7 Best Golf and Country Clubs in the D.C. Area

There are 67 golf courses in the Washington, D.C., area. Ten of them are public courses, 38 are private courses, and the rest are municipal. Golf is a popular game along the Beltway, and thankfully, Washington, D.C. has a long golf season running from March to November.

Country clubs are typically surrounded by lush landscapes and luxury homes, though you can always find an affordable gemif you have an excellent real estate agent. Here are some of the top country clubs you will want to visit. You may even see a president, politician or celebrity while you’re enjoying a game on one of these courses.

Congressional Country Club

President Calvin Coolidge founded the Congressional Country Club in 1924. It was a simple course designed more as a way for politicians to meet in secret. Throughout the years, it went through re-designs and additions. Then, in 1964, it hosted the US Open and took the spotlight. Congressional Country Club  would be featured in the US Open again in 1997 and 2011. In 2019, Andrew Green began renovating the course to prepare for ten different PGA Championship events, including the 2036 Ryder Cup. The course is in a beautiful area of wooded countryside, surrounded by some of the most beautiful homes in Washington, D.C, Maryland and Virginia

Chevy Chase Club

In Chevy Chase, MD, the Chevy Chase Club has many activities to enjoy in addition to the excellent golf course. It’s a popular club for tennis enthusiasts with 17 outdoor courts and four indoor courts. Chevy Chase Club also features seven paddle tennis courts and eight duckpin bowling lanes for unique fun at the club. There is plenty of space for everyone to enjoy one of the three pools in the summer. In the winter, club members enjoy the full-size outdoor ice-skating rink. The nearby Ritz-Carlton Residences in Chevy Chase offers luxury Washington, D.C. condos for sale.

Washington Golf & Country Club

Bethesda Country Club

The Bethesda Country Club has roots as one of the most esteemed National Women’s Country Clubs. It was typical for private planes carrying first ladies, dignitaries, and leaders to fly into the club for lunch and a 9-hole round. The club  was redesigned in1949 to become an 18-hole course. Starting in 1990, the Mazda LPGA held its one-million-dollar annual event at Bethesda Country Club. The clubhouse was completely renovated in 1997, adding luxurious details to the locker rooms and dining areas. The club also has ten tennis courts and a swimming pool for members to enjoy. The closest Washington, D.C. condos for sale are at Lakeside Terrace Condominium, just across the highway from the club.

Army Navy Country Club

The Army Navy Country Club is a member-owned, private club for retired commission officers, active duty, and civilians. The club spans 500 acres of wooded landscape in Arlington and Fairfax. It has three different 18-hole golf courses, favorites of President Bill Clinton and President Dwight D. Eisenhower. If tennis is your game, it has 32 award-winning tennis courts— six of which are indoors. It has six swimming pools for hours of fun in the sun. An excellent space for the whole family, the Army Navy Country Club even offers childcare services, youth sports, and plenty of family activities, like movie nights at the pool. The closest neighborhood for prime Washington, D.C. real estate is Arlington Village.

International Country Club

Columbia Country Club

Columbia Country Club is a private, member-owned club available by invitation only, located inside the Beltway in Chevy Chase, MD, surrounded by prestigious Washington, D.C. real estate. It boasts a championship golf course and first-class dining. The club has four paddle tennis courts and 11 outdoor tennis courts for those who prefer tennis, and the two pools—one indoor and one outdoor— provide year-round enjoyment in the water. There is a state-of-the-art fitness center and childcare center Older children can participate in the swim team, junior golf, or junior tennis programs. The whole family can enjoy the special events hosted throughout the year, such as the annual Easter Egg Hunt and gingerbread house decorating.