Tag: Par 3

Course Review – Night Hawk Golf Center

A 9-hole Par 3 course in Gambrills

Night Hawk Golf Center Par 3, Tee box #1

Played: January 2026, 18.0 Handicap, Played the one set of tees, Score: 71, Walked, Cost: $17.50 ($0.97 per hole, $0.32 per “par,” and 84 yards for $1.00) – inexpensive. Being a very short course, a casual-pace 18 holes took under two hours and 2,841 steps. The course was listed in my T11 golf watch, which provided yardages and kept my score. I got two birdies but also lost two balls.

Conditions: The conditions of any Maryland golf course are not going to be their best in January. The conditions are likely to be much better and greener in a couple of months.

All nine holes had mats at the tee boxes, and the rules section of the scorecard indicated their use was required. The course was predominantly flat with slightly raised greens. The greens, reportedly creeping bent grass, were small, dormant, brown and somewhat matted, and were sufficiently sloped and “swailed” to make them interesting. The condition of the greens leads to some erratic putting, on par with freshly aerated greens. There were no significant water hazards on the course even though my watch showed the drainage channels throughout as water hazards. All were dry but, even so, it would be difficult to chip/putt out of if the ball found one. There were only two small sand traps on the course, on holes 7 and 9. The weather was heavily clouded and in the mid-40s with only a slight breeze on the front nine. A drizzle began just after I started the back nine. Walking is required as there are no electric carts available.

Tee times: None required and not an option on the website.

Course Notes: The Night Hawk Golf Center is privately owned, and its biggest draws are probably the large driving range and miniature golf course. The Par 3 course is likely used primarily by less serious golfers, but it is an option if you want to get a little more confidence in your short game and have just an hour or two. It is a par 54 for 18, is just 1,466 yards long and can be enjoyable to play just for fun. The course is very flat with only two small sand traps, on holes 7 and 9, and no water hazards other than the previously mentioned drainage canals. An unusual feature of the course is its dual use as a footgolf course where the player kicks a soccer ball from the tees to a much larger hole near the greens. White tee markers were located near the tee box mats to start each hole. Blue flags mark each golf hole and near the greens were red flags to mark the much larger footgolf holes. It wasn’t printed in the “local rules” but it’s fair to say that you get a free drop from the footgolf hole.

Having recently played another Par 3 course, I brought only my 8-iron through lob wedge and putter, but only used my pitching wedge, sand wedge, putter and occasionally the 8-iron to chip near the green. The holes range from 57 to 110 yards long. Full wedges, three-quarter wedges and half wedges were pretty much all that was needed. The greens are small and generally sloped to make them interesting. Trees were potentially troublesome on holes 1, 3, 4 and 5 as was the short net along the driving range on the left side of hole 6. Overall, I had two birdies, two double bogies and two triple bogies. One lost ball went into thorn bushes on the left side of hole 5, leading to a triple, and one went over the relatively short driving range fence on the left side of hole 6, leading to a double. Looking at the course, one wouldn’t think about needing to have extra balls – but there were plenty of other balls in both locations, so I wasn’t alone. There is no course rating according to the Maryland State Golf Association website so your score can’t be used in handicap calculations even in season.

Walking is required as there are no motorized cars available to rent. Make sure you bring a scorecard if you haven’t played there before because the map on the back will help you find the next tee box.

Contact Information: nighthawkgolfcenter.com, (410)721-9349

Hole-by-hole

#1 – At 63-yards this is the second shortest hole on the course. The tee box is set back into the trees and branches extend out to hamper high shots to the green. About half way to the green is a drainage ditch that could potentially catch a low shot. Since there were no leaves on the trees, on the front nine I tried to go through the limbs but failed. On the back nine I tried to hit it low and run it up. I made it over the drainage ditch but it ended up well long of the green. Good chipping and putting got me a par and a bogey.

#2 – A 70-yard hole with the tee box in the open and the green nestled back in the trees and slightly elevated. A half pitching wedge for a par and a bogey.

#3 – An 86-yard shot from the trees to the open green. Branches just in front of the tee box were potential problems but didn’t interfere. A half pitching wedge on the front nine fell well short and a three-quarter pitching wedge hit the green and held. Bogeys on both sides.

Hole #1, Night Hawk Golf Center Par 3 course

Night Hawk Golf Center Par 3 course, Hole #2

Night Hawk Golf Center, Green #3

#4 – This 103-yard hole has matured trees/woods down the left with branches jutting out to menace shots directly at the green. A full pitching wedge was able to barely clear the limbs both times, leading to a par and a bogey. Hitting too far to the left will put you into the woods though at the time I wasn’t thinking about that – just on the limbs protecting a direct shot at the green.

#5 – On the front nine, this was the hole where I realized that losing a ball was possible. Down the left side is out-of-bounds, protected by an area of trees, underbrush and thorn bushes. At 90 yards it didn’t appear too difficult until I pulled my tee shot left and ended up with my first triple bogey. Being smarter the second time around, I hit a three-quarter pitching wedge onto the green and two-putted for par.

#6 – The longest hole on the course at 110-yards, the entire left side is the driving range with a fairly short net. The right side of this green slopes hard toward the drainage canal and can be tricky. On the front nine, I chipped on and three-putted for a double bogey. On the back, I pulled my pitching wedge over the netting and into the driving range to lose my second ball. My second tee shot found the green and a two-putt lead to another double bogey.

Hole #4, Night Hawk Golf Center

The 7th Green, Night Hawk Golf Center

Night Hawk Golf Center Hole #8

#7 – A 70-yard hole with a sand trap on the right side of the green and some sawgrass. On the front nine, I hit a half pitching wedge and one-putted for my first birdie. On the back I thought I’d try something different (dumb idea) and hit a three-quarter sand wedge over the green. Two poor chips and a three-putt lead to another triple. This hole and #9 are two of the more visually interesting holes.

#8 – A straight forward 84-yard hole where I managed to miss the green both times, chipped up, and two-putted and three-putted for a bogey and double bogey.

#9 – This 57-yard hole is visually similar to hole #7, with a sand trap and sawgrass on the right side of the green. Half sand wedges resulted in a bogey and the second birdie of the day.

Night Hawk Golf Center Hole #9

#10 to #18 – Replays of the first nine holes, as described above. Since I’d just seen and played the front, you would think that you would be able to play better on the back nine. Often, that doesn’t work out for me, like today shooting a 34 on the front and a 37 on the back.

Summary: Overall, I enjoyed the round. Admittedly, I rushed a little on the back because of the rain. On the plus side, two birdies. On the minus side, two lost balls and the rain. On my next trip there I want to see the course conditions and experiment a little more with various wedges and pitching and chipping options. Let me know about your experience at Night Hawk.

Praise the courses we have. Clayt

January 11, 2026
Course #4 – Night Hawk Golf Center

A Par 3 “Pitch and Putt” in Gambrills

Yesterday, it was forecast to start raining around 3 pm and to continue for the next two days. I was anxious to get another course completed so I decided to hit another nearby Par 3. Very few people were on the course so it took under two hours to play 18 holes. The light rain arrived just after I started the back nine. The course is short at 1,466 yards for a par 54, requiring just 2,841 steps according to my Voice Caddie T11 watch.

After my last Par 3 excursion with a full cart bag, I decided to only bring a few clubs, balls and tees. The website didn’t tell me anything about the length of the holes so I brought my 8-iron through lob wedge and putter. I only used the pitching wedge and sand wedge on tee shots, the 8-iron or pitching wedge to chip and the putter. Fortunately, I brought a couple of extra balls (without thinking) because I pulled one ball into a wooded area with thick underbrush (Hole #5) and launched one into the driving range (Hole #6).

I shot a 34 on the front, with one of the lost balls, so I felt pretty good about that. On the back, with the other lost ball, I shot a 37 for an overall 71. The greens were dormant and in “Maryland in January” condition, making putting difficult. In summary: two birdies, two lost balls and four three putts. See my full course review.

18 holes on January 9, 2026

January 10, 2026
Course Review – Severna Park Golf Center

Completed scorecard for Severna Park Golf Center, January 2026

Played: January 2026, 18.1 Handicap, Played the one set of tees, Score: 67, Walked, Cost: $17.00 ($0.94 per hole, $0.31 per “par,” and 111 yards for $1.00) – inexpensive. After paying the “replay fee” for my “back nine,” I was told that I could keep playing after 18 – so you can get an even cheaper per hole/per par/per yard rate… Being a very short course, a leisurely 18 holes took 2 hours and 15 minutes. Got a hole-in-one on the third hole.

Conditions: Eight of the nine holes had mats at the tee boxes, but it was obvious that many people used tees in the grass nearby. The greens had been freshly aerated, with large holes, making accurate putting even on short putts challenging, but were soft and receptive to good tee shots. The “fairways” and areas around the greens were in good shape given the season. The sand traps were damp and compacted, and some were a little weedy. The pond in front of the 8^th green was frozen and had numerous balls on the ice.

Tee times: The website made it appear that you could make tee times, but none were shown to be available. It’s possible they turn this function off in the winter. The course is much more likely to need it in the summer. Being suspicious it was the latter, I just drove to the course and only one group was out playing. You can see the entire course from the parking lot. This time of year, walking on will most likely work. During summer weekends, if the website still isn’t taking tee times, you may want to call first.

Course Notes: Severna Park Golf Center is predominantly a very large driving range augmented by a miniature golf course and the nine hole Par 3 golf course, which opened in 1964. Given the nature of the Center, the Par 3 course appears to be played primarily by kids and families. Looking at the satellite imagery and the drawings on the back of the scorecard it looks like it might be a fairly boring course – but it had enough elevation changes, undulations, sloped greens, wind and a pond to keep an old 18 handicapper interested. Everyone else there was carrying either their bags or just a couple of clubs. The only ones that I used were the 8-iron, 9-iron, sand wedge, pitching wedge and putter. Not knowing what to expect, I brought the whole bag of clubs and a pushcart since I’ve only got a “cart bag” and it’s pretty heavy. The holes range from 56 to 128 yards long. Many of the greens are fairly small and have steep edges which can make chipping and putting dramatic. I took a double bogey when my chip didn’t make it far enough up onto the green and rolled back down to its original position. Holes 1, 3, 8 and 9 are the most notable. Hole 1 is from the top of the hill, practically in the parking lot and overlooking the entire course, hitting down into the valley. Holes 3 (56-yards downhill) and 9 (111-yards uphill) share a green, from opposite directions. Hole 8 is a 117-yard carry over a pond. The only trees to get in the way are on the sides of the 5^th, 6^th and possibly 9^th holes. There is no course rating for the course according to the Maryland State Golf Association so your score can’t be used in handicap calculations. Surprisingly, my Voice Caddie T11 had the course in its database and provided yardage (which I generally ignored at my peril) as I played. Local news reports suggest that discussions are underway to potentially sell the property to a developer to build 135 townhomes, so if you want to check this one off your list you may want to get there sooner rather than later.

Contact Information: severnaparkgolf.com, (410)647-8618

Walking: Yes. It’s the only way to get around as there are no motorized cars to rent. And, as it’s a par 54 and short at 1,880 yards, it won’t be nearly as tiring as walking a 5,000 to 6,000-yard course. The course is a little hilly and there is a steep climb/stairs getting on and off the course. A casual round of 18 took just 3,400 steps according to my T11 and was completed in 2 hours 15 minutes.

Hole-by-hole

#1 – A steep downhill tee shot listed at 79-yards, but playing like it is 60 to 65 yards long. There are bunkers in the left front, right front and behind the green. The rear bunker can be putted out of but the front bunkers may need a sand wedge. It’s downhill if you hit it over the rear bunker, which is possible if you hit your 79-yard club well, so you could end up with a long shot back to the green.

#2 – A slightly uphill 98-yard hole with a steep uphill slope behind it to stop any shots too long. There is a sand trap on the left side but it is far enough to the left that it shouldn’t come into play too often. A 90 to 100 yard shot seems about right.

#3 – This 56-yard hole is my new favorite since I got my hole-in-one. Downhill and playing more like 50-yard with a big drop-off on the left side and behind the green – the two placed you don’t want to go. On my “back nine” I went left, chipped up and it rolled back down to my feet, leading to a double bogey. Make sure you get your chips up on the flatter parts of the greens. A few tree branches hang over the left side so watch out if the flag is on the left. Watch out for players on the 9^th tee box shooting at the same green from the other direction. The scorecard indicates that you should have the right-of-way, but not everyone reads the back of the scorecard.

#4 – A straight-forward short 105-yard hole that played downwind at about 95 yards. There is a sand trap on the right front of the green and the green drops off on the left side.

#5 – Measuring 127- yards uphill on the markers, there is a steep uphill behind the green that will bring long shots back down. Short tee shots will not make it to the green. Trees line the right side and there are a few overhanging branches to avoid.   A 120-yard shot seemed about right.

#6 – A 122-yard hole along the back of the course, with trees down the right side and a few overhanging branches to contend with. The one place not to land is in the bunker on the left with a rather steep face and woods close behind the green on the next shot. Took two shots to get out of the dense sand and earned a triple bogey after three putting.

#7 – The longest hole on the course at 128-yards, with two sand traps guarding the front left and front right of the greens. Both appear steep enough to require a sand wedge to get out. Seemed to play about 115 yards downwind.

#8 – Probably the most interesting hole and the hole most likely to take and keep your ball. It is a 117-yard shot over a pond (frozen on this day). There’s plenty of room to the left and right of the green but only water in front and woods if you go too far past. A bunker is to the right rear but doesn’t probably come into play too often. You can get away with a short tee shot but only if it’s 60 to 70 yards long, but then you still have to hit over the pond on the next shot.

#9 – This hole is listed as 111-yards back uphill to a green shared with hole #3. It seemed to play more like 120 to 125-yards into the slight breeze. You’re backstopped by the hill if you hit over the green but shot short of the green will never make it on. Trees along the right side shouldn’t come into play. Watch out for players on hole 3 shooting to the same green from the other side. According to the scorecard, they are supposed to have the right-of-way.

#10 to #18 – Replays of the first nine holes. Since you’ve just seen and played the holes you would think that you would be able to play them better the second time. That didn’t work for me, shooting a 31 on the front and a 36 on the back. Almost all the difference came on holes 3 (hole-in-one versus double bogey) and 6 (bogey versus triple bogey).

Overall, I enjoyed the round. On the plus side, I had the hole-in-one and the weather was good on the “front side.” On the minus side, the wind started to pick up and it got a little chilly on the back side and the greens were freshly aerated. I’ll definitely be back, preferably after the greens have healed and the weather has warmed up, provided it isn’t a new housing development. Praise the courses we have.

January 5, 2026