The tips, or back tees at Crosswater present a different golf course compared with the ‘championship tees’, or the men’s tees. Since I was playing with a couple of members it seemed respectful to play from the championship tees with them, rather than stepping back to the tips on my own, even though the furthest tee is typically the best place to review a golf course from.

The bridge to a better tee box. . .

Playing the Silver tees only lasted 9 holes. On just about every hole the the tee box for the tips looked more pristine and was typically isolated away from the others, but not so far away that playing from them would result in a day full of hybrid approach shots. After bombing the ball around the front nine and getting no results on the scorecard, my yearnings for a better tee box led to switch to the tips on the 10th hole, with the encouragement of my playing partners.

Reviewing a golf course from the ‘next set of tees’, rather than from the tips where the architect designed the course, is folly. Even if the reviewer doesn’t have the game to hang from the distances presented by some championship golf courses – that’s sort of the point. To illustrate this point – the front nine at Crosswater was blur, but I remember every shot on the back nine.

From the rocket 3-wood off the tee on the 10th to the hybrid from the sand, in the dark on the 18th, only to get up and down for par, the back nine at Crosswater remains deeply embedded in memory, and I chalk that up to reviewing the golf course from where Crupp wanted. His vision from the far tees was expansive, vast, majestic and crisp – the Bend backdrop lending to a massive feeling golf course that winds its way around the gold-medal fishing worthy Deschutes River, and through a scenic high-alping valley. Bend is a most serene backdrop, especially in the Fall.

I’m not suggesting every amateur who tees it up at Crosswater play from the Gold Tees. In fact, that would be a disaster. Every now and then though, there’s nothing wrong with stepping back to that lonely tee box and firing off a drive, or two. Plus, those tee boxes are typically pristine with no one playing on them.

Funk played Crosswater well because he stayed in the fairway. Length, although it sounds necessary at over 7,600-yards, is ironically not necessary. Those holes that required a forced carry over water or wetlands were made for a consistently straight, 260-yard drive from the tee. With Crosswater, Crupp put a premium on accuracy and tempts players with forced carries, but also offers wide fairways that reward straight drives with plenty of roll. The near mile-high altitude also helps melt away some of those 7,600-plus yards.

The members I played with pointed out a number of quirks on the golf course, such as the house where George W. apparently parties with his crew during the Jen Weld. They helped me read the surprisingly tricky greens and we finished the round at dusk. It was a beautiful day all the way around; the golf course was in spectacular condition and the weather in Bend over-the-top nice. With Bend becoming somewhat of a golf mecca offering a plethora of choices, Crosswater could potentially get lost in the shuffle, simply because it seems drab compared to the ultra hard Tethrow, or the ultra-beautiful courses at Pronghorn.

In terms of having a pleasurable  experience, however, the round at Crosswater was tops. That conclusion is based mostly because of the company, but also because of the amazing customer service offered by Sunriver, combined with a crisp and clear, blue-skyed, 75-degree afternoon and a championship golf course in perfect condition.

Here are some photos:

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Prior to visiting the Tumble Creek Club at Suncadia I ‘Tweeted” our tee time to my 847 Twitter followers, hoping for some intelligence on the golf course. Minutes later, @dustinjo from Sammamish sent me a reply, stating: “Played @tumblecreek in July. Holes 1-13, 18 are world class. 2nd best course I’ve played in WA, behind Chambers Bay.”

The Tom Doak-designed Tumble Creek is, as @dustinjo had claimed, world-class. Surrounded by wooded peaks, with the scent of Cedar in the air, any golf course in this setting would seem sublime, but adding a Doak-design to the mix has created a mountain golf experience that is second only to ocean-side golf. As with Doak’s heralded Pacific Dunes course in Bandon, Ore., Tumble Creek was infinitely playable and fair.

Unlike @dustinjo, I’d say holes 14-16 represented the creme de la creme at Tumble Creek. Holes 1-13, and 17 and 18 were certainly worthy of signature distinction, but the biggest thrills happened late on the back nine, with the score hanging in the balance.  

When standing on the elevated tee at the 605-yard, par-5 14th hole, the green seems miles away, barely visible behind a ridge and around the right-to-left dogleg. A mirror-pond borders the left side of the fairway, extending almost the length of the hole, and a deep bunker is positioned on the right corner of the dogleg, begging players to clear it from the tee. This is a three-shot hole, with the pond coming into play on the second shot. If possible, keep your wedge approach below the hole, or suffer an ugly three-putt.

On the short, 515-yard, par-5 15th you are presented with a tough decision: go for it by carrying a drive at least 260-yards over a creek to a narrow landing strip; or play conservative by hitting a 180-200-yard shot short of the creek. The bold play, if successful, will leave you a shot of about 180-200 yards into an elevated green surrounded by bunkers on the right, and water on the left.  Truly a beautiful and exciting hole.

Not your cup of tea? The 'window view' from the Championship tee box at the 425-yard, par-4 16th hole

The 16th hole only ranked as the 14th-hardest hole on the golf course, somehow, but sure didn’t play like it. I suppose if you never play golf from the tips and have never looked behind you to notice those crazy tee boxes perched by themselves on hillsides and behind canyons and rivers, you might never notice a tee box like the one on 16.

The picture above gives you an idea of the ‘window view’ created by a cut-out of the surrounding trees and bushes, but does nothing to simulate the actual feeling of hitting through this box.

“Tumble Creek is a special place,” said the club’s legendary head pro, Bill Tindall, who came out of retirement when the club opened in 2005 to lead the staff at Tumble Creek. “There are not many courses where can you remember every hole after playing it for the first time, which speaks to the individuality of each hole. The consistent challanges of all shots to, and on the greens keeps players working all day-  not to speak of the normal breezes.”

Typically, prevailing winds sweep through the huge, wooded valley that Tumble Creek is delicately carved out of, making it an unruly test. During the 2008 US Open Sectional Qualifying, which took place under blustery conditions, 1-under par took the medalist position. However, on windless and sunny days, like the one we experienced, the golf course was wonderfully playable and at the same time, stuningly beautiful.

The conditioning of the course was second (so far) only to the Nicklaus Course at Pronghorn, in Bend, Ore. The greens at Tumble Creek were like slick works of art devoid of a single ball mark, the fairways like divot-less emerald rugs, and the bunkering beautiful, with each one’s leading edge carved to resemble the ridges of the surrounding Cascade mountains. From each tee box players are given a visual cue, be that a bunker in the fairway, a burned out pine tree, or a mountain peak in the distance.

Each time we have reviewed a Doak course, I was left thinking, ‘man, he thought of everything!’

His golf courses return the game to an art form, where players who draw, or fade the ball 30-yards out on each shot are rewarded, or those who like to chip with their putter achieve unmeasured short-game success on greens and chipping areas designed for low-ball play, or where those who like to visualize their game based on tools based in nature find those natural landmarks in abundance.

As Tindall said, “Tom Doak is a genius. It took him only five months to transform this beautiful land into a spectacular golf course.”

Signature Holes (not including 14-16):
#6 — the 6th is a Doak-special. Listed at 425-yards you’ll want to bring the thunder on your drive to clear the canyon and the bunker guarding the fairway. Hit it to the left of the pine tree in front of the bunker, however, and you’ll hit the ‘speed-slot’, providing at least 30 more yards of distance. From the tee it looks like a small runway. Blow up the picture for a better view.

#9 — the 9th is another speed-slot special. Listed at 455-yards , the 9th is the #1 handicap hole. From the tee it looks menacing, but hit your drive on the left side of the fairway towards the canyon splitting the mountains in the backround, however, and you’ll hit the ‘speed slot’, taking the 7-iron out of your hands on the approach and replacing it with a wedge. The green on the 9th is precarious — it looks like its perched on a summit, and it slopes severely from left to right.

#18 — wondering where that double-bogey is lurking at Tumble Creek? You know, the one that can ruin a great round? It’s hiding at the 18th, waiting for you in the bushes/scrub behind the bunkers to the right of the green. At 485-yards from the tips a good drive will leave you at long approach, uphill, into unforeseeable trouble. Good luck.

Club Membership
The Tumble Creek Club is actively seeking members on all levels. Those interested should call (800) 667-1828.

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White Horse Golf Club
9260 NE White Horse Drive
Kingston, WA 98346
7,093-yards/Par-72/Slope 144/Rating 74.9

White Horse Golf Club in Kingston, Wash., was the last piece of the puzzle in terms of completing the Kitsap Peninsula series of reviews. Did we save the best for last? Unfortunately, no, but it was close. Gold Mountain’s Olympic Course still owns that title.

It’s a shame too, because the potential is there for White Horse to take the top spot. All the elements needed for consideration as a championship golf course are in-place: length (over 7,000-yards); 130 bunkers sprinkled throughout that are filled with a spin-inducing, locally-sourced gray sand; tantalizingly narrow and slick greens; and numerous elevation changes, all amidst a serene forested environment. 

It is common to see golfers walking around Kingston's harbor with their golf clubs in tow

And there are perks to playing at White Horse that you won’t find at most golf courses, such as the journey to the golf course. We parked at the Edmonds ferry dock and walked on the Kingston ferry with our golf clubs. After a 25-minute, scenic crossing of the Puget Sound we were met by the free White Horse shuttle on the Kingston side, and within minutes were at the golf course.

Following our round of golf, we took the shuttle back to the ferry dock area, walked around downtown Kingston for a bit, exploring its shops like tourists, and then ate a nice dinner at the Main Street Ale House. Afterwards, the ice cream shop across the street stole our attention before we ferried our full bellies back to our car in Edmonds and called it a day.

It was a unique experience that turned a normal round of golf into a mini-vacation.

So what’s the kink in the White Horse’s armor? 

The one and only problem, and it was a minor one considering the maturity of the golf course, was with White Horse’s greens, which could have doubled as odd-shapped cul-de-sac’s they were so firm. Even lob wedge-approaches were rejected and bounced over the greens into trouble. Playing a bump and run game to the golf course’s well protected greens didn’t work either. If a bunker wasn’t blocking the pin, the turf surrounding the greens was soft, preventing bounces to the putting surface.

The slopes on the 441-yard, par-4 7th hole are diabolical -- it must run in the Dye genes. Good luck getting an approach shot to stick on this green!

Scoring at White Horse was difficult, especially on a first pass. Don’t go there and expect to shoot within your handicap. If you are like me and don’t mind a round every now and then that tips the ghin index towards higher numbers, then you won’t mind that 80-something on your scorecard after 18-holes at White Horse. If you like to play darts with your irons and abhor the short game, skip the cool boat ride and slate greens for now and wait until next Spring.

White Horse has an excuse for its greens. The golf couse is only two years old. Perhaps, with some maturing, the it will fulfill its destiny and land on Golf Digests’ Top 10 list, but for now, White Horse is struggling with its playbility factor. Golf course designer Cynthia Dye (niece of the legendary and wicked architect Pete Dye) has a vision for the future of White Horse, which is that it, “the golf course mirrors the vision of (owner/developer) Bob Screen in that if offers championship-level play for the price of a municipal golf course.”

Let’s hope that vision comes true. In terms of the hard greens, Dye put the onus on White Horse’s surprisingly arid location (less than 30-inches of rain per year) and the sagging economy by saying, “aeration is the key to keeping the greens soft, and when you are a public course it’s hard to do the maintenance that is required because of economics, but also because it often turns players away. Now that White Horse has been awarded the Washington State Amateur a lot more attention will go to getting the golf course, and especially the greens, in prime condition.”

In 2010, White Horse GC will play host to the Washington State Golf Association’s Amateur State Stroke Play Championship. 

Signature Holes:

#7 — listed at 441-yards, the par-4 7th hole is pure evil. An uphill tee shot through an alley of trees leads to a fairway that slopes hard from left to right. If you are lucky enough to be in this fairway, club way down and aim way left. Balls hit anywhere on this green end up long, and in trouble.

#13 — a fairly benign-looking par-3, the green on this 206-yard hole will eat your lunch. It’s possible to 3-putt from 15-feet away here.

The view from the tee on the 435-yard, par-4 18th hole is both beautiful and intimidating.

#18 — probably the best hole on the golf course, and dramatic from the tips, the 18th is a 435-yard par-4 where water comes into play on both the tee shot and approach. The 18th green, like the 13th, is three-putt territory.

Value: White Horse charges a reasonable $47 for 18-holes during the week, and $63 on weekends. A golf cart will set you back another $15. Memberships are also available. Click here for more information on rates.

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Pacific Dunes
Round Lake Drive, Bandon, OR 97411
6,633-yards/Par-72/Slope 129/Rating 71.9

Ranked #2 in Golf Digest’s list of the Top 100 Public Golf Courses, Pacific Dunes is often mentioned in the same breath as venerable Pebble Beach. And deservedly so. Pacific Dunes is a golf experience, one of those ‘play-it-before-you-die’ kind of deals, like Pebble, only the experience actually lives up to the hype at Pacific Dunes, where every hole is signature. The one’s located on the ocean are a bonus, a five star feature on a four-star rating scale.

When the sun breaks through the clouds, as it did for us, Pacific Dunes becomes a magical environment of drifting sea mist, dark-green gorse covered cliffs, and fescue grasses in every color of green, plus some blue, red, orange and yellow. The drifting mist and sunshine even created miniature rainbows in the long fescue grasses.

Even Pacific Dunes’ hazards were beautiful. A Titliest lost to the sandy beach below on the awe-inspiring tee shot on the 463-yard, par-4, 4^th hole seemed nothing to cry over — just show me where to drop, so long as it is close to the ocean.

Charming and cozy, the green at the 304-yard, par-4 1st hole is the entrance to Pacific Dunes' wonders.

The pot bunkers, strewn throughout the fairway landing zones, were wonderfully dark aiming points from the tee boxes and really provided that Scottish/Irish charm, complete with an old wooden rake, especially when they required sideways, or backwards exits.

With some inspired play and a creative short game, however, good scores were possible at Pacific Dunes, especially on the back nine, where players encounter four dramatic par-3′s on holes 10, 11, 14 and 17. plus three par-5′s on holes 12, 15 and 18. There’s only two par-4′s on the entire back nine! From the 10th through the 18th we were firing at flags and birdie hunting!

That being said, by the end of the round the golf scores seemed much less important than the actual golfing experience, which was unforgettable.

Signature Holes: there are simply too many to choose from at Pacific Dunes. The easy choices were the ocean-fronting holes.

#4– 463-yard, par-4: think Pacific Dunes is easy, and short? Think again. The 4th will have you shaking in your booties on the tee box. Even if you ‘nut’ one with the driver, you still face a long-iron approach into a green perched on a cliff.
  

#11 — 148-yard, par-3: probably one of the most photographed holes at Pacific Dunes, the 11th plays longer than its yardage and features a difficult putting surface.
  

#13 — 444-yard, par-4: the 13th is like the 4th, but plays the opposite direction, which means the prevailing winds are at your back, and the ocean on your left. How much difference does the wind make? I hit a nice 3-wood from the tee, followed by a pitching wedge approach, which drifted far enough left that my ball was left hanging two inches from the cliff edge — routine up and down!
  

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Bandon Dunes
Round Lake Drive, Bandon, OR 94711
6,732-yards/Par 71/Slope 143/Rating 74.1

Bandon Dunes was built by Scotsman David McLay Kidd in 1999, and was the resort’s sole golf course until Pacific Dunes came on the scene in 2001, stealing a bit of Bandon Dunes’ thunder. Kidd’s design has taken a back seat to Doak’s in the most recent rankings, but not by much, and it remains close as to which golf course is ‘better.’

Bandon Dunes has teeth, or at least it did the day we played it, where Pacific Dunes lacks some. We played in a foggy mist, which made for interesting photos, but lagged in the visibility category. At times on the tee boxes, whoever had the honor simply guessed as to the direction of the hole (*note – we were using pushcarts, and caddies would have been a good idea).

The fog and mist was heavy during our review of Bandon Dunes

The fog, however, wasn’t to blame for me hitting the wrong club and leaving myself a downhill, 30-foot putt for birdie on the 189-yard, par-3, 2^nd hole, only to putt my ball off the green, leaving me a 30-yard sand wedge away for par. And it wasn’t to blame for my sliced tee shot into the gorse/beach on the 389-yard, par-4 17^th hole. I likely would have done both on a sunny day. The fog and mist were just, there.

Regardless, the golf course was beautiful. The ball’s flight was limited, but its amazing roll seemed to make up for the lack of distance. Neither Bandon or Pacific Dunes plays very long, so length off the tee was not really an issue, but it always helps. Having a short-iron, or wedge in your hand, as opposed to a 6-iron, when approaching the tricky greens at Bandon Dunes opens up more scoring opportunities, so long as it’s not in that 50-70 yard range, where your best play is probably a 9-iron, or putter.

Since it was the first of the resort’s four courses we played, Bandon Dunes gave us our initial education into the dynamics of links golf and by the time we were ready for Bandon Trails, had us chipping with the putter, and effectively playing the bump and roll. Of the four golf courses at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Bandon Dunes and Bandon Trails played the firmest, and fastest, hence the quick education.

Bandon Dunes is worthy of it’s #7 ranking in Golf Digest’s Top 100. Despite it’s proximity to Pacific Dunes, it had a distictly different look and feel, which in a way seemed even more Scottish-like than Pacific Dunes, especially on that foggy day.

Signature Holes: the fog took its toll on the photos, unfortunately. .

#3 — 543-yard, par-5: this hole was chosen because of it’s difficulty from the tee, and because of its misty nature the rest of the way.
  

#6 — 161-yard, par-3/#7 — 383-yard, par-4: everyone picks these holes as their favorites. On a clear day each of these holes sits directly above the Pacific Ocean. Based on these photos, who would know?
  

#17 — 389-yard, par-4/#18 — 543-yard, par-5: slam and bam. The 17th will ruin your day, and the green on the 18th will put a cherry on top. If you are fighting the driver and/or putter, the finish at Bandon Dunes will finish you.
  

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In all the discussions around which golf course is #1, Bandon Trails often gets left out. It quietly exists in the dunes and the pine trees, just south of the resort’s famous golf courses, and rarely gets played. It’s a shame too. This Ben Crenshaw/Bill Coore design, which opened in 2005, incorporates elements of links golf that mirror the playing conditions at Bandon and Pacific Dunes, and extends those hard and fast conditions into a forested environment.

Our crew played Bandon Trails the afternoon after playing Bandon Dunes. The morning round had ended in a tie, which had made paying for lunch awkward, and after a few beers the game was back on. The morning fog had lifted and the sun had come out (somewhat) by the time we hit the 1^st tee, giving us a round free of our rain gear.

The starter told us to watch out for Trails’ slick greens, pointed out the fairway on the 1^st hole, and we were off. The transition that took place from the tree-less, Bandon-like 1^st hole to the cowboy-fenced, and suddenly forested 2^nd hole was dramatic. After crossing a wooden bridge exiting the 2^nd green we were amongst the pine trees for good until coming back into the dunes via another sweet transition from the 17th to the 18^th hole.

Bandon Trails' signature par-3, the 180-yard 17th

Trails does not get enough attention from the media, or from the guests at Bandon Dunes. It is a championship golf course in every sense of the word, is extremely fun to play, and is in the best condition of the resort’s four golf courses. There are no dramatic ocean holes, which proves Trails’ downfall, but the golf is dramatic nonetheless.

Trails runs circles around nearby Bandon Crossings, which advertises itself as links golf and as a Top-10-ranked Oregon golf course. Trails is true links golf, located in a forested setting, whereas Crossings is parkland golf, located in a forested setting. The difference between the two is as glaring as the fact that Trails is listed #14 in Golf Digests’ Top 100 public golf courses, whereas Crossings is not listed at all.

Signature Holes: granted, these are not the most difficult, or exciting holes on the golf course, but they represents the design skill of Coore/Crenshaw. Given the same terrain to work with on the 1st as at Bandon Dunes, the Coore/Crenshaw team created an opening hole that could easily fit in at Bandon or Pacific Dunes. The 2nd is a great par-3, and the 14th is a potential birdie, or eagle hole.

#1 — 392-yard, par-4:
  

#2 — 214-yards, par-3
  

#14: 325-yard, par-4:
  

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Old Macdonald
Round Lake Drive, Bandon, OR 97411
est. 7,200-yards/Par 72/slope TBD/rating TBD

Is it possible that Bandon Dunes’ best golf course hasn’t even opened for play yet? Enter Old Macdonald, a 7,200-yard, par-72, traditional Scottish links located just steps from Pacific Dunes. Old Mac colors the nearby wind-swept coastal ridges and valleys with its ribbons of emerald fescue, which are stretched over and through the lumpiest of Bandon’s sand dunes.

Old Mac’s unique layout is Pacific Dunes’ architect Tom Doak and Renaissance Golf Design business partner Jim Urbina’s tribute to Charles Blair Macdonald (1856-1939), a pioneer of American golf course architecture and the founder of the USGA.

Not only is it the longest in Bandon’s stable of golf links, Old Mac offers golfers a huge variety of shot-making opportunities. From tee to green there is no discernable answer for each shot, and no right way to play each hole. Shank it, punch it, knock it down, loft it, draw it in, fade it, or hit it straight – at Old Mac every shot is playable so long as it is headed for the pin.

And regardless of how solid your game is, you’ll ultimately experience something humbling on Old Mac, like taking an extra club to get over the huge false front on the 6^th green in an effort to get close to the pin, only to hit it a tad hard and find yourself buried in a nearly-invisible pot bunker located just behind the pin.

Like Pacific and Bandon Dunes, Old Mac traces the bluffs above Pacific Ocean, where the views (on a clear day) are almost therapeutic. Holes 7, 8, 15 and 16 will become hotspots for professional golf photographers, ala Bandon’s 6^th and Pacific Dunes’ 11^th holes.

What makes it different from its neighbors is Old Mac’s extraordinary in-play features and its added length, which at an estimated 7,200-yards, outpaces Bandon Dunes by almost 500-yards and Pacific Dunes by almost 600-yards.

The playing features that immediately stand out include: the massive ‘hogsback’ in the landing area on the 522-yard, par-4 4^th hole, which kicks anything hit a bit wayward towards the lower fairway providing a blind, uphill second shot; the ‘hell bunker’ on the 570-yard, par-5 6^th hole, a massive stretch of sand that separates the fairway, 150-yards from the green; the huge ‘chasm’ splitting the green on the 185-yard, par-3 8^th. hole, which resembles the Valley of Sin at St. Andrews’ Old Course.

The 'chasm' in the middle of the green on the 181-yard, par-3 8th hole

The list of unique features at Old Mac is long and somewhat ironic, considering that those features resemble hazards from old courses in the UK.

Based on the 10 holes currently available for play, it seemed obvious to us that Old Mac possessed the sauce to take the resort’s top spot from the mighty Pacific Dunes. Considering Pacific Dunes’ current rankings, that seems a bold statement, but Old Mac backs it up with its own killer views and a kicked-up version of links golf that makes the swales and burns at Pacific and Bandon Dunes seem pedestrian by comparison.

If a USGA championship ever comes to Bandon Dunes, it will be because of Old Mac.

Signature Holes: since the golf course is still ‘under construction’, choosing Old Macdonald’s signature holes is a bit premature. That being said, there were some that stuck out as extraordinary.

#6 – 570-yard, par-5. Nicknamed, “Long Hole”
 
Comparisons to: #14 at St. Andrew’s Old Course, #9 at National Golf Club, #17 at the lost Lido Club

#7 — 425-yard, par-4. No nickname yet.
  
Comparisons to: #4 at Scotscraig Golf Club, #13 at Piping Rock

#11 — 460-yard, par-4. Nicknamed “Road Hole”
  
Comparisons to: #17 at St. Andrews’ Old Course, #7 at National Golf Links

Holes Under Construction:
  

-end-

Sahalee Country Club — North/South
21200 NE Sahalee Country Club Drive
Sammamish, WA 98074
Black Tees: 6,955-yards/Par 72
Rating 74.2/Slope 139

Sahalee Country Club’s North and South nine’s are ranked first in the state of Washington by Golf Digest Magazine, have played host to the 1998 PGA Championship and the 2003 NEC World Cup, and will serve as future host to the 2010 U.S. Senior Open. Golf courses don’t rack up pedigree like that without merit. One trip aound the North and South’s uniquely narrow and difficult, but beautifully maintained and operated fairways, and one can see why Sahalee consistently earns the top rankings and plays host to major championships.

Having played a recent U.S. Senior Open site at the Broadmoor East golf course in Colorado Springs, Colo., I can attest that Sahalee is more difficult than the East Course. From tee-to-green the Broadmoor is generous, letting its severe greens provide the drama, but at Sahalee the difficulty begins on each tee box and is extended until the ball is actually in the hole.

Facing alleyways of trees on each tee, the margin for error at Sahalee is slim. Fortunately, finding your ball in the nicely manicured forest is fairly easy, but then, it really only gives you a dim look at a shot so far in jail you might have to punch out backwards to get it back in the fairway. And once in the fairway at Sahalee, there’s no guarantee of a clear shot to the green, which is usually protected by deep bunkers and deep rough.

Getting the ball in the hole at Sahalee is another challenge. Standing over a 15-foot, downhill putt with an awkward, left-to-right break, for par, or bogey, or worse, is where the teeth of each hole on the North and South nine’s strike their death blows. Typically, while standing over that putt, your mind is racing and heart beating thinking about the horrible collection of shots it took to get to that point on the green, and you make a half-hazard stroke that pushes the ball ten-feet past the hole.

Beautiful, but burly; Sahalee North's 417-yard, par-4 6th hole

Architect Ted Robinson originally built Sahalee in 1968, but in 1996 noted-designer Rees Jones reconstructed the North and South nine’s prior to the ’98 PGA Championship, which was won by Vijay Singh, giving him his first major title. Singh shot a final round, two-under par 68 for a four-day winning total of 271, or nine-under par. Steve Stricker finished one stroke behind after falling apart on the North’s 206-yard, par-3 eighth hole. which at the time was his 71st hole, and making bogey. 

Sahalee plays longer than it’s listed 6,955-yards, requires pinpoint accuracy with both the driver and the irons, and features difficult-to-read, slippery greens. And in terms of playability, you will hit every club in your bag at least once. The North and South nine’s definitely top the list in terms of difficulty in the state of Washington, and the turf conditioning is second to none. That’s why Sahalee is consistently ranked number one in Washington, and amongst the Top 100 golf courses in the world.

The eyes of the golfing world will be focused on the Pacific Northwest next summer, as the men’s U.S. Amateur is set to be played at Chambers Bay in Tacoma within weeks of the U.S. Senior Open at Sahalee. The North and South nine’s once again will be tested by the world’s best, and should once again prove a worthy foe.

In terms of the Golf Digest Top 10 list for the state of Washington, I still have #2 Tumble Creek at Suncadia and #4 Royal Oaks Country Club left to review from the top-five, but would currently rank the PNW Golf Review top-five as:

1. Sahalee CC (North/South nine’s)
2. Chambers Bay GC
3. Members Club at Aldarra
4. Wine Valley GC
5. TPC Snoqualmie Ridge

This list will most certainly change after reviews of Tumble Creek and Royal Oak CC, but for now the top two, Sahalee CC and Chambers Bay, are going nowhere. Sahalee has earned its pedigree, while Chambers Bay is working to establish its own by hosting the U.S. Amateur next year and the men’s U.S. Open in 2015. It receives criticism, by some, for not being in US Open condition right now, or for not being dificult enough, but those naysayers will bite their tongues in ’15.

Sahalee Signature Holes
 
#7 North – what starts as an alleyway of trees on this 377-yard par-4 opens up to a wide fairway sloping downhill towards a valley in front of the green. A good tee shot should lead to a rare short-iron approach, just don’t short-side yourself with a miss into one of the greenside bunkers.

 
#8 North – this hole is reminiscent of the par-3 16th hole at Augusta, but probably more difficult at 206-yards. Don’t let the beauty distract you on this hole as the tee shot requires supreme accuracy, and the sloping green invites three-putts.

 
#7 South – the South offers few birdie opportunities, but this downhill, 417-yard par-4 offers at least a chance. Keep the ball below the hole with your shot-iron approach for the best shot.

 
#9 South – yet another stunning par-3 at the end of nine holes! At 213-yards this hole plays deceptively short, but is surrounded by trouble. The only relief is short and right of the green, if you can call that relief. Again, keep the ball below the hole on this green.

About the 2010 U.S. Senior Open (Tickets)
The 2010 U.S. Senior Open will be played at Sahalee Country Club July 26–August 1. For more information on the event, and to purchase tickets please call Championship Director Mike Zinga at (425)868-8800, or email him at mike.zinga@sahalee.com.

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Wine Valley Golf Club
176 Wine Valley Road
Walla Walla, WA 99362
Gold Tees: 7,360-yards/Par-72
Rating 75.5/Slope 130

Draped across Eastern Washington’s massive wind-swept dunes like a lonely emerald carpet, Walla Walla’s Wine Valley Golf Club represents Oregon-based architect Dan Hixson’s second official offering, the other being Bandon Crosssings in Bandon, Ore., a decorated course that, unfortunately, by default plays the role of step-child to the award-winning layouts at the nearby Bandon Dunes resort. 

Wine Valley Golf Club might make up for Crossing’s geography-based shortcomings. Just based on its press clippings alone (there were whispers in the golf shop about GolfWeek getting set to name the course as it’s #1 in the state of Washington), one would think Wine Valley has the potential to become a destination golf course for Walla Walla, and based on the way it plays, the young golf course definitely lives up to its media hype.

Like Crossings, Hixson’s design at Wine Valley offers up traditional links golf in a beautiful, but windy setting, where players must deal with tricky approach shots to huge, undulating greens, surrounded by ugly bunkers and deep Fescue grasses.

“It’s all about the bounce and roll around here,” said Director of Golf John Thorsnes. “On this golf course, as with most true links courses, you are better off hitting a shot 135-yards when the yardage says 150-yards.”

True to form, Wine Valley played a few yards shorter than its stated 7,360-yards, but not by much. From the tips, the 475-yard, par-4 fifth hole was a monster. After hitting a good tee shot I was left with 200-yards to the hole, into the wind, and over a massive, natural bunker. Taking Thorsnes’ advice I hit a 6-iron, which landed twenty yards short of the huge green, and stopped. After failing to properly negotiate Hixson’s trademark green ’muffin mounds’, a bogey ensued.

Wine Valley Golf Club's 475-yard, par-4 5th hole

Perhaps even more challenging was the 625-yard, par-5 seventh hole. Standing on the tee, which is located 100-yards behind the Black’s, it was difficult to see the start of the fairway. But after hitting another good drive, plus a good 3-wood second shot, I was perfectly positioned on the right side of the fairway only 125-yards away from the flagstick, which was blocked from my view by a massive dune filled with pot bunkers. Again, I clubbed down and again came up short, this time splatting in the last pot bunker at the apex of the dune. A magical bunker shot somehow saved par. It was the last par I made on the front nine.

By the turn I had taken enough abuse from the lengthy tips. My confidence with the driver was waning quickly. After picking up a beer and a Jumbo Ozaki hot dog from the lunch counter, and made the humbling decision to switch to the Black tees (3-wood country) on the back nine. We were on vacation, after all.

It was a bittersweet move, resulting in a bitter mustard stain on my new, red golf shirt, but also in sweet birdies on holes 11 and 18, two of three events that would have likely never happened playing from the distant Gold tees. 

The greens at Wine Valley have some maturing to do before Hixson’s creation reaches its full playing potential, but then so do the greens at Chambers Bay. In terms of a differentiator, it’s what surrounds Wine Valley’s greens that sets it apart. The vast chipping areas Hixson created are some of the most exciting in the PNW and allow for players to use a multitude of different shots in getting up-and-down. 

Since Wine Valley Golf Club is brand new (officially opened June 12, 2009) it was not included in Golf Digest’s most recent ranking of the Top-10 Golf Courses in the state of Washington. It certainly belongs, however, and probably in the Top-5. From a difficulty standpoint, it rivals the TPC at Snoqualmie Ridge. For aestetic quality, it comes close to Chambers Bay. And in terms of playability and fun, it ranks with the Members Club at Aldarra.

The next time you visit the Tri-Cities, make a stop at the Wine Valley Golf Club. For just $60 you get a chance to face one of the PNW’s most difficult golf challenges, and amongst a most miraculous setting.

Signature Holes
 
#2 — just 390-yards from the Gold’s, this par-4 offers what seems like a brief respite from the difficult first hole. Miss the narrow fairway with your drive, however, and you will be lucky to find your ball in the surrounding Fescue. The green on the second is no picnic either.

 
#7 — this 625-yard monster, as described above, at least has the most forgiving green on the golf course.

 
#18 – from the tee the fairway looks like a skinny, green sliver cut from the Fescue. This par-5 plays all of its 565-yards directly into the prevailing wind and requires three good shots for a chance at birdie. The views here are dramatic, as the photos illustrate.

Value
In terms of value, the Wine Valley Golf Club ranks at the top of the list in the PNW, considering it’s green fees for 18-holes are $60 during the week and $75 on weekends, and that’s during peak season.

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TPC Snoqualmie Ridge
36005 SE Ridge Street
Snoqualmie, WA 98065
Black Tees: 7,264-yards, Par 72
Rating 75.8/Slope 143

The TPC Soqualmie Ridge golf course, located in the charming old mining town of Snoqualmie, and a 30-minute drive from Seattle, plays host to the Champions Tour’s Boeing Classic each August. During the tournament, most of the attention on the course surrounds the tee box at the ‘do-or-die’ par-4 14th hole, which at a deceiving 448-yards challenges the pros to either: go for the green, which requires a 290-yard carry over a heavily-wooded canyon; or lay-up to a wide spot in the fairway just 225-yards from the tee.

In last year’s final round of the Boeing Classic, which was won by Tom Kite, 33 of 77 player’s shot for the green with their drive on the 14th. Of those who went for it, there were no eagles, 15 birdies, one double bogey and one triple bogey, according to a press release issued by the Classic.

While thrilling from its hero or zero aspect, the 14th is just one of many unforgettable holes on this Jack Nicklaus ‘signature design’ golf course, the only one of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. The ‘signature’ designation means the Bear lent his personal touch to the creation of TPC Snoqualmie Ridge, an influence that truly provides golfers with the unique opportunity to play the game from Nicklaus’ point of view. That is, provided those players play from the right set of tees. Remember, Jack never played from the White’s.

Head Professional Jeff Richter advised I play the golf course from the 6,880-yard Gold Tees, considering it was my first time on the course. For a moment, I was relieved. Standing on the 324-yard, par-4 10th Gold tee (where I started the round) with a hybrid in my hand, it felt like the right play, but then I struggled to make bogey on what should have been an easy hole. The par-4 11th hole played 484-yards from the Black’s and 462-yards from the Gold’s, and again the choice of tee seemed wise, until I hit a weak drive and was forced to scramble for par.

On the 12th hole, aptly named The Falls, it hit me as I stepped back to the Black tee to take a photo — Jack’s signature — a priceless view of Snoqualmie Falls, available only to those playing from the tips. The view of both the Falls and the 12th fairway were so inspiring I decided to tee it up from the Black’s and in doing so changed the course of the review and my feelings for the golf course.

What looked somewhat pedestrian from the Gold tees suddenly became sublime from the Black’s. My game changed for the better on the 12th tee after a smashing drive to within 9-iron range, and I decided to stick with those tee boxes the rest of the round. It was a decision that paid off with not only priceless mountain views, but a window into the amazing golf mind of arguably the greatest golfer in history.

Ranked sixth in Golf Digest’s Top-10 list for the state of Washington, TPC Snoqualmie Ridge perhaps deserves a higher ranking? In terms of playbility, challenge and aesthetics it is light years ahead of seventh-Canterwood Golf and Country Club but falls short of Chambers Bay, and the Member’s Club at Aldarra. In terms of conditioning, however, it tops both Chambers Bay and Aldarra. At TPC Snoqualmie Ridge the tees and fairways are pristine, and the greens roll true, with nary a ball-mark in site.

Signature Holes:

#4 – the 426-yard 4th demands a long-carry tee shot from the tips over a creek to a tight landing area surrounded by bunkers. The second shot is no picnic either, as the green slopes heavily from left to right and is deceivingly uphill.

#12 – the 12th, as mentioned earlier, is inspirational, if played from the black tee.

#14 – go for it! I took the Black Ball for a ride and cleared the canyon, just 15 yards short of the green. Getting up and down for birdie, however, was a mystery.

Membership
The TPC Snoqualmie Ridge is a member’s only golf facility, which offers reciprocal play to members of other golf and country clubs. The club is currently seeking members. To schedule a personal tour, or to obtain additional information about the club, call Geoff Campion at 425-396-6036.

Boeing Classic — August 24-30, 2009. For tickets and more information click here.

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