Course Reviews: Maryland, My Maryland
This week, just before the craziness of my girls going back to school and hockey season starting back up, I decided to head over to Maryland and play a few courses I'd always wanted to tackle — but never had the convenient opportunity. It was good timing for a quasi-staycation, and all three courses — while decidedly different in their character (one public, one resort, one muni) — were extremely enjoyable tracks.
After having weathered a rough-and-tumble muni four days prior, the change of pace was very welcome. And for only an $8 difference? I absolutely got my money's worth. For after the round, there's a small bar and grill adjacent to the pro shop. A burger, steak fries and a pop ran me just under $20, and was well worth every penny.
Not only was the course absolutely pristine, but I played the round of my life, hitting a 78 on the par-69 Lakes Course. The par-5 fourth was under construction, so an extra hole — the 110-yard par-3 "Hole No. 37" — took its place, yielding a temporary layout of five par 3s, 11 par 4s and two par 5s. From the gold tees (5,246 yards), water and natural tall grass come into play on 13 holes, and three require a carry off the tee. There was a nice mix of short and long par 4s (only a couple that required me to use more than a 6-iron on my second shot), the par 3s were varied, and a diverse offering of hole routings. Fairways were pristine, greens played true and neutral (about an 11 Stimp, so super fair), and tee boxes were in excellent shape, too, despite it being late in peak season. Effective wayfinding signage and a fully-stocked halfway house were nice touches, too.
Being built in the 1970s, it's a perfect loop for walking — you wouldn't know it from the fact I was the only one there this day not playing BuggyBall™, but I digress. The front nine is pretty spacious, complete with a six-hole links-y stretch next to U.S. 50 that's extremely subjected to wind; the back nine is heavily tree-lined and reminiscent of Garrisons Lake in some ways in terms of how it plays. Four of the holes on the front nine require well-placed tee shots to negotiate doglegs around bunkers or ponds, making course management and precision paramount over power. Only a couple holes require forced carries; the par-4 16th requires a drive over water and an approach shot over a small creek.
Round Summaries
Monday, Aug. 26 — Chesapeake Bay Golf Club, Rising Sun, Md.
Chesapeake Bay Golf Club is a 20-minute drive west from the University of Delaware, halfway between North East and Rising Sun, Md. The course, built in 1969 by Russell Roberts, features rolling hills, ample elevation changes, generous fairways, and well-maintained grounds from tee to green the whole way. For a $60 Monday morning green fee (discounted $10 from the BuggyBall™ rate), I was treated to a fun and challenging (but not overly so) course, a great walk, beautiful scenery, and lush, smooth fairways. Country club-quality course with zero of the uppitiness. |
| The opening par 4, which demands a straight tee shot leading to an uphill approach with water left and trees right, sets the tone for a simply beautiful round of golf. |
The course is a fairly standard issue 4-10-4 par-72 track with six rated sets of tees and a couple blended sets. The tips (named the Barbin tees for course GM and golf director Andy Barbin and two of his sons who work as PGA pros at the course) play 7,169 yards, down to the PGA Gold tees, which play 3,915. I played the Heron tees, at 5,315 yards — good for a Course Rating of 65.4 and Slope Rating of 110. Water comes into play on 10 of the 18 holes, there are significant elevation changes and sloped fairways on more than a few holes, and greens play fairly. The course routing is extremely walker-friendly — there are no particularly long walks from green to tee, there are ample water stations and facilities throughout the course, and on-course signage is suitably informative.
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| On the approach into 16, golfers are greeted by the historic Manor House, a trellis used for weddings and other special events, and the pond around which the par-5 closing hole is routed. |
After having weathered a rough-and-tumble muni four days prior, the change of pace was very welcome. And for only an $8 difference? I absolutely got my money's worth. For after the round, there's a small bar and grill adjacent to the pro shop. A burger, steak fries and a pop ran me just under $20, and was well worth every penny.
I'll definitely be back.
The ratings: Playability - B+, Condition/Atmosphere - A-, Layout - B+, Pace - A-, Walkability - A, Service - A-, Amenities - A-, Value for money - A-. Overall, I give Chesapeake Bay an A-.
Tuesday, Aug. 27 — Queenstown Harbor (Lakes), Queenstown, Md.
On down the shores of the Chesapeake Bay is Queenstown Harbor, a 36-hole complex right at the intersection of U.S. Routes 50 and 301, convenient to Annapolis and D.C. while still far enough away from the hubbub of the Delaware and Maryland beaches. I guess you call it a "quasi-resort" facility, given the stay-and-play packages they offer with the cottages and bungalows on-site, and it certainly has a resort feel to it. From the moment I was greeted by someone to take my bag to the starter's stand for me to the folks in the tavern and pro shop (special thanks to Chad and Spencer in particular for a job well done!), the service you get here is first-rate.And the golf was first-rate, as well.
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| The No. 14 green at Queenstown Harbor, overlooked by the neighbouring Chester River. |
Not only was the course absolutely pristine, but I played the round of my life, hitting a 78 on the par-69 Lakes Course. The par-5 fourth was under construction, so an extra hole — the 110-yard par-3 "Hole No. 37" — took its place, yielding a temporary layout of five par 3s, 11 par 4s and two par 5s. From the gold tees (5,246 yards), water and natural tall grass come into play on 13 holes, and three require a carry off the tee. There was a nice mix of short and long par 4s (only a couple that required me to use more than a 6-iron on my second shot), the par 3s were varied, and a diverse offering of hole routings. Fairways were pristine, greens played true and neutral (about an 11 Stimp, so super fair), and tee boxes were in excellent shape, too, despite it being late in peak season. Effective wayfinding signage and a fully-stocked halfway house were nice touches, too.
Of particular note is a five-hole stretch set apart from the rest of the course that takes on a decidedly links-y feel. After a lengthy trek from hole 11, the clearing on the other side of a wooded bridge yields a particularly breathtaking vista of holes 12-16 and the neighbouring Chester River that only images can do justice.
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| Words don't do this vista justice. |
The downside — and, truly, the only one — was that there were a few quarter-mile hikes from green to tee. Not surprising, given the course was built in 1996, when buggies had by then become the rule rather than the exception. Despite this, everything else about the experience was first-rate.
For the $80 midday rate (no walking discount, alas), it was a little bit of a splurge for me, but extremely well worth it — and being only 50 minutes from home, a trip I'll happily make again.
The ratings: Playability - A, Condition/Atmosphere - A, Layout - A, Pace - A-, Walkability - B-, Service - A, Amenities - A, Value for money - B+. Overall, I give Queenstown Harbor an A-.
Thursday, Aug. 29 — Hog Neck (Championship), Easton, Md.
I've played the nine-hole executive track at Hog Neck a good number of times over the past couple years (it was a big part of my reintroduction to golf), but this was my first trip around the championship loop. While a muni, owned and operated by Talbot County, it comes as no surprise that the main course was in excellent shape from tee to green given how well maintained the executive course is. For the $50 midday green fee I paid, I felt I absolutely got my money's worth. |
| Hole #1 at Hog Neck requires a straight tee shot; much of the back nine is similarly tree-lined. |
Being built in the 1970s, it's a perfect loop for walking — you wouldn't know it from the fact I was the only one there this day not playing BuggyBall™, but I digress. The front nine is pretty spacious, complete with a six-hole links-y stretch next to U.S. 50 that's extremely subjected to wind; the back nine is heavily tree-lined and reminiscent of Garrisons Lake in some ways in terms of how it plays. Four of the holes on the front nine require well-placed tee shots to negotiate doglegs around bunkers or ponds, making course management and precision paramount over power. Only a couple holes require forced carries; the par-4 16th requires a drive over water and an approach shot over a small creek.
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| The bulk of the front nine at Hog Neck is fairly open and links-y. A two-club wind was a definite factor for the author this day, turning a couple shoulda-been pars into bogeys. All photos by the author. |
Fairways are in solid shape, greens play on the slower side (9-10) but are true, and tee boxes weren't too worn. Regrettably, there are no water stations on the course and service at the café (open in season) can be a bit brusque, but its position near the tee of No. 10 allows it to effectively double as a halfway house.
On this day, I was able to crank through the first eight holes pretty unabated, but the fellow singles I was paired with got caught behind a particularly slow foursome on No. 9 and had to wait on every shot for the back nine. Can't blame this on the course, but it did dampen things for a few holes and force me to rethink my rhythm in the stretch drive.
In all, and especially as munis go, Hog Neck is a solid experience.
The ratings: Playability - B+, Condition/Atmosphere - A-, Layout - B+, Pace - B, Walkability - A, Service - B+, Amenities - B+, Value for money - B+. Overall, I give Hog Neck a B+.
Round Summaries
Course: Chesapeake Bay Golf Club, Rising Sun, Md.
Tees: Heron (5,315 yards, CR 65.4, SR 110)
Gross Score: 43-44—87 (net +3)
Pars: 7, Bogeys: 8, Doubles: 2, Triples: 1
Fairways: 4/14, Greens: 4/18, Net Greens: 9/18
Putts: 29, Strokes Gained Putting: 8.03
Match vs. Course Handicap: drew (3-8-1)
Differential: 21.2 (replacing a 17.8 that fell off my card)
New Handicap Index: 19.6 (up 0.4)
Distance Walked: 5.65 miles, Time: 3 hours, 18 minutes
Course: Queenstown Harbor – Lakes Course, Queenstown, Md.
Course: Queenstown Harbor – Lakes Course, Queenstown, Md.
Tees: Gold (5,246 yards, CR 65.0, SR 109)
Gross Score: 37-41—78 (net -4)
Pars: 11, Bogeys: 5, Doubles: 2
Fairways: 9/13, Greens: 8/18, Net Greens: 14/18
Putts: 33, Strokes Gained Putting: 3.03
Match vs. Course Handicap: won, 4 and 3 (4-8-1)
Differential: 16.6
New Handicap Index: 19.3 (down 0.3)
Distance Walked: 7.52 miles (phew!), Time: 4 hours, 17 minutes
Course: Hog Neck – Championship, Easton, Md.
Course: Hog Neck – Championship, Easton, Md.
Tees: Green (5,597 yards, CR 67.5, SR 121)
Gross Score: 44-43—87 (net -1)
Pars: 7, Bogeys: 7, Doubles: 4
Fairways: 5/14, Greens: 4/18, Net Greens: 11/18
Putts: 32, Strokes Gained Putting: 4.09
Match vs. Course Handicap: won, 3 and 2 (5-8-1)
Differential: 18.2
New Handicap Index: 18.8 (down 0.5)
Distance Walked: 5.96 miles, Time: 3 hours, 52 minutes
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