Though many tourists come to Maryland to enjoy its pristine white-sand beaches and feast on their seafood specialty crabs, some of you may not know that this Mid-Atlantic state is also an excellent golf destination. Home to over 160 different golf courses, the Ocean State might be small but it packs a powerful punch in terms of quality tracks and layouts. With timeless classics like the Baltimore Country Club and Congressional Country Club under its belt, as well as some equally well-crafted contemporary pieces such as Pete Dye’s Bulle Rock and Links at Perry Cabin, golf enthusiasts from every corner of the nation have long been eyeing Maryland for their next golfing holiday and weekend getaway. Another compelling reason to drop by and visit the Ocean State, whether you’re an avid golfer or not, is its stunning natural landmarks and scenic landscape. Rightfully earning its nickname “America in Miniature”, the Maryland topography is divided into two distinct regions by the Chesapeake Bay, the largest contiguous bay in the United States. First is the eastern shore, which is characterized by sandy dunes and miles and miles of lush seagrass carpeting the low marshlands. Second is the western shore, with gently rolling hills of oak forests and dense pine groves marked by the splendid Maryland mountain ranges. With such an excitingly dynamic range of terrain, it’s no wonder some truly remarkable championship courses have been sculpted here.One definitive drawback from golfing in Maryland, however, is its tempestuous climate, particularly in the western highlands. The rest of the state fluctuates between a chilly 65 °F to an even chillier 28 °F on most months. Luckily, resident golfers have a viable alternative during such troubling weather due to the numerous virtual golf centers and indoor facilities available throughout the state. Virtual indoor golf is the perfect solution to getting your golfing fix even when playing conditions are less than ideal. Enumerated below are the top indoor golf facilities that you can visit in Maryland.
Best Golf Courses in (Province/State)
Location 1: 7351 Assateague Drive, Suite 380 Jessup, MD 20794Location 2: 9116 Gaither Road, Gaithersburg, MD, 20877Location 3: 1969 East Joppa Road, Parkville, MD, 21234One of the state’s most unique indoor golf facility due to its dramatic themes and distinctive design. It offers entertainment for all types of clients may it be children, teenagers, or adults seeking a memorable family bonding or group adventure. Monster Mini Golf has 30 branches all over the United States and Canada. Three of those are located in Maryland, specifically in Jessup, Gaithersburg, and Parkville. A new Monster Mini Golf facility will also be opening soon in Bel Air, Maryland.This facility offers top-of-the-chart technology that is climate-controlled and works efficiently under the luminescent glow of black lights. It features an 18-hole miniature golf course that offers a challenging game due to its dramatic design that is geared to bring out the dormant monster golfer in you. They also have a high-end Video Game Arcade, Mini Bowling, Monstrous Prize Center, Monster Themed Laser Tag, Laser Maze, and many more monster-themed activities.The Monster Mini Golf is covered with beaming black light that helps bring to life one of the most challenging and unique mini golf experience in the world. While playing, you can interact with their fun, animated monsters at every twist and turn. An added come-on is the mood-appropriate music played by their internal radio station, W.I.R.D. Radio. They cater to players of all ages, with emphasis on great customer service that never fails to convince their guests to come back for more. Birthday parties and social events can also be held at the facility’s haunted-themed private event rooms that can be customized according to your preference. The different themes that they offer are as follows: Monstrous Monday, Twisted Tuesday, Weird Wednesday, and Black Light Date Night (Thursday). Monstrous Mondays come with a $100 prize ticket for every purchase of a round of Monster Mini Golf. Twisted Tuesdays include free instant replays for every purchase of a round of Monster Mini Golf. Enjoy 30% discount or $8 per round on Weird Wednesdays for every round of Monster Mini Golf. Black Light Date Night lets you play a round of Monster Mini Golf together with your date or significant other for a lovely price of only $13 per round. The discounts and prizes are available only on the specific days that the promos are being offered. They cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions. They are also not valid on holidays, school breaks, or vacation periods. The facility also offers a monstrously fun gift card to let you share the thrill and excitement of Monster Mini Golf with the special people in your life. Maryland – Columbia Branch Hours:12:00 noon – 10:00 pm (Monday to Friday) 12:00 noon – 11:00 pm (Saturday) 12:00 noon – 9:00 pm (Sunday)Contact:(410) 579-4653columbia@monsterminigolf.comMaryland – Gaithersburg Branch Hours:11:00 am – 9:00 pm (Monday to Thursday) 11:00 am – 10:00 pm (Friday to Saturday) 11:00 am – 8:00 pm (Sunday)Contact:(301) 330-6464gaithersburg@monsterminigolf.comMaryland – Towson Branch Hours:10:30 am – 9:00 pm (Monday to Thursday) 10:30 am-10:00 pm (Friday to Saturday) 10:30 noon – 8:00 pm (Sunday)New Hours starting on September 41:00 pm – 9:00 pm (Monday to Thursday)12:00 noon – 10:00 pm (Friday)10:30 am – 10:00 pm (Saturday)10:30 am – 8:00 pm (Sunday)Contact:(410) 497-9704Towson@monsterminigolf.com
2. Old Pro Golf
Locations: Indoor Safari Village Course – 136 St., 13603 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD 21842-4542Indoor Undersea Adventure Course – 68 St., 13603 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD 21842-4542Old Pro Golf is a family-owned and operated facility established in 1965 by Herbert J. and Aileen Schoellkopf. Before they created their own facility they were known as designers and builders of miniature golf courses, driving ranges, and amusement parks on the East Coast. Herbert J. envisioned the course to have different themes with mechanized figures and obstacles to complement the challenges that each hole provides. He fully realized his vision when he skillfully designed a beautiful and strategically laid-out indoor golf course with the Undersea Adventure and Family Arcade. It proved to be very popular that he soon followed it with the equally-beautiful Safari Village – Rainforest Adventure indoor course in 2009. Old Pro Golf has been in service for over 50 years. It offers affordable prices for both the indoor and outdoor golf course. They also have various discounts such as 1$ off for kids from 4 to 6 years old and seniors who are 65 and above. They also offer free admission for kids below 3 years old. If you want to avail of unlimited play, just add 5$ to your original admission price. Their special deals include Unlimited Play, All-Pro Pass (where you can play all six courses at all four locations), and Game Tickets with no expiration date.Old Pro Golf is a great venue to hold special events such as birthday parties, friendly get-togethers and family reunions, and other special occasions. You can have it by the beach, the boardwalk, or even at one of the courses. Indoor Safari Village Course – Rainforest AdventureHours:11:00 am – 9:00 pm (Monday to Sunday) Contact:(442) 664-6860scott@oldprogolf.comIndoor Undersea Adventure CourseHours:9:00 am – 11:00 pm (Monday to Sunday) Contact:(410) 524-2645scott1@oldprogolf.com
Location: 331 Baltimore Pike, Suite 8, Bel Air, MD, 21014Located between Sherwin Williams and Pep Boys Building in Baltimore Pike is Jurassic Golf. It is known to be Harford Country’s first and only indoor Dinosaur-themed Blacklight Indoor Mini Golf course and arcade. It has a 4,500 square-foot area which is fully equipped with equipment and materials that emphasize their dinosaur theme such as animated dinosaurs, fossils, and CGI effects. Birthday parties can also be held in the two 400 square-foot party rooms. They help provide the party planner with the things needed before, during, and after the event. The planner also facilitates the different activities and programs that can be done in the area, which are all designed to give maximum happiness and satisfaction to the birthday celebrant and his/her guests. You may even bring your own food and cake for the event (refrigerators are provided at the venue). They also have a huge arcade that gives out tickets for your game cards which are also convertible as on-site prizes. This 18-hole Adventurous Black Light Mini Golf features a Dino search lab, Stegosaurus feeding ground, Underwater Prehistoric Aquarium, and a T-Rex stomping ground through the facility’s sound system. CGI effects are also utilized to help liven up the atmosphere and make the activities even more realistic. Special prices are offered to senior citizens and for children up to 12 years old. They also offer daily specials such as Stegosaurus Monday where they offer discounts to students, T-Rex Tuesday which serves as a family night with a discount for a group of 4 to 6 people, PJs Wednesday where a $2 discount will be provided to those who will be wearing their PJs, and Velociraptor Thursday serves as a dare night with a discounted price for two adults.They also offer packages to clients who want to spend more time in the facility such as the Mid-Week Special which includes admission for 6 guests, game cards, and party bags; Brontosaurus Bash which includes admission for 10 guests, game cards and party bags, Mammoth Mania where it includes admission for 15 guests, game cards, and party bags; and the Jurassic Adventure which includes 50 guests, unlimited golf for all the guests, game cards, 3-hour party, and access to two party rooms. The packages come with an additional $15 charge for every additional person. They cannot be combined with other packages, and discounts are not valid during holidays. For reservations, you may contact Jurassic Golf and Arcade directly through the contact details provided below. Hours:12:00 noon – 10:00 pm (Monday to Saturday) 12:00 noon – 6:00 pm (Sunday)Contact: (410) 836-8635jurassicgolf842@comca.com
Location: 5821 Olney – Laytonsville Road, Laytonsville, MD 20882The Blue Mash Indoor Golf Course features state-of-the-art golf simulators that track down your stats such as swing speed, club path, carry distance, spin rate, and more. This facility could help bring out the pro-golfer in you with the help of its professional trainers and the most updated technology available today. Blue Mash has a selection of over 80 different 18-hole courses to choose from. Its embedded technology helps you analyze the things you need to improve on with the help of its sophisticated shot analysis. You can also create your own practice mode to fit your own particular skill set. Aside from golf, their indoor simulators also feature other sports such as soccer, football, baseball, dodgeball, and hockey. Private parties, fundraisers, and other company events or special occasions can also be held at the facility. For the simulator rates, reservations are highly recommended for those who want to play for more than 30 minutes or more, as walk-in guests are usually accorded only about 15 minutes of play time. The estimated simulator time per round varies according to the number of players and the number of holes. For a 9-hole indoor course, the following are the estimated simulator round times: 1 player – 30 minutes, 2 players – 1 hour, 3 players – 1 ½ hours, and for 4 players – 2 hours. For an 18-hole indoor course, the following are the estimated simulator round times: 1 player – 1 hour, 2 players – 2 hours, 3 players – 3 hours, and for 4 players – 4 hours.Blue Mash also holds a 9-hole team league for indoor golf during the Regular Season (December 4th – March 4th) and on Play-offs (March 5th – April 1st). On 9-hole matches, only two-player teams are allowed to compete. Prize money awaits the eventual winners along with a complimentary 20% discount on the simulator games at any time. Additional incentives such as League Bar Specials and special prizes are also given whenever applicable. When using the facility you must be aware of their simulator rules. Rule No. 1 is to use the USGA rules of golf during your practice, whenever applicable. Rule No. 2 requires all players to wash their balls and clubs before starting their round to prevent any dirt from being transferred to the screen. Rule No. 3 states that no cleats must be worn while using the indoor golf simulator. Rule No. 4 prevents the presence of food and drinks in the hitting area. And Rule No. 5 emphasizes that you can only hit from the designated hitting area. Hours:6:30 am – 9:00 pm (Monday to Friday) 6:00 am – 9:30 pm (Saturday to Sunday)Contact: (301) 670-1966
Wrap up
Boasting a generous number of formidable championship layouts crafted by award-winning architects, as well as stunning local scenery that makes for an exquisite backdrop while making your rounds, Maryland is surely included in the list for the dream getaway of any avid golfer. With a wide selection of over 160 courses throughout the state, there’s certainly enough to suit a variety of golfers – from coastal to links-style to parkland. Despite all these, however, what has always held Maryland back from joining the ranks of the nation’s very best golf destinations is its unfavorable weather conditions. The biting winter weather that can drag for the most part of the year can make it difficult to spend even just a few hours on the course on some occasions, no matter how well conditioned it may be. Thankfully, residents and visiting golfers can rejoice in the many indoor golf facilities available in the state. Often equipped with top-of-the-line golf simulators and other virtual golf technology, as well as various other amenities, the names featured above are the best in the state when it comes to virtual and indoor golf.
