Sometimes working and living near the nations capital can be a hassle. Traffic congestion alone is enough to turn a regular 8-hour work day into a 12-hour ordeal.
But one of the benefits of living near Washington DC is our close proximity to all the military bases, units and forts that support and sustain the greatest fighting force in the entire world.
One of the most prominent of these bases is Andrews Air Force Base located within in a Hank Kuehne drive off the I-495 outer loop. The base has a tremendous amount of
responsibility from securing our local air space to maintaining and providing support for Air Force One.
With immense responsibility comes great reward, and one of those rewards is the accessibility to play three outstanding championship golf courses right on post. The most challenging of the three is the South Course built in 1997. Not only is the South Course a true test of game but it shines in all qualities of design, conditioning and playability.
The south course is a great mix of challenging Par 3's, risk reward Par 4's and demanding par 5's. The course
requires respect and constantly makes you think over every shot demanding the best of your game and course management skills.
From a design standpoint the South Course doesn't exude one specific design style, it has an eclectic mix of varying styles creating a unique golfing experience.
One of the biggest surprises of our review round was the scenic surroundings. When most of us think of military courses we think of a piece of land left over and developed into a course. The surrounding environment of the South Course instills overlook tees, water hazards and heavily wooded areas presenting an outstanding backdrop for a formidable design.
But one of the drawbacks to playing military courses is limited accessibility. Most require you to be a military member or retired member for playing privileges. Not so with Andrews Air Force Base, they have a very liberal guest policy and most government workers can get on the base and non-military guests are permitted as long as someone in the group is a military member or works for the federal government.
So lets face it, no matter where you live in the area you must know at least one golf buddy that's a federal government employee or a member of the military.
Amigos
Favorite Hole: The scenic and ever-changing layout of the South Course made it difficult to choose just one hole as favorite. But in the end our decided choice was the number-4 357-yard Par 4.
The entire hole and your ability to score is 80% dependent on selecting the right club at the tee.
Basically each tee box, except for the ladies, is strategically located down a peninsula requiring a tee shot back across water to the fairway.
At first look the tee shoot seems demanding but the carry is only 165 yards. What makes the shot even more intimidating is the location of three fairway bunkers perfectly positioned to take away any slightly week or over aggressive shots.
The ideal way to play the hole is a fairway wood or hybrid to the fairway which should leave a pitching wedge to the green. The green has slight slope and should set up nicely for a birdie attempt if played correctly.