Photos by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86
Bulle Rock Golf Course 320 Blenheim Ln 2003 Havre De Grace, MD 21078
Year Opened: 1998 Capacity: n/a
Taking a Rip
Bulle Rock Golf Course in between Havre de Grace, MD, and Aberdeen, MD hosted the 42nd Big Ten Women's Golf Championship in 2024. The course will host at least the 2025 event as well.
Bulle Rock is named for the first thoroughbred racehorse brought to North America in the early 18th century.
Bulle Rock has consistently been ranked as Maryland’s No. 1 public golf course since opening in 1998. The course was designed by Pete Dye. Bulle Rock hosted five consecutive LPGA Championships (now known as the Women’s PGA Championship) from 2005-09, including Annika Sorenstam’s third consecutive victory in 2005 by three strokes over 15-year-old amateur Michelle Wie.
The course is listed as Number 94 on Golf Digest's 100 Greatest Public Courses.
Food & Beverage 3
There is some food for sale at the clubhouse and on weekends a few food trucks are around. I would not expect to get my main meals here at the site.
Atmosphere 4
The atmosphere is fairly sedate. Fans are to stay quiet as the competitors are on the course. This is standard for golf so it should not be a surprise. Fans can walk around the whole course but need to stay away from players and on and very near to cart paths only. There are not many places to sit around the course.
It was nice seeing decent fan support for these quality athletes far from a nearby campus.
Neighborhood 3
A short drive away back over I-95 is an abundance of restaurants and hotels in both Aberdeen and Havre de Grace.
Aberdeen, home to the Army’s massive Aberdeen Proving Grounds, is a center of business activity. Olive Tree is a better version of a well-known Italian chain, while Mamie’s Cafe is an old-school Baltimore-style restaurant that offers free desserts with all meals. The Greene Turtle, Panera Bread, and Super Chicken Rico are some other choices with which you can’t go wrong. Chap's Pit Beef is also located nearby and is a good spot if you want to properly fill your belly before the game.
Havre de Grace is a charming town with many shops and restaurants. Tidewater Grill is one of our favorites for a bit of food. There is also an outpost of Abbey Burger Bistro.
Fans 3
In general, golf fans are very courteous and respectful of everyone in attendance. There were limited fans as it is not a professional, well-known event. It seems most of the fans were family of the competitors or alumni of the various schools.
Access 5
I-95 runs nearby so access is good. The main entrance is off Route 40 but you can also get in the back way off of Paradise Road and Chapel Road. There are manned gates at the back entrance but if you tell the guards you are here for the tournament they will let you in. That way will see you winding through new housing developments in the area.
Parking is free but not plentiful. There should be overflow parking but it is not like it was for the LPGA events in the past with nearly unlimited parking. It still should not be an issue.
Return on Investment 5
All the rounds of the event are free to attend so the return on investment is very good.
Extras 4
The Route 40 entrance is an extra in itself as it winds along a stream and through a cool railroad tunnel.
Seeing the flags of all the Big Ten schools is cool to see away from what we view as the normal sporting venue.
Knowing that this course was home to some quality LPGA events in the past is very fun for a sports fan.
Bulle Rock Golf Course is a thing of beauty and would be ideal to play if you are into golf. It is not a private course with many tee times available for under $100.
Final Thoughts
The Big Ten Women's Golf Championship is a great event and being able to wander and see so much action around a beautiful course is a wonderful event for any sports fan.