CONGRESSIONAL CC (BLUE COURSE)
Course Architects: Devereaux Emmet (1924), Donald Ross (1930), Robert Trent Jones, Sr. (1959- 64), Rees Jones (1990s, 2006), Andrew Green (2019-21)
Year Opened: 1924
Location: Bethesda, Maryland
Slope: 142. Rating: 75.4
Par: 72
Yardage: 7,569
Hole-by-Hole: 1 - Par 4 402 Yds 10 - Par 3 218 Yds
2 - Par 3 233 Yds 11 - Par 5 507 Yds
3 - Par 4 466 Yds 12 - Par 4 471 Yds
4 - Par 4 470 Yds 13 - Par 3 193 Yds
5 - Par 4 413 Yds 14 - Par 4 467 Yds
6 - Par 5 555 Yds 15 - Par 4 490 Yds
7 - Par 3 173 Yds 16 - Par 5 579 Yds
8 - Par 4 354 Yds 17 - Par 4 437 Yds
9 - Par 5 636 Yds 18 - Par 4 523 Yds
Par 36 3,702 Yds Par 36 3,867 Yds
Awards Won: Ranked #1 by Golf Digest - Best in State (Maryland) (2005-08),
#30 by Golf Connoisseur - 100 Most Prestigious Private Clubs,
Ranked #61 by Golf Magazine - America's Top 100 Courses (2024-25),
#67 by Golf Digest - America's 100 Greatest Courses (2025-26).
Key Events Held: U.S. Junior Amateur (1949),
U.S. Women's Amateur (1959),
U.S. Open (1964, 1997, 2011),
U.S. Senior Open (1995),
PGA Championship (1976, 2030),
Kemper Open (1980-86),
Booz Allen Classic (2005),
AT&T National (2007-09),
Quicken Loans National (2016, 2018, 2020), Senior PGA Championship (2025, 2033), KPMG Women’s PGA Championship (2022, 2027), PGA Professional Championship (2029), Ryder Cup (2037).
Website: ccclub.org.
HISTORY: When one talks about the history of a golf course, all you have to do is look at what championships have been staged at the venue to know where it ranks among the greats. That certainly is the case with Congressional Country Club's Blue Course. From the U.S. and Senior Opens and PGA Championship, along with PGA Tour stops, Congressional is as storied a venue as it gets. The list of past winners at Congressional reads like a who's who, with such notable
victors as: Gay Brewer, Ken Venturi, Dave Stockton, Craig Stadler, Fred Couples, Greg Norman, Tom Weiskopf, Ernie Els and Rory McIlroy.
Founded in 1924, Congressional was first laid out by Devereaux Emmet, who also crafted some notable venues; St. Georges Golf and Country Club, Garden City Golf Club, Leatherstocking Country Club and Meadow Brook Club. With most of his work done in the state of New York, Emmet's work at Congressional, nine holes each of the Blue and Gold, was his only design in the state of Maryland. Six years later, the one and only Donald Ross was brought in for a revision of
the course. Congressional Country Club was the centerpiece for one of the world's most famous regions, Washington D.C.
Congressmen Oscar E. Bland and O.R. Luhring of Indiana helped found the venue with Herbert Hoover as the Club's first president. Their intention was a club designed for members of Congress to socialize with the most influential businessmen of our time. The list included such luminaries as John D. Rockefeller, the DuPonts, William Randolph Hurst, Harvey S. Firestone and Walter Chrysler to name a few.
Congressional is synonymous with the Presidents of the United States. Former Commanders-in-Chief who were lifetime members were Calvin Coolidge, Howard Taft, Hoover, Woodrow Wilson and Warren Harding. President Dwight Eisenhower and his Cabinet frequented the lush fairways on
many occasions, as did recent leaders George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
Robert Trent Jones, Sr was brought to Congressional in 1959 to redesign the course in time for the U.S. Women's Amateur and the 1964 U.S. Open, while his son Rees, who took over as the "Open Doctor" from his father, came aboard in the early 1990s for the last major renovation work for the 1995 U.S. Senior Open and the 1997 U.S. Open.
Jones rebuilt every green and bunker, re-graded many fairways and added considerable mounding. He returned to Congressional in 2006 to design a new par three to replace the original 18th, which played back to the clubhouse. The new hole is now the 10th and plays away from the main
building, stretching as much as 218 yards. "I think what they've done to this golf course is they have made it better," commented Tiger Woods. "They have made it more fair, but they have also made it more challenging."
In just the second year of the tournament, the USGA brought the U.S. Junior Amateur to Congressional, as former Masters champion Brewer defeated Mason Rudolph, 6 & 4 in the championship match. The 1959 U.S. Women's Amateur saw Barbara McIntire capture the first of her two championships, as she defeated Joanne Goodwin, 4 & 3.
The best was yet to come, as the 1964 U.S. Open was awarded to Congressional. With temperatures approaching 100, Tommy Jacobs played the first two days in four-under par and led Arnold Palmer by one with Sunday's final 36 holes remaining.
Six shots back was Venturi, who after losing to Palmer at the 1960 Masters, suffered through numerous injuries and by 1964 was hardly noticed. That would all change on Sunday. Despite the heat and humidity, Venturi opened with a front- nine 30 to take the lead. After adding another birdie on 12, the weather conditions began to take its toll on Venturi, as he missed a pair of short par putts on the final two holes of the third round for a 66. Jacobs fashioned an even-par 70 to lead by two heading into the afternoon's final round. Visibly drained, Venturi was given salt tablets and tea and was advised by a doctor, a Congressional member, to withdraw from the event.
The former CBS commentator played steady golf, making 14 pars, two birdies and two bogeys for a final score of 70, a 278 total and a four-stroke win over Jacobs, who collapsed down the stretch with a 76. Venturi's final 54-hole total of 206 set a record at the time and his last 36 of 136 tied the record.
In the press room afterwards, Venturi was asked what he thought of Congressional and without hesitation, "Best course I ever won the Open on." Interestingly enough, due to additional television
revenues and the enormous physical circumstances Venturi withstood, the USGA opted in 1965 to play the Open over four days, ending the final day marathon that the last day of the Open had become. Palmer, who played in the final group with Jacobs, shot 74 and tied for fifth. Venturi would later add two more wins in 1964 and was voted PGA Tour player of the year.
The PGA of America made its first stop at Congressional in 1976 for the PGA Championship. Tom Weiskopf opened with a tournament-low 65 to take the lead, but could not continue his fine play, closing with 74-73-72 to tie for eighth. Trailing by eight shots at the halfway point, Dave Stockton roared into contention with a 69 to trail Charles Coody by only four.
With the final round being played on Monday for the first time in history due to rain, Stockton shot an even-par round of 70 for a one-shot win over Ray Floyd, who played with Venturi for those final 36 holes during the 1964 Open, and Don January. Standing on the final tee (17th hole was the final hole for the PGA, 1964 Open and 1995 Senior Open), Stockton needed to make par to avoid a playoff. The 14-time Champions Tour and 10-time PGA Tour winner calmly knocked in his 15-foot putt for par for his second PGA Championship title. Stockton's total of one-over 281 matched the highest winning total at the time. Congressional certainly came out on top, as the four-day average was 74.44 and the halfway cut came in at nine-over par.
The PGA Tour's regular stop in the area, the Kemper Open, made Congressional its home, as the course hosted the event from 1980-86. Playing as a par 72, Craig Stadler became the first back-to-back winner of the event, as he titled in 1981-82 after finishing second to John Mahaffey in 1980. Fred Couples won a five-way playoff in 1983 for his first career PGA Tour title. Norman won
his first Tour title in 1984, as he cruised to a five-shot win over Mark O'Meara at Congressional. Norman added his second Kemper Open title in 1986, when he knocked off Larry Mize in a playoff. Mize, of course, would return the favor the next year at The Masters.
The USGA returned to Congressional in 1995 for the U.S. Senior Open. Perennial runner-up Tom Weiskopf, who never won a USGA event before, became only the second Senior Open winner to post all four rounds in the 60s, as he defeated longtime rival Jack Nicklaus by four shots. Weiskopf, who finished second at the 1976 U.S. Open and was runner-up at four Masters,
missed only 16 greens all week and his final round of 68 ranks as one of the best final rounds by a champion in the history of the Senior Open.
It took 33 years, but the U.S. Open returned to Congressional for the 1997 edition. Colin Montgomerie opened with 65 and held a one-shot lead over Hal Sutton, as he hit 13 of 14 fairways and 16 greens in regulation. Monty would struggle in day two, shooting 76 while Tom Lehman carded 70 to take the lead, just one clear of 1994 champion Ernie Els, who fashioned a 67. Day three was a mixed bag, as 21 players were forced to complete their third round on Sunday, including Els, who at the time was struggling at two-over par through 13. Els came out of the box smoking, as he rolled in a 12-foot par save on 14 and then birdied holes 15 through 17 for a 69. Lehman, who was playing in the final group for the third consecutive year, led Els and Jeff Maggert by two.
Despite a shaky start, Lehman was tied for the lead with Maggert after six holes, with Els and Montgomerie just one back. Playing holes 7-12 in three-under, Els took a one-shot lead over the trio, but fell back into a tie with a bogey at 13. Maggert fell out of contention with bogeys on 13 and 16 and a double on 17. Montgomerie was the next player to fall back. After making bogey on 17 the three previous days, Montgomerie was faced with a five-foot putt for par. He waited several minutes for the group of Jay Haas and Tommy Tolles to putt out on the nearby 18th green, and Montgomerie missed his putt and then two-putted from 40-feet on the last for a 69 and a second-
place finish. After a solid tee shot on 17, Els, playing with Montgomerie, hit his five-iron approach on the green and two-putted for par and then made par on the last for a 69.
Sitting in the fairway at the 17th hole, Lehman decided to hit seven-iron from 190 yards out, as he trailed by one. After striking his shot, Lehman knew his chances were sunk as he splashed his approach into the water. Despite getting up and down for bogey, Lehman could only par the last for a 73 and a third-place finish. The win by Els made him the first non-American to capture two U.S. Open titles since 1910 and the youngest two-time champion at the age of 27 since Jack Nicklaus in 1967. The key to victory was the South African's play over the final five holes, as he played them the last two days at three-under par. Lehman played them at even- par, Montgomerie at one-over and Maggert five-over. Nicklaus, who tied for 52nd, played in his 41st consecutive Open, 142nd straight major and his 150th major championship. The 10th hole during the third round also marked his 10,000th hole played in his major championship career. At 7,213 yards, Congressional was the longest course in U.S. Open history at the time and was 160 yards
longer than the 1964 Open.
The field also included Tiger Woods, who was competing at the U.S. Open for the first time as a professional. Woods broke 72 only once (second round 67) and finished tied for 19th. Congressional once again was the winner, as the average score for the week was 73.65 with 403 rounds over par.
After hosting the Booz Allen Classic in 2005, won by Spaniard Sergio Garcia, Congressional became the site of the PGA Tour's newest event, the AT&T National, hosted by Tiger Woods.
The first staging of the event was in 2007, as K.J. Choi held off the tournament host and the Tour's best, as he recorded a three-shot win over Steve Stricker. Choi opened with 66 and was tied for the lead with four other players. A second-round 67 moved Choi atop the leaderboard with Stuart
Appleby. The talented Australian moved in front with his third straight round in the 60s to lead Choi by two shots. Appleby struggled right from the start on the final day, with a double-bogey on two and four straight bogeys from the fourth to fall out of contention. Tied with Choi after 14 holes, Stricker bogeyed the 15th, while Choi, playing in the final group, birdied from 12 feet
to take a two-shot lead. Stricker had birdie chances on the final two holes, but missed and after a Choi hole out from the bunker on 17 for birdie, the tournament was his. After an opening round of 73, Woods rebounded with 66-69-70 to tie for sixth.
When the USGA returned for the 2011 U.S. Open the course played to a par of 71 and was stretched to 7,574 yards. Rory McIlroy opened the championship with a six-under-par 65 to take a three shot lead over Y.E. Yang and Charl Schwartzel. McIlroy continued his stellar play with a 66 for a six-stroke lead over Yang. More of the same continued for the Irishman, as he added a 68 to his total and stood at 14-under-par, eight clear of Yang. On Sunday’s final round, McIlroy completed the rout with a 69 for an eight shot win over Jason Day. McIlroy became only the third player in history to shoot four rounds in the 60s at a U.S. Open. Lee Trevino (1968) and Lee Janzen (1993) were the others. Yang closed with 71 and tied for third.
More recently, the PGA of America brought its Senior PGA Championship to Congressional in 2025, as Angel Cabrera edged Padraig Harrington and Thomas Bjorn by one shot. For the week, the Blue Course played to a scoring average of 74.45, with the 17th and 18th playing as two of the top three hardest holes. Despite opening with a first-round of one-over-par 72, Cabrera rebounded with three sub-par rounds to finish at eight-under-par. A key to his victory was his play on the par-5 11th, as he made three birdies and one eagle for the week.
COURSE REVIEW: From an elevated tee, the first hole is a straightaway par four, just over 400 yards from the blue tees. Bunkers dot both sides of the landing area with two left and one right. A mid to short-iron will remain to a fairly flat green with three traps, right, left-front and back-right. The putting surface is one of the smallest on the course at 28 yards deep with a back-right pin placement the most difficult. Rumor has it that during the 1964 U.S. Open, Chi Chi Rodriguez drove in the rough and asked the starter, "Can I have a mulligan?"
The first demanding hole on the course is the par-three second. Stretching as much as 233 yards, this hole plays uphill to a slick green guarded by six strategically placed bunkers. The putting surface slopes severely from back-left to front-right with a ridge in the center. Whatever you do, avoid long and left, as getting up and down will certainly be a chore.
Your next test at Congressional comes in the way of the third. Bending ever so slightly to the left, this par four plays downhill to the fairway and uphill to the green. Two fairway traps with high lips protect the right side, while one trap and thick rough flanks the left. The undulating green has a large and small trap to the left and a pair of pot bunkers on the right. The second deepest green on the course slopes from back to front and is quite intimidating. Stay below the hole, or else! Charles Coody, who led the PGA with one round remaining, fell out of the lead on this hole as he made double-bogey.
A dogleg to the right, the fourth is another outstanding hole that features several fairway bunkers down the right and a pair to the left. Although played off an elevated tee, the second shot will once again be uphill to a tiny 25-yard green. Sand comes into play around the putting surface, with a deep trap left and right. Back to front is the slope of the green, so stay below the hole for any shot at birdie. Ken Venturi made mincemeat of the fourth en route to his 1964 U.S. Open title with three birdies in four rounds.
From an elevated tee, the fifth doglegs sharply to the left. At just 413 yards, this is a definite birdie hole, but it must be played strategically. Three or fairway metal off the tee is all that is needed to dissect the sloping fairway that boasts three bunkers on the right and two left. Miss the fairway left and you'll end up in trees. Drive through the fairway and you'll have no shot at holding the green. Ideally, a short iron remains to a green guarded by a pair of bunkers left and one deep bunker right. The putting surface features a ridge in the center and slopes from back to front. A shaved chipping area will collect any shot that misses right or long, so club selection will be key.
If you're a member, you'll play the sixth as a par five of 555 yards, however for the 1997 U.S. Open it played as a par-four. A big drive down the right side of the fairway is required to have any type of success. The key however, is too avoid the thick rough down the left side. Next up is deciding what to do, as your second must either avoid the pond fronting the green or lay up to a negotiable yardage. To be honest, there is no choice. Lay up and leave yourself 100 yards. This takes all the
trouble out of play and can set up a real birdie chance. The deep putting surface can be tough, especially with a front-right or a back-left pin. Missing left of the green will put you in one of the quartet of bunkers.
One of the toughest greens on the course, the seventh is two-tiered and slopes wickedly from back to front. Playing uphill, this par-three gem is fronted by four traps and requires pinpoint accuracy. Long and left will require a magic hat and wand to get up and down. Jack Nicklaus made his usual Sunday charge at the 1995 U.S. Senior Open when he aced the seventh.
The only par four under 400 yards, the eighth is thought of as a birdie hole, but if you're not careful, it can result in bogey. The defense of the eighth is that the hole plays as a dogleg to the right
with bunkers on the right and left and a small, well-guarded green. A fairway metal or long iron is all that is needed to attack the hole off the tee. From there, just a little wedge is left to a putting surface that slopes from back to front, is quite narrow and has four surrounding traps. The key to
success is the tee shot, because missing right will lead to trouble.
The final hole on the outward nine is one of the most demanding par fives around. It's a roller-coaster of a hole that requires pinpoint accuracy. First of all, length. The ninth is a 636-yard beast. Second, your drive plays down into a valley of a fairway with traps flanking each side of the landing area. Next, your lay-up must be towards the left side of the fairway to avoid being blocked by tall trees that overlook the fairway. By the way, going for the green in two is sure suicide, as a
deep ravine in front of the green features thick rough and leaves a blind, uphill third shot. Negotiating the putting surface is no bargain either, as it slopes quickly from left to right and back to front, with numerous bunkers around. One final thought, any shot on the beginning of the
green will fall off due to the shaved area fronting the surface.
Completely redesigned for a second time by Andrew Green in 2019 (first time by Rees Jones in 2006), the 10th is now a downhill par three of 218 yards. The putting surface has been moved in front of the pond, where it previously resided beyond the pond. Before Jones redesigned the hole, it was the 18th and played towards the clubhouse. Now the green is one of the longest on the course with bunkers short and left and water right and deep.
Most of the talk around Congressional has 18 as the signature hole, however the second hole on the back nine has to be considered as one of the best holes on the course. Played as a par four for championship events, the 11th is regularly played as a three-shotter for us mere mortals. From an elevated tee box, the golfer needs to play for the left side of the fairway, as the slope in the landing area goes to the right. Two bunkers protect the left side of the fairway while trees and a steep slope guard the left. Let's not forget the stream that runs the entire length of the right side towards the green and then dissecting the fairway. No doubt a long iron is left, maybe even a fairway metal to this 34-yard deep green. Laying up is no bargain either with three traps left of the narrow landing zone. My advice, play it as a par-five and take your par and move on.
Although the 12th is a severe dogleg left of a par four of 471 yards, it most definitely can be had. That being said, the key is the tee shot, which must be played from right to left off the elevated ground, thus avoiding the handful of bunkers guarding the left side and the 30-yard bunker on the right corner. A short iron will remain to a fairly large green. A back-left or front-left pin could be difficult, but play below the hole to give yourself the best shot at birdie.
The final par three on the back nine, the 13th features a narrow entry to the front of the green, and although not that deep, the putting surface is quite wide. Two enormous traps protect the front-left and right of the green, while the putting surface is two-tiered and slopes quickly to the front. A back-right or back-left pin could prove costly if you err in club selection. Avoid the three bunkers that lay in waiting in the rear of the green, as this will make for a difficult up and down.
There is no let up when you reach the 14th, a brute of a par four. Another elevated tee box allows the player to see what's in store. With that in mind, pull out the big dog and let it rip. Out of bounds left and deep rough and trees will make you think twice about accuracy. Your second shot
will be played uphill to a long and narrow, two-tiered green guarded by three deep bunkers left and one right. Make sure you take an extra club or two when hitting your second shot or you'll end up short and your shot might come back down the fairway.
From no fairway traps on the 14th to a quartet on the 15th, that's what awaits you on the tee box, not to mention 490 yards. What makes matters worse, missing left will result in deep rough and the fearsome foursome of sand, giving you virtually no shot at reaching the uphill green. This hole was so difficult in 1964 that champion Ken Venturi made bogey here three times. The putting surface is quite difficult with a ridge in the middle and it slopes from back to front and left to right. Also, six bunkers, three short and three deep will catch any errant shot. Getting up and down is next to impossible, especially if you’re long. If the flag is back-right, don't fight it, just take your medicine and move on.
Before the renovation.
Following the Andrew Green Redesign.
The final par five on the course, the 16th is reachable, but in the real world this is definitely a three-shotter. After the tee shot, the hole plays uphill all the way to the green. The hole bends to the left after the tee ball and your opening shot must dissect the traps right and left. Your lay-up must avoid the series of traps on the left side, so leave yourself 100 yards for your third. Remember, it's uphill, so take an extra club or you'll fall short of your target. The putting surface is quite small
with deep traps protecting both sides. Although the view of the Presbyterian Church in the foreground is appealing (Founded in 1874), do not miss long, as the green will not allow you to get up and down.
Another great hole, the 17th requires some thought on the tee. The fairway runs out from the back tee at 295 yards, so for you big blasters, you might want to take three-metal, as a shot played too far might leave an awkward downhill lie second. A mid to short iron will remain to one of the
slickest greens on the course. One traps on either side of the putting surface that slopes from back to front. Not used in the 1964 Open and the 1976 PGA, the 17th was back in play for the 1995 Senior Open and the 1997 Open.
If there was one shot Tom Lehman would like to have back, it has to be his second at the 18th that he deposited in the water (played as the 17th for that event). The Blue Course's signature hole is, in a word, awesome. The scorecard says 523 yards, but for the 1997 U.S. Open, it played at 480
yards. The elevated tee shot must be played with a slight draw to catch the slope. Anything missed right will result in sand (6 traps await) and left is thick rough. The real test comes with the second shot, as water surrounds three sides of the green, not to mention one bunker to the right of the surface. The problem here is that your approach is played off a downhill lie, so choosing the
correct club and committing to the shot is of utmost importance. With a ridge in the center of the green and the shaved slope on the left, the smart play is right-center and two-putt for par. Cute will get you wet. What a dramatic finish!
FINAL WORD: Over the years, some of the greatest architects of our time have converted Congressional into one of the premier courses in the country. There is a reason why it has been ranked in the top-100 for so many years.
Let's begin with the intangibles, such as the history of the course. Congressional has hosted U.S. Opens, the PGA Championship and a Senior Open, along with being a Tour stop for many years. In fact, a Ryder Cup will be making its first visit in years to come.
The membership can't get much better than the Presidents of the United States. Speaking of
membership, you'll have to pony up well over $100,000 to join, not to mention be patient, as the waiting list is around a dozen years.
You'll be hard pressed to find a clubhouse with more charm and ambience than Congressional. But, let's not forget about the course. The practice facility is outstanding and the course, well, top notch.
When Rees Jones came in the early 1990s, he rebuilt every green, lowering 17 of them, changing many of the contours to make them more receptive. Jones also elevated many of the tees and re-graded the fairways to take out many of the blind looks the course had. With the changes, Jones brought strategy back into focus for all shots, not just the tee ball. "I want the golfer to stand on the tee and think about how he's going to play it," said Jones. The changes were needed, but they did not damage the integrity of the course. Even his work on the 10th, made the venue more complete.
When Andrew Green stepped in, Congressional became even better.
What’s missing and what has been added?
Missing are the thousands of trees that had encroached the original design. The views from one end to the next are as clear as a bell.
Added are more than 40 bunkers, reaching 138 in all, fairways enlarged and green complexes increased by an acre, making them wider and deeper with open fronts.
“What I hope they see is a golf course that matches the caliber of the club that they have,” Green said. “It’s interesting and different and plays differently every day. Holes with character and are recognizable with different shots being asked of the players. I think it’s more memorable in that way.”
Congressional Blue has been crafted into a phenomenal layout. It comes as no surprise that the PGA will come back in 2030 for the PGA Championship, the Women’s PGA Championship in 2027, the PGA Professional Championship in 2029, the Senior PGA Championship in 2033, and the Ryder Cup in 2037.
Talk about a course that has gotten better with age, the Blue at Congressional is quite presidential.