SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT Hitting the Links in the Old Line State From the tee box to the green, Maryland’s got the grand slam of golf courses. BY JIM MEYER Spectator Sports Maryland is a sure score with sports fans. BY JIM MEYER Xfinity Center in College Park is home to the high-flying Maryland Terrapins, bringing the Big Ten’s best to this cutting-edge arena. Football fans are spoiled for choice with the Baltimore Ravens, and the Washington Redskins taking to the turf of FedExField in Landover. PHOTO: BRITNEY GARDNER G A PETE DYE MASTERPIECE Bulle Rock, Havre de Grace Golf Where the Champions Play Luxe Resort Links Pit yourself against the mind of a legend at the Jack Nicklaus-designed lakeside course at Rocky Gap Lodge & Golf Resort. After a day on the green, treat yourself to a night at the luxurious Rocky Gap casino. Maryland National Golf Club in Middleton may be architect Arthur Hills’ greatest work yet—this challenging course seems to have sprung naturally from the surrounding terrain with panoramic views of the Catoctin Mountains. For big-hitter bragging rights, the 17th hole at River Marsh Golf Club at the Chesapeake Hyatt in Cambridge challenges you to make the long drive across Shoal Creek. Congressional Country Club in Bethesda is on every golfer’s bucket list. The preferred course of presidents since 1924, the Blue Course has hosted three U.S. Opens, a PGA Championship and Tiger Woods’ annual Quicken Loans National. Golf Digest ranks the course as one of America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses, but it may be tied for the title of best course in Maryland. Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, home of the 2017 Constellation SENIOR PLAYERS Championship, is one of the few clubs in the nation dedicated exclusively to golfers, and its state-of-the-art practice facility is second to none. Bulle Rock in Havre de Grace, a Pete Dye masterpiece, is another Maryland course that never disappoints. Sparks is the new home to the US Lacrosse Museum and Hall of Fame, and Maryland schools have brought home two-dozen NCAA Division I titles, more than any other state. Soccer fans know that the Terps are a perennial powerhouse, and the Baltimore Blast with their fast-paced indoor soccer style, are reigning champs of the MASL. Maryland is the perfect place for a one-state baseball road trip. Start at Camden Yards in Baltimore to cheer on the hometown Orioles, then catch family-favorite minor league ball with the Aberdeen Ironbirds, Bowie Baysox, Delmarva Shorebirds, Frederick Keys, Hagerstown Suns and Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. ✥ Public Par You can’t go wrong with a golf trip to Ocean City. Seventeen spectacular courses, most with ocean views, historic surroundings, and great packages available through Ocean City Golf’s website, make this city a golfer’s dream destination. For optimal tee time without the drive, play Baltimore’s Classic Five. These public courses are budget friendly and have views of the city skyline. When it comes to golf, Maryland hits a hole-in-one. ✥ If you’ve ever dreamed of teeing off from the Royal Lytham & St. Anne’s Golf Club in England, or of hitting the links at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, Renditions Golf Course in Davidsonville has recreated the most famous holes from around the world on one unbelievable course. PHOTO: SCOTT SERIO International Inspiration Above: Raven’s game at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore Below: Autographs at Aberdeen Ironbirds pregame DESTINATION MARYLAND ✥ 25 FANDAMONIUM
Maryland Official Visitors Guide 2017: Page 25
