Shady Rest Country Club

Shady Rest Country Club is a historic 9-hole golf course located in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, originally designed by Scottish professional David Smith Hunter in 1900 as Westfield Golf Club. The course was purchased in 1921 by Progressive Realty Company, a group of prominent Black investors, making it the first Black-owned country club in America. The layout features 2,247 yards from the longest tees with a par of 33. The course rating is 31.7 with a slope rating of 114 from the blue tees, indicating a moderate difficulty level suitable for various skill levels. The property encompasses the historic Shady Rest Clubhouse, a pro shop, and a picnic pavilion. Adjacent to the main course is an 18-hole miniature golf course featuring picturesque waterfall elements, wandering streams, and stepping ponds. The club is historically significant as the home of John Matthew Shippen Jr., the first American-born African American golf professional, and has hosted legendary jazz and blues musicians including Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington.