Course Report: Eaglemont Golf Club (Mount Vernon WA)

[Kperkins]

Well, after struggling to decide where to play for Open Championship day, 3 buddies and I went up to Eaglemont Golf Club, an hour north of Seattle, and a reportedly kick ass course. at 7000+ and 74.6/143 from the tips, it's definitely not an easy course.

When we got there we noticed that it was pretty empty, but early on the scenery did not disappoint. The weather was perfect, almost no wind, perfectly clear skies, and about 68* at our 9:00 am tee time.

The first thing we noticed was the cheap municipal feeling clubhouse. It didn't seem to jive with the idea of a championship quality course. After paying ($45 with a cart, after using a 3 for price of 4 coupon) we decided to get a quick range bucket in before we teed off, only to discover that a) the driving range was a 5 minute drive via golf cart (we weren't even supposed to drive with the golf cart) and b) the range balls they gave us were so ridiculously old that every ball spun off on some weird direction as a result of a crack or completely worn off dimples.

On return to the putting green we practiced on some crazy fast greens (attendant didn't know but I'm guessing 11+). Then we headed over to the first tee, at dogleg right par 5. We decided to use the middle tees (~6300 yards).

Standing on the first tee box, it was clear there was significant OB right, and houses left. The problem was your tee shot was completely blind. You couldn't see where to hit it and how much safe landing area there was. So 3 of us hit Iron. At the part 4 second hole, the tee shot was blind. At the par 3 4th, the tee shot was half blind. Basically, the first half of the day felt like at least 50% of our tee and fairway shots were blind, significantly up or down hill, or across a significant ravine.

At the turn we grabbed a dog and some brews, and remarked on how well maintained the course was. None of us could recall a mark on a green or dead grass. Seriously, this course was in pristine condition. We continued on the back nine, and felt the back was more of the same. Tons of blind, carry over ob, forced layups, and what not. On top of this, few sprinklers had yardages, the course map was so small it was useless, and there were no indicators of how far to ob, etc. This course would REALLY benefit from GPS.

Aside from missing an eagle putt by 2 inches, I couldn't help but feel that this course wasn't just challenging, it was over the top. Often times courses make you pay for your mistakes, but this one felt like it dragged you out back and beat you up for them. After not losing more than a single ball over my last 4 rounds, I lost TEN balls, man attributed to not knowing what club or what play was right, and being punished when I chose wrong. Combine that with supremely challenging greens and a 16 handicap, and you can see that I was pretty pleased to score 100, my first 100 of the year :S.

All in all, a gorgeous, incredibly hard course, that could be fun with a yardage book or gps, but probably one that I'll avoid in the future.

[Harold]

I just played Eaglemont for the first time a few days ago and I have to say I will definitely be returning. As a singles golfer I hate travelling for an hour only to find out at best there is a wait list, etc and many of the better public courses don't allow singles to book. You simply hope there is an opening. I have avoided many courses for years because of that. Because I can book online tee times as a single it will get more of my yearly rounds. I played from the white tees which turned out to be a good thing because some of the carries like on 11 and 18 would have been too far for me to hit and like on #3 it allowed me the chance to get into the peninsula part of the fairway that the two valleys separated. It was (is?) considered one of the tougher courses in the state from the tips and it was a lot to handle from the whites for me. Being a nape of the earth hitter also hurt some on some of the uphill holes but the downhill ones made it worth the work. I just have to approach those as up/down holes or bogey holes right now. I especially liked the Par 3 #4. The greens were in great shape. Some might say too slow but the problem is if you speed them up by cutting them closer you have to care for them much more carefully. If not they get burnt and that is what I am seeing on courses like Kayak. Plus slower greens speed up play. Golfers are doing less three putting or chasing their golf balls all over the greens.
I didn't think much of the clubhouse but at the turn two other separate singles came up and we joined for the back nine. One of those was a regular Eaglemont player and he gave some of the ins and outs of the course. There are relatively new owners or business partners with new and different ideas and I guess the longtime PGA head pro left. Also a new clubhouse will be built on the bluff overlooking the gorgeous valley at #13 and #13 will end up being the new #1. How those ideas and changes or more will affect longtime players I don't know but I can say if the course was as empty a year ago like it was when I played a few days ago than something needed or needs to be done. I guess we will see as I will be playing it more often.