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4.0
96 Reviews (96)
5 Stars
31
4 Stars
48
3 Stars
11
2 Stars
3
1 Stars
3
Conditions
4.0
Value
4.1
Layout
4.0
Friendliness
4.0
Pace
3.8
Amenities
4.0
97.0%
Recommend this course
86 out of 96 reviews
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About

Holes 18
Type Public
Style Traditional
Par 72
Length 7376 yards
Slope 131
Rating 74.9

Course Details

Year Built 1964
Fairways Rye Grass
Greens Bent Grass
Golf Season Year round
Architect Ed Ault (1964)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
Clubs Yes
Pull-carts Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Golf School Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes

Policies

Metal Spikes Allowed No
Walking Allowed Yes
Dress code Proper golf attire required.

Food & Beverage

Snacks

Available Facilities

Clubhouse

Reviews

4.0
96 Reviews (96)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 11
Watching the Game 8
Course Challenges Include:
Plays Long 16
Bunkers 13
Thick Rough 10
This course/club is great for:
Advanced Golfers 18
Locals 18
Walkers 13
This Course's Location is:
In the 'Burbs 18
Worth the Drive 9

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 138
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Maryland Advisor
Top 100 Contributor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Great Public Course

I play Northwest a couple times a year and this was my first in 2022. The course was in good condition. I thought the price was a bit high for a Monday late morning ($64), but other than that it was a good experience. Always a good option for weekdays.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
First Time Playing

Nice county course

Not too difficult a course. Tree-lined but wide fairways. Great shape. Excellent COVID practices. Average layout, with no trick greens or fairways. Easy to get a low score. Able to get on in early AM, where I can’t on other MontCo courses.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 25+
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Hot weather
Walked

Long Course, main challenge is the length

I pllayed here twice in the last month since the courses opened again. The greens and fairways are in great ocndition. Northwest tends to have thick taller rough so that makes it more difficult for less accurate players. But the fairways are wide. There are no water hazards, and most holes are protected by bunkers. I am a senior player and do not hit that long so even from the front mens tees, the holes are longer than most other ocurses that I play. The staff is friendly and they have a good prective facility.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
Incentivized Review
3.0
Previously Played
Cold weather
Walked

2nd time in two weeks, go after 12 PM

So we went to Northwest maybe two (2) weeks ago. Had a 11:00 AM tee time, which we were charge $49 for 18 holes and then an ADDITIONAL $15 for a cart. I thought that was unheard of expensive, especially with an incredibly slow pace of play and no starter.

However, went back this weekend and played at 2 PM, and we were charged $25 to finish as many holes as we could. Ended up getting past hole 15 as no one was playing then.

All in all, it's a decent course but when you can drive 15 minutes to Blue Mash, I just can't understand how/why anyone would ever pay $65 for this course.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 138
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Maryland Advisor
Top 100 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Walked

Excellent Conditions

It's been a while since I've played Northwest...the last time I played they had not yet reversed the nines! Our foursome walked and we played in a little over 4 hrs. No pace of play issues as stated in other reviews. I was amazed at how nice the course conditions are. For the most part, the fairways were lush and green--like hitting off carpet. There were a couple of holes that had patches of crabgrass, but it didn't detract from the beauty and playability from the fairways. The greens were excellent...also very green, cut tight, and rolling fast. They were also a little on the hard side, as you would get some unbelievable bounces on the green. You just learned quickly to land short and let it bounce up and release. The rough was extremely thick and long, and somewhat penal. Best thing--just stay out of it. I gave a 4 rating vs a 5 because of two things: 1) we stood in line for food after our round for over 15 minutes before being waited on...the slowness of the snack bar staff has been an issue every time I've been here, and 2) a marshal came around when we were waiting to tee off on #18, and made a comment which I think was unacceptable and, frankly, offensive. A little sensitivity training around diversity might be in order so staff don't "open mouth, insert both feet"!! I'll definitely play the course again...it's a great layout and well kept.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 15-19
Skill Advanced
Plays Once every three months
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Originally designed to be a tour level layout

Northwest Golf Course is my favorite among the courses I usually play in Montgomery County MD. It was originally designed to be a tour level layout, and was a U.S. Open Local Qualifying course in 2017. From the tips, the men's black, it is 7,396 yards, par 72 with a rating of 74.9 and slope of 131, so it will give most players all they can handle. From the blue tees, which I still play from though at my age I have to consider some of the par 4s as par 5s, it has a rating of 72.2, slope 124. They had a lot of trouble with grass dying last year after unusually heavy rains messed up maintenance, but this year the course has been in great shape. It's a great course at a very reasonable price.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Previously Played

Rude staff

I’ve been playing at northwest for many years and never felt so disrespected by a cashier at the clubhouse. I’m a veteran of the Usmc and 40yr old men who wanted to order a beer after the turn and this rude old white guy starts giving me mouth about ID and started interrogate me. I kept my comments to myself but I’ll never be coming back to this course again. Terrible service, ,felt very discriminated. They just lost one loyal golf customer. Never again will I come back to this overpriced establishment.

Conditions Average
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Poor
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 21
Handicap 15-19
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Previously Played
Cold weather
Walked

good for the money

Great value for a fair golf course , pace of play always to slow but nice people

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 16
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Average weather
Walked

Wonderful condition. Great deal.

I'm pretty sure I've reviewed the big course here before so I'll just update the conditions: they are excellent. Played the front nine yesterday. Fairways and greens are in excellent shape. All the bunkers I was in or took note of had new sand. Only one complaint: the greens are too fast. Not too fast in terms of just being too fast - on the contrary, they are a wonderful quick pace. But they just aren't true enough to run this quick. Don't get me wrong - they are in fine condition. But just hit a fast downhill putt... and watch the ball wobble off line every time. Only uphill putts are remotely makeable. Fast greens are great, but it's just not fair IMO if they don't roll true.

Other than that - it's as good as it gets for a muni. The rough isn't perfect but it's better than most (if not all) higher-priced courses in the area this year.

Play it. Just stay below the hole...

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 16
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Walked

Just airated

See my previous review for general course view (great little 9 to practice on). Just adding a review here to tell folks the greens were airated last week (before Labor Day). The large diameter tine airation too. Greens aren't puttable. Something to know going in. Give it a few weeks to heal up (hopefully we get some rain!).

Conditions Fair
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Fair
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 16
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Walked

Firm, fast, and challenging

For $40 to walk, you can't get a better value than this in the DC area. Course is in great shape. Greens are firm and fast - if not just a tiny bit bumpy. Forget about making putts from anywhere but directly below the hole. You can also forget about holding the green from anywhere but the fairway. The rough isn't high but the greens are so firm you'll need to be in the fairway to have enough spin to hold the greens.

For those who don't know, this is a VERY long course - like 7400 from the tips. I recommend the blue tees for better players - the blacks only for those who drive it 300 or more. The way the greens are now, if you aren't in the fairway you have to aim for the front of the green or even land your ball short to keep it on the green. In general you need to be directly short of the flag to have a makeable putt. Chipping to these greens is a challenge from hole-high left or right. Chipping is the strength of my game but even I can't get it up and down when the green won't take any spin and the shot breaks 20 feet.

Play it now for an excellent value and challenge!

Oh, and $2 beers for Father's Day was quite a treat! Nice move, MoCo!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 16
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Walked

Better than the big course?

If pace of play matters to you, then consider playing this instead of the big course for your 9 hole round (and seriously, why are you only playing 9 holes if you have the luxury of time?). It's PLENTY difficult - especially when the greens are firm and quick as they are now. Several of the pins today were tucked behind bunkers with down-slopes in front and were incredibly difficult to get to.

This is a very pretty, hilly little course. It's short, of course, but there are some tight tee shots and plenty of little hazards around if you don't hit it where you need to.

The 6th hole is as tough as it gets on any course. You can lay up and have a 200-yard shot off of a downslope to an elevated green with a bunker in front (good luck) or take on a 235-yard downhill carry and try to reach a very narrow fairway between two clusters of trees (good luck there too). The 180 yard par-3 8th is no slouch either.

Great price (less than $20 to walk weekday), great conditions (greens are currently firm, quick, and true and the fairways are in very good shape), a nice challenge, and quick pace of play make this a great 9-hole round for golfers of ANY level (I'm a 3 handicap and I love it!).

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 9
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Good weather
Used cart

Great conditioin, great layout

The course is in great condition from tee to green. The greens were actually getting a little burned out, but the staff was out watering them. Pace of play was a little slow, but I understand the crowding as we had 2 weeks of rain and this was one of the first nice days. I would definitely play again.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Friendly staff

I was few minutes late for the tee time but they would let me play. Thank you! Good course for the money.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

The Greens Looked Great

A great place to play....

The course is challenging enough to please the better players. A good time to be had by golfers of intermediate and higher skill levels.

Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Used cart

Course marshals

We played the front and back nines in 2 hours each, yet we were told to pick up our pace of play because the group behind us wanted to played faster. They never asked to play through. This bothered us and probably will take our business elsewhere.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Used cart

Northwest Golf Course

course ranger came up two a couple of times and asked us to pick-up our pace of play. Apparently the group behind us played like race horses and expected us to do so as well. More or less this ruined what should have been a nice day.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great value great layout

Classic design with challenges fro every level. Can get jammed up but that is semi urban golf. Condition of greens always good they work hard and it shows. Please fix divots and green marks!

Conditions Good
Value Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great GolfNow deal

I play Northwest about 15 times a year, and it's always a good time. It's not the best course you can play but it is long enough if you want to challenge your long irons.

If you have never played here, I would definitely give it a shot. All of the staff is friendly and on weekends they actually have rangers that keep the pace of play up!!! Some courses fail to see the advantage in that... Anyways check it out you won't be disappointed.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
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