Blue Heron Golf Course

Blue Heron Golf Course is a public facility located in Stevensville on Maryland's Eastern Shore, designed by Rich Mandell and opened in the mid-1990s. The course occupies gently rolling terrain characteristic of the Chesapeake Bay region, with routing that incorporates natural wetlands, mature tree corridors, and several ponds that come into play on multiple holes. The layout takes advantage of the area's relatively flat topography while creating strategic interest through water hazards and bunkering. The design reflects the accessible public golf philosophy of its era, offering a playable test for recreational golfers while maintaining enough challenge from the back tees to engage better players. Several holes feature forced carries over water, and the wetland areas that give the course its name provide both visual definition and strategic consequences for wayward shots. The property's natural drainage patterns and proximity to tidal marshes influenced the routing and contribute to the course's character. Blue Heron serves the Kent Island and greater Annapolis area as a daily-fee option, drawing golfers crossing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge as well as local residents. The course operates within the competitive public golf market of the mid-Atlantic region, where numerous courses vie for play from both tourists heading to Ocean City and year-round residents. Its location near the western terminus of the Bay Bridge makes it accessible to Baltimore and Washington metropolitan area golfers seeking Eastern Shore golf without the longer drive to more distant coastal destinations.