Hampshire Greens Golf Course in Silver Spring, Maryland.: An upscale muni near Washington, D.C.
SILVER SPRING, Md. -- Ultra-liberal Montgomery County isn't the easiest place to build a golf course. Government regulations and environmental interests can stifle the development of even a municipal course.
And so it went with the creation of Hampshire Greens Golf Course, which took 14 long years.
When Hampshire Greens finally arrived in 1999, it was worth the wait. Today it remains the most modern and upscale of the courses in the portfolio of Montgomery County Golf.
Hampshire Greens is the centerpiece of a ritzy housing development, a quality course with excellent conditions and every bit worthy of its affluent zip code.
Designed by Lisa Maki, the course has dramatic twists and turns; canted fairways; deep, sprawling bunkers; undulating greens and several blind tee shots. Playing longer than its 6,837 yards, Hampshire Greens is a rigorous challenge, especially for a first-timer.
But there is no denying the thrill of the layout, as well as the convenience and the value provided by Montgomery County Golf's signature facility.