Review: University of Maryland Golf Course (Part 1)

Back in 2019, I reviewed Glenn Dale Golf Club, a course in a D.C. suburb designed by George Cobb back in the 1950s. It wasn't anything spectacular, but I enjoyed it, and I was bummed to find it would soon close (and has closed). In that review, I mentioned that Glenn Dale had a cousin of sorts in the University of Maryland Golf Course. Located in College Park, adjacent to the University of Maryland (how about that), UMGC was also designed by George Cobb in the 1950s, and occupies the same sort of rolling, forested terrain that Glenn Dale did.

However, UMGC was renovated and redesigned in 2009, and while I'm not sure exactly on what was done, from my research, I don't think it treated the course the best. Not all renovations are good. But let's take a look for ourselves, and see what sort of golf course UMD has.

The first hole is not the gentlest opener; at 460 yards it's the second longest par 4 at UMGC. If you wish to have a fairly flat stance for the second, then you'll need to hit a 3 wood or something similar to reach the top of a plateau, flirting with a fairway bunker. That bunker is easily cleared with a solid driver, but then you'll face a second from a downhill stance, not to mention the narrowing fairway, squeezed between trees left and water right. The only bunker around the green is behind, so you'd be best off not going long on the second. The green here, as is the case with basically all of the greens, is pretty uninspired, slightly sloped from back to front. Don't expect any wacky breaks at this course.

The first hole.

Approaching the first green.

The first green.

The second hole is also a long par 4 at 450 yards, and it's even tougher than the first. The fairway slopes sharply from right to left, and marsh runs along the first 300 yards of the hole very near the left side of the fairway. There's plenty of room right, but the fairway is angled more the further right you get, which is not ideal. The second shot is uphill to a semiblind green with bunkers front left and back right. UMD gets off to a tough start.

The second hole.

Approaching the second green.

The second green.

The third hole is more than 100 yards shorter than the previous two holes, playing just 330 yards. The tee shot plays sharply downhill over a small stream cutting across the fairway, but a reasonably solid drive over 200 yards will clear that. Once you get over the stream, the fairway climbs, so don't expect too much roll. In addition, two bunkers right narrow the fairway, and if you want the best angle into the green, you'll need to favor the right side. The green is blind, save for the flag, with a cluster of three bunkers front left. It is a fairly large green, and at the very least this one does have a hint of undulation to it. It's a good chance to get one back after a difficult start.

The third hole.

Approaching the third green.

The third green.

The fourth hole is just under 200 yards and is a pretty tough proposition. The hole plays uphill and the green is wide but shallow. It's also perched behind a very large, deep bunker, with two smaller bunkers covering the back portion of the green. The green is tilted from back to front, so if you can hit the green, your shot is more likely to stay put rather than rolling over. That's something at least to mitigate the difficult of a very difficult tee shot.

The fourth hole.

The fourth green.

The fifth hole is a mid-length par 4 with a single bunker right and trees and native area left. The fairway in between is fairly wide, especially before the bunker. Threading a driver between the bunker and the high grass is trickier. The second shot will be a wedge or short iron into a large green protected by one bunker right and two left. The green slopes away slightly at the back, so shots can roll over the green pretty easily.

The fifth hole.

The fifth green.

The sixth hole is another long par 4, this one just under 460 yards and slightly uphill. The drive needs to be hit between bunkers on each side of the fairway, though there is a decent amount of space in between, so that's not too difficult. A solid drive will leave a short to mid iron up to a semiblind green with a deep bunker left and a slightly shallower bunker right.

The sixth hole.

Approaching the sixth green.

The sixth green.

The seventh hole is a fairly short par 4 at 360 yards, playing through a relatively corridor of dense trees to a fairway sloping from left to right. It's easy to end up right, but that leaves a trickier pitch over a deep greenside bunker to a smallish green. You'll definitely want to favor the left side with the drive.

The seventh hole.

The seventh green.

The eighth hole is the sort of hole I like to see. It's a 120-yard downhill par 3, so it's all about finesse and accuracy, not brute force. There's plenty of trouble in the form of bunkers short and left, as well as water lurking long, but remember, it's just a little wedge, so it's a good birdie opportunity for pretty much everyone. I would like to see the two sides of the green extended, forming a bit of a boomerang around the central greenside bunker, but I'm probably in the minority on that one. I think it would make an already fun hole even more fun.

The eighth hole.

The ninth hole is the first and technically shortest of UMGC's three par 5s at 547 yards, but considering the longest is 552, there's not much difference length-wise between them. The drive here is downhill, but since the fairway heads uphill the whole way, don't expect too much roll. Bunkers pinch the fairway in on both sides, so that's something to keep in mind. Beyond a small bunker right of the fairway about 75 yards short, there's not much to worry about on the lay-up, but people going for the green in two will have to contend with two bunkers left and one bunker right of the green. Unlike most of the rest, this green does actually have some noticeable undulation, and slopes significantly from back to front. Nothing spectacular, but better than nothing.

The ninth hole.

Approaching the ninth green.

The ninth green.

That's it for this week, next week we'll take a look at the back nine.