My DC Area Course Rankings (Pics Added)

[Carolina Golfer 2]

1 hour ago, Chanceman said:

Where does the visitor to DC play if he does not have connections?

Staying in DC? Or Mad/VA.  Depending on where you are staying, you can be 15 minutes or an hour from great golf. 

[Chanceman]

4 hours ago, Carolina Golfer 2 said:

Staying in DC? Or Mad/VA.  Depending on where you are staying, you can be 15 minutes or an hour from great golf. 

Arlington side

[Carolina Golfer 2]

5 hours ago, Chanceman said:

Arlington side

If you’re looking to get on a Private, i can’t help you there.  But two good publics are. 
 

Laurel Hills about 20 -30 minutes south in Lorton

or

Westfields about 30 minutes west near Manassas 

 

Maybe 45 to 1 hour north near Fredrick are several of the best in Maryland

Worthington Manor

Whiskey Creek 

Musket Ridge (a bit further than those two but worth it)

 

 

[Rich_H]

18 hours ago, dmeeksDC said:

Have you been there? Nothing has changed as far as I know. My review is about the golf course. I have seen bad reviews about pace of play. I think those are true on the weekends or if they are having an outing. They sometimes have outings for tourists who typically do not play golf at tough courses. But pace of play on weekends is not good anywhere. On a hard golf course, bad golfers go even slower. Google reviews are often motivated by negativity. Can’t even say how many restaurants I have been to where Google reviews ripped it and in reality it was excellent. I don’t read Google reviews or write any reviews on Google. 

 

We played there twice a few weeks ago in January when we had a few warm days. It was great and course was in solid shape for winter around here. It was in much better shape than a private club in the same county. And we didn’t wait at all. Guess it depends on when you play. Really one of my favorite courses. 
 

I have not hence why I asked. I'm a member at University of MD but always looking to try different courses in the area. Knocked out all the Kemper courses last season to get the free Vokey so now onto other courses this season. 

[dmeeksDC]

On 2/22/2025 at 12:59 PM, Rich_H said:

I have not hence why I asked. I'm a member at University of MD but always looking to try different courses in the area. Knocked out all the Kemper courses last season to get the free Vokey so now onto other courses this season. 

Played 9 holes this afternoon and took a few photos for you. I grew up in Michigan, so I am used to  these kinds of conditions. The course was fine today, keeping in mind the time of year. The U of Md course is less than 10 miles from our house, have played it many times. The course conditions are very comparable. I don’t know if some people are coming to DC from Florida or somewhere warm and don’t know what winter golf is like but it played well today. Hope this is helpful. 

No. 2 green, looking back toward tee. 

Greenside rough on No. 2

Tee box on No. 4 (150-160 yard par 3)

Tee box on No. 5. Dog let left over a creek. Hardest hole on front 9. 

From tee shot landing area on No. 8. Par 5. 

Looking back up fairway from 8 green 

Edited February 25 by dmeeksDC

[Rich_H]

10 hours ago, dmeeksDC said:

Played 9 holes this afternoon and took a few photos for you. I grew up in Michigan, so I am used to  these kinds of conditions. The course was fine today, keeping in mind the time of year. The U of Md course is less than 10 miles from our house, have played it many times. The course conditions are very comparable. I don’t know if some people are coming to DC from Florida or somewhere warm and don’t know what winter golf is like but it played well today. Hope this is helpful. 
 

Thanks for this. Course looks great considering the weather we have had. I'll try to get out there and check it out this year. 

[Carolina Golfer 2]

14 hours ago, dmeeksDC said:

Played 9 holes this afternoon and took a few photos for you. I grew up in Michigan, so I am used to  these kinds of conditions. The course was fine today, keeping in mind the time of year. The U of Md course is less than 10 miles from our house, have played it many times. The course conditions are very comparable. I don’t know if some people are coming to DC from Florida or somewhere warm and don’t know what winter golf is like but it played well today. Hope this is helpful. 

No. 2 green, looking back toward tee. 

Greenside rough on No. 2

Tee box on No. 4 (150-160 yard par 3)

Tee box on No. 5. Dog let left over a creek. Hardest hole on front 9. 

From tee shot landing area on No. 8. Par 5. 

Looking back up fairway from 8 green 

I'll gladly push the plunger if they ever decide to blow up No's 5 and 8 🙂

 

 

[Carolina Golfer 2]

3 hours ago, Rich_H said:

Thanks for this. Course looks great considering the weather we have had. I'll try to get out there and check it out this year. 

If you are tyring new courses this year and haven't tried Compass Pointe, DM me and I'll have you up.   Can't get you a Vokey wedge, but perhaps I can swing a burger and beer!

[grochol17]

On 2/22/2025 at 2:16 AM, Chanceman said:

Arlington side

 

Like @Carolina Golfer 2I can't help you with private, but you have a few options around depending on how far you're willing to drive.  So I can make some more informed suggestions, how far might you be willing to drive, how much are you willing to pay, and does the course need to be a certain length?  Or, maybe a better way to put it, is there a number where you'd call the course too short to be interested in playing it?

 

 

 

 

 

[act0fgod]

On 2/22/2025 at 3:39 AM, Chanceman said:

Where does the visitor to DC play if he does not have connections?

They don't...

 

I guess you can play East Potomac if you really have to golf.  You can see the Washington monument while playing.

[act0fgod]

On 10/7/2024 at 9:45 PM, Oliver Klozoff said:

The thing holding that place back is the cheap initiation for military members many of whom compare it to base courses like Ft Belvoir and Andrews.  Those military people (not all, but a large portion) will tell you that is what it is supposed to be ... a step up from an officers club and pretend that it could exist without civilians.  But it would be in disrepair without some people paying almost $100K to join just because of its location.  $2K- $25K dues by military people certainly can't pay for what it is.  All that internal strife between doing it on the cheap and wanting it to be a true country club leads to a place that has too many people to please.  Every club has this, but from what I can sense ANCC has it worse. 

 

All that being said the club and golf courses are far better than 5+ years ago.

 

 

 

Is this a joke?  Do you really think a course has to have a $100k initiation fee to avoid being in disrepair?

 

Also the post is not factual.  No member is paying $2k in dues (I guess there is an inactive member rate for those who are not allowed to use the club facilities and an absent member rate who has limited use but must live out of the area - both under $1k).  The lowest dues for an individual under 35 is closer to triple your low end.  To be fair your high end for dues is also close to triple actual highest dues.

 

Additionally the clubs mission statement is to "provide, at moderate expense, recreational facilities at, or near, the National Capital for, and to promote social intercourse among those citizens, military and civilian, who are bound together by the fraternal and patriotic spirit of serving the best interests and efficiency of the National Defense."  Moderate isn't clearly defined.  Here's a military pay table (http://dfas.mil/MilitaryMembers/payentitlements/Pay-Tables/Basic-Pay/CO/).  To help read this generally the first couple of years base pay will be around $4k/month, then around $5.5k/month, at 10 years of work $7-8k/month, most in the DC area are probably around $10-14k/month after working around 16-26 years, the highest ranked military general makes $18k/month managing an $800B annual budget with over 1 million active duty.  To be transparent there is also an extra $3-$4k/month allocated for what is essentially locality pay.  What do you think would be a moderate expense for those incomes?

 

This mission appears to deviate a bit from the original intent as originally the course was founded to "provide for social and recreational activities for military officers."  I have no problem with the transition, but feel the primary focus should still be with military members.  Really disappointed when I learned the Naval Academy Golf Course privatized and essentially made it impossible for military members to join.  Sure they have a military membership and it's incredibly cheap, but with a 4+ year waitlist no military member can realistically join. 

 

Last I don't have a dog in the fight regarding Army Navy Country Club.  I didn't end up joining, and happy I didn't as shortly after I arrived to the area I was sent to a big sand trap...yes I'm Air Force so brought golf clubs.

Edited March 12 by act0fgod

[Guest]

21 hours ago, act0fgod said:

Is this a joke?  Do you really think a course has to have a $100k initiation fee to avoid being in disrepair?

 

Also the post is not factual.  No member is paying $2k in dues (I guess there is an inactive member rate for those who are not allowed to use the club facilities and an absent member rate who has limited use but must live out of the area - both under $1k).  The lowest dues for an individual under 35 is closer to triple your low end.  To be fair your high end for dues is also close to triple actual highest dues.

 

Additionally the clubs mission statement is to "provide, at moderate expense, recreational facilities at, or near, the National Capital for, and to promote social intercourse among those citizens, military and civilian, who are bound together by the fraternal and patriotic spirit of serving the best interests and efficiency of the National Defense."  Moderate isn't clearly defined.  Here's a military pay table (http://dfas.mil/MilitaryMembers/payentitlements/Pay-Tables/Basic-Pay/CO/).  To help read this generally the first couple of years base pay will be around $4k/month, then around $5.5k/month, at 10 years of work $7-8k/month, most in the DC area are probably around $10-14k/month after working around 16-26 years, the highest ranked military general makes $18k/month managing an $800B annual budget with over 1 million active duty.  To be transparent there is also an extra $3-$4k/month allocated for what is essentially locality pay.  What do you think would be a moderate expense for those incomes?

 

This mission appears to deviate a bit from the original intent as originally the course was founded to "provide for social and recreational activities for military officers."  I have no problem with the transition, but feel the primary focus should still be with military members.  Really disappointed when I learned the Naval Academy Golf Course privatized and essentially made it impossible for military members to join.  Sure they have a military membership and it's incredibly cheap, but with a 4+ year waitlist no military member can realistically join. 

 

Last I don't have a dog in the fight regarding Army Navy Country Club.  I didn't end up joining, and happy I didn't as shortly after I arrived to the area I was sent to a big sand trap...yes I'm Air Force so brought golf clubs.

 

I've been a member for 30+ years.  So no, it's no joke.  The initiation fee is the monthly salary by rank.  I don't track it anymore.  It's certain a small fraction of what some pay.  The mission statement should be blown up.  It went out the window the minute we put in a $60M clubhouse.  Initiation fees under $10K don't pay for a $60M clubhouse and $10-15M pool.   I am inactive member now FWIW.  

 

 

Edited March 13 by Oliver Klozoff

[act0fgod]

2 hours ago, Oliver Klozoff said:

 

I've been a member for 30+ years.  So no, it's no joke.  The initiation fee is the monthly salary by rank.  I don't track it anymore.  It's certain a small fraction of what some pay.  The mission statement should be blown up.  It went out the window the minute we put in a $60M clubhouse.  Initiation fees under $10K don't pay for a $60M clubhouse and $10-15M pool.   I am inactive member now FWIW.  

 

 

My perspective is a $60M clubhouse and $10-15M pool is the problem...

[kiawah]

On 2/24/2025 at 11:33 PM, dmeeksDC said:

Played 9 holes this afternoon and took a few photos for you. I grew up in Michigan, so I am used to  these kinds of conditions. The course was fine today, keeping in mind the time of year. The U of Md course is less than 10 miles from our house, have played it many times. The course conditions are very comparable. I don’t know if some people are coming to DC from Florida or somewhere warm and don’t know what winter golf is like but it played well today. Hope this is helpful. 

No. 2 green, looking back toward tee. 

Greenside rough on No. 2

Tee box on No. 4 (150-160 yard par 3)

Tee box on No. 5. Dog let left over a creek. Hardest hole on front 9. 

From tee shot landing area on No. 8. Par 5. 

Looking back up fairway from 8 green 

Haven't been out there since high school. Fun track. Hope you got a decent weather day!

[kiawah]

On 3/13/2025 at 1:07 PM, Oliver Klozoff said:

 

I've been a member for 30+ years.  So no, it's no joke.  The initiation fee is the monthly salary by rank.  I don't track it anymore.  It's certain a small fraction of what some pay.  The mission statement should be blown up.  It went out the window the minute we put in a $60M clubhouse.  Initiation fees under $10K don't pay for a $60M clubhouse and $10-15M pool.   I am inactive member now FWIW.  

 

 

FWIW, the clubhouse at Army Navy is great and the practice facilities are quite good. I have always liked a lot of the holes out there. But can certainly understand how it may cause some financial issues for the club itself. 

[kiawah]

On 2/12/2025 at 5:23 PM, DrDon said:

I am not a big fan of CC of Fairfax.   Several holes have downhill fairway lies playing to a severe uphill green.   

Yeah, I will echo that. Do not like the design or the layout much at all. There are at least a few dumb holes. 

[kiawah]

On 9/20/2024 at 1:08 PM, gchen7 said:

Hi - I'm looking to be a member at TPC (30 min away) or Westwood (5min away, longer wait). Do you have any recommendation on which would be a better course to host clients? Thanks!

I couldn't be later in responding to this, but I would say proximity is really the key. On paper I like TPC better if you are only looking for golf, but if you already/plan to have a family, Westwood is probably better as an all-in-one club with more to offer than golf. Westwood is a great place to play and practice, and if you're really that close by then I would go with Westwood. 

[DrDon]

I really like Westwood CC.  However, when I played there 3 years ago, the waitlist for new members was over 5 years.   The initiation fee was also approaching $100K.