COMMUNITY

I play with a buddy who lives west of DC. We don't go quite down as far as Richmond, but there are a few nice courses near Fredricksburg. I enjoy The Gauntlet, also would like to play Cannon Ridge next time I'm in the area.

Cannon Ridge is a great course. Here are my DC area top five:

1. Laurel Hill Golf Club
2. Raspberry Falls Hunt & Golf Club
3. Bull Run Golf Club
4. Congressional C.C.
5. 1757 Golf Club

Bull Run is a lot of fun. It's 15 minutes from my buddy's house. Wanted to play Raspberry Falls last time I was down but he didn't think it was worth it, so we didn't. If you haven't tried The Gauntlet give it a run. It's a P.B. Dye layout that's got some really neat holes.

Putt putt count??

Not many noteworthy putt-putt courses in Richmond. But, I am always up for a game. I remember during ESPN's nascent days they would broadcast miniature golf tournaments. It wasn't glamorous nor lucrative. Supermodels weren't going to take notice of you and it probably stung a bit to be a rung lower than the PBA on the ladder of "Who cares" but they played the game. God bless those denizens of astro turf and bumper rails.

Cannon Ridge is closed (went bankrupt). Gauntlet is in pretty bad shape this year and has a lot of gimmicky holes. The best course near Fburg (if you cant get on the 2 private ones) is Pendelton just south in Ladysmith. The price is right and has a really good layout.

Cannon Ridge looks like it found a buyer and says it's being renovated. See link to press release from earlier in the year. Thanks for the heads up. I agree The Gauntlet has a few 'gimmicky' holes, but I still thinks it's a lot of fun to play. I'll keep an eye out for Pendelton next time I'm down that way.

http://www.golfcannonridge.com..

Good to hear someone is taking it over, I just hope they bring the rates down a bit. $85 plus on the weekend is to much for Fburg.

I think Pendleton is fine but it is not my favorite.

I live 10 minutes from the 1757 club mentioned and not far from Bull Run, but I haven't tried either. Good list- people I join up with on the nearby muni courses do talk about all of those listed, with the exception of Bull Run oddly- haven't heard that mentioned. I'll definitely take a look- Manassas isn't too far for me. My goal thus far has been to play as frugally as possible, but play as much as possible. A tough balance. Eventually, I'd like to broaden and play more than my regular 5 courses (Twin Lakes (2), Algonkian, Brambleton, Herndon Centennial), where I have purchased various pre-paid greens fees to reduce the overall cost.

Another course I hear about lately is Trump National (DC), which is a few minutes from Brambleton, right on the Potomac River.
http://www.trumpnationaldc.com..
Let the web site photo scroll through a few- it looks amazing. People have said the Trump folks have done well, but of course, it requires membership.

Another course I hear about recently from others that I want to try just once is Renditions: http://renditionsgolf.com/layo.. , where they simulate 18 famous holes from the professional tour. Not a course that I'd ever play regularly, but might be fun to play the tips and cause slow play.

My goal thus far has been to play as frugally as possible, but play as much as possible.

I agree with that philosophy. I have noticed that I can shoot the same scores on a junk course that I can on a really nice course. My game is my game, and putting decides the outcome. Sometimes I will pay the inflated price for a really nice course just to say I have played it, and to enjoy the beauty of it. But the swinging of the clubs to me is basically the same no matter where I play. And money is always an issue if you are living on a budget.

There is a gimmicky course in Locust Grove, VA that does some renditions of famous holes and has an 800 yard+ par-6. It's called Meadow Farms. I haven't played it in a few years but I remember that it was inexpensive, memorable and I shot 76. But, again, that was a few years ago and it may have been the last time I broke 80.