Langston Golf Course & Driving Range

I was born in D.C., and I am one of those people who – probably inappropriately and incorrectly – spends much of my time mourning the decline of the ‘real D.C.’ and any semblance of authentic culture it once had.
In the wake of the Sherman’s March to the Sea-​esque torching of everything that was once original and unique about D.C. in the pursuit of a gentrifier’s dreamland of $ 2,200/month studio apartments, there isn’t a whole lot in the city that has remained unchanged by rapacious developers’ attempts to lure in more terrible Big Ten state school degree wielding people with outsized incomes.
Langston Golf Course, on the other hand, stands as an unchanging monument to years gone by. The clubhouse is decidedly old school, the driving range is no-​frills, and the course doesn’t have perfectly coifed greens.
What the course does have, which I so deeply appreciate, is reasonable prices, a friendly atmosphere, and a lack of soulless exurban patrons.
The driving range offers 136 balls at $ 11.70 with a range card, and you can drive right up to the practice tees. It’s not heated, it’s not covered, and it’s usually not that busy, which is perfect for me.
The course itself is very playable, and probably in the best condition of the three DC muni courses. Sure, it can be a bit sloppy after rainstorms, and yes, it lacks the challenge of some other courses in the area. But where else can you play mere minutes from the Capitol for just over thirty bucks a round? Where else can you get the kind of friendly service that you can find at LGC? I like the back nine much more than the front nine, which is mostly relatively straight and easily playable.
Finally, Langston Grille holds a special place in my heart for offering eye-​popping low prices and great, basic grill food. It has the best half-​smoke in DC for three bucks, and change, and it has cheap breakfast all day. Heck, sometimes I go there just to eat.
If there is one problem with LGC, it’s a problem shared by all muni courses: you often get terrible pace of play on weekends when there’s nice weather. On the other hand, I played 18 this weekend in 3.15 with no one in front and no one behind my threesome. That’s awesome.

My wife and I played Langston yesterday for the first time and found the reviews here to be mostly accurate. As others have noted, if you make a tee time with the expectation that you’ll be playing a pristine course with luxury clubhouse accommodations, you will be disappointed. However, if you’re looking for a fun, affordable round of golf close to the city center, this is a good spot.
Yesterday being Father’s Day (and the final day of the US Open) the course was crowded, as we expected. When we checked in at the Pro Shop, we were surprised to learn that our tee time had been lost somehow. The guy who helped us was very cool about it and we were still able to get on the course without any delays or problems.
If you’re like me and you like to enjoy a few (or more) cold ones on the golf course, I will share with you that it was no problem to sneak in our little cooler that we filled with beers from home. I think this is technically against the rules, but again, it wasn’t a problem. The beverage cart only made two appearance throughout the round so we were glad to have brought our own stash.
For a public municipal course, I was pleasantly surprised to find some pretty interesting and difficult holes. The first few holes are squeezed in pretty tight so it was a little confusing at times figuring out what to aim at. After the 2^nd hole, things open up a little bit.
So, will we play at Langston again? Probably not, but only because we want to venture out and see what other courses the area has to offer. My wife is just beginning to get into golf so Langston was a great place for us to go out there, whack some balls around and have some fun without worrying about slowing down or offending «serious» golfers that you sometimes find at higher end courses.

To fully appreciate this 4-​star rating, you have to go to this DC Public golf course remember that you are not going to Augusta National. As far as city public courses go, this is a good one, especially for 31 dollars (weekend, summer, 18 holes)
Located out in SE, the course is situated in an interesting mix of landscape. Parts are in view of DC United’s Stadium, and you feel like you’re in a city, and parts are kinda in the wilderness (as others have noted). Heck, the walk from the turn to the 10^th tee feels like the wilderness.
We played at 8 AM on a Saturday, and I was pleased that the most stressful part of golf, being behind slow people or having fast people on your tail, was a non-​issue. The place was empty.
The difficulty is medium overall — some wide open fairways, especially in the front 9, before the back 9 gets more tricky with water and narrower courses. The greens were not very good (often slow), and there’s the occasional giant pit or random mud patch in the middle of the fairway. Oh well — Remember, this isn’t the Masters.
I didn’t get food, but food and drink are VERY reasonably priced, with a giant menu. You can call in an order from the 9^th tee so it’s ready for you in the clubhouse.
For a cheap, convenient, and solid round of golf, I’d be back.

I play Langston 2 – 3 times a year. It is hit and miss. I’ve played on some days and it’s in pretty good condition– the greens aren’t too marked up; the fairways are nice; and the tee boxes are in good shape. There are times, however, including after it rains, that is next to impossible to get your ball to roll straight on the greens, the course is covered in goose droppings, and there is standing water everywhere.
As reviewers have noted, there is definitely a contrast between the front 9 and back 9. The front 9 reminds me of your typical «municipal» golf course, with fairways running adjacent to one another. With the back 9, other than the Metro running behind you on the 10^th tee box, it looks like you are in the wilderness, with woods and the Anacostia (and it’s tributaries) to either side of the course. The course is very walkable (other than the trek from 9 to 10) and takes about 4:15 to play (walking). My favorite holes are #3 (a par 5 with the most elevation change that you will see on the course), #4 (par 3 with a tougher green than you think), and #14 (par 4 with risk/​reward calculation).
With all that being said, I think Langston is the best of the three DC courses. The price is also hard to beat.

Love playing here. The one thing I VERY much don’t understand is why the front 9 is the front 9, and the back 9 the back. The way the course is set up, they should be switched. That way, the driving range would be next to hole #1, and you’d finish at #18, right next to the clubhouse.
Also, this course is NOT as easy as you might think. Especially the back 9. Of the par 5 holes, only #1 is a strong birdie opportunity, but since you just traveled to and from the driving range, your warm-​up might have faded.
All that said, a fun, affordable, interesting place to play and DC is lucky to have it.

Trying to determine a rating for this golf course was harder than I thought. To put into some perspective, my index is probably around a 10.
I loved my time playing on this golf course. I agree with Unilocaler Jennifer F. — it was like playing on two different courses. The front 9 felt very open, very city-​life, very urban. The back 9 was a whole different course, even had some links-​like feel with the grassy areas and fescue. It was actually quite beautiful. I didn’t shoot that good a score when I was here (broke 90 at least!), but it was indeed my first time here. I usually play the overcrowded East Potomac due to its closer location — now that course I eat up (haha).
Now, what made my rating decision difficult was the overall look and feel of the course. The driving range is really far if you are to park at the main clubhouse. Additionally, this course is difficult for those choosing to walk — it is a hike between the 9 holes. Additionally, the front 9 is really, really hilly. The parking lot isn’t that great, and the clubhouse looked terrible and had a weird odor inside. That being said, the course itself was in good condition — MUCH better greens (as of July 26, 2013), than East Potomac Blue. Fairways/​tee boxes were okay. Cart paths suck.
Definitely a «city» golf course, one that gave me great surprise. I enjoyed playing on this course greatly and will be back.

The best of the three DC courses.
For your money, it is like playing two separate courses — the loud, citified front nine with the Metro, the track meets and the occasional concert at RFK and then the quiet, serene back nine which abuts to the National Arboretum!
Yes, there are issues… the cart paths need some help (seriously though, walk the course, it is flat enough)…and some of the greens have suffered too much rain, but the course is in better shape now that it has been.
It is frustrating not to have the driving range closer to the first tee, or with shelter so you can use it in the rain, but the short game practice area is the best and it is FREE!
Some of the issues, like updating some of the facilities are not the fault of the management, rather the Park Service which is actually responsible for the three courses!
The staff is beyond amazingly helpful. There has been significant change in the management from the top on down and it is for the best.
And lastly, the food is spectacular for golf clubhouse food. Come here during a weekday morning and you will see kids lined up for breakfast! The burgers are simply the best!

FYI — I play a 15.6 index. So decent but not good/​great golfer.
So much potential, there are defintely golf challenges to be found here — though there’s very little water (1 hole?) One of the biggest challenges is figuring out how to drive over the boulder/​pothole-​laiden cartpath without getting your spine shoved up into your brain from All the JoLTiNg. So say the cart-​paths are in disrepair is like saying Mickelson had a slight hickup at the Winged Foot US Open. (Lefty dropped 4 strokes or so on the last hole alone to lose it.). Yes it’s public/​Federal; yes, it’s cheap 30 for 18, 17 for cart — But dang: can’t we get some of that money we saved on sequestration and get a dang granite path laid down!!!
There are some interesting holes, especially on the back 9, where you really forget you’re in NE DC. #3 hole contains a really challenging up hill approach, that if you’re not near perfect off the drive, a multitude of tall, low-​hanging trees will block your shot like GEICO’s Dikembe Mutombo from both the left and right sides. Got about a 20 yard window of «open» to knock it up there. Still, some fun holes, greens are ok. Rough can be real rough and today, tee boxes were so hard, couldn’t even get a wooden tee driven down into the ground - (even cuping a ball over it, to use it to hammer it down)
Lastly, today the inside of the «clubhouse» (yuck) had a distinct aroma of mothballs. I almost literally held my breath for fear of what chemicals I was inhailing.
Food was good — low cost for the volume. and Pancakes were nicely done. Did 18 though and only saw cart girl once. Dude — it’s 95′ out. need agua! Felt for anyone who didn’t bring a large container to fill, like I did, but at least the coolers were well filled with cold water at 10am.
You can enjoy playing here. just go with low expectations and don’t bring any country club guys or guys who care about a manacured course — cause they’ll probably never include you in your group again if you bring them here.
Also layout is weird. Driving range is located right next to #10. only OB markers separate a nasty hook off the range, from konking you in the head — no fence/​net etc. Still –I like this trackl I just know it’s not great shape at all.

Great value, it’s in better shape early in the season. A number of fun holes, a few with elevated tee boxes. The back nine is nicer and plays very different than the front, but both are more interesting than anything at East Potomac. And it’s a good atmosphere too. Plenty of clubhouse chatter and an underrated grill. Can play slow if its crowded like any public course but nothing out of the ordinary

This is an interesting course, but the cart paths are in awful disrepair. The course is wide open, with lots of geese around, but that’s nature. This is a great «city» course, because of its possibly convenient location. I took a 10-​minute cab ride there, but had trouble finding a cab to get home.
The staff couldn’t be friendlier, and the food is outstanding! There is a cook in the back cookin’ and a fryin’ like he’s at home. He made up the biggest, fluffiest pancakes I’ve seen. There was a waiting line for his food. And the prices are very reasonable.

This is supposed to be a historic course. It might be. I can’t remember. However, the course itself leaves a lot to be desired. The prices are a little high, and the course condition is pretty bad. There’s always goose poop everywhere. This was the first course I played in DC mostly because I liked the fact that everything was so laid back. However, that has changed a little bit for me after playing it about 6 – 7 times in the past 3 years. The pebbles and rocks on the fairways have cause many dents in my club faces. The driving range isn’t in the best conditions. The course location requires quite the drive unless you live on a freeway or in the H Street/​NoMa area.
What I do like about the course is that its very family friendly. You’ll see parents and their kids out there learning the game. Of course, this also means that pace of play may be a little slow. Definitely not a place to go for the scratch golfer on a Saturday morning/​afternoon.
The other thing about this course that you should go for is the chipping greens. It’s the only one in the area that will allow you to chip for free. Bring all the balls you want. There are two big chipping greens and a separate putting green. I’ve gone just to practice chipping, but again the drive from NW DC makes it too much of a drive. I’d rather go north to Sligo Creek to practice there.

If Hains Point is scissors, Langston is rock, i.e., crushing Hains Point every time! What an absolute treat of a course, especially the back nine. I was really surprised to find such a gem nestled just off of H Street in Northeast. The rates are reasonable and the course has numerous really fun holes. I have only played here once, but look forward to doing that many more times.
One note of caution, as of this writing, Google Maps would rather you drive to the National Arboretum than play here. So don’t rely on Google Maps for your directions. You will end up wondering where the hell you are. Take H Street NE from the center of DC until you reach the end (i.e. just past 15^th Street) and then continue right onto Benning Road. Continue driving for just under a mile. The golf course is on your left.

Woah.
If you told me this place existed I would have called you a liar.
A fantastic 18 nestled right next to RFK? Can’t be true!
It is…
Now the front nine are a bit cramped, like any urban course, but still play well and challenge even the best.
This courses beauty is it’s back 9… you might as well be in the woods of VA back there… beautiful and challenging…
and for $ 35 to walk… could you really ask for more from a CC with a metro stop?

Oh Langston, Langston, Langston, how torn I am about thee…
I’ve played Langston a few times and I have to say that it’s a pretty decent course. The fairways and greens are decently maintained and there aren’t very many ways you can lose balls here, even if you are the best ball loser on earth (ahem, me). The front 9 is nice although it is a bit cramped, with 4 or 5 fairways side by side it seems. The back 9 opens up a bit and allows for more isolation. That said, I can see Ji’s point: it’s no man’s land on the back 9 and in this part of town, that’s not a good thing.
Which brings me to the only real drawback about Langston: Location. Let’s just say this isn’t where I’m going to be going for an afternoon stroll, let alone walking around at night. The drive to Langston takes you through some pretty rough parts of town and on a few occasions I’ve felt like blowing through that red light just to avoid the potential of someone jackin’ my car (when I had a car…).
Location aside, though, Langston offers decent golf at great rates and yes, they have a pretty darn good, not to mention cheap, grill in the clubhouse. You’ve also got to tip your hat to the history behind Langston as the course predominately played by DC’s African American golfing populace — a lot of history here. If only going to this part of town didn’t make me think I’d be history, I might come by more often!

I play 9 here if I can get out of work early. I played this course lot more last year since East Potomac killed their greens using herbicide.
The course is in ok condition when I played last year. Do watch out here though. I’ve heard stories that people have been robbed out of their clubs in the back 9. On the 6^th, my friend had rocks thrown at him because he was white (thank god for the fence between the course and the street). Yes, truly unique experience!

There are so many secrets in this city — this is one of them. If you are a golfer go there — if you are not take the game up here.
But first let me clarify — this place is no secret to the locals and has a deserved following in the catchment area, but I have been scrambling to play golf anywere in the area for the last two years and I only found out about this masterpiece last weekend.
Here is what matters:
1. History — opened up in 1939 as a Blacks only course and it might well be the spiritual home of African-​American golf in the mid Atlantic.
2. Signature holes. I am talking unique here. There is a par three on the front nine (hole 6 or 7) I think which has a backdrop completely unique in all of global golf — 3 factories with 3 chimneys. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it Augusta, you preening flowery jewel. This is urban golf at its finest baby. Forgive the hubris — but I was stoked!
Then, on the back 9, hole 13 — get this — you shoot across the river ! You shoot across the Anacostia. Does it get any better than that? Well, OK, not quite the Anacostia, more like an inlet from it that leads to the lake. Still, that body of water connects with the Anacostia, which connects with the Potomac, which connects with the Atlantic, which in turn connects you to all of golf’s links courses around the globe. And you get to stand on the tee box and shoot across it. An easily makeable 140 yards with an open green I might add. Just watch out for the top shelf as that will give you a killer putt coming back.
3. $ 30 on the weekend, $ 43 to ride. Are you kidding me — this is stupendous value for this location. It is not at all shabby — the greens are devilish, and the grill is fantastic. They even have someone who rides around in a drinks cart and sells you $ 3 Heinekens. The day I was there it was a sixty year old guy with a white beard and not a comely young maiden with a come hither smile, but hey, who’s complaining?

This is a unique DC experience. The Langston Golf Course, named after John Mercer Langston, a Virginia congressman and Howard University Law School dean, opened in 1939. Prior to the founding of Langston, African Americans played golf at Lincoln Memorial (now West Potomac Park). The other public courses in the city were for whites only.
The course might have seen better days — and it is in need of attention — but it’s close to home and my heart — plus you can get the best half smoke you might ever have in your life. They butterfly them — flash fry them and finish them on the grill. Yum.