Review: Swan Point Yacht & Country Club (Part 2)

It's time for the back nine at Swan Point Yacht & Country Club, go here if you haven't seen the front.

The tenth hole is a 420 yard par 4 that plays parallel to the ninth on the opposite side of the lake. It's best to be on the right side of the fairway on the drive, as trees hang over the fairway 100-150 yards or so from the green, blocking out shots from the left. While technically there is water in play on both the drive and the second, it doesn't come into play on either shot. The greenside bunker right is more concerning. There's nothing left, so if you're looking for a bailout, that's a good place to miss.

A group let me play through and I was hurrying, so no picture from the tenth tee.

The tenth green.

The eleventh hole is the best hole at Swan Point, and one of the most memorable holes I've played. It's just under 170 yards, and plays over a marsh to a peninsula green angled 45 degrees away from the line of play. Beyond the marsh is the Potomac River. It reminds me a bit of the 15th hole at Atlantic City Country Club, and any hole that can do that is bound to be good. Except this hole might even be better, because there's a legitimate place to bail out on this hole. You can lay up right if you want, something that really wasn't an option at ACCC. I like the true do-or-die aspect of ACCC, but being user-friendly is also a good thing, and if a good golfer wants a birdie, they have to take on the full risk.

The eleventh hole, jutting out into the marsh.

The bunker surrounding the green catches slightly wayward shots, something I made sure to utilize.

The eleventh green, overlooking the marsh and the Potomac.

The twelfth hole is also a par 3, but you would be completely forgiven for playing it as a par 4. At 235 yards, it's very long, and much of that distance is over the marsh. Again, a bunker left of the green serves less as a hazard and more of a catcher's mitt. The green is quite large for the golf course, and the central back portion is noticeably elevated. There is room to bail out right if the carry is too much. This hole is intimidating in the sense of when I stepped onto the tee, I had no idea where the hole was. It's semiblind, and it took a while to find the flag poking up above the marsh grass. Obviously, this is a tough hole, but in terms of being memorable, the eleventh is better.

Trust me, the twelfth green is there.

The twelfth green is very elevated in the back.

The thirteenth hole is the final hole where the marsh comes into play, and it is a doozy. It's just under 400 yards, which isn't long, but the first half of that is over the marsh. To the left is marsh. To the right, trees. Going from shorter tees minimizes or eliminates the carry, but even so, there is not much fairway available. And while I wouldn't enjoy that on every hole, it's okay to have this sort of hole once or twice a round. The thrill you get when you blast a drive through a strong headwind into the heart of the fairway is intense. The green is guarded by bunkers left and right, and behind is more marsh and the Potomac.

The thirteenth hole. A good tee shot is very recommended.

Approaching the thirteenth green.

I took a lot of pictures on this hole.

Looking back at the neighboring arm of the Potomac.

Looking back down the thirteenth.

The fourteenth hole is a 525 yard par 5 that doglegs right back into the forest. You might be tempted to hit down the right side, but if you do, the trees will block you out from going at the green. I'm sure people have hit this green in two, but since you need to go left off the tee, it would require two big shots. The key feature of this hole is a line of five bunkers that separates the green from the rest of the fairway. The closer you get to them, the better angle you'll have. The green itself has a noticeable swale running through the middle, which is impressive considering how small it is. This isn't a hard hole, but it's one that needs to be played patiently.

The fourteenth. That's the last of the marsh in the lower left corner.

It would take an impressive shot to get home in two from here.

You can see four of the bunkers in the bunker wall here.

Not such a good place to approach the fourteenth green.

The fifteenth hole is a mid-length par 4 with a drive through a narrow chute of trees. The fairway is fairly wide, but a pond right and OB left mean there's not a whole lot of room to work with. The pond continues up to the green, but as has often been the case, two bunkers sit between the green and the water, acting as a buffer. The green is best approached from the left, and a gentle fade will suit you well. There are more birdieable holes at Swan Point, but this is the one I birdied, so it can't be that difficult, can it?

The fifteenth hole.

Approaching the fifteenth.

It's definitely preferable to miss the green left.

Looking back down the fifteenth, with the Swan Point water tower in the background.

The sixteenth hole is a bit longer than the fifteenth at 410 yards, but still, it's not exactly a long par 4. Again, the tee shot is through a chute of trees, although this hole doglegs noticeably to the right. Ideally you want to be on the left side of the fairway, as that will give you the best and most open shot at the green.

The sixteenth hole.

Approaching 16.

The sixteenth green.

The seventeenth hole is by a considerable margin the shortest par 5 at Swan Point, playing at only 485 yards. The hole is pretty wide, but a pair of internal fairway bunkers in the right central portion of the fairway do narrow things a bit. The ideal shot is a draw between those and the left tree line. Do that, and the green is pretty much wide open. This is an excellent opportunity to get a birdie, or even an eagle.

The seventeenth hole.

The seventeenth green is behind the bunker. I had trouble finding it when I played.

Looking back down 17.

The eighteenth hole is actually the shortest par 4 at Swan Point at 345 yards, which is a refreshing change of pace. There is water right, but it's behind trees for the most part and doesn't come into play until you reach a point about 280-300 yards from the green. For that reason, I would recommend using a wood or long iron off the tee. Don't bother bringing the water into play, and you do want to be in this fairway. The green is narrow, and flanked by bunkers. But this is hardly a tough hole, and coupled with 17, it's entirely possible to finish birdie-birdie, which is an excellent ego boost and very much appreciated after some difficult stretches earlier in the round.

The eighteenth hole.

The eighteenth green.

By all rights, I should hate this course. It's narrow and tree lined in most spots, and if there aren't trees, there's water. But while I certainly wouldn't call this my favorite course in the world, I didn't dislike it. That's honestly mostly because of the scenery, some of those holes on the river look incredible. And this really doesn't look like any other course I've played in Maryland, it really does have a Southern aesthetic to it. I'm not entirely sure I would be fooled into thinking I was in Myrtle Beach, but considering there's two whole states in between Swan Point and South Carolina, it's pretty close. There are plenty of the longer-leafed pines that are so common in the South. So I'll give the advertising line on the website some credit.

As for the course itself, I really would advertise it as a Myrtle Beach course transplanted to southern Maryland. Lots of water but user friendly at the same time. It's a bit cookie-cutter and bland in places, but in others, it's intensely memorable. Holes like the second, eleventh, and thirteenth are not easily forgotten. I wouldn't say I'm in a rush to get back down there, but I would be willing to play the course again. I'd enjoy playing it in drier conditions. And I think that's saying something, that a golf course with water in play on 12 holes and is a 2 hour drive off is worth a second playthrough.