Columbia Country Club

One of the Washington area's most storied private clubs, Columbia Country Club has been part of Chevy Chase's social and sporting fabric since the late 19th century. The club hosted the 1921 U.S. Open — one of golf's landmark championships — where Jim Barnes won the title, making Columbia a genuine piece of American golf history. The course has evolved considerably over the decades, but it retains the character of an early golden-age layout: tight, tree-lined, and demanding of accuracy over raw power.

Chevy Chase itself sits just across the Maryland line from Washington, D.C., a leafy, prosperous enclave where the capital's professional and political classes have long retreated from city life. Columbia fits that setting precisely — a club that carries both prestige and tradition without announcing itself loudly.

The par-70 configuration signals a course that prizes precision and course management. With 2 fewer par 5s than a standard layout, length alone won't carry you here — reading the holes and controlling your ball flight will matter far more than what you're bombing off the tee.