10 minute read
Tour of Tri-Cities
HORN RAPIDS GC, countless golfing options, wineries and lodging make this growing area one of the most well-rounded destinations in the Pacific Northwest
BY BOB SHERWIN • CG STAFF WRITER
As a 15-year-old, working carts and caddy duties at Horn Rapids Golf Course, Josh Garza feared that the course was not destined for success. The Richland, Wash., linksstyle course, which opened in 1994, was barely hanging on. There was hardly enough equipment to maintain the terrain. The irrigation system was breaking down. Fertilization was haphazard. Golfers were pulling for the course’s survival.
“I saw the potential of this place. I also saw not enough money was coming in,” Garza said. “Why was no one playing here, but golf was very popular in the Tri-Cities?”
It did have potential. Noted architect Keith Foster, who designed dozens of courses throughout the U.S. (including Druids Glen in Kent), had shaped a challenging layout, the first links course in the area and still one of the very few in the state.
Bob Soushek, a businessman from Maple Valley, Wash., owned and operated the course. However, Soushek was over his head and under water in this desert layout.
“Bob kept it afloat as long as he could without putting a lot of overhead into it. It was always playable, but when you don’t have the right fertilization program, Mother Nature does its own work,” said Garza, now Horn Rapids’ head golf professional.
Soushek finally sold the property in 2018 to Brad Rew for $1.5 million. Rew, who owns Gale-Rew Construction in Richland, immediately dealt with a list of projects. The first major issue was forced upon the new owner – fixing a broken water pump in mid-summer 2019. Garza said, “we were without water for a week and a half in July. We were drier than the Sahara Desert.”
It was fixed within a few weeks, but the course had wilted. That didn’t help player retention. One and done.
Then the Covid pandemic rocked the globe in 2020 as just about everyone sheltered. Rew admitted to Garza, “it was the worst time to purchase anything.”
Fortunately, golf was viewed as a safe activity, and within a short time, Horn Rapids (along with other golf courses throughout the country) began to draw folks, old and new.
“Golf was the only thing you could possibly do, instead of staying home,” Garza said. “It definitely changed the Horn Rapids environment.”
Various rate options helped attract the one-timers, including a $36-for-36-holes special that Garza, looking back, jokes about when considering the measures the course had to take.
All along, Rew’s team handled project after project. That included tearing down the original clubhouse for a new pro shop and restaurant (Rewsters Craft Bar & Grill), with an outdoor patio for music entertainment. New equipment was purchased. Surfaces were leveled. Sand was injected into the greens. More homes were built around the course, now more than 1,400 with 300 homesites remaining.
“We have not had a full year of ownership without an issue. Good things don’t happen fast. I’ve been here 15 years, and the last four-year period is the best this course has ever been,” Garza said. “We’re still not done with our vision, what it will be. Every year we pick a new project.
“This past year, we kind of got the Tri-Cities back and the love for Horn Rapids again,” added Garza. He says, unlike other courses in the area, it “has a destination feel to it.”
“(Now) how do we get the travel golfers back?”
One way has been what the Tri-Cities does best –wines. The area is known as “The Heart of Washington Wine Country.” Golf-and-wine packages are popular for folks traveling from Seattle, Spokane, and Portland. Garza said Rewster’s promotes nearby wineries from Ste. Michelle, Goose Ridge, Willows Run, and Brainstorm Cellars. Frequently found on tap at Rewster’s are selections from Bombing Range and White Bluffs, two breweries located within a mile of the course.
“We have more than 200 wineries within a 50-mile radius of the Tri-Cities,” said Julie Woodward, Vice President of Marketing and Creative Services for Visit Tri-Cities (Richland, Pasco, Kennewick). The area produces award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, and Chardonnay.
Not far from Horn Rapids is Columbia Point, with four quality restaurants overlooking the river. It’s also home to one of the popular hotels in the area, The Lodge at Columbia Point. Also close by is Tulip Lane, where there are three urban wineries. J. Bookwalter, Barnard Griffin, and Tagaris, all offer wine tastings and food.
Also consider Goose Ridge in Richland, where the wine tasting is right on the beautiful vineyard grounds there.
Some of the greatest growing conditions anywhere in the world are located in The Heart of Washington Wine Country.
The Tri-Cities population is around 310,000, so the roads don’t jam up like the big cities. It takes just about 15 to 20 minutes to get anywhere. That includes most of the wineries and established golf courses such as Canyon Lakes, Columbia Point, Buckskin, Sun Willows, Zintel Creek and West Richland, among others (see full list in this issue). They are all within a 20-mile radius of each other.
Canyon Lakes in Kennewick opened in 1981 and is considered one of the mainstays of Tri-Cities courses. It’s received accolades for over a dozen years as a mustplay. Mike Lundgren had owned and operated the John Steidel-designed 7,026-yard layout for 33 years before selling it last August to Tri-Cities businessmen Craig Eerkes, his son Chris Eerkes, and Scott Mitchell.
Horn Rapids, 6,990 yards (5,783 yards women’s tee), is similar length to Canyon Lakes, but is the only course in the area built on sand. Even though Horn Rapids opened 31 years ago, it’s virtually the new kid on the block because, over the years, there weren’t enough resources to promote or market the course.
“We were overlooked by not being able to get our name out there. We’re trying to get people to try us again,” said Garza, who is doing the golf show circuit to promote the course in Seattle and Portland — their exhibit was popular at the two expos this February. “Word of mouth is huge as well. It helps when a guy plays here, then goes back and tells his gang how fun it is and how different it is.”
“The course is hard enough not to end it on a sour note,” Garza said.
He shared that the accommodating par-5, 497-yard 18th hole is a fan favorite. Folks there have a good chance at a birdie, giving them a good feeling about their round, “and maybe feeling good about returning.”
It’s a must play, stands behind its incredible story and welcomes Puget Sound and Portlandia golfers warmly this spring, summer and fall. Visit HornRapidsGolfCourse.com to book tee times and perhaps serve as your anchor for this year’s Tri-Cities golf journey.
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Teeing it up in Kennewick, Pasco and Richland
LINKS TO THE LINKS
In addition to Horn Rapids, consider these courses, complexes and indoor golf locales for your initial and return trips to Tri-Cities.
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Buckskin Golf Club
Improve your skills at Buckskin Golf Club’s driving range and practice putting green or make your way to the nine-hole course for a quick trip. For 20 years, golfers have been enjoying the easy 90-minute trek around the layout.
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Canyon Lakes Golf Course
Rated among the best golf courses in Tri-Cities over a decade in a row. Additionally, check out their 18-hole putting course to improve your stroke. Canyon Lakes offers 20 different membership options including four-day memberships, ideal for those visiting the area.
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Columbia Park Golf Tri-Plex
The Columbia Park Golf Tri-Plex is a family-friendly facility with an 18-hole golf course. Guests can golf either nine or 18 holes or enjoy a game of disc and/or foot golf.
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Columbia Point Golf Course
Columbia Point Golf Course is an upscale, daily fee facility with a challenging course for all levels of linksters. Amenities include a golf shop, cafe, covered patio, driving range and clubhouse. The James J. Engh 18-hole design is 6,100 yards and is a par-72 test. Columbia Point chose a fresh approach that offers vertical elevation to a relatively flat surface while creating moderately challenging greens. It’s walking distance to great lodging options and one of the most popular courses in the state by rounds played.
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Divots Golf
This cutting-edge indoor golf simulator offers players a fully immersive experience with more than 100 worldwide courses to play and nearly a dozen games. Great post-round spot or evening hangout.
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Pasco Golfland
Located just one mile from Pasco Airport, Golfland is one of a few nine-hole courses in the area. Popular for local league play and game improvement, it also has a nice local pro shop. No hole over 175 yards makes this a super emergency nine locale.
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Sun Willows Golf Course
Sun Willows Golf Course is a Robert Muir Graves design with 18 holes playing to a par of 72. It opened in 1960 and was redesigned in 1980. The club features a pro shop, driving range, tip-top staff and restaurant. From the back tees the course plays 6,715 yards, has 32 bunkers and five lakes to contend with.
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West Richland Golf Course
Created in 1953, West Richland Golf Course features a local vibe with large trees and abundant wildlife. The Army Corps of Engineers’ vision 50 years ago was to make this an inviting place for all players and the 18-hole layout is one of the most beloved in Richland.
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X-Golf Kennewick
PlayXGolf.com/Locations/Kennewick
X-Golf has it all for an indoor experience. Their bar, shareable appetizers, and virtual courses are designed for all ages and levels.
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Zintel Creek Golf Club
Golfers seeking beautiful scenery should make their way to Zintel Creek Golf Club. The 18-hole course features tree-lined narrow fairways and great bunkering. Great food and drink as well as a golf simulator make this a sure-fire choice.
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How was your Trip?
We would love to read about and see your 2025 trips to Tri-Cities. Show us your golf, wine and recreation memories — feel free to send them to us and post your photos on our Cascade Golfer Facebook page.
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A Tri-Cities hotel and hub to consider — The Lodge at Columbia Point
There’s an array of great accommodations all over Tri-Cities. The previously mentioned Lodge at Columbia Point was Cascade Golfer’s home away from home during our coverage there. We found it warm and welcoming, and its timeless look, service and aura hit the spot.
Guests enjoy vistas of the water and we saw other sojourners around the patio fire pits in the evening sipping regional wines and also in the cocktail bar just off the lobby living room.
Drumheller’s Food and Drink located in the lodge featured local cuts, chops and produce selections and their pairings from the local AVAs and vineyards rounded out a personal culinary experience.
Pro tip: the pool and hot tub there will bring you back into form for golf the next day — handy in-room robes added to the respite.
Visit LodgeAtColumbiaPoint.com for more information and reservations. Additionally, VisitTri-Cities.com for a complete look at the region, recreation, entertainment and accommodation options.
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