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South Riding Golf Club
Played On 08/18/2020Pleasant exurban course but in bad shape
If not for the bad turf conditions, this would be a pretty nice course, despite being routed through a housing development (not my thing). It's pretty straightforward although with a couple of short doglegs and holes where a big hitter might have to pull less than driver, and a couple of forced carries over marshy areas which I'm not a fan of.
The turf conditions are terrible right now. A few fairways have big patches of dry, cracked mud with no grass, I'm sure from the hot, rainy summer, and some of the greens have dead patches around the edges too. A few tee boxes looked like they were undergoing maintenance, but some were also in poor shape.
Pleasant Valley Golf Club
Played On 09/17/2017Unmemorable exurban track
For a fairly pricey "semi-private" course (whatever that means) I expected more. The layout isn't especially interesting, no holes that really stuck out for me, with some narrow fairways that penalize a drive that's even a little wayward and more than a couple holes where you can't tell where to aim your drive due to the terrain. A bunch of the tee boxes were in tough shape, chewed up and dotted with crab grass, and several greens had some total dead spots with zero grass, just dirt. For the DC-area where it gets super hot and humid in the summer they need to have more water coolers out there.
Bountiful Ridge Golf Course
Played On 08/25/2017Scenic and challenging mountainside course
Happened to be in Salt Lake City on a business trip with an extra day to kill, so I showed up here early in the morning as a single. The staff were super friendly, setting my expectations about how soon I might get out, setting me up with a set of rental clubs, and then getting me out within 15 minutes or so after a cancellation.
Despite being pretty booked up, the pace of play was great, we didn't really have to wait much on the group in front and we were never being chased by the group behind. The course conditions for August in the desert were splendid, lush green grass from tee boxes to fairways to greens. The layout is interesting, with plenty of elevation changes and a few doglegs, plus some long par-3s even from the regular men's tees.
Built on the side of the mountain ridge, this course has some spectacular views of the valley below and the mountains above. Saw a few deer out early in the morning before the sun got too high. Overall, this was a gem of a public course, convenient to Salt Lake City, and a must-play if you're in the area.
Eagle's Landing
Played On 06/04/2017Interesting links-y layout
If you like a pretty open course layout but don't want to go full-on Scottish-style links, this course is a good compromise. It has plenty of water in play, it's well-maintained, but the holes are still closer to a normal parkland style with a few gimmicky forced carries that aren't my favorite. It's challenging without being penalizing, but you definitely need some accuracy and some precise yardages.
The biggest drawback was pace of play, over five hours on a Sunday morning, which comes close to ruining my round. Still, if you can get out when it's less crowded, this is a pretty course that tests your skill and has some nice scenery to boot.
GlenRiddle Golf Club - War Admiral Course
Played On 06/03/2017Well maintained parkland course
After playing the sister course (Man O' War) in the morning, this course seemed more challenging and less interesting, but it's possible I was just tired. It's a more traditional parkland course, similar to some of the better public courses I've played near DC. The layout has some interesting holes but a few too many forced carries for my taste. It's definitely in great shape, just don't expect anything too distinctive.
GlenRiddle Golf Club - Man O' War Course
Played On 06/03/2017Outstanding British Isles-style links
I played a round of golf on an old links course in Ireland a few years ago, and this course reminded me of that one a lot. Wide open contoured fairways mean you can get lots of roll on your drive and shouldn't lose many balls, but it also means you'll have some funky stances down in swales or up on mounds, with tricky little pot bunkers in places you wouldn't expect. The course is in perfect shape, the staff are friendly, and for a Saturday morning we got around in good time, never waiting on a group ahead. Of the four courses I played in Ocean City, this was my favorite.
Rum Pointe Golf Course
Played On 06/02/2017Beautiful bayside links
From the photos on the website I could tell this would be a scenic course, and it definitely lived up to its billing. It's mostly a wide-open links layout with plenty of water in play and more sand than any course I've ever played. Not every hole has the most spectacular view, but plenty do and even the ones that aren't right on the water are picture perfect.
The course itself is immaculately maintained, lush fairways and greens that roll perfectly. You'll see throngs of shorebirds, from osprey to egrets to red-winged blackbirds, which always adds a little extra enjoyment for me. The course is definitely tough enough to offer a challenge, but wide open enough that it's not penalizing for being a little wayward off the tee.
My only minor quibbles were about the staff not being very helpful when it came to checking in, getting a cart, finding our way to the range and the first tee, and the restaurant in the clubhouse taking forever to bring our (admittedly tasty) lunch. Still, this course is definitely a gem and more than worth your time and money.
Blue Mash Golf Course
Played On 05/29/2017Stellar mix of links and woodland
If you like links courses but don't want to travel all the way to a coastline, you can get a little taste at Blue Mash. Except for a few holes on the back part of the property it plays very much like an open links layout, with just enough terrain to keep things interesting. Water is only in play on a few holes, but it looms large on those few, so you'll have to play some precision shots. It has maybe one too many sharp doglegs for my liking, but they add some different challenges.
The course is impeccably maintained, fairways are perfect and greens roll nicely. The staff are very friendly, although my buddy said the restaurant staff at the turn weren't too responsive. It's normally a bit pricy but you can find some cut rates on GolfNow if you're willing to play at an off time. All in all a very enjoyable and challenging course, even from the shorter tees.
Falls Road Golf Course
Played On 04/08/2017Short fun course, slow on weekends
Most of the Montgomery County public courses are terrific, and Falls Road is one of my favorites. It's always in very good condition, lush grass and no brown dirt patches, well maintained tee boxes. My most recent round was a couple weeks after they punched the greens but they still rolled pretty well. The course is very short by modern standards, but it makes up for it with a fun and interesting layout and plenty of terrain.
The biggest downside is that play can get very slow on weekends. Today's round was at least 4.5 hours and we were waiting on most tees on the back nine. It can also get a little pricey on weekend mornings, and although I didn't see him this time, in the past I've had run-ins with an overzealous marshal trying to speed us up even when nobody was waiting behind us.
It's still a fun experience most times I've played, and definitely one of my favorite public courses in the area.
New Haven Country Club
Played On 11/25/2016So I'm a bit biased since my dad's a member here and I've played it more than any other course, but it really is a fantastic course. The front nine lulls you into a false sense of security since it doesn't have a par-5, but it's no pushover, with some long par 4s and a blind par 3 up a hill. The back nine is one of the toughest challenges around, with some serious elevation change and the over-water par-3.
The course is always in excellent shape, greens roll nicely, fairways are well kept up, and it's an interesting layout. It's walkable if you're in good shape. All in all a standout course and a great golfing experience.
University of Maryland Golf Course
Played On 10/22/2016Nice course across hill and dale
This is what my dad calls a "mountain goat track." Definitely some of the most elevation change I've seen at a DC-area course, which keeps it challenging. It's usually pretty well maintained and plays fairly long from the men's tees. The layout keeps it interesting, not too many straightaway grip it and rip it holes. Almost no water and not choked with lateral hazards, but plenty of bunkers and sidehill lies to keep you on your toes.
Miacomet Golf Club
Played On 10/09/2016Serene linksy beauty
If you're lucky enough to spend some time on Nantucket but not elite enough to get on one of the island's private club courses, don't feel bad. The only public 18-hole course isn't your average crab grass muni, it's a real gem and a joy to play.
It has an open layout without many trees, which gives it a links-style feel and links-style whipping winds, especially playing in the fall. It's one of the best-maintained public courses I've ever played, with immaculate fairways and greens. No water but plenty of sand and fescue to make you pay the price for every missed fairway. It's walkable but you'll want to stretch and bring some snacks, your Fitbit will let you know that you covered some ground.
Lake Presidential Golf Club
Played On 09/25/2016Could be nice if they grew some grass
I've played this course a few times, and I remember it used to be pretty nice. It's a challenging and interesting layout, a bit of elevation on a few holes, a couple of forced carries, plenty of water, and plays long from the regular tees. It's too spread out to walk and you have to cross roads a couple of times, which can be annoying.
The biggest problem last time I played was that they had several fairways completely die off. Literally a sea of dirt and mud with a few tufts of grass here and there. I've never seen that happen to a course, and certainly not to one with such high greens fees that's ranked on at least one "top public courses in MD" list. If their superintendent gets things back on track this could be a top-notch course again, but until then it's not even playable.
Lahinch Golf Club - Old Course
Played On 09/16/2014Amazing Irish golf experience
This course definitely deserves its place on every golf magazine and website's "top 100 in the world" list. The course is a quirky, slightly hilly, classic links layout with a few holes unchanged since its original design in 1891. It's very walkable and demands a completely different skill set than your average American parkland course. If you don't hit the fairway, you're just trying to advance your ball, and you can putt from about 30 yards and in. You'll definitely want to take a caddie and listen to his advice, ours was very friendly and patient with our group of high handicappers. The views of the coastline and the town are beautiful, the staff are friendly, and the grill room overlooks several holes so you can watch later groups as you relax with a beer afterwards. This was one of the most enjoyable rounds of golf I've ever played, and the course didn't disappoint.
Patuxent Greens Country Club
Played On 08/23/2014Decent course at a good price
I've played this course a couple of times now and it's a nice little parkland track. The course is very flat but makes up for it with a few doglegs, a healthy smattering of bunkers, and water in play on quite a few holes. It plays fairly short from the men's tees and is pretty walkable. The course is in decent shape, a couple of fairways are in bad condition (10th and 18th particularly) and the sand in the traps can be a little too firm, but overall it's better than your average neglected muni. Considering the relatively cheap price (think I paid less than $35 for my last weekend round) I think it might be one of the better values in the DC area.
Thank you for the very nice and comprehensive review of our golf course! Cheers!