The club’s journey from northwest Washington, D.C. to Rockville, Maryland
Woodmont Country Club was founded in 1913 as the Washington Suburban Club on leased property in what was then rolling countryside off Georgia Avenue, in northwest Washington, D.C. The founders enjoyed the increasingly popular game of golf on their 9-hole course.
These men also maintained a string of closer-in suites in D.C.'s Adams Morgan neighborhood for weeknight card games. In 1916, to reflect these dual locations and the merger with two other in-town card clubs, the Club became the Town and Country Club. In 1922, the property owner terminated the Club's lease. In response, the Club bought 116 acres at Rockville Pike and Woodmont Circle in Bethesda, Maryland, and built a 9-hole course. The property, Winona, was owned by the Peter Family, descendants of Martha Washington.
The Club came to be known as Woodmont after its location and formally adopted the name in 1930.
After World War II, the Club expanded the golf course to 18 holes, but the U.S. Government soon sought the Club's property to expand the adjacent National Institutes of Health. While the Club's Board negotiated with the Government, member Leopold V. Freudberg, a scratch golfer and Greens Chairman responsible for developing the Bethesda course's recent expansion, scouted other properties in the area. He found Rosemont Farm, a dairy operation five miles north on Rockville Pike, then a mostly rural two-lane road. In 1948, he bought its 515 scruffy acres from Mary Watkins of the Bradley Family for about $320,000 or $600 per acre. Freudberg then sold the land to the Club at his cost, and the Bethesda property was sold to the Government and is now part of the NIH complex.
Mr. Freudberg developed the Rockville course together with noted course architect Alfred H. Tull. In 1950, the Club and its North Course opened at the current site. Soon after, the Club added the 9-hole "Iron Duke," which in 1961 was redeveloped and expanded into today's 18-hole South Course. The Club's courses and other golf facilities were updated and improved over the years. In 1999, the North Course underwent extensive renovations overseen by course architect Arthur Hills. In 2007, Hills oversaw further work, including replacing all 18 original greens, rebuilding greenside bunkers, and installing a new irrigation system. Similar work has been undertaken through the years on the South Course. Other golf enhancements have included the 2005 construction of two adjacent buildings housing a new golf shop, indoor practice facilities and bag and cart storage, and the 2012 edition of the Sidney Harman short game practice facility.
Both tennis and swimming have been significant parts of the Woodmont experience since the Club moved to its current location. In 2008, the magnificent indoor Tennis Center was built, housing six courts and locker rooms and a fully-equipped tennis shop in a climate-controlled environment. The Clubhouse underwent a complete reconstruction project which included a new exterior, an overhaul of dining facilities, a new state of the art fitness facility and rebuild of the ladies' locker room. The project was completed in 2015. The original swimming pool was completely rebuilt in 1988, and a new, expanded kiddie pool and new pool amenities were added in 2016.
During major construction and renovations the Club celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2013.
Woodmont regularly makes available its facilities to military/veteran organizations, charitable and service groups, and youth programs. Also, Woodmont has hosted numerous dignitaries and events during the years. Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Nixon, Clinton, and Obama and Vice President Quayle played golf or otherwise visited the Club. The Club has proudly hosted numerous golf and tennis tournaments. It is mainly known for hosting USGA U.S. Open final sectional qualifying rounds every year but one since 1986. We were especially honored to host our first USGA championship, the 120th U.S. Women's Amateur Championship, in August of 2020.
Woodmont Country Club looks forward to building on this legacy in Rockville, Maryland, for many years to come. We welcome applications from outstanding individuals interested in joining the Woodmont family.