Best of the Bay – Best Golf Course

Twin Shields Golf Club

Insider tip: Twin Shields Golf Club is Calvert County’s best-kept secret.

Bay Weekly readers can tell you all about it: They voted the public golf course the Best of the Bay.

Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, the 18-hole, par-70 championship golf course was conceived and built by identical twins Ray and Roy Shields on 300 acres of tobacco farmland in Dunkirk. Today it is still very much a family affair, run by Roy’s daughters, Karen and Diane Shields, who, along with the staff, take pride in making it personal. They all greet regulars by name in the friendly atmosphere.

Readers also appreciate the golf pace. Here, a round of golf averages four hours on weekends, a much faster-paced game than the normal five- or five-and-a-half-hour rounds played at comparable courses.

“You can tee off at 7am and be back in the parking lot by 11am,” says resident pro John Dodson. So you still have the afternoon to spend with family or run Saturday errands. Speeding up the game are golfers who practice ready golf: “When it’s your turn to play, you’re prepared,” Dodson says.

“We think 40 years says it all,” agree Karen and Diane. “40 years of beautiful grounds, 40 years of loyal golfers, 40 years of having a fabulous staff. It all makes for 40 years of endless memories. We feel so fortunate and deeply appreciate this award.”

Twin Shields Golf Club: 2425 Roarty Rd., Dunkirk: 301-855-8228; www.twinshields.com.