When the 36-hole Royce Brook Golf Club complex debuted, the Hillsborough layout was more noted for its big brother West Course—a stern design featuring a monstrous array of bunkers.

Shortly after opening, the West Course was relegated to member-play only, and the East Course has since stepped out of the shadows to provide a more subdued yet challenging presentation. The East accentuates careful tee placement as no less than eight holes present fairway turning points requiring a golfer’s highest skill execution.

Unlike big brother, the East features greens, which appear benign but provide for subtle breaks and contours that can bedevil nearly all putters trying to discern their hidden mysteries.

The East plays out on relatively flat former farmland. Among the more noted holes are the 471-yard par-4 third and the equally severe par-4 10th, which plays to a tip tee distance of 492 yards. The concluding trio is also solid with a par-5, par-3, and par-4 closure.

The East at Royce Brook provides ample playability but at no time is the half-hearted play ever rewarded. Be also sure to take advantage of Royce Brook's extensive practice facility, arguably among the Garden State's finest.