Washington DC Golf Courses
On Capitol Hill, it’s all about who you know. The same goes for playing the many exclusive Washington DC golf courses within the area. Some of the most coveted clubs in the country can be found within a short drive (or helicopter) from the district, including Congressional Golf Club, Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm and Trump National Golf Club.
Fortunately, the golf and residential boom of the 1990s helped user in many semi-private and upscale golf clubs of very good quality in both Maryland and Virginia. You’re also within a modest drive of some excellent golf resorts as well.
In Virginia, start at Westfields Golf Club, a Gene Bates and Fred Couples design that opened in 1998. Golf Advisor raters named it the best course in the state in 2017 and it also made the U.S. Top 50 list. The clubhouse sets the stage for a private-club ambiance and the course is well conditioned and scenic.
Raspberry Falls Golf Club, designed by Gary Player, is another standout within about an hour of the White House. Player built big, Scottish-inspired sod-walled bunkers to complement the Catoctin Mountains in horse country.
One of the newest Washington DC golf courses is a Jack Nicklaus signature course, Potomac Shores Golf Club (image above). The course was originally supposed to open in the mid-2000s but the economic downturn delayed the opening until 2014. It’s now a stellar, championship-caliber design with top-notch facilities, hilly terrain full of elevated tees and greens that yield drama throughout. Nicklaus also laid out 1757 Golf Club, which opened in 2010. It’s a shot-makers course with some narrow holes and convenient to Dulles Airport.
In Maryland, there are many options as well that have name-architects to boot. Little Bennett Golf Course, designed by Dr. Michael Hurdzan, has earned a loyal following for its naturally-sculpted shaping, fun holes and wildlife. It’s one of the nine Montgomery County Courses that is well-loved by Beltway golfers. Another one of their courses is Hampshire Greens Golf Course. Opened in 1999, is a county-owned course that is well regarded for member-like pace of play and conditions.
Maryland’s Renditions Golf Club is also another favorite play that features replica holes of some of the most famous around the world. While Queenstown Harbor Golf Club is a 36-hole facility with scenic holes along the Chester River.
No mention of great Washington DC golf courses would be complete without mentioning Landsdowne Resort, the most complete golf resort in the immediate vicinity and located beside the Potomac River. With two full-length 18-hole courses and a short course, there’s no better escape from the Beltway madness.