Sweeping Upgrades Coming For Weequahic Golf Course In Newark

NEWARK, NJ — A $9.3 million series of upgrades are coming to the Essex County Weequahic Golf Course in Newark, officials announced Tuesday.

According to a statement from the county, the improvements include updating drainage and irrigation systems, realigning the layout of the course to enhance safety and eliminate blind spots, and updating playing conditions – while preserving the course’s historic elements.

Additional plans include:

“The irrigation and drainage infrastructure, much of which was installed over 50 years ago, will be modernized to help better maintain and care for the course. Holes will be redesigned and realigned to eliminate safety hazards and buffers will be created to prevent golfers from getting hit with errantly hit balls. Tees, greens and bunkers will be rebuilt and designed to replicate historic features that were removed by previous administrations. Cart paths will be repaired and dead and decaying trees will be removed.”

County officials released the following details about funding:

“A professional services contract was awarded to Stephen Kay Golf Course Architect of Egg Harbor City for $350,000 to design the golf course improvements. A publicly bid contract was to Downes Tree Service, Inc. from Hawthorne for $9,016,072 to perform the construction work. The Essex County Department of Public Works will monitor the project to ensure delays are avoided. The project is being funded with grants provided by the State of New Jersey and the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund.”

Construction is scheduled to begin after Labor Day and be completed by the summer of 2025.

Weequahic Park Golf Course opened in 1914. The original nine-hole course was designed by Seth Lowe, the former golf professional at historic Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, while the back nine holes, which opened in 1969, were designed by distinguished golf course architect Hal Purdy.

“Weequahic Golf Course has a rich history of being the first public course in New Jersey and providing access to the game for all golfers regardless of race, ethnicity, gender and socio-economic status,” Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said.

“The changes we are making help Weequahic continue to carry out its legacy and keep it as a vibrant recreation attraction for generations to come,” he added.

Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura said the course is where he learned to play golf.

“This is my home course – I’m looking forward to seeing this project done,” Fontoura said.

Other supporters of the upgrade plan included New Jersey Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin (NJ-29) and Newark City Council members Anibal Ramos and Patrick Council.

“Projects such as this bring opportunity for children and adults to learn the game and play the sport,” Pintor Marin said.

Similar projects were undertaken at Essex County Hendricks Field Golf Course in Belleville in 2021 and Essex County Francis Byrne Golf Course in West Orange in 2023.

• See Related: Upgrades At Hendricks Field Golf Course Hit The Finish Line
• See Related: Essex County Francis Byrne Golf Course Reopens In West Orange

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