Diamond Ridge Golf Course -Woodlands

$31 (cart included), played on Thursday, August 2013 at 10am

If you can stay in the fairway course is much easier. Need to be straight. A walkable course.

Guest (cart included), played on Tuesday, July 2010 at 6am

One of my first courses to photograph while in Maryland and what a beautiful course, both conditioning and layout. Exquisite clubhouse with a wonderful staff and outstanding Director of Golf. The grill is upscale with outstanding food and the ambience also above board. The golf for the average golfer will be challenging yet fulfilling and you should go away with a smile at the end of the day for having the opportunity to play such a wonderful course.

$31 (cart included), played on Friday, November 2008 at noon

The Woodlands is one of two courses on the Diamond Ridge property and is part of the Baltimore County system. Fairly new (1998), and cut through some virgin ground, even though very close in to the Baltimore city line.

An upscale course, compared to the original Diamond Ridge, and I think, a much better design and challenge. Lots of verticality, every hole is unique, and there are no houses in sight anywhere. Not walkable, especially for us geezers, as there is major distance (1/4 mile or so) between green and tee on several holes. As a modern design, there are lots of challenges, some merely visual, and many very real.

I played mst recently in mid-November for $31, which is a real bargain for a course of this caliber.

About the course: tee boxes are generally large, all are flat, and in good shape, since the staff can move the markers around through quite a range of positions: fairways are generally fairly wide in the usual landing area, although some have a significant narrowing, and most are not flat, with terrain-following slopes and some mounding (but not a lot): greens are very large, all are heavily contoured, and they usually putt quite fast (if you can get through a round on this course without a three-putt, you have acomplished something very good): bunkers are plentiful, and some are very tricky with slopes and sculpting.

A couple of typical holes: #1 is a relatively short par 4, from the tee down to a valley sloping left to right, then seriously uphill to a very heavily contoured green, guarded by bunkers on both sides, an excellent starting hole. My personal favorite is #17, a longish par 5, with a tee shot over the corner of the dogleg (and a loooong bunker), then downhill to a smallish landing area, with the third shot over three fronting bunkers to a long, narrow green which has a double slope (first it goes down and away, then slides back uphill); a really big hitter might go for it in two, but that green is really narrow unless you are within 140 yards or so, and there is bad trouble to the left and behind it.

The course shares the new clubhouse and pro shop, both of which are quite nice for a muni, and the staff is always competent and cheerful, especially Rich. Snack bar is very good, in range of services, prices, and staffing. Can not say enough good things about the grounds crew: the course is always well maintained, and especially so for this time of year. Highly recommend!