Francis Byrne Golf Course
Plan your round at Francis Byrne Golf Course
Francis A. Byrne is an Essex County course in West Orange, built in 1928 by Seth Raynor and Charles Banks as a private club and now open to the public. It is known for template holes including a Road Hole, Biarritz, Short, Redan and Eden, and was restored by Stephen Kay. The par 70 course plays 6,971 yards from the Black tees (74.1/140).
- Public
- 18 holes
- Par 70
- Designed by Seth Raynor and Charles Banks
- Opened 1928
Course strategy
Read the card before you play it
Walk the course
Francis Byrne Golf Course hole by hole
Par 3Par 4Par 5
Hole 1
346
yds ·Gold
Road. A 418-yard par 4 modeled on the Road Hole at St. Andrews, with a deep pot bunker guarding a green that has two false fronts.
Hole 2
160
yds ·Gold
Biarritz. A 250-yard par 3 in the classic Biarritz style, with a large swale across the middle of the green and bunkers left and right.
Hole 3
346
yds ·Gold
Punchbowl. A bunker pinches the fairway, so an accurate tee shot is needed to set up the approach into the Punchbowl-style green.
Hole 4
229
yds ·Gold
Plateau. An uphill tee shot where position matters more than length, setting up the shot to an elevated green guarded by pot bunkers.
Hole 5
120
yds ·Gold
Short. A short par 3 in the Short template that rewards iron accuracy and distance control.
Hole 6
357
yds ·Gold
Banks. A long downhill drive leaves a shorter club into a large green. Watch for the bank and don't miss left.
Hole 7
268
yds ·Gold
Regret. An unassuming hole, but beware of the fairway bunker on the left. Approach shots that come up a few yards short are punished.
Hole 8
316
yds ·Gold
Eagle Rock. A tribute to the 16th green at the Old East Course. Place your incoming shot on the proper level of the green.
Hole 9
369
yds ·Gold
Westbound. Elevated views down the length of the hole, and two good shots are needed to reach the Horseshoe green.
Hole 10
325
yds ·Gold
Bottle. A wide fairway with centerline bunkers invites you to swing away, but a right-side miss makes the approach difficult.
Hole 11
358
yds ·Gold
Straights. A straight tee shot and a well-placed iron shot give a chance at birdie.
Hole 12
346
yds ·Gold
Long Climb. The climb up this hole seems never-ending; a difficult par but an easy bogey.
Hole 13
326
yds ·Gold
Principal's Nose. A bunker guarding the fairway on this short par 4 makes you think about club choice off the tee.
Hole 14
126
yds ·Gold
Eden. An Eden-template par 3 with a bunker left and a large pot bunker right.
Hole 15
384
yds ·Gold
Raynor's Prize Dogleg. A gettable par 5 with bunkering guarding every landing zone and a green that tests your putting.
Hole 16
313
yds ·Gold
Rahway River View. Sweeping views off the tee, and a river forces a carry to an elevated green.
Hole 17
155
yds ·Gold
Reverse Redan. A Reverse Redan par 3 where approaches that stray left may find the middle of the green.
Hole 18
471
yds ·Gold
Executive Decision. At 598 yards from the back tee it takes three good shots to score, and the river will swallow errant shots if you cut the corner.
ScorecardView the full scorecard+
Distances in yards
| Hole | Par | Hcp | Blue | White | Gold | Red |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 5 | 395 | 385 | 346 | 306 |
| 2 | 3 | 11 | 216 | 209 | 160 | 105 |
| 3 | 4 | 7 | 405 | 398 | 346 | 268 |
| 4 | 4 | 13 | 341 | 334 | 229 | 211 |
| 5 | 3 | 17 | 171 | 144 | 120 | 104 |
| 6 | 4 | 1 | 424 | 407 | 357 | 347 |
| 7 | 4 | 15 | 347 | 337 | 268 | 250 |
| 8 | 4 | 9 | 387 | 380 | 316 | 275 |
| 9 | 4 | 3 | 440 | 421 | 369 | 359 |
| Out | 34 | 3,126 | 3,015 | 2,511 | 2,225 | |
| 10 | 4 | 10 | 392 | 382 | 325 | 306 |
| 11 | 4 | 8 | 402 | 395 | 358 | 328 |
| 12 | 4 | 2 | 437 | 356 | 346 | 326 |
| 13 | 4 | 6 | 392 | 378 | 326 | 303 |
| 14 | 3 | 18 | 163 | 137 | 126 | 115 |
| 15 | 5 | 16 | 470 | 460 | 384 | 344 |
| 16 | 4 | 4 | 425 | 326 | 313 | 295 |
| 17 | 3 | 12 | 203 | 193 | 155 | 133 |
| 18 | 5 | 14 | 539 | 531 | 471 | 454 |
| In | 36 | 3,423 | 3,158 | 2,804 | 2,604 | |
| Total | 70 | 6,549 | 6,173 | 5,315 | 4,829 | |
| Rating / Slope | 73.0 / 126 | 70.8 / 125 | 66.6 / 119 | — | ||
| Women's rating / slope | — | 77.0 / 138 | — | 71.3 / 124 | ||
Scorecard data: OpenGolfAPI, © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
Before you go
Everything to know on arrival
Know before you go
- ✓Book a tee time online or call the course
- ✓Wear a collared shirt and soft spikes
- ✓Bring your own set of clubs
- ✓Keep carts on the paths around tees and greens
- ✓Keep pace with the group in front of you
Dress code
Shirts must be collared and worn at all times. Soft spikes only.
Carts & walking
Carts are available to rent for 18 holes. The scorecard asks players to observe the 90-degree cart rule and keep carts on the paths around tees and greens.
Policies
County cardholders and non-cardholders can both play, with different rates, and weekday, weekend, twilight, senior and junior rates apply. Each player must have their own set of clubs. Out of bounds runs along the fence to the right of holes 1, 2 and 3, and on hole 9 it is marked to the right with white stakes. The county publishes a golf policies manual on the course page.
Quick answers
Francis Byrne Golf Course at a glance
Is Francis Byrne Golf Course open to the public?
Yes. Francis Byrne Golf Course is a public course.
How many holes does Francis Byrne Golf Course have, and what's the par?
Francis Byrne Golf Course has 18 holes and plays to a par of 70, from 4,829 to 6,549 yards depending on the tees.
Is there a hole-by-hole guide to Francis Byrne Golf Course?
Yes. This guide covers Francis Byrne Golf Course hole by hole, with the course's own notes on its holes.
Who designed Francis Byrne Golf Course?
Francis Byrne Golf Course was designed by Seth Raynor and Charles Banks and opened in 1928.
What's the dress code at Francis Byrne Golf Course?
Shirts must be collared and worn at all times. Soft spikes only.
What are the cart and walking rules at Francis Byrne Golf Course?
Carts are available to rent for 18 holes. The scorecard asks players to observe the 90-degree cart rule and keep carts on the paths around tees and greens.
How do you book a tee time at Francis Byrne Golf Course?
Book online through the course's tee-time page, or call (973) 736-2306.
Where is Francis Byrne Golf Course?
Francis Byrne Golf Course is at 1100 Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange, NJ 07052.
Info last reviewed November 5, 2026. Policies change — confirm with the course before your round.
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