Chevy Chase is a charming old country club close to downtown Washington DC, its golf course built on a lovely, rolling property in peaceful surrounds and with an unhurried atmosphere. Despite not scaling great heights architecturally, there are lots of subtle bending holes here that work rather well and plenty of decent green sites, such as the plateau target at the crested 7th. The star attraction, however, is the reachable par five 10th, its falling fairway leaning left toward a hazard that runs along the left side of the green and eats into the fairway short of the green. The hole works even better now that technology has made it a two-shotter for many players; the second shot from a slightly hanging lie over the water is exhilarating.

Despite some input from the likes of Donald Ross and Charles Alison, the Chevy Chase Country Club course does not rate among America’s absolute golfing elite, but this is a nice club in a beautiful setting and members not only enjoy a tremendous clubhouse and facility but probably the best golf in the Washington area.