Congressional Country Club

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Congressional Country Club is a country club and golf course located in Bethesda, Maryland. Congressional used to be an annual stop on the PGA Tour, hosting the former Kemper Open from 1980 to 1986. Congressional hosted that tournament in 2005 while the tournament's then current course, the TPC at Avenel, was under renovation. There are two golf courses at Congressional: the flagship Blue Course and the Gold Course. Congressional opened in 1924, and both courses were designed by Rees Jones.

1 The courses
- 1.1 Blue Course
- 1.2 Gold Course
2 Tournaments held at Congressional
3 References
4 External link

[edit] The courses

The Blue Course and the Gold Course are known for their rolling terrain and tree-lined fairways. Both courses have wide, challenging greens. Water hazards also come into play on both courses.

[edit] Blue Course

The Blue Course has hosted all of the golf tournaments contested at Congressional. The course is often considered among the best 100 courses in the United States; Golf Digest ranked it 89th in its 2006 listing of the 100 Greatest Golf Courses. The Blue Course has been redesigned by Robert Trent Jones in 1957 and Rees Jones in 1989. The course measures 7,250 yards from the back tees. It is a par 72 with a course and slope rating of 75.4/142. Bent grass is used for the greens, and bermuda grass is used for the fairways. Bermuda Grass is not used, I am not sure what is but Congressional tries to kill bermuda grass. ^[1]

[edit] Gold Course

The Gold Course has always been the shorter course in comparison to the Blue Course. It has been renovated twice; with George Fazio and Tom Fazio redoing the final nine holes in 1977. In 2000, the course got a complete renovation by Arthur Hills. Not only did Hills lengthen the course, he also reconstructed the tees, fairways, greens, and cart paths. The course is now as challenging as the Blue Course. It now measures 6,844 yards from the back tees. It is a par 71 with a course and slope rating of 73.6/135. Bent grass is used for the fairways and greens.^[2]

[edit] Tournaments held at Congressional

[edit] Major Championships

The first golf major championship to be held at Congressional was the 1964 United States Open. Ken Venturi won the tournament with a score of two under par. In 1976, the PGA Championship was held at Congressional. With the course playing as a par 70, Dave Stockton won with a score of 281, or one over par. The second U.S. Open held at Congressional was played in 1997. Ernie Els won his second major championship with a score of four under par. The Blue Course will host the 2011 U.S. Open from June 16 to June 19.^[3]

Congressional has hosted one senior major golf championship. The 1995 United States Senior Open was held there, with Tom Weiskopf winning.

[edit] Other tournaments

The former Kemper Open—later called the Booz Allen Classic—was played at Congressional seven times. Notable winners include Craig Stadler, Fred Couples, Greg Norman, and Sergio García. The course has hosted two United States Golf Association amateur golf tournaments: the U.S. Junior Amateur of 1949, won by Gay Brewer, and the U.S. Women's Amateur of 1959, won by Barbara McIntire.

[edit] Exclusivity

To join Congressional Country club, one must be sponsored by a current member and additionally wait for several years before a space has opened. Therefore, membership is held by few residents of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

[edit] Notable Past Members

Past members of Congressional have included these former Presidents of the United States:

Many Washington, D.C., dignitaries attended the 1997 U.S. Open.

[edit] Amenities

Congressional Country Club has an indoor bowling alley (on the basement level), grand ballroom, Christian chapel with historically-preserved stained glass, 24 hour nightclub, indoor and outdoor pools, fitness center, fine dining, and grand foyer. It has hosted a number of famous weddings. It also has a spa, indoor jaccuzi,lavish mens and womens locker rooms, a bar with large plasma televisons, and a grill for everyday eating.