6 minute read
SAVE SOME GREEN
1 • Canyon Lakes Golf Course • Kennewick
The value proposition at Shuksan Golf Club in Bellingham is simple: a ton of premium and playable public golf in a richly scenic setting where a player won’t drop a ton of dollars.
Shuksan’s affordability and its blessed placement in view of Mount Baker (plus its elevation changes and rugged topography), have earned it a reputation as one of the best public courses in Whatcom County and the northwest Washington region.
“You get a high-end golf experience for a reasonable rate,” says Shuksan General Manager John Tipping.
Shuksan’s par-72 layout, which debuted in 1994, was designed by its then-developer and operator Rick Dvorak. The course spans 6,508 yards from the back tees, with multiple tee options to accommodate every player.
In-season rates launch in April. Tipping touts the incredibly popular, eight-round Player’s Card ($525 with cart, $375 walking), which is frequently utilized by both locals and guests from north of the border. Seniors (60-plus) always play for five bucks off at Shuksan.
Tipping, on the job since January, has his favorites.
“Holes 14 and 15 are kind of back-to-back cool holes,” he said.
The 14th is 167 yards from the blue tees to an elevated green. No. 15, at 307 yards, requires a precise shot over water to a green edged by bunkers.
No. 17, a 351-yard par 4, is a standout hole. It features an elevated green, reachable with an approach shot over Ten Mile Creek.
“You’ve got a creek that meanders through the whole property, which always adds challenge,” Tipping said. “There are several ponds as well. So, there’s water out here.”
Recent work over the winter by Superintendent Jordan Hunter and his crew cleared brush and limbed trees along the banks of the creek.
Strategic removal of trees here and there at Shuksan, Tipping said, has let in light and air that works to revitalize greens and makes for dryer play in general.
“So, I think if somebody were coming out here fresh for the first time in many years,” he said, “they’d feel it was much more wide open than it used to feel.”
YARDAGE (PAR 72) 4,994-6,508 yards
RATES See website for current rates
TEL (360) 398-8888
WEB WEB ShuksanGolf.com
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2 • Loomis Trail Golf Course • Blaine
No. 2 at Loomis Trail Golf Course is a hole that golfers either hate or love or love to hate. Nasty devil on one shoulder, pretty (but mischievous) angel on the other.
Head golf professional Trevin Williams doesn’t feel a need to settle the argument. He just knows it’s his favorite hole on the course.
“I don’t know that we have like a signature hole,” Williams says. “But No. 2 is the hardest hole out here. A lot of people hate it, but a lot of people also love it. People that know good design or enjoy a good golf hole.”
Opened in 1993, the Blaine, Wash., course was designed by architect Graham Cooke, whose vision was to integrate natural landscapes – a blend of forest, wetlands, and rolling hills – with the golf experience.
The course is long, stretching to 7,151 yards from the championship tees, 6,635 from the blues. The front (orange) tees measure a less intimidating 4,317 yards. There is no argument about Loomis Trail’s beauty or its stiff golf challenge.
Water comes into play on nearly every hole. The pro suggests hitting it straight. Greens are big and relatively flat, but they’re quick. Williams loves them.
“I’ve played a lot around Washington,” he said, “and to me they’re some of the best greens in the state.”
The cursed (also blessed) No. 2 is a 550-yard par 5 dogleg right. There’s water all down the right side and trees all down the left. If you miss the green to the right on your approach, you’ll end up in the water, because the land slopes straight down into it.
Another Williams favorite is No. 18, a pretty 388-yard par 4 with an imposing, castle-like clubhouse behind the green. Don’t be distracted, as a miss left of the green will find water.
Williams acknowledges his green fees are on the high end for Whatcom County. Regular in-season rates are $105 with a cart, or $85 walking. That said, discounts can be had. After 1 p.m. any day, the Z-Star special kicks in: $85 riding, $65 walking, with a sleeve of Srixon Z-Star balls thrown in.
YARDAGE (PAR 72) 4,317-7,151 yards
RATES $40-$105*
TEL (360) 398-8888
WEB GolfLoomis.com
* Check website for current rates
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3 • Sun Country Golf Course • Cle Elum
Sun Country Golf Course is the kind of place that arrests your attention and pulls you in when you’re motoring on I-90 on the way to somewhere else. In fact, you might not even make it to that other place, with so much golf right there in Cle Elum, Wash.
Sun Country is a rustic, 18-hole, par-71 course that combines country beauty with a playable layout. The course opened with nine holes in 1973 and earned popularity among locals and visitors who found it easy to jump off the freeway for a round.
In 2007, an expansion was completed when the back nine holes were added. The back nine was crafted by architect John Steidel, who also designed Apple Tree, Highlander and Canyon Lakes, among other courses.
It’s set against the backdrop of the Cascade Mountains, with several holes offering views of the nearby Kittitas Valley. Golfers can expect a varied experience, from flat, open fairways to more challenging, tree-lined holes that demand accuracy off the tee.
This relatively short course offers varied challenges by tee option, with the back (yellow) tees stretching to 5,507 yards, while the forward tees measure 4,711 yards.
One of the standout holes at Sun Country is the 15th. It’s a par 3 that plays over water and requires a precise tee shot to avoid both the water hazard and a bunker guarding the green.
Another memorable hole is No. 4, a dogleg-right par 4 that demands an accurate drive to navigate the trees and set up a clear approach to the green.
Green fees at Sun Country are relatively affordable, with rates ranging from $45 to $85 during peak season, which typically runs from May through September. Discount rates are available during off-peak hours, including twilight and weekday specials, making it a good value for golfers looking for a well-maintained course at a reasonable price.
Make sure you save some time for Nine Iron, their new restaurant. It is worth hitting up even if you don’t have time for a loop around the course.
YARDAGE (PAR 71) 4,711-5,507 yards
RATES $45-$85
TEL (509) 674-2226
* Check website for current rates
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