Needless to say, I was upset, but nowhere near as much as my 7 year old son. I believe that if Bergen County actually had employees that understand how the golf business works, and grows (or not), they might have made an exception and allowed my son to play. As far as having employess who understand the game, the county, at the administrative level, doesn’t even have employees that understand period.

I attempted to call them the next day and discuss this discrimination and I never got a word in edgewise with the rude woman, in fact, I had to scream at her because she would not even allow me to tell about my experience. She even told me, “Well you don’t pay taxes here so what does it matter?” Well missy, my family sure does, in fact since the 1800’s! After stewing a bit more, I contacted the county’s communication director. Her name is Ms. Sheri Hensley and although she listened, when we spoke a second time she pretty much said, “too bad Mr. Hetzel, if your kid is not in the junior program he can’t play. We just don’t care, nor do we differentiate between you from out of state and a resident whose kid does not belong to our junior program. I think it’s great that Bergen County actually has a junior golf program. They should be commended for that. However, I also think that it is discriminatory not to allow kids to play with their parents in the evenings on weekdays whether or not they play in their junior tour.

People are busy. People have less time (and money) to play golf. Some kids may not have a ride to the junior tour events. This restrictive policy definitely keeps A LOT of kids OFF the course and allows you to charge adults a higher fee in their place. Obviously this is a great strategy for your county administrator, Mr. Dennis McNerney. They make more money this way. I am of the opinion that county owned courses should not be out for pure profit (and I am not sure that you are since no one was willing to even speak with me), but to provide ample and cost effective recreation opportunities for the taxpayers. Mr. McNerney, why not charge “non-players of your junior program” a higher greens fee with a paying adult? I would like to think with a real PGA pro on staff, they would have let us play golf that evening, especially since my kid can play, he was supervised and the course wasn’t even busy! At the conclusion of our last conversation, Ms. Hensley was supposed to forward me the e-mail me addresses for the golf program administrator and the county executive so I could give them the opportunity to be a part of this story and present their side. That would be only fair. In fact, they list absolutely no e-mail address on the county webpage, which I find concerning since they are in business for Bergen’s John Q. Public. It’s been two weeks now and I have yet to hear from Ms. Hensley; I guess they are not interested in speaking to our golfwrx.com community about this issue. Like I said before, business must be booming for Bergen County golf.

I’ll contrast how restrictive Bergen County is with how much LESS restrictive it is here in Hamilton County, Ohio. The Hamilton county courses offer several junior golf programs and tournaments during the summer months. They also allow kids to play for FREE (golf cart is extra) with a paying adult after 5pm! They even set up kid specific kids’ tees if your child so desires to use them. Hamilton County Ohio actually wants kids and their parents out playing golf! These are the same kids that will return as adults and pay full greens fees. Bergen County New Jersey, you have it so wrong and that’s too bad. Too bad for me. Too bad for my son. Too bad for busy golfing families. Too bad for that future Tiger Woods who can’t find a ride to the course to play in the junior tour. Too bad for a ton of other Bergen County kids who don’t have the time or resources to participate in your somewhat restrictive kids’ golf program. And, most importantly, bad for the game of golf. So, if you are visiting Bergen County New Jersey, drive a little farther and spend your hard earned money golfing elsewhere. I am still trying to explain to my seven year old why they would not allow him to play; he’ll remember this negative golfing experience for a long time. The next day while traveling through New York State, we stopped to play Rip Van Winkle Country Club in the Catskills. When we were in the pro shop Ryan asked the owner if he was allowed to play. He laughed and said, “Sure young man, you play free!” Imagine that.

Ryan about to blast a drive at Rip Van Winkle Country Club in New York State.

He was surprised and I think he expects to be turned away at golf courses all the time now. And that’s sad. I told him, Ryan, “It most likely would have been a six hour round at Valley Brook anyway and you would have missed Christmas!”

News

Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

Published

10 hours ago

Jun 1, 2026

Ronald Montesano

Around the world, the golf wheel spun this final week in May of 2026. From New Jersey to Austria, with stops in Korea, Texas, and North Carolina (don’t let me route your next trip) the world’s finest put their golf games on display. There were three playoffs, some known commodities and some new talent. It was the sort of week that we hope to have at this point in the seasons. June and July afford double-digit major events, and perhaps, one of this week’s champions will use this success as a springboard to new heights. Time to run it all down, tech style, in this week’s Tour Tech Rundown.

Thanks to WITBHub, Today’s Golfer, GolfWRX, and Inside Tour Golf for initial research into equipment.

PGA Tour @ Charles Schwab Challenge: Heroic Henley denies Cole

Eric Cole did nearly everything that a fellow can do, to secure a first PGA Tour title. He stayed one shot clear of Ryder Cup player Ben Griffin. He kept US Open champion Gary Woodland and wunderkind Michael Brennan two shots distant. He posted 70 on day four to reach twelve under par. And then, Russell Henley revealed his Dr. Strange cloak. Henley made 47 feet of birdie putts on holes 16, 17, and 18, to jump from minus-nine to twelve-deep, and secured a spot in a playoff with Cole. The duo returned to the final tee, and put on a stripe show.

Both golfers found the fairway off the tee, and Henley improved on his regulation play with an approach to four feet. Cole did himself proud, tucking an iron to a dozen feet, but he was unable to convert the putt for three. Henley is one of the best putters on tour, and he proved it once more by draining a putt for a fourth consecutive birdie, and a sixth PGA Tour title. For Eric Cole, that first victory should come, and soon. He has done everything necessary to earn the chalice lift.

Henley’s Suitcase

Driver: Titleist TSi3 at 10 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70g 6.5 TX
Metal: Titleist TS3 at 16.5 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 at 21 degrees. Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT hybrid 100 TX
Iron: Titleist T250 4-iron. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 5-6 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 7-9 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 48 and 50 degrees. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 54 and 60 degrees. Shaft: rue Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue S400
Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron T5 Tour Prototype

LPGA @ Shoprite LPGA: Welcome back, Celine!

Soo Bin Joo had her eyes on a maiden LPGA title. She held the lead after two rounds, then hit a red light at the intersection of can-I and how-To. Joo posted plus-two on day three in New Jersey, and dropped to a T4 finish, which was still a career-best for the young Korean golfer. Instead of a new face, a familiar face returned to the top of the podium.

Celine Boutier was the It Girl in 2023. She collected four victories, including a major title at Evian. Boutier reached world number one status, then simply faded into the background. No wins came her way over the next 30 months. On Sunday, she collected LPGA victory number seven, at the same trace as LPGA victory number two.

Day three saw Boutier manage the windswept Seaview Bay course with six birdies and a bogey. She was challenged in the end by Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol, who signed for a 66 of her own. Yubol came up one shot shy of the top ladder rung. Finishing in third place at -7, two back of the winner, was Ireland’s Lauren Walsh.

Celine’s Suitcase

Driver: PXG 0311 Black Ops Tour-1 at 9 degrees. Shaft: Graphite Design AD IZ-5
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Black Ops at 19 and 22 degrees. Shaft: KBS Hybrid Prototype
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Gen5.
Iron: PXG 0311 P Gen 4 5-9 irons
Wedge: PXG 0311 T Gen 4 PW
Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II at 50, 54, 58 degrees
Putter: Bettinardi Studio Stock 3 DASS

DP World Tour @ Austrian Alpine: KK? KK!

Kota Kaneko has a rhythmic name. It has strong vowels and a run of voiceless stops in its crunchy K sounds. On Sunday in Austria, Kaneko put a stop to a challenge from Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia and everyone else, and claimed a first-ever title on the DP World Tour. Gouveia did well to reach 16-under par over four days, but Kaneko held firm, two shots in the clear.

Davis Bryant of the USA also forged a strong challenge for the win. He ended in a tie with Gouveia for second place. Kaneko began and finished his final round in a bit of a malaise, but he caught fire midway through. Birdies at 10, 12, and 13 provided the necessary cushion to cruise to the finish line without breaking a serious sweat.

Kaneko’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping Max G440
Metals: TaylorMade Qi4D at 15, 16.5, 21, and 24 degrees
Irons: TaylorMade P760 5 and 6 irons
Irons: TaylorMade P7TW 7-9 irons
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design at 46, 52, 56, and 60 degrees
Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Cruiser Arm Lock #7

Korn Ferry Tour @ UNC Health Championship: Improbably Alvaro

Alvaro Ortiz may have had a bit of scare on the outward nine on Sunday, but he came through in clutch fashion in the end. Ortiz began the day bogey-double, and added another double bogey at the 11th hole. He was mired in a downward trend, spiraling away from the top of the leader’s board. Ortiz found hope at the 14th, where his first birdie of the day tumbled home. Inspired, he closed with birdies and 17 and 18 to catch Ross Steelman at 10-under par, and the duo returned to the 18th deck for overtime.

The extra session concluded in brief time. Ortiz, buoyed by his newly-retrieved confidence, hit the fairway with driver, then approached to six feet and drained the putt. Gobsmacked, Steelman could do little more than smile and applaud, as his run at the top came to a close. The victory was the first for Ortiz on the KFT, and will implant him squarely in the chase for a PGA Tour promotion.

Alvaro’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping G430 MAX driver at 9 degrees loft
Metal: Ping G430 MAX 3W
Iron: Ping iDi Driving Iron
Irons: Ping Blueprint S irons
Wedges
Putter: Scottsdale TR Piper C

A party on the green!

Alvaro’s time comes in Raleigh with his first win @UNCHealthChamp ? pic.twitter.com/2dmtZdbSzk

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) May 31, 2026

LIV @ Korea: Me llamo Joaquin

Chile’s Joaquin Niemann had been away from the LIV winner’s circle throughout all of 2026. This week in Korea, he reminded us that he is still a force to consider. Niemann chased down Taylor Gooch over the closing holes at Asiad Country Club, then claimed victory with a hole-one birdie in extra time. Bryson DeChambeau claimed solo third, one shot in arrears at minus-eleven. Dustin Johnson finished on fourth, one putt farther back.

Niemann’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping 440 LST
Metal: Ping G440 Max at 15 degrees
Metal: Ping G425 Max at 21 degrees
Hybrid: Ping G430 at 25 degrees
Irons: Ping Blueprint S 5 through PW
Wedges: Ping S159 at 52, 56, and 60 degrees
Putter: Ping PLD Anser

News

Russell Henley’s winning WITB: 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge

Published

1 day ago

May 31, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

Driver: Titleist TSi3 (10 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70 6.5 TX

3-wood: Titleist TS3 (16.5 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX

7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Project X Denali Black 80 TX

Irons: Titleist T250 (4), Titleist T100 (5-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold AMT (4-6), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (7-9)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (48-10F @47, 50-08F @51, 54-10S @55, 60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48), S400 (47)

Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X5 Tour Prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

News

Charles Schwab Challenge Tour Report: MacIntyre, Åberg and Spaun all switch putters, TaylorMade launches new Spider

Published

3 days ago

May 29, 2026

Alistair Cameron

There must be something in the water. Or potentially on the greens. A whole host of big-time players decided that the Charles Schwab Challenge was the perfect place to test out new putters.

With the 2026 U.S. Open just around the corner, defending champion J.J. Spaun made a surprising switch away from his center-shafted Df3 and into L.A.B. Golf’s OZ.1i HS – the heel-shafted mallet putter.

“Just something I kind of wanted to change the way the putter was looking, just a completely different look than the DF3 that I’ve been using for the last year and a half,” Spaun told GolfWRX about the swap. “So it’s just easier to line up for me with less onset looking design, and it’s just something I felt like switching it up and seeing how it goes.”

You can find more about the putter and the reasoning behind Spaun’s change here.

Robert MacIntyre also decided to change the flatstick at Colonial Country Club. He’s using a custom Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5R. The Scotty team created a specially-milled face featuring horizontal grooves and shortened the plumber’s neck to increase toe hang.

Another custom feature of the build is the welded wings added to the rear of the putter, similar to those found on the Phantom 11 head.

It’s potentially part of a major overhaul to his bag. The Scot has recently switched from the Titleist Pro V1 to the Pro V1x golf ball, added the new GTS2 driver, and is currently testing a GTS 3-wood that could replace his ancient TaylorMade AeroBurner 3-wood.

Ludvig Åberg joined the trio of superstars making alterations on the greens. He’s added a Scotty Cameron Phantom 3.2.

It’s not Åberg’s first putter switch of the season. He had been using different versions of his usual Odyssey Versa #1 head to try to get better speed control on the greens.

? Ludvig Åberg is using a new putter! He’s playing a @ScottyCameron Phantom 3 head. First major putter switch, although he has been changing loft and heads in the Odyssey #1 style this season.
Here’s a Phantom 3 built for him earlier in the season https://t.co/oGrNk6p0hz pic.twitter.com/edRbpk22m4

— Alistair Cameron (@ACameronWRX) May 28, 2026

Currently, a Tour-only offering, the Phantom 3 head is a half-moon mallet shape. Like the previous version that GolfWRX captured at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which Åberg never put in play, the current version appears to feature the Studio Carbon Steel face insert and chain-link face milling. Instead of the all-black version one, Åberg’s current flatstick is in the metal finish.

Rico Hoey’s make-shift Jailbird

Some of the best builds on Tour have a certain Frankenstein theme to them.

Odyssey decided to do this when breeding a turtle and a bird together. The result, Rico Hoey’s latest broomstick.

The custom Jailbird S2S Tri-Hot head includes an aluminium-milled insert from the unreleased TRTL head, which the team machined down to fit the face of the Jailbird after removing the usual Ai-Dual insert.

The team also filled the wings of the putter with epoxy to redistribute mass away from the face, with the metal insert weighing more than the original.

Hoey was also spotted with a custom Damascus Milled Jailbird Mini broomstick. Check out the full gallery here.

Brant Snedeker’s full WITB

Arguably, the PGA Tour’s feel-good story of the year so far was 45-year-old Brandt Snedeker returning to the winner’s circle for the first time in nearly 8 years.

His victory didn’t come without some equipment updates, either. The Presidents Cup Captain added the 2016 M2 driver equipped with a Fujikura Speeder Evolution 661. It’s a shaft that’s even older than the driver.

The historic driver setup might have been added because Snedeker was missing some antique vibes. He recently switched out his 2-decade-old Odyssey Rossie White Hot XG for a TaylorMade Spider Tour X.

He first put the Spider in play at the Cognizant Classic. Still, at the Valspar Championship, he tested TaylorMade’s True Path Alignment versus without, and preferred the added aim benefits he was getting. In previous testing, the biggest thing Snedeker noticed was the launch and how quickly the ball got to true roll from the Spider and its Pure Roll insert compared to anything else he had tried.

Check out Snedeker’s full what’s in the bag during this week’s episode of “Inside the Ropes” from Colonial.

Everything’s bigger in Texas

TaylorMade Golf chose the second stop of a Texas two-step in Dallas as the spot to launch the tour’s latest Spider putter.

On-site Monday at Colonial Country Club, GolfWRX’s Tour Photographer Greg Moore captured the new Spider ZT Max putter ahead of the Charles Schwab Challenge.

The Max version of TaylorMade’s zero-torque putter style has a larger footprint than the original ZT, which will likely lead to a higher MOI thanks to wider perimeter weighting.

The original ZT is made of high-density 303 stainless steel at the front, and then a lower-density 6061 aerospace aluminum on the back to create a high-MOI foundation, with a center shaft featuring slight forward shaft lean and 25mm onset behind the leading edge.

The Spider ZT Max also appears to use the ZT cambered sole, which is also seen on the recently Tour-launched Spider Tour, Tour X, F and V models, which were first spotted at the RBC Heritage.

Brian Harman gamed the original Spider ZT for his victory last year at the 2025 Valero Texas Open, and the putter also saw victory on the DP World Tour in the hands of Michael Kim for his FedEx Open de France win.

Check out the full gallery here.

Odds and Ends

Project X officially Tour launched the Titan Yellow shaft, just a few days after Wyndham Clark played it for the first time and won The CJ Cup Byron Nelson. The shaft features a smoother feel in the handle compared to past Project X wood shafts, along with a firm midsection and firm tip. The Synex Technology allows a player to feel more load in transition without losing the feel of the clubhead. Titleist launched the GTS300 back at Quail Hollow, and just a few weeks later, it’s in the bag of Justin Thomas. Could this be a test run for Shinnecock?