Where to play in D.C.?

[stimpmeterp]

[quote name='dporto' timestamp='1332335312' post='4549078']
hey guys...It went well! Got to Blue Mash with plenty of time to spare (left New York at 5:00 am. got to the course at 10:30) - hit a small bucket of balls and hit the putting green for 15 min. or so. Tee'd off early at 11:20. We played the course at 6500 yds (I don't remember which tees - blue or black I think...). The course was fairly wide open except for a few slow groups that were letting faster groups through. The course ranger was on top of it and kept things moving well. We finished our round in 3:45 (twosome). While I liked the course (I really like Links style courses) I wasn't overly impressed with the overall conditioning. 3.5 out of 5 stars... As per our plan, we partied a little bit on Friday night so we left Saturday flexible. As it turns out there is a course called "Falls Rd GC" about 5 minutes from my buddies house so I called them Saturday morning and were able to get a 10:30 tee time. Now, according to my friend (who is not a golfer) Falls Rd is sort of a pedestrian/generic layout - sort of a "local guys" course. Given the number of courses in the area along with many of their pedigrees, generally speaking I'd have to agree. However, I've got to say I really enjoyed it. While the couse is VERY SHORT (6100 from the tips!?!????), it was in great condition and is gorgeous overall - nice elevation changes and just very nice and interesting holes, not to mention beautiful trees in bloom. The only real caveat was that the greens had been aerated fairly recently and hadn't totally grown in yet - bummer! Thanks to all who contributed and hopefully I'll get back down there to try out some of the other recommended courses.
[/quote]

Both of my recommendations

Falls Road was my first employer. Range boy, cart boy, then pro shop boy. Great place to work. For a county owned muni, it's great. Don't see how anyone can hate.

OP, glad you didn't mention it being slow at Falls as this is the # 1 complaint of visitors.

[Carolina Golfer 2]

[quote name='stimpmeterp' timestamp='1332427297' post='4556288']
[quote name='dporto' timestamp='1332335312' post='4549078']
hey guys...It went well! Got to Blue Mash with plenty of time to spare (left New York at 5:00 am. got to the course at 10:30) - hit a small bucket of balls and hit the putting green for 15 min. or so. Tee'd off early at 11:20. We played the course at 6500 yds (I don't remember which tees - blue or black I think...). The course was fairly wide open except for a few slow groups that were letting faster groups through. The course ranger was on top of it and kept things moving well. We finished our round in 3:45 (twosome). While I liked the course (I really like Links style courses) I wasn't overly impressed with the overall conditioning. 3.5 out of 5 stars... As per our plan, we partied a little bit on Friday night so we left Saturday flexible. As it turns out there is a course called "Falls Rd GC" about 5 minutes from my buddies house so I called them Saturday morning and were able to get a 10:30 tee time. Now, according to my friend (who is not a golfer) Falls Rd is sort of a pedestrian/generic layout - sort of a "local guys" course. Given the number of courses in the area along with many of their pedigrees, generally speaking I'd have to agree. However, I've got to say I really enjoyed it. While the couse is VERY SHORT (6100 from the tips!?!????), it was in great condition and is gorgeous overall - nice elevation changes and just very nice and interesting holes, not to mention beautiful trees in bloom. The only real caveat was that the greens had been aerated fairly recently and hadn't totally grown in yet - bummer! Thanks to all who contributed and hopefully I'll get back down there to try out some of the other recommended courses.
[/quote]

Both of my recommendations

Falls Road was my first employer. Range boy, cart boy, then pro shop boy. Great place to work. For a county owned muni, it's great. Don't see how anyone can hate.

OP, glad you didn't mention it being slow at Falls as this is the # 1 complaint of visitors.
[/quote]

yep, sounds like he got to experience the muni and the mid scale daily fee. Too bad about the conditioning at Blue Mash, although to be fair to the courses we had a very dry winter and it is still early in their season, actually some would say the season has officially started yet.

Boy what a rude of awakening after a 5:00 hour drive to be it with the first 3 holes at Blue Mash. I consider them 3 of the toughest opening holes in the entire area.

I too was surpised to hear about no slow play at Falls Road. Especially considering the good weather that came up. Note to OP, you can now say you played an Official US Open course. That's right, during the 1997 US Open the USGA used Falls Road as a parking lot they shuttled guests back and forth to Congressional (about 3 miles away if you didn't know).

I haven't played it myself in well over 10 years, just so many other choices in the area, but maybe some day I'll make it back over.

[dporto]

It's not that Blue Mash was in terrible shape, but it wasn't as good as I expected (those damn expectations...) due to all the good stuff I heard (My buddies wife has done several photo shoots for local publication there and said "it's just spectacular" - in fairness it's a beautiful course, just not in great condition...). Anyway, I shot a respectable 83 from the "mens" tees (I think they were playin around 6500). FWIW, I did a bit of driving around the area and saw (from outside the gates of course) several of the hiher profile courses in the area - Congressional, Bethesda CC, Woodmont...). No Falls Rd was not particularly slow - right around 4:00 hrs. (since we were a twosome, we did do some waiting around on the tee boxes). The only weird part was that there was a Husband and wife twosome who didn't want to play with us to fill out a foursome (probably a blessing in disguise though as she wasn't very hot!...) at the first tee. Once we ggot that ironed out the rest of the day was a lot of fun.

[Carolina Golfer 2]

Thanks for the follow-up. 83 at Blue Mash is more than respectable, no matter the tees. Although it is a very fair course whre it is tough to lose a ball (outside some of the water on 9,11,12 &17. The length can certainly take it's toll on some holes. I've seen some pretty great pictures of the course in some of the local publications, perhaps they were taken by your buddies wife.

You did see (as you said from outside the gates) some of the best of the best in Private in area. Although Woodmont, used to be where you coudl drive up to the general parkng and probably get out and at least see a few holes just by strolling around without ruffling too many feathers. As a matter of fact thinking about it now, I think you coudl probably go into any of the pro shops, to buy merchandise and take a peek at things on your way out.

I had a similar thing happen with a husband/wife when I was a single at Whistling Straits a few years ago. He at first was very reluctant (saying they were beginners and didn't want to hold me up) His wife ultimately told him, "don't make the young man play by his self or wait for another goup to come along" proving to me she was very savy for a "beginner" Ultimately they turned out to be a great pairng, she was very sweet and he was very nice and also a very well known and influential person within the club and has become a regular golf partner when I go back to the area. You never know how those things will turn out.

[dporto]

[quote name='Carolina Golfer 2' timestamp='1332526751' post='4564106']
Thanks for the follow-up. 83 at Blue Mash is more than respectable, no matter the tees. Although it is a very fair course whre it is tough to lose a ball (outside some of the water on 9,11,12 &17. The length can certainly take it's toll on some holes. I've seen some pretty great pictures of the course in some of the local publications, perhaps they were taken by your buddies wife.

You did see (as you said from outside the gates) some of the best of the best in Private in area. Although Woodmont, used to be where you coudl drive up to the general parkng and probably get out and at least see a few holes just by strolling around without ruffling too many feathers. As a matter of fact thinking about it now, I think you coudl probably go into any of the pro shops, to buy merchandise and take a peek at things on your way out.

I had a similar thing happen with a husband/wife when I was a single at Whistling Straits a few years ago. He at first was very reluctant (saying they were beginners and didn't want to hold me up) His wife ultimately told him, "don't make the young man play by his self or wait for another goup to come along" proving to me she was very savy for a "beginner" Ultimately they turned out to be a great pairng, she was very sweet and he was very nice and also a very well known and influential person within the club and has become a regular golf partner when I go back to the area. You never know how those things will turn out.
[/quote]

Yhea, I've met some great folks pairing up on the first tee, like I said though in this case we were probably better off. Funny story...I went to college at Southampton, which is right across the street from Shinnecock Hills...Sometime after we graduated a friend of mine decided to "stop in" the pro-shop at Shinnecock to see if he could get a sleeve of logo'd balls ... " Excuse me sir are you a member or a guest of a member?" Uh, no I just wanted to... Excuse me sir, this is a private club you'll have to leave now"... Oh well good try!

[Carolina Golfer 2]

[quote name='dporto' timestamp='1332531707' post='4564638']
[quote name='Carolina Golfer 2' timestamp='1332526751' post='4564106']
Thanks for the follow-up. 83 at Blue Mash is more than respectable, no matter the tees. Although it is a very fair course whre it is tough to lose a ball (outside some of the water on 9,11,12 &17. The length can certainly take it's toll on some holes. I've seen some pretty great pictures of the course in some of the local publications, perhaps they were taken by your buddies wife.

You did see (as you said from outside the gates) some of the best of the best in Private in area. Although Woodmont, used to be where you coudl drive up to the general parkng and probably get out and at least see a few holes just by strolling around without ruffling too many feathers. As a matter of fact thinking about it now, I think you coudl probably go into any of the pro shops, to buy merchandise and take a peek at things on your way out.

I had a similar thing happen with a husband/wife when I was a single at Whistling Straits a few years ago. He at first was very reluctant (saying they were beginners and didn't want to hold me up) His wife ultimately told him, "don't make the young man play by his self or wait for another goup to come along" proving to me she was very savy for a "beginner" Ultimately they turned out to be a great pairng, she was very sweet and he was very nice and also a very well known and influential person within the club and has become a regular golf partner when I go back to the area. You never know how those things will turn out.
[/quote]

Yhea, I've met some great folks pairing up on the first tee, like I said though in this case we were probably better off. Funny story...I went to college at Southampton, which is right across the street from Shinnecock Hills...Sometime after we graduated a friend of mine decided to "stop in" the pro-shop at Shinnecock to see if he could get a sleeve of logo'd balls ... " Excuse me sir are you a member or a guest of a member?" Uh, no I just wanted to... Excuse me sir, this is a private club you'll have to leave now"... Oh well good try!
[/quote]
Well I guess it doesn't work everywhere. Now days though, they might need that $12 for the sleeve

[dporto]

Shinnecock need the $12.00 ? I don't think so...they're doing just fine