
Bay Hills Course
Bay Hills Golf Club

About this course
Bay Hills Golf Club sits in Arnold, Maryland, a community on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay between Annapolis and the Bay Bridge. Ed Ault designed the course, which opened in the 1960s during a period of significant residential golf development in Anne Arundel County. Ault, a Mid-Atlantic architect active from the 1950s through the 1980s, built numerous courses across Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, often working within modest budgets to create playable layouts for growing suburban populations. The course occupies gently rolling terrain typical of the tidewater region, with mature tree-lined fairways and modest elevation changes. The routing reflects the residential development pattern common to the era, with homes bordering many holes. Water features appear on several holes, consistent with the low-lying topography near the Chesapeake watershed. The layout provides a straightforward test suitable for daily play, with length and hazard placement that accommodate a range of skill levels. Bay Hills operates as a semi-private facility, offering both member and public access. The club serves the local Arnold and Annapolis communities, providing a convenient option in an area with limited public golf inventory. The course has undergone periodic updates to maintain playability and address agronomic needs, though the basic Ault routing remains intact. Its location near the Naval Academy and state capital gives it a steady membership base drawn from military, government, and local business populations.
Rankings
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Public column compares courses anyone can play.
Best in World
Best in USA
Best in MD
Quick facts
- Location
- Arnold, MD, USA
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 1969
- Holes
- 18
- Designer
- Ed Ault
- Par
- 70
- Length
- 6,423 yards
- Difficulty
- 73.5/130
- Course Vaults score
- 6.0
Getting there
The journey to Bay Hills Golf Club begins at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), a convenient forty-minute drive southeast into the tidewater country of Anne Arundel County. The route traces the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay, trading urban corridors for the low-lying marshlands and wooded peninsulas that define Maryland's coastal topography. As highways give way to quieter state roads threading through Arnold, the landscape opens to reveal glimpses of tidal creeks and sailboat masts - a fitting transition into one of the region's most respected private clubs, tucked discreetly along the bay's serene western edge.

FAQ
Common questions about Bay Hills
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Bay Hills has a Course Vaults score of 6.0 out of 10 based on 14 logged golfers.
Bay Hills was designed by Ed Ault.
Yes. Bay Hills is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Bay Hills is 70.
Bay Hills plays 6,423 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Bay Hills is 130.



