Something for Everyone
This story appeared in the Winter 2024 Issue of New Jersey Golf. To read more from this issue click here.
A bagel and a coffee on the way to a morning tee time just feels right in New Jersey and the pairing of The Bagel Nook and Charleston Springs Golf Course, just minutes down the road from one another, is a perfect coupling.
There’s something for everyone at The Bagel Nook in Freehold. From Oreo Overload to Flaming Hot Cheetos bagels and Everything (bagels) in between, the family-owned business is sure to satisfy any morning cravings — including, possibly, a few you didn’t even know you had.
Since its inception, The Bagel Nook has always looked to raise the bar on what the humble morning bagel can provide.
“When we first opened, we knew we had to come out with a bang. We started with micro-batch cream cheeses and only had a handful of flavors. We added our specialty bagels like Fruity Pebbles, Oreo, Captain Crunch and Flaming Hot Cheetos,” said Alex Berkowitz, whose family opened its first Bagel Nook location in 2015. “As we grew, we expanded on the micro-batch cream cheeses as well as specialty bagels. It was always intended to be crazy and different from everybody else.”
Walking in for the first time, you are greeted with the typical aromas of coffee brewing, eggs and bacon grilling, and bagels baking in the back. Upon further inspection and a few more steps inside the door, the case of over a dozen micro batch cream cheeses and a list of all the possible bagel combinations can overwhelm an empty stomach.
One popular menu item is “The Elvis”, a French toast bagel with peanut butter swirl cream cheese, bananas and bacon. Another fan favorite is the “Avocado Blast”, served on the bagel of your choice with eggs, pepper jack cheese, double hash browns, avocado, lettuce and tomato.
As a savory-over-sweet guy myself, I opted for the traditional Taylor Ham, Egg and Cheese, topped with a hash brown and all laid out inside a Dorito-crusted bagel. With salt, pepper and ketchup, of course.
A destination for travelers throughout the state, The Bagel Nook still draws its inspiration and support from the local community, which continues to pack its stores seven days a week.
“We love finding out where people are coming from and how far they drive. We’ve had people come from out of the state but at the end of the day we rely on our community for support,” emphasized Berkowitz. “We are a community-based company and each of our locations are fueled by the community. Without the community we are ultimately nothing.”
Leaving with a stuffed bagel in one hand and a hot coffee in the other, I headed off down the road. Less than ten minutes and two turns later, I reached Charleston Springs Golf Course.
Much like The Bagel Nook, Charleston Springs also has something for everyone. With a goal to create "more than just a golf course,” as the Monmouth County Parks System puts it, they have delivered just that with 36 holes of championship golf, a warm-up range with grass tees, an impressive short game area (an amenity that public facilities often overlook), and a fully stocked golf center.
Greeting golfers on the drive in is the warm-up range and short game area which consists of a practice putting green, two chipping greens, two greenside bunkers, a fairway bunker, and an acre of fairway to practice all facets of one’s game. Finishing off the last bits of Dorito crumbs from my bagel and taking one last swig of coffee, I head out to the first tee.
Designed by golf course architect Mark Mungeam, Charleston Springs offers two distinctly different courses, the North and the South.
The par 72 North Course is billed as a links-style course, highlighted by expansive fairways lined with native grasses and wildflowers. Extensive bunkering coupled with multiple water hazards and large greens define the playing experience here.
On the other side of the property, the par 72 South Course is designed in the classic parkland style. The existing terrain and natural features frame each hole. Each course can play anywhere from just over 5,000 yards at the front to nearly 7,000 yards from the back tees allowing for a challenge to golfers of all skill levels.
It really doesn’t matter which course you end up playing as both are equally good. Both the North and South require a short cart ride over a bridge to get to the first tee, which is a favorite feature of mine in any course, separating the golf from the parking lot and clubhouse.
Inviting views off the tee allow for creativity to peek through as there are several different options when deciding on your best approach from tee to green. Each club in the bag will be put to use. Especially fun are the selection of par 5s which o er the chance of both eagle and double bogey.
The distinct difference in course layouts at Charleston Springs provides a unique experience for golfers of all tastes and preferences. It’s the perfect complement to the wide array of combinations found on the Bagel Nook menu. There truly is something for everyone.
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