Maryland has a long golfing history and offers 160 courses to play within the state. Rating the best 10 golf courses in Maryland is a tough task and many courses could be included, or fall just outside the list.
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.
Best Golf Courses in Maryland
Ranking in order 1 to 10
- Coves Valley Golf Club | Cover Valley
- Congressional Country Club | Blue
- TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm
- Hayfields Country Club
- Bulle Rock | South Course
- Rum Pointe Seaside Golf Links
- Whiskey Creek Golf Club | Whiskey Creek
- Lakewood Country Club | Lakewood
- Queenstown Harbor | River Course
- The Links at Lighthouse Sound
1. Coves Valley Golf Club | Coves Valley
- Site Link
- Location: Owings Mills, Maryland.
- Par: 71
- Length: 6,549 meters off the Tips and 5,279 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
4 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The 164-meter par 3 12th hole is the signature hole and plays downhill to an angled green.
A trio of bunkers protects the front and a small grass bank the back of the green.
A left pin placement increases the difficulty and club selection.
A beautiful golf course that carves its way through rolling terrain and woodland.
The fairways are generous and wide on some holes but tighten up as the round progresses.
The last 2 par 4s are a stern test and finishing these with pars will complete a good day.
2. Congressional Country Club | Blue
- Site Link
- Location: Bethesda, Maryland.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,923 meters off the Tips and 4,938 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
4 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The 478-meter par 4 18th is the signature hole and what a way to complete a round.
The fairway is lined with trees on both sides, and the golfer is greeted by an astonishing vista as he approaches his 2nd shot to the green.
Played downhill to a semi-peninsula green, precise distance control is required.
A parkland setting carved through tree-lined fairways and plenty of doglegs, either way, to test the golfer’s skill at moving the ball in the air.
Strategically placed bunkers come into play and the elevation change is more noticeable on the back 9.
It is a walking course only.
3. TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm
- Site Link
- Location: Potomac, Maryland.
- Par: 71
- Length: 6,403 meters off the Tips and 5,494 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
3 tee options available.
Signature Hole – After the revamp, my choice of signature hole is the 154-meter par 3 12th.
It plays uphill to a well-protected green and beware of the false front at the green.
Putting towards the creek is extremely quick.
The course underwent a major revamp and is longer and a real tough layout.
Play from a set of tees that suit your game to get the most enjoyment.
The rolling woodland terrain has wetlands, streams, penal rough, and deep-faced bunkers ever-present as the round progresses.
The large elevated greens will judge the golfer’s prowess with the putter.
4. Hayfields Country Club
- Site Link
- Location: Hunt Valley, Maryland.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,436 meters off the Tips and 5,557 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
3 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The 192-meter par 3 8th is the signature hole and plays from an elevated tee down to a green fronted by water and bunkers behind and on the right-hand side.
The course is a links-style design with generous fairways and water is used extensively to protect par.
Doglegs left and right and sand traps will require positional play from some of the tees.
The par 5 16th and 18th holes play around the longest par4 on the course, to put the golfer through a tough sequence of finishing holes.
5. Bulle Rock | South Course
- Site Link
- Location: Havre de Grace, Maryland.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,741 meters off the Tips and 5,527 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
4 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The 443-meter par 4 18th is the signature hole and is a great finishing hole.
It bends slightly from left to right off the tee, with water protecting the right side of the hole up to and including the sloped green.
Avoid the 3 bunkers on the right off the tee and make par to complete the round with elation.
This rolling hills layout is one of the most successful daily fee courses in the USA.
The course is challenging and rewards the golfer who can move the ball both ways off the tee allowing an attacking approach to the track.
The fairways are generous with very few forced carries that will please the mid to high handicap golfer.
Open entry greens give options on the approach shot.
6. Rum Pointe Seaside Golf Links
- Site Link
- Location: Berlin, Maryland.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,399 meters off the Tips and 5,488 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
3 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The 423-meter par 4 16th is the signature hole.
The hole runs along the bay which protects the right-hand side and plays to a massive green.
Get the approach shot correct or face a 3 putt or worse!
A mixture of Scottish-Links style holes and a few parkland holes make this a fun, but challenging course for all skill levels.
17 of the holes have majestic views of the bay with plenty of doglegs protected by water and bunkers throughout the layout.
7. Whiskey Creek Golf Club | Whiskey Creek
- Site Link
- Location: Ijamsville, Maryland.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,399 meters off the Tips and 5,465 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
3 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The most memorable hole on the course requires the golfer to negotiate around an old farmhouse relic planted in the center of the fairway.
This 500-meter par 5 finishing hole allows options to attack the water protected kidney-shaped green or play conservatively and layup.
What a way to finish a round!
Any course where Ernie Els is involved with the design will capture the golfer’s imagination.
He has used subtly to severe terrain elevation changes to enhance the character of every hole.
The undoubted strength of the layout is the blend of shot-making, risk and reward, and strategy required to tame this beauty.
8. Lakewood Country Club| Lakewood
- Site Link
- Location: Rockville, Maryland.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,453 meters off the Tips and 5,459 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
4 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The 376-meter par 4 8th is my choice of signature hole and a challenging par 4.
Accuracy off the tee to avoid the 2 bunkers on the right elbow and another for the layup on the left.
A risk and reward tee shot will cut down the distance on the approach to a bunker -protected green.
The course has been revamped in stages over the years and always added improvement.
On some holes, the conservative player is left with a more challenging shot-angle to get to the green, whilst the attacker has a more straight-forward shot.
Deep bunkers and large sloping greens will test the nerve with the “blade”.
A pleasant walking course.
9. Queenstown Harbor | River Course
- Site Link
- Location: Queenstown, Maryland.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,486 meters off the Tips and 5,357 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
3 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The 179-meter par 3 16th is the signature hole and plays downhill to a semi-island green.
The water is intimidating, but the green is fairly generous in size, and a bail-out area is on the right of the green.
Situated on Chesapeake Bay Waterfront, and rated as the better track at this 36-hole complex.
A fun course that all can enjoy, with some stiff par 4s and a few forced layups during the round.
Water and wetlands feature prominently with wildlife in abundance on the course should your game not be good on the day.
10. The Links at Lighthouse Sound
- Site Link
- Location: Bishopville, Maryland.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,425 meters off the Tips and 5,071 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
4 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The 199-meter par 3 5th is the signature hole and is a forced carry over water to a receptive green.
A bail-out area lies to the left of the green for the conservative player.
Beware when the wind blows as it can require a 3 to 4 club distance adjustment.
A thinking golfers golf course that is laid out alongside the marshes of Assawoman Bay for more than half the holes.
It has some great challenging holes and accuracy throughout the bag will keep the scorecard intact.
A unique feature is the par 5 2nd and the par 3 3rd are played to the same massive double green.
Other Courses outside the top 10
1. Musket Ridge
- Site Link
- Location: Myersville, Maryland.
PLAYER RATING
A fun layout that offers the good golfer plenty of birdie opportunities and also provides the mid to high handicap a chance to register a few pars.
2. Piney Branch Golf and Country Club Inc | Piney Branch
- Site Link
- Location: Upperco, Maryland
PLAYER RATING
The rolling hills and tree-lined fairways offer a challenge and enjoyment to all skill levels.
The beautiful setting on arrival at the clubhouse will set the tone for your round.
3. Worthington Manor Golf Club
- Site Link
- Location: Urbana, Maryland.
PLAYER RATING
Rated as one of the best Mid-Atlantic’s premier public courses it has the distinction of hosting a few US Open qualifying rounds.
A good experience for all.
Final Thoughts
Visiting the state of Maryland on a golfing excursion is a dream for many golfers.
The variety and quality layouts make where to play tough, but irrespective of the choice, everyone will be excited to arrive and play on any of the courses on offer.
Related Articles
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.
