RedGate Golf Course in Rockville, Md.: Small-town feel near Washington, D.C.

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Longtime residents here like their lone municipal course so much that when it faced a financial crisis a decade ago, many of them -- even non-golfers -- came to the rescue. Such is the value of "open space" in a crowded, bustling community.

And there is much of it at rugged, rolling RedGate Golf Course. Though located just 12 miles from the District Line and in the middle of Montgomery County (population 1.02 million), the course is a secluded parkland oasis, free from surrounding homes. The only encroachment comes on the 18th hole, overlooked by balconies of a condominium development.

RedGate is gaining traction under the direction of Billy Casper Golf Management. Few golf courses in the Washington, D.C., area can beat its convenience or price. And none can match the neighborhood feel of the traditional 6,378-yard par-71 track, which dates to 1974.