It’s the first day to hit the 70s in Maryland in 2026 and Barry, Rich and I made it out to Blue Heron Golf Course in Stevensville for a quick round, playing from the white tees. Sadly, the more interesting back nine was closed due to green aeration and over-seeding and they had covered the greens with plastic sheeting. It isn’t expected to re-open until around April 12th, so if you’re heading that way just know that you’ll have to play the front twice to get in 18 holes. As the front nine is composed of 5 par 3s and 4 par 4s, playing the front nine twice will make it a par 62. As previously reported, the round was $20, a great deal, and they don’t take tee times – so just show up. It also cost me two golf balls in water hazards.
I started the round strong, shooting par, birdie, par on the first three holes. I hit 3-wood and pitching wedge then two-putted the 319-yard par 4 first hole for par. I overshot the green on the 320-yard dogleg left par 4 after hitting 4-wood and 6-iron, then chipped in for a birdie – the only birdie the three of us had today. On the 187-yard par 3 third, I hit a 4-wood to the short-right of the green, chipped up close and one-putted for a par. The next three holes were not nearly as good, shooting bogey, bogey and double bogey. I hit a three-quarter pitching wedge just over the green on the 105-yard par 3, chipped close but missed the short putt, ending up with a bogey. On the 287-yard par 4 dogleg left fifth hole, hitting over water twice, I pushed a 4-wood way right, forcing a short chip back into the fairway, then hit the green with a pitching wedge and followed up with a two-putt for a bogey. The 142-yard par 3 sixth hole, with the peninsula green, has been my Waterloo the last couple of rounds here. I hit a 6-iron into the water on the right, chipped from the drop area and two-putted for my first (spoiler alert) double-bogey. I finished the front nine with bogey, bogey and par. I topped a 6-iron on the 162-yard par 3 seventh hole, followed by a three-quarter pitching wedge and two putts for a bogey. The 160-yard par 3 eighth hole was almost a mirror image of the seventh, with a topped 5-iron that stopped just short of the creek, then a half pitching wedge up the hill and two putts for bogey. On the 243-yard par 4 ninth hole, I hit a 3-wood then chipped a 7-iron from under a tree onto the green and two-putted for par. I felt pretty good about a five over 36 on the “front.” The back nine was not as kind.
Since we played the front nine twice, I won’t include hole details for the “back nine.” It started off well enough with bogey, par and par. On the first hole, I hit my best drive of the day for 229 yards with a 3-wood, leaving a short chip. A root caused a mishit second shot, followed by a half lob wedge over the sand trap and a missed short putt then a tap-in for bogey. On the second, I hit a 3-wood then 8-iron onto the green and two putted for par. I hit a 4-wood to within about two feet of the hole on the third and missed the birdie putt to leave with a par. The wheels came off on the next three holes with a bogey, double bogey and triple bogey. The 105-yard par 3 fourth hole played pretty much like it did on the front nine with a three-quarter pitching wedge just off the back of the green, followed by a chip and two putts for bogey. On the fifth hole, crossing water twice, I topped a 4-wood into the first water crossing, followed by a drop and a 4-wood to short right of the green, then a chip and two putts for the double bogey. On the par 3 peninsula sixth hole, I pushed a 7-iron way right, had to chip back to the front of the green, followed by another chip and my only three-putt of the day. The final three holes were slightly better with bogey, bogey and double bogey. On the seventh hole, I hit a 6-iron to the right of the green, chipped close and missed the short putt to score a bogey. On the next hole, I hit a 5-iron to the back right of the green then chipped on and two-putted for another bogey. The final hole saw me push a 4-wood way right then hit a tree on my second shot which landed behind me in the fairway for the fifth hole. I punched a 7-iron under the trees and almost made it to the green, chipped on and two-putted for a double bogey and a 42 on the par 31. Finished the 18 with a 16 over 78. My first time in the 70s at Blue Heron.
Barry and Rich played well but both lost balls too. Further details of this rounds story are theirs to tell. No video was taken so that we could better enjoy the weather. Clayt
Weather: 5.0 (Sunny and 68-72 degrees with a slight breeze)
Course Conditions: 3.0 (Back nine closed and greens and fairways haven’t actively started growing yet – greens were better than in the fall)
Speed of Play: 4.5 (Course was busier than usual since all groups were only playing nine of the eighteen holes – but it kept moving)
Golf Ball Danger Ranking: 2.5 (Lowered slightly with only two balls lost this round (see the Danger Ranking page)
Blue Heron Golf Course, Stevensville – CQ’s first course in his journey to play all of Maryland’s 100 public courses
Played: Late November 2025, 18.0 Handicap, Played White (middle) tees, Score: 84, Walked, Cost: $20 ($1.11 per hole, $0.24 per “par”) – among the least expensive in Maryland. Few people were on the course so 18 holes went pretty quickly.
Conditions: Greens were heavily top dressed with sand and the grass was being left long to aid in recovery over the winter, making putts slow and very challenging. I had six three-putts, almost always due to not hitting the ball hard enough to get it near the hole on the first putt. Tee boxes were also in rough winter condition but since I used a tee on every hole it didn’t really impact the score. The fairways and rough seemed to be in good condition. Leaf coverage in the fairways and rough were nominal considering the time of year and no balls were lost or time spent hunting for balls in the leaves.
Tee times: None, just walk in, but you may want to call before to make sure there isn’t a tournament or league play. During the summer, there is league play on nine holes at 9am on Mondays and Thursdays and 5pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Course Notes: It’s a pretty par 63 executive course with nine par 3s and nine par 4s, owned and operated by Queen Anne’s County, just across the Bay Bridge on Kent Island. While the course is short it is also fairly tight and there are numerous opportunities to lose balls, most likely in the water but also the woods – so bring plenty of balls. I lost two during this round and three in the round before. The front nine, built in 1959, has holes similar to urban park setups (holes 1, 2, 3 and 6) and some that are more reminiscent of Myrtle Beach with plenty of water and low drainage/swamp areas. Holes 11, 13 and 17 don’t have any water hazards but lost balls are still possible. The rest of the holes on the back all have water potentially in play. The back nine, added in 2002, seems more interesting than the front and features a fairly unique triple green shared by holes 10, 12 and 14. The course was named a Top Ten Short Course in America in 2006.
Walking: Yes, as a par 63 executive course it is an excellent walking course totaling just over 4,000 yards from the Blue tees, 3,991 from the Whites and 3,319 from the Reds. All but the 9th and 16th greens are adjacent to the next tee box. I completed the latest round in just 6,089 steps as recorded on my Voice Caddie T11 watch.
Hole-by-hole
#1 – A narrow, straight 319-yard par 4 with evergreens along the entire right side of the fairway to keep balls from hitting Romancoke Road. There are a few trees spaced out along the left side separating you from the hole #9 fairway. If you’re going to miss the fairway, that’s the side to miss it on. The priority is to keep the ball in the fairway. I chose a 3 iron, which I hit thin but managed to get close enough to try to hit the green with a 7 iron. You only need to hit a 170 yard drive from the Whites to have less than 150 yards to the center of the green. A small, shallow sand trap guards the front left side of the green. I left the ball just a foot short of the green, putted it to within five feet and sunk the putt for a par. Sadly, the last par I’ll see today. Even par after one.
#2 – A 320-yard dogleg left par 4 that has a little more generous fairway than the first hole. The entire right side is out of bounds (homes) though there is a reasonable amount of room on that side to miss the fairway. Evergreen trees are on the left side up to the dogleg and you have to hit the tee shot at least 150-160 yards, along the left side of the fairway, a little less on the right side, to have any shot at the green. I managed to top a 3 wood to the corner of the dogleg and left a long, partially obstructed, shot at the green. I pushed a 5 iron to the right, leaving the ball on pine straw with the sand trap between me and the green. Chipped over the trap but hit the ball a little too firmly and it rolled off down the other side of the green about 10 feet. Next chip was a little chunky and the ball didn’t make it up the hill and onto the green. Next chip saw the ball roll to about eight feet from the hole. Two putts. Triple bogey. Three over par after two holes. As you will discover, I need to work on those short chips. I suspect most people with an 18 handicap do.
#3
#3 – A 187-yard slightly downhill par 3 with out of bounds (homes) along the right side. Plenty of room to miss on the left. I optimistically hit a 5 iron but swung a little harder and pushed it to the right, nestling up to one of the out of bounds markers/fence post. Had to hit it with a putting stroke to get it away from the fence then chipped it to about five feet from the hole and made the putt to save a bogey. Four over.
#4
#4 – A short 105-yard par 3 over a small pond. The rest of my group splashed their tee shots. I tried to take a little off the pitching wedge since I hit over the green the last time but after watching them, I hit it over the green again. Chipped chunky again and just barely made it onto the green, putted really short of the hole, taking two more putts to get it into the hole for a double bogey. Six over.
#5
#5 – A 287-yard hard left dogleg par 4 with the first shot over water to a landing area and the second over water to the green. Along the left side is water and mature trees but longer hitters may be able to go directly at the green by cutting that corner. Of course, I thought I might be able to carry my 3 wood with a little draw far enough to get in front of the green. Splash. I dropped where my ball crossed the edge of the second water hazard and had 105 yards to the green. My pitching wedge carried the ball to within about eight feet of the hole for a shot at par. Missed it and tapped in for bogey. Seven over.
#6
#6 – A tricky downhill 142-yard par 3 with water on both sides and behind the green, though the water isn’t clearly visible from the tee box. I managed to push a 7 iron to
the right and into the water. Dropped where it crossed, chipped up and two putted for a double bogey. Nine over after six holes.
#7
#7 – A relatively friendly and flat 162-yard par 3 with no real trouble. I hit my 5 iron over the green, chipped to about eight feet and two putted for bogey. Ten over.
#8
#8 – A 160-yard par 3 with a stream running across the “fairway” about 130-yards out – which shouldn’t be in play unless you top the tee shot or hit it fat. The green is up the hill on the other side and obviously slanted towards the front, with the pin in back, making you think you may need to hit a longer club than usual. So, even though I hit my 5 iron over the green on the last hole of about the same length, and even though a chip from the back of the green to a tight flag on a green sharply slopping away from you would normally be the last place you wanted to be hitting your second shot from, I decided to hit my 4 iron. As expected, I hit over the green. I chipped to the fringe and the ball rolled over the lip and down towards the hole stopping about ten feet above the hole. An excellent result followed by another three putt for another double bogey. Twelve over. Ouch.
#9
#9 – A 243-yard par 4 with a slight dogleg to the right near the green. Trees along the right side leading up to the dogleg makes that side of the fairway less desirable for a shot at hitting the green in two and a bunker on the left front of the green is in play for anyone trying to hit their second shot to the front. Anything 170-200 yards in the fairway should be an easy par, if the greens were in normal summer conditions. I hit a 3 wood into the right rough close enough to chip using a pitching wedge. The ball landed in the fairway in front of the green, rolled through a shallow hole for a sprinkler head, and lipped out to stop about six inches from the hole. Tap in for birdie. An eleven over 42 after nine holes. One birdie, one par, three bogies, three double bogies and one triple bogey on the front.
#10
#10 – A 323-yard dogleg right par 4 with water along the left side and trees on the right to keep you from hitting into the par 3 11th hole. From the whites, you need to hit the drive at least 190 yards on one of the wider fairways to get a clear shot at the green or you’ll need to hit over the trees to a green you can’t see. If you hit it more than about 250 you’ll run out of fairway and likely have an awkward sidehill lie for your second shot. This is the first of the three holes that share one large green. Water is both short right and long left of the green. I hit what I thought was a descent drive with a 3 wood but didn’t clear the last tree on the right and had to hit my second over a tree with a 9 iron. Even though I made it there in two, I managed a three putt after pushing a short second putt to the right. Bogey and twelve over.
#11
#11 – A 133-yard par 3, with the pin in the back and playing more like 143 yards. Two sand traps protect the front right of the green but the hole was in the back so they weren’t really in play. Pulled my 7 iron to the left of the green, chipped up and two putted for a bogey and 13 over.
#12
#12 – A 130-yard par 3 over water with the pin up at about 110 yards. Only misses to the left where a sand track lurks will keep your ball dry. I hit the green with a 9 iron but was long left with a big downhill putt. Again, I hit the first putt way too soft for the winter greens and left it way short. Another three putt for another bogey. 14 over.
#13
#13 – A 286-yard slight dogleg right par 4 with no water and a relatively wide fairway. Woods line the right side and the 14th fairway is to the left over the berms and a few trees. A sand trap short of the green will be in play for those hitting 240 or more from the Whites. You can get blocked from a direct shot at the green by the trees if you hit your drive too far right. I hit my 3 wood to about 75 yards left then hit a “too good” directly over the flag and off the back of the green. Chipped back and two putted for another bogey and 15 over.
#14
#14 – A 309-yard par 4 with water and woods along the right side and water across the fairway about 230-240 yards out so you may not want to hit your driver if hitting it that far might be a concern. The 13th fairway is along the left side but trees between the holes and protecting the far left side of the water hazard makes a shot to the green from that side difficult. I hit my 4 wood to the center of the fairway leaving about 140 yards to the center of the green. The flag was on the back left near its connection with the 12th. I hit my 6 iron a little left and landed in the rough near where the two greens connected. I chipped to within seven feet, just missed the putt and tapped in for bogey. 16 over par with four holes to go.
#15 – A 148-yard par 3 with the right side sloping down to water/woods/trouble. I hit a 6 iron 156 yards and went just off the back. Chipped to about five feet and two putted for a bogey and 17 over par.
#16
#16 – A 300-yard par 4 with water along the right side on the drive. On the left side from 150-250 yards out if hole number 10 and enough trees to make a good shot at the green difficult.
#15
It is possible to cross the water on the right and play towards the green on the 17th hole as one of my playing partners tried with limited success. I hit my 3-wood just 178 yards into the trees on the left and had to punch a low 7 iron towards the green, rolling to about 15 yards short. A poor chip left me with a very long putt which I only got about halfway to the hole. Two more putts and I had a double bogey and 19 over par with just two holes to go.
#17
#17 – A 133-yard par 3 with a sand trap front left and water behind but not too close. Pin was in the back right. Woods and swamp to the right of the green but plenty of room to miss on the left. I hit an 8 iron onto the front left of the green. Putted about two thirds of the way to the hole, missed the seven-foot second putt and tapped in for bogey. Twenty over par and my sixth three putt of the day.
#18
#18 – A tight 304-yard par 4 with water down the left side and out of bounds down the right and a small pond in front of the tee box. I hit what is normally my trusty 4-wood, aiming to get it anywhere in the fairway but pushed it right to just inside the out of bounds marker/fence. I was blocked from shooting at the green by a row of trees between the fairway and cart path. Rather than chipping out to the fairway since my backswing that direction would be impeded by the fence, I chose to hit it down the right side toward the trap on the right side of the green. My 7-iron landed just past the sand trap and bounced right down to the cart path. I took a drop from the path, chipped it just short of the green, chipped to about two feet from the hole and tapped it in. I finished the round 21 over par on a par 63 course. Not my best scoring round.
Based upon the course difficulty, a 21 over par would be a good round for someone with a 28.7 handicap. I would have expected a lower score, but I’m not golfing to improve my handicap. I’m at Blue Heron to enjoy the outdoors, the scenery and to occasionally hit a good shot. Even with less than ideal green conditions I’d play this course again and would recommend it to others.
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