Tour Guide 2026: Inside Woodmont’s South Course redesign for the 2026 US Adaptive Open

Woodmont Country Club (South Course) in Rockville, Md., is the official site of the 2026 U.S. Adaptive Open Championship, July 6-8, 2026.

Woodmont is a private, multi-course facility that offers one of the most diverse golf experiences in the Mid-Atlantic. Woodmont’s diverse offerings are overseen by a leadership deeply committed to the sport, in this case, the leadership of Ryan Severidt,  CGCS, director of golf course and grounds operations.

For many golf course superintendents, the path into the industry begins not only with experience and education, but with a love for the game and being on the course. For Severidt, the journey was rooted in his lifelong passion for golf.

“I have always loved golf and started playing at a young age,” Severidt says. “I played all through high school and one year of college golf but had never worked on a golf course.”

Entering college as a marketing major, Severidt knew he wanted to work in sports but had no structured plan for turning that passion into a career. Eventually, he took a summer job on the grounds crew at his local course, and the hands-on nature of course maintenance immediately interested him. 

“I absolutely loved it from the start,” he says. “I had always worked jobs that required working with my hands and loved being outside.” 

With just one semester to go, that experience prompted him to finish his marketing degree in 2004 while also adding a second degree in turf management in 2005. He then launched his career with an internship at Kinloch Golf Club in Richmond, Va. 

Severidt spent some time as an assistant superintendent at Kinloch, but in 2010, he accepted his first superintendent role at The Olde Farm Golf Club in Bristol, Va., where he spent eight years developing his leadership and agronomic philosophy. He joined Woodmont CC in May 2018, and this upcoming season marks his ninth year at the club.

Severidt says the Woodmont property features two distinctly different 18-hole golf courses, the North and South Course, along with a nine-hole short course called The Loop. 

The North Course has always been considered the “Championship” golf course; a narrow, traditional parkland-style design comprising all cool-season grasses and known for demanding precision and mental toughness. The course has hosted nearly 40 U.S. Open Men’s Final Qualifiers, numerous U.S. Women’s Open Final Qualifiers and, most notably, the 2020 U.S. Women’s Amateur. It remains one of the most challenging final qualifying sites in the country.

Severidt  says the South Course, once considered the club’s “second course,” underwent a major phased renovation completed in 2023 — including a fairway expansion and rebuilding several greens — transforming it into a second championship-level golf course. 

Inspired by Australia’s Sand Belt courses, the South Course features more than 60 acres of fairway-height turf, with Meyer zoysiagrass fairways and Tahoma bermudagrass approaches and tees. Greens flow seamlessly into fairways, while fine fescue natural areas bleed organically into short-cut turf. The teeing grounds are informal and expansive, with multiple options benched into the landscape rather than rigid, defined boxes.

“The layout and Australia Sand Belt vibe gives the course a uniqueness like nothing else in the area,” Severidt says. “It’s become the favorite among our membership.

“We have had enormous support from local and national vendors. There are too many to thank,” he continues. “One that has made an extra special commitment, though, is Finch Turf and John Deere. Finch is our John Deere dealer. They have stepped up to support our USGA Championships in a major way.”

Staying accessible

“The South Course layout lends itself to accessibility,” Severidt says. “The greens are very large, offering many hole locations that are more central in the green (with the average green area being more than 7,000 square feet) and large fairways with short-cut turf that continues from green to tee to fairway.”

In fact, a player could walk 18 holes without stepping on turf that is more than half an inch, and bunker design plays a huge part in the course’s upgrades. 

“This offers multiple teeing locations at varied distances. We can stretch over 7,000 yards and had no problem finding tee locations for the Adaptive Open at close to 4,000 yards and everywhere in between,” Severidt says. “The bunkers are very level as you enter, so seated players can enter many of our bunkers with no issues. We added sand ramps to many of the bunkers to make entry even easier. The club itself is very accessible. Our facility is very expansive, so we have numerous options to provide ideal club accommodations for the various player needs.”

A fun and efficient approach

Severidt says his approach to decision making is centered on passion and end-user experience. 

“I am first and foremost a lover of golf,” he says. “So, I think my favorite tool is mindset and approach. We look at the golf course from a golfer’s perspective and conditions … creating a fun and competitive experience and layout.”

From a physical tool/technology standpoint, Woodmont has also embraced autonomous mowing technology, and Severidt says they will be mowing all of the rough on both golf courses with autonomous mowers — more than 80 acres total. 

But what it all boils down to is passion, according to Severidt, who is excited to host the championship and maintain the pristine conditions at Woodmont. 

“I love coming to work every day for multiple reasons and genuinely get excited to jump into each day,” he says.