The Gauntlet Golf Club

I was visiting the area and got a great rate on my 1:00 pm tee time but the course really wasn’t in great shape and the pace of play especially on the back nine was horrible. Turned into a nearly 5 1/2 hour round after making the turn in less than two hours! And they had a wedding reception there which meant no real food options. Listen happy for the couple and they had a beautiful day for the wedding but I guess I got a little “hangry” with the long waits and no food on the back nine.

Played The Gauntlet on back to back days (one practice round and one stroke play tournament round) after a few days of considerable amount of rain in the area. Play was cart path only on both days. The course is under new management as of February from what the staff told me. You can see where they are trying to make improvements on the course. That being said I like the course layout. If you do not know about P.B. Dye and his style of doglegs, blind tee shots and forced carries then I can see how you might not like this course your first time around. The front nine is definitely more unique than the back nine. The course is on the tighter side of things throughout. The greens range from small to multi tiered and large. The greens have recently been punched which was a downer because it did affect the roll of the ball. Also the staff did not mention this when I made my tee time for Friday morning. The fairways were filling in nicely from the winter and were nicely groomed considering all the rain. There are more than a few places that are "Ground Under Repair" throughout the course so again you can see where improvements are being made. Now the bunkers are a whole different issue all by themselves. The staff does know this and they are slowly addressing the situation. If you like your clubs I recommend taking free relief from the bunkers as you see fit. Enough tee boxes to match your game but they need to do some serious work on them. They are very bare in spots and full of weeds. Pace of play was fine both days. Walking is allowed here. I gave the staff 5 out of 5 (despite not telling me about the greens) because they are very friendly and working on the issues currently facing the course. The food was good and the pricing was fair. The pro shop is small and there is not a lot of merchandise. I rated the value 2 out of 5 due to the current overall conditions and being charged almost $50.00. Currently there are courses that are in much better condition near here that charge the same rate if not less. Due to the effort of the staff and new management here I gave it overall 4 out of 5. I will play it again later this year to see if things are still trending upward and update my review.

The course is under new management and they are making huge changes to the clubhouse and course itself. They are thinning out some of the overgrown areas to put more sunlight on the greens and fairways. Course requires decent accuracy and knowing how far your shots will go. A little rain on the start but cleared up after 4 holes. Played in February so weather is cool and misty. Most holes are tree lined so If you don't hit somewhat straight, bring some extra balls.

We got a warm day in January following a long cold spell so we were anxious to get out. Got a great deal at The Gauntlet and got on around noon. The course was in surprisingly good condition and very playable. We played in 3 1/2 hours and had a great round!

Let me first highlight the positives..

1) This is not your typical course hitting driver and iron off every tee....you will likely hit every club in your bag on the front nine. The course has many short doglegged par 4s that may be best played off the tee with hybrid or long iron. There is a lot of elevation change and this results in a lot of blind shots. Establish your yardages and hit to that number.

2) The layout is very scenic while the course borders a lake on most holes. The fall colors added a sense of tranquility to the round.

3) The carts were well maintained and pace of play was excellent.

4) Staff was friendly and very helpful.

Now for the negatives...

1) The greens were very slow and did not roll true. There were spikemarks and unrepaired pitchmarks on virtually every green on the front. The back nine greens were only slightly better.

2) The women's tee boxes were not in good condition with sparse grass and muddy conditions.

3) Fairways had many areas that were muddy and torn up from mowers.

We played this course on a Golfnow Hotdeal and only paid $25 each. This is an extremely fun course but the conditions were not even close to ideal. I would play here again but would really like to see a little more attention paid to the greens and tee boxes.

I came out to play two weeks in a row.. Course is in great chape and the greens are rolling true! For the price a great course to play!! Will be back soon!!

Not many people smile when they hear a golf course was designed by someone whose last name is Dye, but you’d be hard-pressed not to enjoy your round at The Gauntlet GC. I’ve played here 4-5 times and always walk away feeling my game had been tested without being abused or cheated.

The first thing you’ll notice about this course is that the layout requires a bit of planning and thought. Most opening holes are straightforward to warm you up into your round, but not here. A tight, dogleg left par-4 1st hole will make you question using driver right away (you can really just get away with using a hybrid or a long iron). I agree with another reviewer that the front nine is the tougher nine, with several holes that take driver out of your hands and test your skill with clubs you may not use very often. In fact, by the 12th hole, I had used every club in my bag; a rarity for me.

Forced carries not just from the tee box but from one fairway to another is perhaps the biggest challenge facing you on the front nine but some narrow fairways and plenty of bunkers will call for your focus and attention as well. Some uphill approach shots are also in the mix but only a few holes will punish a shot that flies the green so you can afford to be aggressive.

The overall course conditions aren’t as bad now as they reportedly were this summer, with the fairways, greens, and rough all looking lush and even. Yes, there are some greens that have crabgrass that’s grown in where the burn-out spots were over the summer but I rarely found them affecting play. The bunkers are quite fluffy so make sure you swing with plenty of speed to not have to take two whacks to get your ball out!

The staff here is as friendly as any you’ll find and the clubhouse has a nice, laid-back, almost diner feel to its charm. Good practice facilities and decent food will make you want to spend some time before or after your round to relax or focus on your game.

There are plenty of GolfNow deals to be had here that make the course a great value so I highly recommend checking it out, it’s a tough course, sure, but an enjoyable one nonetheless.

To begin with, this course was beautiful. The layout was challenging, but not impossible. There are a few tricky holes that really make you think about your club selection. Very nicely maintained, and staff was great.

We found this course challenging but fun to play. With blind tee shots, lots of doglegs, hilly terrain and tiered greens, there was never a dull moment. The fairways were in good to excellent condition but some greens and traps needed work. Overall it was worth the cost and trip south from DC. Time your comings and goings or be prepared to sit in traffic travelling 95 to get here.

Tough course lot of carries, dog legs, small fast greens, will test all parts of your golf game.

The course needs some maintenance, but we've had a pretty hot and dry spell. Some of the fairways have large brown/dead areas. Some of the greens are suffering from the heat and lack of water, causing bald areas. All of the greens have invasive grasses in spots, probably crab grass. The bunkers are really bad...not sand, but hard crusty dirt. The course has a lot of blind tee shots, which I really don't like. However, the staff is awesome -- very friendly and accommodating. We played the first nine in under two hours, but then ran into some slow groups on the back. Overall, it's not a bad place for the price I paid, but I got a great deal through GolfNow.

The day was great -my score was great - service was great. Will definitely be playing another day of 18 again soon... Thanks for providing a great place to play

This is a very challenging course. The fairways were great as always but the greens left a little to be desired. This course is always fun and a good test.

Like all local courses, it seems the gauntlet is still in a bit of recovery from last year's brutal summer. Greens were being aerated so put lines were a bit of a bear. But fairways and rough seem to be on the mend. In addition to time off during the "winter", some rocky bunkers and a couple of inconsiderate players made the day tough for me personally. Good value for the hot deal price. I would hold off on paying full price.