A Name Rooted in Water
The course’s name isn’t a marketing flourish—four separate streams actually cross the property, zigzagging through fairways and framing approaches to demand sharp strategy from golfers.
Golf Course Review & Scouting Report
Four Streams
Beallsville, Maryland
Established
1998
Architect
Nick Price & Steve Smyers
Access
Private
Par
Par 71
Length
5,380 – 7,102 yds
The verdict
Maryland’s Quiet Architect’s Gem
Four Streams offers a regionally elite, private club experience shaped by Nick Price and Steve Smyers. Its rolling former farmland setting, pristine conditioning, and strategic bunkering ensure memorable, challenging golf in peaceful seclusion. If you want serious golf just northwest of D.C., this is one of the state’s must-play privates.
Course DNA
Difficulty
77
Scenery74
Conditioning90
Shot Variety81
Walkability70
Green Complexity77
Wow Factor76
Design Quality81
Don't miss
Look for the historic Hanover farmhouse still on site near the clubhouse, a quiet tribute to the land’s 18th-century roots.
At a glance
Quick facts
Property History
Built on the old 300-acre Hanover Farm
Streams in Play
Four streams cross the course
Georgetown University Connection
Home venue for Georgetown golf teams
State Ranking
Consistently in Maryland’s top 12
Nonprofit Club Since
2003, member-owned status
Bunker Style
Ground-hugging bunkers fit to the land
Total Acreage
Covers 300 acres
The design
The architecture
Nick Price and Steve Smyers used centuries-old farmland and four meandering streams to craft a private Maryland course with serious golf at its core. The routing threads through wooded stretches and open corridors, while Smyers’ bunker work and subtle shaping harness the natural undulations and water features to reward smart choices. Fiercely strategic, the course fuses farmland movement with ground-level artistry: each green complex and landing zone is shaped for both shotmaking and visual clarity—resulting in a golfer’s course that always asks for commitment and crisp execution.
Price and Smyers’ blend of championship challenge and farmland flow offers a quietly formidable, endlessly playable layout.
Defining features
- Streams come into play on multiple holes
- Ground-hugging bunkers placed with strategic intent
- Routing takes advantage of natural rolling topography
- Mix of open and wooded corridors
- Modern green complexes with subtle contours
Hole by hole
Signature holes
Hole 11
The Long Haul Test
PAR
4
YARDAGE
496
The longest par 4 at Four Streams, stretching to 496 yards, this hole is a true grinder that challenges both length and accuracy from tee to green. With a subtly moving fairway and hazards ready to punish over-aggression, it's the round’s most demanding test of stamina. Finish safely here and you’ve bested the course’s sternest brute.
Play it smart
Favor the wider landing area, then aim for the center of the green to avoid tough up-and-downs.
Where it bites
A misplaced drive courts bunkers and rough, while missing the green brings difficult recoveries.
Course management
Shots to think about
Teeing off at par 5s with water in play
Focus on placement over sheer distance to set up your next shot, especially where streams cut across the landing zone.
Approaching par 4s with bunkers flanking greens
Aim for the center, resisting the urge to chase tucked pins; the safe play gives you realistic birdie or par chances.
Long par 3 with deep green-side bunkers
Club up and accept a longer putt—short or wide misses make saving par a serious challenge.
Uphill approaches from fairway undulations
Trust the yardage and stay below the hole to improve your chances on subtly contoured greens.
Short par 4s with angled fairways
Decide on aggressive versus conservative lines off the tee—the right angle gives far easier approaches and scoring potential.
Closing out your round on 18
Don’t force the issue—lay up short of trouble if required and attack the flag only from a confident position.
On the day
What to expect
Conditions
Meticulous turf and sand, immaculate greens, and clean fairways year-round.
Pace
Efficient member-paced rounds with minimal bottlenecks and no resort slowdowns.
Vibe
Serious yet welcoming for golfers, polished and quiet—a pure club experience.
Dress code
Private club standards; traditional golf attire is strongly recommended.
Before you tee off
Your game plan
01
Check Your Distance Gapping
Be ready for several demanding long irons—holes like the 236-yard par 3 will test your club selection and control.
02
Pack for the Terrain
Bring comfortable shoes and be prepared for walkable but rolling ground—the course moves across Maryland farmland with some elevation swings.
03
Dial in Safe Angles
Study the layout: With several angled landing zones and strategic doglegs, planning for your preferred side of the fairway often pays off big.
The lore
How it came to be
- 1998
Course opens, designed by Nick Price & Steve Smyers
- 2003
Members purchase club, convert to nonprofit
- 2024
Ranked #12 in Maryland by Golf Digest
Stories & legends
What makes it special
Price & Smyers’ First U.S. Signature
Four Streams marks the original American collaboration between Nick Price and Steve Smyers, setting a standard for blending farmland movement with purposeful strategy.
Members Save the Club
In 2003, Four Streams’ members banded together to purchase the club and convert it to a nonprofit, protecting its community-driven, uncrowded experience for future generations.
Elite Training Ground
As Georgetown University’s home base, Four Streams is the quiet engine behind many Big East golf champions, famed for helping collegiate players tune up under real championship conditions.
For the group chat
Fun facts
1
The club is a nonprofit, member-owned entity since 2003.
2
Four Streams’ land was a top nursery and farm in Maryland for over two centuries.
3
Georgetown University's golf teams regularly practice and compete here.
4
The architect team of Price & Smyers debuted their collaboration in U.S. design at this club.
Build the trip
If you’re building a greater D.C. golf trip…
CourseAccessWhy it's on the listTrip
TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm
Private – limited access
Tour-tested, one of the region’s most highly ranked venues
Blue Mash Golf Course
Public
Locals’ favorite, accessible championship-quality tee times
Worthington Manor
Public
Top public play with US Open Qualifier cred
Queenstown Harbor
Public/Resort
Destination water views and strong stay-and-play value
Bethesda or Potomac for ideal access and dining
Course DNA
If You Like Four Streams
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Strong DNA Match8.5
John's Island Club West Course
Vero Beach, FloridaConditioning
Why it matches: If Four Streams is your kind of course, John's Island Club West Course is worth a look because it puts the same premium on presentation.
Strong DNA Match7.6
The Landings Golf & Athletic Club – Oakridge Course
Savannah, GeorgiaConditioning
Why it matches: There is real overlap here. The Landings Golf & Athletic Club – Oakridge Course offers similarly polished playing surfaces, making it a compelling counterpart to Four Streams.
Strong DNA Match7.3
Trump National Doral Miami – Red Tiger Course
Miami, FloridaConditioning
Why it matches: Trump National Doral Miami – Red Tiger Course is a natural next stop after Four Streams: it offers similarly polished playing surfaces.
Community Sentiment
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