Best courses in the Northwest

[UWSig]

Originally from Seattle...

Newcastle is my favorite. Make sure you play the Coal Creek to get the views. It's incredible in every possible way. Washington National is also excellent. Gold Mountain is good, but either an hour ferry ride or a 2 hour drive from Seattle. I haven't played Chambers Bay, but I've heard it's incredible. It's about an hour south of Seattle. Any of the Oki courses are good, but Newcastle and Washington National are the best. If you want a cheap round, check out West Seattle. Great muni with incredible views. Here's some more info:

http://www.washingtonnational.com

http://www.newcastlegolf.com

[Saturday Golfer]

I just played out at Trophy Lake in Port Orchard, WA over the weekend (another Oki owned course) and it was in great shape. It was the first round I have played this winter where you actually got some roll in the fairway and didn't plug.

http://www.trophylakegolfclub.com/

[slainte]

My top 10 to hit when you can in the northwest:

Chambers Bay (Tacoma, WA)
Pumpkin Ridge (North Plains, OR)
Newcastle China or Coal Creek (Newcastle, WA)
Washington National (Auburn, WA)
Gold Mountain (Bremerton, WA)
Trophy Lake (Port Orchard, WA)
Sunriver Woodlands (Sunriver, OR)
The Home Course (DuPont, WA)
Fircrest (Fircrest/Tacoma, WA)
West Seattle (Seattle, WA)

the courses i hit the most often:

West Seattle (Seattle, WA)
Jackson Park (Seattle, WA)
Northshore (Tacoma, WA)
Auburn Municipal (Auburn, WA)
Allenmore (Tacoma, WA)
Newcastle (Newcastle, WA)
Kayak Point (Stanwood, WA)
Willows Run (Kirkland, WA)

[Jeremy517]

The three Bandon courses, of course.

Not that I'm good enough to play there...

[DBake]

Anyone one play Bear Mountain up by Lake Chelan?

I think that is going to be apart of my buddies and I east coast swing.

Saturday: Bear Mountain
Sunday: Desert Canyon
Monday: Highlander

[raygrinberg]

I played Bear Mountain last summer. Its a good track with some incredible views of the lake. Still kinda immature but plays pretty tough. There are some blind shots that are frustrating without having prior knowledge or a good yardage book. (If I'm not mistaken the first hole tee shot is sort of blind.) Overall I'd recommend it. I think it stands head and shoulders over Highlander.

Have you tried Kahler Glen up by Leavenworth? I thought it was
a pretty nice course.

[Flopper218]

I live out in Kenmore and just got the clubs out 2 weeks ago but thought I would chime in. I am not willing to spend the $$$ it takes to play a 'top tier course' but there is lots to like at the middle of the road courses around here.

Courses I like:
Avalon - 27 holes and totally worth it if get the all day special
Kayak - On a good day. Last year the course was waaay to dry at the end of the season
West Seattle and Legion - Both are PGC course and the best of the 5 or 6 if you ask me
Foster - Fun course to walk, super cheap and didn't find it to be busy

Courses I loathe:
Willows - Great course if you have the 6 hours it takes...
Echo Falls - Hole #10 shouldn't even be a hole, you can't walk it.
Harbour Pointe - Can't explain it, just don't like it

Course I want to play:
Gold Mountain, getting an Oki card so Newcastle and Trophy

I worked at Seattle Golf Club in college. Nothing I have played compares to that course.

I did play Bear Mountain, the summer it opened. I would agree with the blind shots issue and, at the time the immaturity.

[DBake]

I don't get it, blind shots are a part of golf. If you can see it walk up to pick a tree for your line and than play to that point. Come on guys get creative.

[raygrinberg]

I don't get it, blind shots are a part of golf. If you can see it walk up to pick a tree for your line and than play to that point. Come on guys get creative.

Guess I'm a wimp. But a blind shot bothers me when there is a hazard or OB that isn't apparant from the scorecard or some other means.

Maybe after I buy a Neo I won't care as much.

[DBake]

Guess I'm a wimp. But a blind shot bothers me when there is a hazard or OB that isn't apparant from the scorecard or some other means.

+1 on the Neo, but come on man it does not talk that much time to walk up over the hill, find the flag, pick a tree/cloud or something you can see from the ball and hit to that spot.

I will be picking up my Neo from the post office in the morning...

[immts007]

+1 on the Neo, but come on man it does not talk that much time to walk up over the hill, find the flag, pick a tree/cloud or something you can see from the ball and hit to that spot.

I just got mine today

Can hardly wait to try it out. I don't like blind shots either though. I think they are a gimmick. I like to see what I'm shooting at.

[raygrinberg]

+1 on the Neo, but come on man it does not talk that much time to walk up over the hill, find the flag, pick a tree/cloud or something you can see from the ball and hit to that spot.

Not usualy a problem. But blind shots definitely slow down play.

And Bear Mountain will play slow enough just because its pretty difficult for the guy shooting 95-100+

I don't like blind shots either though. I think they are a gimmick. I like to see what I'm shooting at.

Agreed. Gimmick. Indian Creek in Hood River has the same issue.

[Flopper218]

I also am all for blind shots and being creative, but on a course you have never played it can be less fun than on a course you know well or have someone who knows the course well.

I also forgot to mention another on of my fav courses. Don't laugh but Ballinger Lakes. Great 'practice' course as there is so much hazard in the Fairway it is not a Driver-SW kinda place. Really makes it fun and dirt cheap.

[negcx]

Eugene Country Club - Eugene, OR
Pronghorn Golf Club - Bend, OR
Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes - Bandon, OR
Pumpkin Ridge - OR

I actually play in California but these are some of the courses in Oregon I like to play from time to time.

[negcx]

Oh man if you have the $ and/or the connections there are some out of this world courses to play golf in Bend area.

I am a member at Pronghorn. Unless I'm mistaken, the Nicklaus course is available for resort/public play. It's a great course. The Tom Fazio course is extremely unique, though, as many Fazio courses are. If you get a chance and have the opportunity, it's worth going there.

I've played a handful of other courses in the Bend area. They're all beautiful and it's a very cute town. It also has other perks -- fly fishing, restaurants, skiing, etc. Unfortunately the golf season isn't as long in Bend as it is here in Northern California and down in Palm Springs.

[Guest]

I play at The Reserve. It is great! Both courses. Drains extremely well in the occasional rain! Don't forget the courses down at BANDON DUNES! Fabulous experience and some great accomodations on the property.

[gortyl]

i am in seattle from time to time on biz and have played newcastle. fun mountain course with great views and in great shape. it was named one of the top 50 19th holes in the march issue of golf digest and i'd have to concur. after our rainy round, we hung out in the pub and enjoyed the cold beer and the views.

and just yesterday, i had the chance to play chambers bay. it was a freaking blast! the course seriously looks like it's been there for 200 years. when i teed off, it was about 44 degrees, raining huge drops and blowing about 15mph. i had a caddie and we were joined by two other caddies who played and one other guy. the rain eventually stopped, but the wind didn't. it was probably 20 mph near the end of our round right off the sound. i mean, just great links golf for a very reasonable price considering the reputation this course will have in the next few years as the open approaches.

btw, thanks for the top 10 list. i'll use it for my next trip up there....

[harttfam]

My favorites in the Pacific Northwest:

1. Chambers Bay, near Tacoma
2. Apple Tree, Yakima
3. Desert Canyon, near Wenatchee
4. MeadowWood or Qualchan, Spokane
5. Shuksan Golf Club, Bellingham

As you can see, I've spent most of my life in Washington, so I can't speak much about Oregon, Idaho, or Alaska. (Alaska has golf?)

Chambers Bay: you just HAVE to play it to believe it. Makes you think, every hole is distinctive, every shot is easy or hard, depending on your choice and your execution. Awesome, and deserving of a US Open. If they don't trick it up...

Apple Tree is just too fun to play, with strategy, beauty, and the great weather of the east side.

Desert Canyon is also on the east side, with beautiful views and challenging holes.

I like anything in the Spokane area just because of the setting. These two are my favorites, but Deer Park is another.

And Shuksan is close to my home, lots of rolling holes and challenging interest.

My also-rans: Avalon, Gallery, Gold Mountain, Dungeness, Highlander (Wenatchee), The Home Course, and a couple in the Tri-Cities area. I haven't played anything in the Seattle area since I left there thirty years ago; too expensive or crowded it seems, but there are some great tracks, especially Washington National and Trophy.

But I'm a fair-weather golfer, so I'm still waiting for the thermometer to show me something in the 50's or 60's.