2010 Golf Guide lists courses in each of Maryland's five regions

Free publication available on VisitMaryland.org

BALTIMORE – Feb. 23– Long drives, says the Maryland Tourism Office, should be restricted to golf courses. And, with about 200 courses across the state, Maryland has plenty of choices for golfers – all listed in the Tourism Office's newly released 2010 Golf Guide .

"Golf courses are located throughout our state's diverse landscape," says Margot Amelia, executive director of the Maryland Tourism Office. "Visitors looking for that perfect golf outing can play courses that are near or in: mountains, urban centers, Chesapeake Bay coastline, seaside resorts, even rolling hills in areas close to wine trails. It all adds up to making Maryland a premier golf destination."

This updated guide lists the courses according to Maryland's five regions. Here are some of the places mentioned:

Western Maryland – Rocky Gap – part of the Rocky Gap Lodge and Golf Resort – is in the Cumberland Valley (Allegany County). Situated above an alpine lake, it's the state's only "Jack Nicklaus Signature Course." Rocky Gap was also named on Zagat 's list of "America's Best Golf Courses."
Capital Region – Blue Mash in Laytonsville (Montgomery County) was designed by Arthur Hills, one of Golf Digest 's five favorite present-day course architects.
Central Maryland – Bulle Rock in Havre de Grace (Harford County) was the host venue for the McDonald's LPGA Championship in recent years. Designed by Pete Dye, the course was also ranked among the nation's "Top 50" by Zagat readers.
Eastern Shore – Newport Bay, one of the seaside courses at the Ocean City Golf Club, was recently rebuilt. Golfers can enjoy views of marshes and the Chesapeake Bay throughout the course. Ocean City is one of the mid-Atlantic's premier golf destinations. 
Southern Maryland – White Plains , just south of Waldorf, is "a public course with the playing conditions of a private club" operated by Charles County. Rated a three-star course by Golf Digest , White Plains is host of the Washington Metropolitan Golf Association's Junior Golf Championship.

Copies of the 56-page guide – which includes course details and lodging choices – can be obtained through VisitMaryland.org , or by calling 1-866-224-9332.

About Maryland tourism

The Maryland Office of Tourism is an agency of the Division of Tourism, Film and the Arts within the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development. Recently reported visitor data shows that the state welcomed more than 28 million visitors in 2008 who spent nearly $14.5 billion on travel-related expenses – a 3.2 percent increase in spending over 2007. During 2008, the Maryland tourism industry also generated close to $1.8 billion in state and local taxes and provided 146,000 jobs to Maryland residents.

 

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