Grand Slam Glory: A Review of the Renditions Golf Experience

Renditions Grand Slam Experience (personal best: 88, Blue tees) Number of Rounds Played: 5+

From the Tips (Black tees): 6762 yards. Rating/Slope: 72.2/130

Renditions Golf Course and Grand Slam Experience is a beautiful course located in Davidsonville, Maryland, just a short distance outside of Annapolis. One of the most unique courses I have had the pleasure of playing, each hole is a replica of a hole from a world-famous course. From Augusta to Carnoustie, each hole makes you feel like you are playing a major venue and it is such a blast. This is one that holds a special place in my heart as well, one that my dad and I always play – we always end up getting paired with great people too! As you might notice from my score, this isn’t a place I play particularly well at, but it is still always somewhere I am grateful for playing. 

The first hole, playing 379 yards from the tips, is a replica of the 17th hole at The Country Club (Brookline, MA) – host of multiple US Open Championships. It can be considered a slight dogleg left, this hole gives a number of different options off the tee. If you are capable of carrying 250, this would be a pretty easy driver hole for you. Otherwise, take whatever club you can to lay back and away from the bunkers on the left hand side. The green complex is where the real danger lies. More often than not, the pin is located in the front left portion of this two-tiered sloping green. It runs FAST so you have to be careful with the flat stick. 

The second hole is a par three, replica of the 12th at the Inverness Club (Toledo, OH) – again host of multiple US Open Championships, and most recently the Solheim Cup in 2021! 167 yards from the tips, this shot requires distance AND direction as the green is guarded short, left, and right by bunkers. There is a run off to the back, but this would probably be safer than any other locations. I would recommend to club UP on this hole to avoid major damage. The green complex is rather benign compared to the first hole. 

Hole three is another shorter par four, replica of the 17th at Southern Hills (Tulsa, OK) – host most recently of the 2022 PGA Championship won by Justin Thomas for his second PGA title. If you were watching the 2022 PGA, than you know exactly what the 17th plays like. A creek runs along the righthand side of virtually this entire hole so you have to land your ball out left. Like its name, you will most likely have a side sloping shot into the green that is guarded by bunkers on both the left and right hand sides. The green itself slopes like its name so you have to keep your speed under control! 

The fourth hole is a par four, 358 yards from the tips, and a replica of the 16th at Royal Lytham and St. Annes (Lancashire, UK). The first links course in the lineup, the fourth is one of my favorites on the course. The landing area is massive, as the right rough is severely cut down – nothing like you would see in England, so there is almost no such thing as a “wild drive” here. The danger comes more on the approach as there are bunkers short and right of this green. You want to be on the lefthand side of the fairway for the greatest angle into the green, which is rather flat and one of more the more easier surfaces to putt on the course. 

A replica of Royal Birkdale’s (Merseyside, UK) 15th hole is Renditions 5th hole. Another course in The Open rotation, this links hole is a par five, 543 from the tips. The big player on this hole? The WIND. The wind roars on this hole most often left to right, and that is bad news for slicers. OB sports down the right hand side so you will have to manage that to keep it in play. Most often a three shot hole for me, solely because of the control you need with the wind. Plenty of bunkers, appropriate of links style, and the green is huge with a decent amount on undulation. 

The sixth hole starts one of the most iconic stretches in golf and probably why a lot of golfers want to come here and play. This is a replica of the start of Amen Corner, the 11th at Augusta National. A beast of a par four, this plays 455 from the tips and is essentially all uphill off the tee. On approach, it is all downhill with the iconic lake to the left and there is even a Masters scoreboard left of the lake, congratulating the most recent Masters champion that past year. It is hard to take on the lake so you can leave it out right for safety. The green is a bit of a dome and will require both distance control and placement as you get closer to the hole. 

Seven is the legendary par three during the stretch of Amen Corner. A replica of Rae’s Creek and all the beautiful shrubbery behind the green make it almost as beautiful as the real thing. You even get to drive over Hogan Bridge!! The actual hole is fairly simple, a short iron – but you have to take all calculations into consideration here which makes it so much more difficult. 

The eighth hole at Renditions is a replica of the final hole of Amen Corner, the 13th at Augusta. A “short” par five, 485 from the tips, this is a severe dog leg left and one of the most important holes at that Masters. If you can sling a nice draw up the left side, you can go for this one in two. The green is well guarded, water in front and four greenside bunkers while also having the trademark Augusta undulating greens. A great finish to perhaps the greatest stretch of holes on the course. 

Nine is a replica of the 16th at Oakland Hills (Birmingham, MA), playing 406 from the tips. There is a tree line running along the left side of the hole, but is red stake territory so you do have the option to drop if you go left. Only the most monster of hitters will have to take the lake into consideration off the tee, but everyone will have to account for it on approach. There are also bunkers guarding the backside of the green so distance control is paramount on this hole. 

The tenth is a par four, 449 yards from the tips, and is a replica of number six at Medinah Country Club in Chicago, Illinois. The sit of multiple US Opens and PGAs, you will want to drive it as straight as you can on this hole. There is some open area right of the tree line down the right side of the hole, but there is a fairway bunker down the left side that you will definitely want to avoid. The green is guarded by four bunkers and also has a great deal of undulation. They like to put the pin on a bit of a spine, so keep this in mind while putting. 

Eleven, a replica of the 17th at Oak Hill (Pittsford, NY), is the second hardest hole on the course by handicap. It is a par four, playing 458 yards from the tips, and sports a wild dogleg right. Going straight could put you through the fairway if you are long enough. There are five bunkers surrounding the green and the space leading up to it, definitely one of the hardest to hit on the course in my experience. 

You’ll come across another links hole when you get to twelve, a replica of number six at Carnoustie (Carnoustie, Scotland, UK). Another one of my favorites, it looks daunting from the tee at 541 yards from the tips, but there is a lot of room to work with as the right side of the rough has been cut down. You can try and take it down Hogan’s Alley, but you will flirting with OB on the left. Mounds and bunkers will greet you as you make your way to the large green, as with most links holes. 

Thirteen is another hole that people are probably eyeing as they look this course up, a replica of number seventeen at TPC Sawgrass – the Island Hole (Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.). Playing around 132 from the tips (not taking wind into account, which is massive here obviously), it is the toughest wedge/short iron shot on the course even through its simplicity. The green is just as mountainous as you see on TV so a really fun hole to be able to play. Bring your ball retriever!! 

The fourteenth is a replica of the 11th at Merion Golf Club (Haverford, PA), site of five US Opens and three more scheduled. This is a driver-less hole, 369 from the tips, but you have to play short to avoid the water. I tend to hit iron off the tee and it will leave a short iron into the green, guarded by a bunker on the left and water all around the other sides. Even the pin replicates the wicker baskets of Merion! 

Fifteen sports the Church Pews, a replica of the third at Oakmont Country Club (Los Angeles, CA), playing 425 yards from the tips. Luckily, I have never been in those yet – but I’m sure it’ll happen. I have been right of the bunkers on the righthand side though! You need two great shots on this hole, I have had to hit five iron up the hill on approach because of how long it plays. The green is very dome-like and they like to put the pin in the back, just a few paces from the rough. 

The sixteenth is a snaking replica of the 16th at Shinnecock Hills (Southampton, NY), home of multiple US Opens, and EIGHTEEN bunkers (from what I can see!). A 542 yard par five, it is very tough to reach in two, as you have to fly your approach shot on the green and it is very hard to hold. I would recommend conceding that it will take three shots and try to let your short game do most of the work. I have taken a triple on this hole before 😬. 

Seventeen is a par three, a replica of number seven at Winged Foot West (Mamaroneck, NY), and plays 166 from the tips. Home to numerous majors, this hole is daunting in the fact that the green is small and the bunkers large and deep. Landing on the green will not guarantee a putt here, the green plays hard and fast. You really have to hoist it high if you are trying to get on in regulation. 

The closing hole is a replica of the 16th at Cherry Hills (Denver, CO) and plays as a 399 yard par four from the tips. It is a soft dogleg right, with a river running through at about the 300 yard mark. I usually take a three wood or so off the tee and end up with a short iron or wedge into the green. Guarded by two frontside bunkers, you have to take note of where the pin is as the green is two tiered and slopes hard to the left. It is always fun closing on this hole, typically as the sun is setting. 

From my personal experience, this is probably my favorite course that I get to play around here. Plaques line each tee box with a snippet of history and you feel like you get to be a part of the golfing legacy for four to five hours. Truly an experience, I would recommend anyone in the area to get a tee time and you will not regret it. Probably some of the best food I’ve had on a course as well, make sure you check out the clubhouse – just as nice as the course!!