The District of Columbia hosts 5 municipal golf courses that are within the city and easily accessible.
Using our friends TheGrint has allowed us to obtain real golfers’ reviews and rate the courses.
This task has been eased with a collaboration with TheGrint, our favorite mobile app that helps golfers track their handicap and stats. They have collected golf course reviews from millions of real golf rounds from real golfers.
Ranking in order 1 to 5
- East Potomac Golf Course | Red
- Langston Golf Course
- East Potomac Golf Course | Blue Course
- East Potomac Golf Course | White
- Rock Creek Golf Course
1. East Potomac Golf Course | Red
- Site Link
- Location: Washington, District of Columbia.
- Par: 27
- Length: 1,044 meters off the Tip.
PLAYER RATING
1 tee option available.
Signature Hole – My choice of signature hole is the 1st hole.
It plays at 190-meters off the tips to a small green.
A solitary bunker sits in the middle of the fairway just short of the green.
A solid long-iron for the good player and a driver for the beginner.
The Red course is a 9-hole par 3 layout.
It offers a great opportunity for beginners of all ages to get some fun out of this game.
The open track removes the fear of lost golf balls and creates the freedom to let it all hang out.
The small testing greens are a fantastic learning curve for accuracy over length.
Another good opportunity for the better golfer to get that on-course short game practice.
2. Langston Golf Course
- Site Link
- Location: Washington, District of Columbia.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,080 meters off the Tips and 5,108 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
3 tee options available.
Signature Hole – My choice of signature hole is the 160-meter par 3 13th.
A mid-iron for most requires accuracy to hit the small green.
The nervy tee-shot over Kingman Lake creates excitement.
Langstone Golf Course is a historic 18-hole layout that was named after the first African American elected into public office.
A hilly track that is a highly rated public facility.
It is the only course that boasts water hazards in the city.
The back 9 weaves around Kingman Lake and offers a few nervy shots.
Fun can be had to play social or family golf, but the 2 par 5’s of over 450-meters, will test the long game.
3. East Potomac Golf Course | Blue Course
- Site Link
- Location: Washington, District of Columbia.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,032 meters off the Tips and 5,216 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
3 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The 284-meter par 4 10th is my choice of signature hole.
A sharp dogleg left requires a well-placed tee shot that sets up the approach.
Cutting the dogleg too fine results in a blocked shot to the green complex.
The National Parks System incorporates East Potomac in a 36-hole municipal facility.
The Blue course is an 18-hole layout.
An old-fashioned design that has a links-style feel.
A challenging but easier track for all skill levels to enjoy without the fear of losing golf balls.
Doglegs, blind shot holes, scattered bunkers, and the wind play a part in the defense of par.
The rough is moderate which enhances the speed of play.
4. East Potomac Golf Course | White
- Site Link
- Location: Washington, District of Columbia.
- Par: 33
- Length: 2,212 meters off the Tips and 1,664 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
3 tee options available.
Signature Hole – My choice of signature hole is the par 4 8th hole.
At 299-meters it is a tempting tee shot to cut the inside leg of the dogleg.
The fairway turns sharply to the left at the green, which is a narrow target.
The Potomac white course is a 9-hole executive track with par 3’s and 4’s.
Playing at 2212-meters off the tips it is not long, but can encourage the beginner to play shots and use the driver.
Limited bunkers take the scare-factor out of the round.
The track also offers good practice and course management skills to the better player.
5. Rock Creek Golf Course
- Site Link
- Location: Washington, District of Columbia.
- Par: 65
- Length: 4,526 meters off the Tips and 3,364 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
2 tee options available.
Signature Hole – No signature hole found, but 3 of the par 3’s play at over 185-meters and could easily wear the mantle.
Get busy with the long irons or the hybrids.
An affordable public facility that offers 18 holes of variety.
The par 3’s are long and the course does not have any par 5’s.
Generous wide fairways encourage the driver to come into play so let it rip.
Back 9 is rather hilly but still walkable and the scenic views can be appreciated more.
A great course for beginners or social golf.
Final Thoughts
The outstanding public golf courses in the District are worth playing, irrespective of skill level.
The beginner can gain confidence, whilst the better player can improve the short game.
Cost-factor is a bonus.
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Nick is the founder of GolfSpan and an avid golfer. He's not quite a pro but has over 15 years of experience playing and coaching golfers worldwide. His mission is to bring the golfing community a better experience when it comes to choosing the right golf gear and finding the right setup for your game.
