At Wetlands Golf Club, north of Baltimore, vastly different nines add up to a fun, fascinating test

ABERDEEN, Md. -- It's hard to find a golf course with nines as different as those at Wetlands Golf Club.

The back -- built on a small parcel of land -- is short (3,135 yards/par 350) with parallel fairways and some co-located tees and greens, but with several interesting holes. The front nine, finished in 1995 after the acquisition of an adjacent farm, is long (3,593/par 36), scenic and wide open with ample room to miss. Put the two nines together and they form a fun, unique golf course with fast greens, Scottish accents, less trouble than the name suggests and plenty of memorable holes.

While the front nine is all about power and risk/reward, the back requires accuracy and careful club selection, especially off the tee.

Family owned and managed, Wetlands Golf Club has a down-home charm that is evident at Bogie's Sports Bar and Grille.

While the top-ranked public course in Maryland -- Pete Dye gem Bulle Rock -- is two miles to the east across I-95 and draws a decidedly different crowd, Wetlands is a worthy upscale complement with a downscale price tag.