maps.golfThe hardest golf courses in Maryland, by slope rating
We ranked 12 Maryland courses with a maps.golf guide using the numbers on their own scorecards. Lodestone Golf Course is the hardest: a slope of 142 from the Black tees (course rating 76.1).
Updated November 4, 2026
| # | Course | Location | Slope | Rating | Tees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lodestone Golf Course | McHenry, MD | 142 | 76.1 | Black |
| 2 | Richland Golf Club | Middletown, MD | 141 | 73.0 | Gold |
| 3 | Maryland National Golf Course | Middletown, MD | 139 | 73.6 | Black |
| 4 | Hog Neck Golf Course – Championship | Easton, MD | 138 | 74.4 | Black |
| 5 | Lake Presidential Golf Course | Upper Marlboro, MD | 137 | 74.3 | Black |
| 6 | Clustered Spires Golf Course | Frederick, MD | 133 | 72.6 | Black |
| 7 | River Marsh Golf Club | Cambridge, MD | 132 | 73.0 | Gold |
| 8 | Rocky Point Golf Course | Essex, MD | 125 | 72.3 | Blue |
| 9 | Laytonsville Golf Course | Laytonsville, MD | 123 | 69.9 | Black |
| 10 | Needwood Golf Course | Derwood, MD | 122 | 68.8 | Blue |
| 11 | Clifton Park Golf Course | Baltimore, MD | 120 | 68.7 | Blue |
| 12 | Fox Hollow Golf Course | Timonium, MD | 115 | 68.8 | Blue |
How we ranked them
Slope rating measures how much harder a course plays for a bogey golfer than for a scratch golfer; 113 is average and 155 is the maximum. Each course is ranked by the highest men's slope on its own scorecard, from whichever tees carry it. Ties go to the higher course rating.
The list covers courses with a free maps.golf guide whose scorecard we’ve published, and it updates on its own as new guides go live. Numbers are as printed on each course’s card; courses re-rate and re-tee, so check the course’s own scorecard before you play. Running one of these courses and see a wrong number? Tell us.
You’re welcome to cite or link this ranking; please credit maps.golf.