Forsgate Country Club — Restaurant in Monroe Township

Forsgate Country Club was the brainchild of John A. Forster, a Scottish immigrant who arrived in the US literally in rags, but through hard work and dedication, went on to become the chairman of Crum & Forster Insurance Company.

Forster was an avid golfer who purchased 50 acres of land in Monroe Township right before World War I. Forster continued to buy up land around the farm to create a “playground” for his employees – a golf and country club. In the late 1920s, he commissioned Charles Banks, an associate of C.B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor, to design the golf course. Clifford Wendehack was hired to design the clubhouse.

Over the years, the Banks Course has received its fair share of accolades including a Golf Digest ranking in the top 20 courses in New Jersey from 2015–2018 and 2021–present, a #13 ranking by Golf Magazine in the state in 2020–2021, and the 12th best Biarritz holes in the US by Links Magazine. The club is also highly ranked on Top100GolfCourses.com.

With Forsgate, Banks has created a challenging parkland-style golf course with rolling fairways that produce a variety of stances that require finesse and creativity. These meticulously maintained fairways lead to some of the most incredible green complexes in New Jersey. You’ll find 18 elevated greens that vary in shape and size, some with false fronts and others with classic features such as a Redan and Biarritz. Each green complex has incorporated bunkers that sit well below the putting surface, some up to 16 feet. Banks was a master at creating replica holes, and many of the holes he built were inspired by some of his Scottish favorites. Many golf historians consider Forsgate to be among Banks‘ top three designs.

In 1961, golf architect Hal Purdy created a 9-hole layout and returned a decade later to add another nine. Arnold Palmer renovated the golf course in 1995 and later the course was named in his honor. The scenic Palmer Course features water hazards on 10 of its holes and is enjoyable for golfers of all skill levels.

On top of two fabulous golf courses, Forsgate has some remarkable practice facilities. There’s a full-length driving range where you can hit every club in your bag, a short game area with a bunker, and a practice putting green.

Forsgate Country Club is a warm, welcoming, family-oriented club with countless recreational opportunities and social pursuits for the entire family. In addition to two superb golf courses, members have access to Forsgate’s 24-hour state-of-the-art fitness center, pickleball courts, and the junior Olympic-sized swimming pool complex. Each year, the staff puts together a calendar of entertainment, special themed dinners, and events to highlight each season.

The Gatenby Grille and Bar is a great place to grab a bite to eat, enjoy a favorite beverage, and catch up on the latest club news. During the season, Gatenby Grille’s terrace is open for dining under the stars and enjoying beautiful sunsets over the Banks Course.

The best way to enjoy all that Forsgate has to offer is to become a member. They offer individual, family, and corporate memberships that don’t require a sponsor. A Full Golf Membership gives you access to everything Forsgate offers, including their winter indoor practice...

As you can see by my 1st post we were not very happy with Thanksgiving.

I immediately received a phone call from the owners secretary wanting to know what happened on Thanksgiving Day. She was so sweet and nice and assured me that all the issues would be dealt with at Forsgate. She took the time to listen and address all my concerns. I was still annoyed at what happened that day, but she turned my annoyance into a distant memory. Thank you so much for your reply and your sheer kindness and concern! Renee

My family and I went to the 4 PM Thanksgiving Buffet. Now we have been there many time before and it was great! This time it was awful. We waited in line for 45 minutes and when we got up to the front the woman could not find our reservation. Told us to sit and wait. Another 20 minutes went by and I walked up to her and she still said she could not find our reservation. Another women walked over to her and looked for our name and yes we were the third one down on the list. So now over an hour has gone by. The food was awful...No shrimp...No pasta...Just cold salads, stuffing, rice cold salmon turkey and roast beef. I do not know what happen to this place but never ever again will we go there for any buffet. What a waste of my hard earned money! People in the lines were furious at the wait times and did not like the food at all. So So...

Although the staff is generally pleasant our actual event failed to deliver because it was understaffed for our plated dinner event. The pasta salad was served at 7:30 (instead of 7:15 as I had requested) and the next course did not arrive until 8:45 long after people were waiting and done with the starter. This was disappointing as we had hoped to end dinner before 8:30 and had other items planned for the night that therefore could not occur. The norm at most places is to serve the next dish right after the first one is picked off the table. Instead the servers came slowly took the plates and then there was nothing to the point several guests got up and started socializing because the next course disappeared. I got out of my seat several times to inquire when the next course would be served and even had the event manager go to the kitchen to finally bring food for 2 guests (including an expectant mom) who had to leave. A few of our other guests left without the main meal. The venue is pretty but I was shocked with this unreliable service. Overall, we had patient and positive guests but the service fell below...