Blue Mash GC
Laytonsville, MD (West of Baltimore)
Arthur Hills
6885 yards, par 71
'02 Fees: $48 to $62
Golf Magazine Review: Design features wide landing areas, small greens, and minimal bunkering. No forced carries on this gently rolling layout, although the lake comes into play on more than half the holes on the back 9. Walkers welcome.
Golf Magazine Reader Rating (1-5):
Overall: 3.5
Conditions: 3.5
Pace: 3.8
Service: 3.2
Value: 3.3
Golf Magazine Reader Comments: "Excellent layout, nice greens. Will be the best in Montgomery County in short time... Wonderful variety of holes, easy to walk, good conditions... Makes you think... Tremendous layout, creative and fun, awesome par 3's... Loved the course, no housing so the best land saved for golf... First 3 holes be ready to attack, very playable after that... Ignore the power lines."
Best Bar Nearby, Baltimore: Inner Harbor tourist faves include authentic Irish pub chain Tir Na Nog, Hooters, and uber-sportsbar ESPN Zone. Baltimore's 2 main bar districts are Fell's Point, one of the original urban-rennesiance projects and a beehive of mixed crowds, and Federal Hill, home of the Yuppie-crowd-gone-somewhat-blue-collar. Bohager's (701 S. Eden) is a classic Fell's Point indoor/outdoor meat market. In Federal Hill, hit Mother's Bar & Grill for a burger they literally named "Heart Attack On A Plate": 8 oz. beer battered burger stuffed with cheddar cheese, then deep fried. OR, you gotta try the crab dip at Looney's in Canton. 3 blocks from the Inner Harbor you'll find Baltimore's best Gentlemen's club, Larry Flint's Hustler Club (409 E Baltimore, www.hustlerclubs.com ). Voted as the #1 Gentlemen's club chain in the country by Exotic Dancer magazine, and also Baltimore's #1 club by the readers of local City Paper (www.citypaper.com ). Or hit the Baltimore outpost of the Scores chain of Gentlemen's clubs (615 Fallsway, 410-528-1117). For a list of City Paper's readers choice winners for 2006, go to www.citypaper.com/bob/story.asp?id=12673. Finally, a business acquaintance raved about the wings at Mick O'Shea's (328 N Charles, www.mickosheas.com), saying, "Any neighborhood bar with a kitchen that's cranking out great wings at midnight on a weeknight is worth visiting."
Where To Grub: Phillip's Crab House brings it's Ocean City tradition to the Inner Harbor. Great steamed MD blue crabs, great seafood, and some of the best warm sourdough rolls on the planet. OR, local Kathy L. recommends Obrycki's Crab House (1727 E. Pratt). A half block from the Inner Harbor, hit a meat lover's paradise at Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Chao. Amtrak's Arrive Magazine recommends Ixia (518 N. Charles St., www.ixia-online.com ) a "pillow-talk-reclining dining" experience. Eye candy abounds, from the chic urban clientele to the electric-hued art prints. Then there's the assortment of Italian-designed lounge furniture, including 2 Queen-sized beds upholstered in silver metallic and red snakeskin. The decor resembles a modernized version of a 40's supper club. On Sundays, try breakfast in bed with tempura Chilean sea bass and scrambled eggs in Thai yellow curry sauce. The live Jazz brunch is served 11:00-3:00. Or you can barely go wrong with most of the fantastic Italian restaurants in Little Italy, near the Fell's Point bar district.
Further Distractions: You gotta hit a ballgame at Camden Yards. I've always said that a little piece of God lives there. The first of the throwback baseball parks built in the modern era, and to my mind still the best of that ilk. Hit Boog Powell's BBQ while you're there. Check out ESPN's Camden Yards guide at http://espn.go.com/travel/stadium/?stadium=mlb_2763&venue=mlb_1 .