Golf Courses: A look at the Most Exclusive in America

Due Process Stable Golf Club, Colts Neck, New Jersey

In the 1980’s Robert E. Brennan became a household name. Through his company First Jersey Securities, Inc. Brennan sold stock in little known companies that were destined for success. He soon amassed a fortune.

In 1992 Brennan spent a reported $40 million to build his own private golf course.  Former US Open Champion Johnny Miller and Gene Bates were brought in to design the layout.

The course winds it way through the New Jersey Land and it is known for its massive horse sculptures (in a nod to the fact that Due Process is a working Equestrian Center).

The course has quite the history.

In 1995 Brennan’s business begun to come undone when a federal judge fined him $75 million for defrauding investors. Shortly thereafter he filed for bankruptcy.

Then in 2000 he was arrested for failing to list all of his assets on the bankruptcy petition. A year later he was convicted of bankruptcy fraud, money laundering and obstructing justice and sentenced to nine years in prison.

In 2002, while Brennan was in prison, Due Process was sold at auction for $20 million to Peter C. Gerhard, then a Goldman Sachs executive. Gerhard and John Ferolito, the co-founder of Arizona Iced Tea, owned the club for 16 years.

Membership was limited to 100 people with initiation fees reportedly $350,000.

In a bit of irony Brennan who was released from prison in January 2011 began serving as the clubs General Manager in November 2012. However the job didn’t last long as one of the club’s members sued the club saying that Brennan’s employment prevented him from entertaining clients.

Most recently in the fall of 2018, the clubs owners decided to buy out the entire list of members and yet again turn the course into a truly private domain. With that, your chances of ever playing Due Process diminished significantly.