Middle Atlantic Golf Association

01/18/2026

Here is a long gone track with a lot of history.

Most of you have played the CC at Woodmore in Mitchellville, Md. But are you aware the club's history? It goes back a ways.

Donald Ross laid out hundreds of golf courses in his lifetime, and a quite a few were in our neck of the woods. Just inside the beltway and on the south side of the John Hansen Highway (US Rte 50) was a very good one is that is long gone - Prince George CC (aka Beaver Dam). The course closed in 1979 and moved to its current location in Mitchellville. In 1993 it changed its name to the CC at Woodmore which most of our followers know it as now. The club - at both locations - has a storied history.

The Country Club at Woodmore began its storied history in 1923 as Beaver Dam Golf and Country Club on Landover Road. Designed by noted golf architect Donald Ross, the course opened for play on August 16, 1923 as a par 72, 6,775-yard layout from the blue tees. In 1941 the Club was bought and re-named Prince George's Country Club.

"Old P.G.," as it was known to many members and friends, was host to a number of championship events, including the National Capital Open in 1947 and 1948. Lloyd Mangrum won this event in 1947, and Skip Alexander won it in 1948. The U.S. Women's Open Championship, also hosted by Old P.G., and was won by Louise Suggs in 1949 when she defeated Babe Didrikson; both of whom are founding members of the LPGA.

PG CC was also the site of US Open sectional qualifying in 1967 - check out the names of those who made it - Dick Whetzle, Stan Dudas, Tom Strange (yes, father of Curtis and Alan), Deane Beman, Lee Elder, Bobby Mitchell, and Claire Emery. 1st alternate was a young amateur named Dave King.

The original clubhouse still stands on the site and is part of a recreational facility. The First Tee of Greater Wash, DC uses the last remaining parts of the original golf course for their program.

The original club also hosted the Maryland Open in 1942 (Wiffy Cox) and 1953 (Charlie Bassler).

Pics of PG CC in 1937 and 2022. If you played the original PG CC course, share what you can remember about it.

01/11/2026

Yesterday we featured the Indian Spring CC, originally founded in 1921 and located where the DC Beltway, US Route 29, and University all intersect in the Four Corners area of Silver Spring. It was originally 36 holes, but part of it was developed for housing in the late 1930’s. In the late 1950’s, with the construction of the beltway on pending, the club sold off the land and purchased property off of Layhill Road to relocate.

The Chief and Valley courses were built at the new location in 1956-57. They would last almost 50 years until the land became too valuable to continue as a country club. The club ceased operation at the end of 2006.

The Chief course was a real championship test and hosted many USGA Qualifiers, two Maryland Opens (1974 - Chris Pigott and 1980 - Larry Ringer), and numerous MAGA, WMGA, MAPGA, and MSGA events over the years. Indian Spring is gone but not forgotten.

Does anyone have any idea who the last club champion was?

The Aerials are from 2002 and 2024

There are a couple of hundred pictures of both golf courses on this site -
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffreypix/albums/72157624421745066/page1

01/10/2026

Indian Spring CC got it's start over 100 years ago. Founded in 1921, the club had a rich history and was host to many championships and USGA qualifiers, especially at its second location over the tough 'Chief Course'. The 1934 Maryland Open, won by Al Houghton, was contested here.

Its original location was in Silver Spring, in the area known as 'Four Corners', currently bounded by the DC Beltway, US Route 29/Colesville Rd, and University Boulevard. Montgomery Blair HS, both loops of the beltway, and lot of housing cover a large portion of the original site. From the aerial it is hard to determine how many holes were there. 18 for sure but maybe as many as 36.

With the building of the beltway, the club was forced to relocate. It moved to its second and final location a bit north, off of Layhill Road, just south of Argyle CC.

Here are some aerials of the Four Corners area - in order - 1937, 1957, 1958, 1963, 1993, and 2025. We are pretty sure that the Silver Spring YMCA, located by the beltway on-ramp to the inner loop from Rte 29 is the old clubhouse, the last remnants of a wonderful facility.

Tomorrow we will look at the second location. Many of you will have played there.

01/09/2026

In the fall/winter of 2018/2019 we ran a series of Facebook posts chronicling 'Golf Courses that are No More' - golf courses in the Mid-Atlantic that are no longer with us. Some were popular, some obscure, some very short lived.

Typically they went away because the land they sat on became more valuable than the golf course. Sometimes 'progress' intervened - a highway or public works project plowed through. Other times the owner just wanted to get out from under or the heirs of an estate didn't want to deal with it anymore.

Each had its own personality and loyal following - some will be missed a bunch and others, well, no one could care less.

Many of them were great supporters of tournament golf, hosting association championships, USGA qualifiers, high school matches, etc. You know which courses were in that category.

For each course that has gone away there is a story.

Starting tomorrow, January 9, we are going to run the series again. The first course we will highlight played host to three Maryland Opens. Guessing we can find a course or two to add to the list.

12/31/2025

The Trump Administration has decided to the terminate the 50 year lease between the National Park Service and the National Links Trust. A major part of the NLT's mission was to fund and oversee the renovation of the three Washington, DC public golf courses. Those efforts, already well underway, will now cease. In all likelihood this will mean the end of affordable and accessible public golf in Washington, DC, most certainly at the flagship venue known as East Potomac Golf Links. This is a very unfortunate development, and one that should not have occurred.

The impact of the lease termination goes beyond the management and renovation of the properties. It also impacts those course's associated communities which have developed and sustained services that enrich the lives of young people and their golfers. Of particular note is the Jack Vardaman Workforce Development Program at Langston, which has provided summer employment to nearly 200 DC high school students, teaching the business of golf and providing essential job and life skills applicable in and outside the golf industry.

Below is the statement which was sent out today to 'The Friends of the National Links Trust' which the Middle Atlantic GA has been proud to be part of since the inception of the NLT.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Dear Friends of National Links Trust,

As supporters of the National Links Trust, our community programming, and our ongoing efforts to rehabilitate DC’s three municipal golf courses, we wanted to update you on recent developments around the National Links Trust stewardship of East Potomac, Langston, and Rock Creek.

We are devastated to report that the Trump administration is officially terminating our 50-year lease with the National Park Service to manage and renovate the three courses. We remain in fundamental disagreement with the administration’s characterization of NLT as being in default under the lease. We have always had a productive and cooperative working relationship with the National Park Service and have worked hand in hand on all aspects of our golf course operations and development projects. The termination is effective immediately.

In the short term, NLT has agreed to stay in place for the time being as operators so that the DC courses can remain open. This will allow uninterrupted access to golf in the District and our hundreds of dedicated employees to stay in place. However, all long-term renovation projects will immediately cease, including our in-progress Rock Creek Park rehabilitation project that was made possible with your support. We also expect the community programming, like the Jack Vardaman Workforce Development Program at Langston and Free Lesson Fridays, to cease as well.

We are so grateful for your support of NLT and our vision for high-quality, affordable, accessible public golf in DC over the last five years. Without your help, none of our work over the last five years would have been possible.

This is not the update we wanted to send, and we worked tirelessly to try to avoid this outcome. While this termination is a major setback, we remain stubbornly hopeful that a path forward can be found that preserves affordable and accessible public golf in the nation’s capital for generations to come. We will continue to pursue our mission with the support of our community for as long as we are allowed. We hope you continue to stand with us.

Sincerely,
The National Links Trust Team

Here is the link to the NLT's official response as posted on their website -

The National Links Trust is devastated by the Trump administration’s decision to terminate our 50-year lease with the National Park Service. Since taking over stewardship of Rock Creek, East Potomac, and Langston courses five years ago, NLT has consistently complied with all lease obligations as w...

12/18/2025

The National Links Trust, which is five years into a 50 year lease with the National Park Service/Department of the Interior to manage and oversee the renovation of the three Washington, DC public courses, has been told by the Trump administration that they are in default of the terms of the lease agreement, and the lease could be terminated by the end of this year.

No reason or details regarding the supposed default have been shared by the government with the NLT. The NLT, which is committed to rehabilitating the Rock Creek, Langston, and East Potomac Park golf courses, has committed expertise, time, and significant financial resources to accomplish this goal in a manner that honors the past and ensures that these golf courses have a bright future. The project to rehabilitate/renovate the Rock Creek GC is well underway, and the prospects for its future are better than they have been in decades.

The renovation and rehabilitation of these DC courses, and other public golf courses across the nation, is why the NLT was founded. The efforts of the Trump administration to stop their work in DC will deliver a blow to not just the NLT, but public golf in our community.

National Links Trust is a non-profit organization dedicated to positively impacting our community and changing lives through affordable and accessible municipal golf. Our vision is to be the leading advocate and resource for municipal golf across the United States. The efforts to renovate the three DC courses is the first step in the long term plans to help with saving other public courses across the country, and keep golf affordable and accessible.

Check out the NLT - https://www.nationallinkstrust.org/

05/02/2025

Here is the tentative yardage for US Open Final Qualifying at Woodmont CC - North Course. See how it compares to the yardage at Oakmont. Click on the link.

05/02/2025

Just over four weeks away from US Open Final Qualifying at Woodmont CC on the North Course. The qualifier will take place on Monday, June 2. We will have app. 75 players competing for an as yet undetermined number of spots at Oakmont.

This will be the 39th time that the club has hosted this important qualifier. Woodmont CC is continually improving the course and club facilities. The course will be played at a par of 71 at 7,325 yards. So, what's new? The 12th hole, a tight, dog leg par 4 has been lengthened from 420 to 445 yards. Want to knock your drive over the corner? Well, you better hit it 300, before the ball starts its downward descent. Will be a fun hole to watch. Check out the view from the new tee.

04/29/2025

US Open Local Qualifying is well underway nationwide. Over 10,000 golfers entered for a chance to advance to one of 10 Final Qualifying sites in the US, 1 in Canada and 1 each in Japan and England and move on to Oakmont CC in June for the national championship.

The first of two local qualifiers in Maryland will take place this Monday at the Northwest GC in Silver Spring. The second Maryland local qualifier will take place on May 13 at the Worthington Manor GC in Urbana.

With app. 80 players totally exempt, and another 650 or so exempt from local, the odds are slim for those trying out. Step One, make it to the Final Qualifier, a huge accomplishment for most players. Then, if you advance, throw in your lot with PGA Tour, Korn Ferry, LIV, and a bunch of really super players for about 80 spots at Oakmont. You can't do it without giving it try!

Storylines for the second week of local qualifying for the 2025 U.S. Open, which will be played at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club.

03/25/2025

Our first event of the 2025 season - The Spring Equinox Tourney - was played at the Montgomery CC yesterday. 28 teams competed in a two-man scramble format in two age divisions - amateurs and senior amateurs. We dodged a bullet with the weather as the rain stayed east of I-95. Thank you Montgomery CC and everyone who came out braved the weather. It was a fun day.

The Middle Atlantic Golf Association's first event of the 2025 season was played at the Montgomery CC in Laytonsville, MD today under heavy overcast and damp conditions. Rain was predicted for a good part of the day, but almost all of it stayed east of I-95. A brief period of light drizzle came in j...

03/13/2025

We are very sorry to report that a great friend of golf - John Feinstein, noted author and sports reporter - passed away today. As recently as yesterday, John filed a column for The Washington Post on Michigan State men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo. Anyone who serious about following sports, especially college basketball, is familiar with Jon and his wonderful work.

John Feinstein was as prolific a writer as the American sports landscape has seen in the last half-century.

01/20/2025

How do you make a 13 on a par 5? Follow 'TourCast' to see how William Mouw did it this past week at the PGA Tour stop. He handled the bad hole rather well.