Metedeconk National is a secluded retreat located in Jackson, the
geographic center of New Jersey. Yet, it has the advantage of being situated
just 60 miles south of Manhattan. It tries hard to be a rustic,
off-the-beaten-path golf retreat, but its facilities are so good, its 27 holes
so well-crafted and maintained, that it’s akin to stumbling onto an Eden.
A spirited kinship exists between the members, with golf as the
common denominator. Though strictly private, the needle points more to
“accommodating,” rather than “snooty.” Ambiance is only one ingredient in the
successful Metedeconk recipe. The main portion of the meal is the club’s 27
holes, which will satisfy the heartiest appetites. What’s interesting is that
the club’s first 18 opened in 1987, the third nine not until 1998. Many times,
an “overflow” nine suffers in comparison to an already acclaimed 18. They’re
often built to handle extra play and to allow additional flexibility. In
Metedeconk’s case, however, nothing could be further from the truth. Holes 19
though 27 may very well be the best nine on the property.
Metedeconk National was the brainchild of father-and-son combo of
Richard and Herb Sambol. Counseled by family friend Ernie Ransome, chairman of
Pine Valley Golf Club, the Sambols scrapped their plan to incorporate housing
into the project and instead focused their efforts on developing Metedeconk into
a world-class golf club. They hired Robert Trent Jones Sr. to complete their
vision.
