High atop I-90 in the Cascades is spectacular Suncadia. The resort, community and courses are world-class and await golfers and sojourners this spring. The cover image is the 10th green on the Prospector Course.
Hit Play >
CG’s Travel There & Back takes you tee to tee around the world 46
Globetrotting Gems
2026
When 18 is not enough, these destinations have more than one track to keep you humming from sunup to sundown 56
Tri-Cities & Heart of Washington focus
New McLay Kidd masterpiece underway, nine courses to choose from and wine wonderland
PUETZ GOLF SAVINGS 28-37
ON THIS PAGE
Avalon Golf Links is one of Washington’s north stars year in and year out. Just off I-5 in Burlington, Avalon is a quick trip from Seattle and Everett and showcases the beauty of Skagit County.
Photo courtesy of Avalon Golf Links.
Photo courtesy of Suncadia.
THE SKINNY
Tee Times 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on both courses both days
Two-Person Best Ball Saturday and Sunday
Net and Gross Divisions • Two Different Flights
Over 50 Team Prizes Available
Prize Pool Daily and Two-Day Overall
4 KPs, Long Drive and Straight Drive Daily
Saturday Evening Corona Premier Happy Hour and Auction Benefitting Multiple Sclerosis
Your $1,390 team entry fee
• Tournament entry for both players
• Green fees, cart and range for both players on Gamble Sands and Scarecrow
• Round of golf for both players on Quicksands (anytime Friday-Sunday)
• Lunch for both players Saturday and Sunday
CONTACT • Simon Dubiel
• Friday Corona Sunbrew Shamble Shootout at Scarecrow
• Tee Times 10:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m.
• $650 team fee
CASCADE GOLFER cascadegolfer.com
Cascade Golfer is published and owned by Varsity Communications, Inc. It’s mailed via USPS to 50,000 homes and e-mailed to 100,000 golfers in Puget Sound.
Cascade Golfer begins its 20th year in business
I
t’s hard to believe and crazier to write, but it’s my honor to share that we began start-up work on Cascade Golfer 20 years ago.
VARSITY COMMUNICATIONS, INC. varsitycommunications.com
EDITORIAL STAFF
PUBLISHERS
Dick Stephens & Kirk Tourtillotte
EDITOR
Tony Dear
ART DIRECTION & GRAPHIC DESIGN
Robert Becker
WRITERS & COPY EDITING
Bob Sherwin, Bart Potter, Charles Beene & Lily Stephens
FOR EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS AND INQUIRIES:
Dick Stephens • Publisher stephens@varsitycommunications.com
FOR ACCOUNTING INQUIRIES: Kirk Tourtillotte • Publisher kirk@varsitycommunications.com
ADVERTISING & MARKETING STAFF
SALES/MARKETING MANAGER & TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR Simon Dubiel simon@cascadegolfer.com
COPYRIGHT 2026 Cascade Golfer. PRINTED IN THE USA. All rights reserved. Articles, photos, advertising and/ or graphics may not be reprinted without the written permission of the publisher. Advertising and editorial contained herein does not constitute endorsement of Cascade Golfer or Varsity Communications, Inc. Publisher reserves the right to edit letters, photos and copy submitted and publish only excerpts. The publisher has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all material contained in this issue. However, as unpredictable changes and errors do occur, the publisher can assume no liability for errors, omissions or changes.
All photos are courtesy of the course or individual unless otherwise noted.
PRODUCER AND OWNER OF THE
I’ve seen the sport, which was gliding along in a straight line for 15 years, get hit with the pandemic and then saw the insane explosion of the sport after that. We’ve covered the majors that whooshed through our backyard — what a thrill they were. So we could be with y’all in an interactive way, we’ve produced numerous tournaments and events — most recently the Seattle Golf Show.
Our partner Puetz Golf is always there with incredible information, offers and product news and reviews that you can use.
This talented team is proud that Cascade Golfer is still flourishing, reaches readers in a way that is unique and is a reliable companion for the golfer.
Our art director Rob Becker has been with us since the beginning and has blown everyone away with designs that delight the senses. Our sales manager Simon Dubiel is not only one of the toughest guys I know but always delivers incredible advertisers and insights as to what is best for the reader.
Englishman editor Tony Dear is one of the most respected golf writers in America and abroad. He has an incredible understanding of course architecture and new course development.
Bob Sherwin has as much experience in sports journalism and golf as anybody in the Puget Sound. His voice and tone are easy to understand. Bart Potter is an ex-
tremely talented feature writer. He loves the game and whether he’s talking about food and drink or the coolest new course, he always brings a zing.
Charles Beene has recently been copyediting for us, but he honestly launched this magazine as the editor 20 years ago and there’s nothing he can’t do in sports and golf journalism. It’s a pleasure to have him back in the fold again.
Rob Perry’s photography is flat out world-class. He’s been allowing us to access his incredible portfolio for many years, and it’s been our privilege his images grace these pages.
We’ve had other great collaborators like Steve Hamilton and a dozen other writers and photographers bringing this magazine to life. Pam Titland has collected every cent of revenue and done the invoicing on this magazine for two decades and without her steady hand, the magazine wouldn’t be viable.
My business partner and co-publisher Kirk Tourtillotte sweats this thing to always make sure that it brings the reader value.
For me, this is a boyhood dream come true. I grew up loving this sport and I always wanted to be in journalism, and this is giving me an opportunity to express myself in ways I didn’t think were possible. We’ve met thousands of wonderful people, covered golf live in seven countries and reported from over 30 states.
I hope you’re ready for spring and I want to thank you guys for always being there. Here’s to a great 2026 and as always, TAKE IT EASY!
MEMORIES FROM SEATTLE GOLF SHOW MARCH 13-15
OUR PREMIERE ISSUE
A better base: Trophy Lake upgrades aging bunkers SHORT GAME
Trophy Lake Golf and Casting, about 20 minutes southwest of Bremerton and roughly in the middle of the Kitsap Peninsula, was designed by John Fought and opened in 1999. It’s been ranked as high as ninth on a list of the state’s best public courses by readers of this magazine (it was 12th in 2024). Built by OB Sports and now owned by Oki Golf, Trophy Lake G&C is a beautiful course and a Pacific Northwest gem that must make golfers from outside the region truly appreciate their surroundings.
Although the course is invariably in good shape, it was felt the 27-year-old bunkers were past their best and needed attention.
“We thought it was time to address the bunkers due to their age and the fact that they were not originally lined,” says General Manager Brian Catalli. “Over time, we began seeing a significant amount of rock working its way up from the native soil. While the golf course overall is in excellent condition, the bunkers were no longer meeting our standards.”
Gig Harbor-based Ridgetop Golf, a highly respected course construction specialist that has been building, renovating, maintaining and shaping courses in the region for over three decades, was contacted early last year with a view to halting the damage and rebuilding the course’s bunkers following the 2025 season.
“We began work in November,” says Ridegtop Project Manager Casey Kalbrener. “The first phase of the project involved rebuilding 10 bunkers with sod liners. The December rain wasn’t ideal, but we were able to finish on time.”
Catalli was impressed. “Ridgetop did a fantastic job, and we are extremely pleased with the finished product,” he says.
In addition to rebuilding the 10 bunkers, the course removed a few to improve playability while maintaining the integrity of the original design. The dimensions of some greenside bunkers, most notably those on the 5th and 18th holes, were also reduced. The rest of Trophy Lake’s 70 bunkers will likewise be renewed in the coming years. “We would look to do the next phase heading into 2027,” says Catalli. “And we’ll continue until they are all done.”
SHORT GAME
The puck knows: How a Pacific Northwest-based non-engineer built a better way to putt
David Grill can tell you his golf invention works. He can’t tell you in scientific detail why.
He’s not an engineer.
He only knows it makes him a better putter, and it can work for you, too.
You won’t convince the real Boeing engineer who stood and watched him every day for three days, as Grill demonstrated his putting improvement invention — the Delta Putt — at the Seattle Golf Show 10 years ago.
“I finally called him over and asked him, ‘What are you seeing?’” Grill said in February. “He said, ‘Honestly, it’s brilliant. Where did you go to engineering school?’”
How does Delta Putt work? Grill, 65, of Wilsonville, Ore., explains in the simplest terms: The puck knows. And it’s willing to share.
The triangular “puck” is the active ingredient in the Delta Putt system, which includes a special mat with a putting target line extending out dead center.
The puck rolls out on three points of contact when struck by a putter.
“If it goes left of the target line, that’s a closed putter face,” Grill says. “If it goes right, that’s an open face.
“You’re not looking at any monitor to see what you did. It’s just simple physics, and it does not lie.”
The future of the patented Delta Putt (deltaputt.com) is bright. Grill five years ago gave up his business of 25 years to focus on it.
Today’s success is rooted in yesterday’s failure. Grill had played golf for Lewis & Clark College, a big stick who later competed in long-drive events.
But he fell away from golf in the press of business and raising children as a single father. When he did play, it wasn’t good. In fact, he putted so horribly on a trip to Bandon Dunes that he vowed to quit the game.
Instead, he used 3D modeling and modern fabrication techniques — with the help of people who knew about such things — to build a Delta Putt prototype.
When he took his golf game to the course after working with the puck, he was putting dramatically better.
He recalls his playing partners saying, ‘What have you been doing? You’re not that good a putter.”
He would say, “Well, I got this device and it works,” he says. Just don’t ask him why. The Delta Putt was one of the hottest products at the 2026 Seattle Golf Show.
David Grill
CG’s Editor Tony Dear pens his latest book The Story of Golf in 50 Tournaments
E SHORT GAME
leven years ago, our editor, Tony Dear, wrote a book titled The Story of Golf in 50 Holes for a British publisher in which he selected 50 holes from around the world that had played a significant part in the history of the game. Some, like the 16th at Cypress Point, were famous while others, like the 8th at Ratho Farm in Australia, were barely known but had somehow contributed to golf’s development.
Dear’s latest book, The Story of Golf in 50 Tournaments, published in March, follows a similar theme, identifying 50 championships and other events that have helped to shape the game. The book seeks to illustrate some of its most memorable moments like Bobby Jones capturing the Grand Slam with his victory at the U.S. Amateur in 1930, or Tiger Woods completing the “Tiger Slam” at the 2001 Masters.
It also sheds light on less familiar but likewise important occasions such as Babe Zaharias’s win at the 1954 U.S. Women’s Open or the gripping finale to the 2003 Presidents Cup in South Africa.
Dear, who first wrote for Cascade Golfer in 2010 and became its editor in 2021, isn’t sure why the books came 11 years apart, but thinks it probably has something to do with life getting in the way.
“Young children take up quite a bit of your time, so the thought of writing another book didn’t really occur to me until a couple of years ago by which time the kids were in college,” he says. “I pitched it to a new publisher in Chicago called Back Nine Press, not expecting to hear back, but they liked the idea.” The Story of Golf in 50 Tournaments is available on Amazon or at back9press.com.
SHORT GAME EXTRA
TRAVEL THE NORTHWEST
Whatcom County has over a dozen golf courses that run the gamut from short, small-budget facilities barely known by people who live two streets away to well-maintained, state-ranked, championship-worthy layouts. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the area’s better courses were collectively known as Monterey North — a nod to the famous golf courses of California’s Monterey Peninsula: Pebble Beach, Cypress Point, Spyglass Hill, Monterey Peninsula, etc.
While likening Whatcom County’s courses to them might have been something of a stretch, the name stuck, albeit briefly, and helped put Bellingham and the surrounding area on the golfing map.
Brian Kruhlak, former Head Professional at Avalon Golf Links outside Burlington, and Director of Golf at Sudden Valley outside Bellingham, was heavily involved with the initiative and says it was “somewhat official” and that “the goal was to make booking golf getaways as easy as possible,” as golfers could call the hotel they wished to stay at and have it book all their golf.
Kruhlak is now retired from his official role and pursuing other interests. And the phrase “Monterey North” hasn’t been heard for a decade or more. But though Bellingham and Whatcom County’s golf courses still have a very good reputation, it was felt they could benefit from another marketing push.
Enter John Tipping, General Manager of Shuksan GC, 10 miles northeast of the place they call “The City of Subdued Excitement.” A natural entrepreneur with experience in journalism, business, administration and management, Tipping has been at Shuksan for nearly 18 months and, shortly after beginning the job, became aware of the area’s potential.
“I started to see a lot of other regional golf destinations begin their annual marketing campaigns and felt we
should have something similar in the greater Bellingham area,” he says.
Tipping contacted the GMs/head professionals at Loomis Trail, North Bellingham, Lake Padden and Sudden Valley and proposed forming the “Mount Baker Golf Trail.”
“The courses involved have a lot of the same amenities and things a traveling golfer looks for,” says Tipping. “There’s good golf, good food, we are connected regionally — it just seems we all have something to offer.”
A website showcasing the courses and area’s dining/ lodging options — mountbakergolftrail.com — helps prospective visitors plan their trip. It’s expected that the Trail will benefit a number of local businesses as well as golfers.
“The more golfers we have, the better we’ll be able to maintain and likely improve our courses and amenities,” says Tipping.
The Trail hopes to attract golfers from Seattle, Tacoma, and Everett, primarily.
“It’s really only an hour’s drive from Everett,” says Tipping, “90 minutes from Seattle, and a little more than two hours from Tacoma. So, day trips are certainly possible, but the proximity of the courses to each other offers a nice multi-day golf trip without a flight. The hotels are very good, there are great dining options and several excellent breweries, and there’s so much to do besides play golf.”
With an airport in town, there’s also the hope golf-
ers will come from farther afield — Portland/Eugene, Spokane, and the Tri-Cities. And, of course, those in BC’s Lower Mainland are just a short hop across the border.
“We already get a great deal of traffic from there,” says Tipping, “but this is an option to stay and play for a few days at a time.”
Phil Gaggero, GM at Lake Padden course in Bellingham, is keen for the Trail to get started.
“Any idea that may potentially bring more golfers to Lake Padden would obviously be a win for us,” he says. “My general viewpoint is that once we have the chance to ‘capture’ a new golfer, they will fall in love with the course, the conditions, our level of customer service, and the overall experience. That guest will then be more likely to come back.”
Tipping was at the Seattle Golf Show in March, representing both Shuksan and the Mount Baker Golf Trail. There, he announced the Trail will hold a 54-hole pairs tournament in June — the first round on June 11 at North Bellingham, the second on the June 12 at Sudden Valley, and the closing round on the June 13 at Shuksan. The news of the trail was well-received at the Golf Show.
The tournament and website are being funded largely by the City of Bellingham, which awards grants to endeavors that draw tourists and generate hotel tax revenue.
One suspects Bellingham will benefit greatly from its association with the Mount Baker Golf Trail.
Kahler Mountain Club
Shuksan Golf Club
SHORT GAME
Sumner’s Pin High Mobile Golf brings the game and technology to where you are
The reaction never really changes.
“When people see our simulator enclosures suddenly pop-up for the first time, they stop and stare,” says Derrick Reid of Pin High Golf. “There’s always that moment of, ‘Wait — this can just show up here?’”
That moment is exactly what Pin High Mobile Golf is built around. The Sumner-based company brings full-scale, high-end simulator golf to backyards, garages, corporate events, and private gatherings across western Washington — places where golf hasn’t had a true footprint.
Founded by Reid and Lauren Hatcher, lifelong Washington residents, the company was designed to remove barriers without watering down the experience.
“Our mission is to promote the game of golf by removing the geographical borders and taking it into spaces where, traditionally, golf hasn’t been able to go,” Reid says.
The idea started close to home — literally.
“We built a simulator in an old garden shed in the backyard,” Reid says. “It wasn’t fancy, but it became the centerpiece of every family gathering, every holiday, every barbecue. At some point we looked at each other and said, ‘How cool would it be to bring this experience to
other people?’ That’s when things got serious.”
After some initial testing and product development, Pin High Mobile Golf was born. The company now operates two fully mobile simulator units, complete with simulator technology, course play options, and large impact screens comparable to those found in dedicated indoor facilities.
Just as important as the technology is the setting. Pin High’s custom-built outdoor tents are designed for Northwest weather, featuring vinyl tops and sides, peaked roofs for drainage, and removable panels — and at 24 feet long — they’re built to be social.
“There’s room to play, but also to hang out,” Reid says. “That’s intentional. We want it to feel like a golf lounge, not a pop-up booth.”
For larger events, Pin High also provides an on-site caddy to manage games, run contests, and, as the website says, “keep the chaos organized.”
While Reid knows that nothing replaces a day on the course, simulator golf is a natural complement — especially in tougher environments and group settings.
“It’s a social hub, it brings golfers and non-golfers into the same space,” he says. “That’s powerful.”
SHORT GAME
2026 Northwest Golfers Playbook available now — over 120 offers to save you cash all year
Spring is here and we are starting to get our first real nice glimpses of sunshine. The 2026 Northwest Golfers Playbook should warm you up too, with so many great partners all over this great state. It is your PASSPORT TO SAVINGS.
Tons of Washington’s top 15 courses are included in the 2026 edition (Gamble Sands, Wine Valley, Suncadia, Apple Tree, White Horse, The Home Course and Port Ludlow to name a few) as well as many of your local favorites — more than we can list here.
Golf’s popularity — indoors and out — continues to soar. Several new indoor facilities jumped into the book last year, and we added Bogey’s Indoor Golf in Arlington to this year’s book for the north end golfers. Also up north, Sudden Valley near Bellingham jumped in. For those down south, Allenmore GC is in the book in 2026 — a great addition.
You will find 2-for-1s, 4-for-3s, percentage discounts, free carts, lessons, range balls, twosome and foursome offers, simulator time specials, food and beverage perks and more. Plus of course, Puetz Golf, where you get $10 off, along with several other invites from their four locations.
With more than 120 pages of golf deals, you simply need to use a few coupons and be “in the black.”
Purchase a book online for $44.95 — use the code SAVEBIGONGOLF to save another $5 off. Whether you’re staying close to home or hitting the road, keep this beauty in your golf bag and reap the rewards all year.
Pick one up at NWGolfersPlaybook.com or perhaps buy one as a gift — it never stops giving.
Salish Cliffs Golf Club
Suncadia Resort • Prospector Course
SHORT GAME
CG Players Card: 12 green fees for only $249 about a buck-a-hole
Looking to play a ton of golf this year for barely $1 a hole? Well, you’ve hit the jackpot with the 2026 Cascade Golfer Players Card. You get 12 rounds for just $249 — a discount of over $500 — at some great tracks throughout western and central Washington. It’s a deal that’s hard to beat — all you have to do is go play.
The 2026 Players Card is simply “golf for less.” This is the 15th edition featuring Port Ludlow, Apple Tree, Sun Country, Horn Rapids, Eagles Pride, Desert Aire, Whidbey, Camaloch, High Cedars, LakeLand Village, Kahler Mountain and Highlander. Buy the card and you get a free green fee at each of those courses.
Play any of the 12 individually, or head out for a 36hole day. Maybe you’re looking for a multi-day road trip? Many pair up for a great back-to-back. Use the card at your leisure knowing that even redeeming half the rounds will leave you in the black for the year. The number of cards is limited each year making this offer exclusive to a rare group of golfers who love to play often. The early bird gets the worm so act fast — you will be glad you did.
Log on to CascadeGolfer.com and get your card today. See you on the fairway.
Cedars GC
Kahler Mountain Club
Desert Aire GC
Apple Tree Resort
Camaloch GC
Wes Regan, who owns and operates the Gleneagle Golf Course in Arlington — along with his parents Pat and Kathy Regan — has a simple objective for his course.
“My ultimate goal is to be one of the best golf courses in Snohomish County, if not the state,” Wes said.
Based on what the Regans have accomplished, just in the past seven years, Wes believes, “we’re really on the right path on what we can accomplish.”
That path for the Regans started a couple decades ago when they ran several businesses in the area, including the restaurant at Cedarcrest Golf Course. But lease issues with the city in 2009 ultimately caused them to depart, taking over Gleneagle Bar and Grill. At that time, the Grill was not a first-thought option for many of their neighbors in the 1,100 homes that surrounded the course. They needed their support to survive.
The Regans improved the menu, remodeled the space — separating the bar from the dining room to entice more families — and established an efficient food delivery system to area homes.
The course, designed by Bill Teufel, also needed a rescue. The greens were among the finest in the state when it opened in 1993, but the Regans struggled to maintain that reputation.
“We had the best greens with the smallest crew,” Wes said.
Wes, head pro Paul Melohusky and a couple full-time maintenance workers handled the bulk of the improvements and maintenance of the course. Their most important investment was a larger tractor that could handle many major tasks. They cleaned out all the traps, improved drainage and mowing patterns. Wes did every job he could, from mowing to cooking to delivering.
The work ethic was always there. As was the motivation, the ideas and the level of care. But everything necessary couldn’t always be there all at once.
“It just takes a lot of money, a lot of time and we’re working as fast as we can to improve this course,” Wes said. “Dad is the money guy. He’s the one who makes sure we don’t spend too much so we can survive every year. That’s the biggest thing. Without him, we wouldn’t be in the position we are in right now.”
The Regans finally took over the whole operation in December 2019 — just weeks before Covid devastated the world. But Pat (‘the money guy’), Kathy (‘the face of the place’) and Wes (the self-described ‘talker’) brought the club through the pandemic with the motto, “A Public Course with a Private Feel.”
“We treat everyone like family,” Wes added.
Toughest Tee Shot 11th hole
There are really two of them, No. 11 and No. 17. I think 11 is the toughest. It’s just people’s nemesis hole. It’s a par-5 (490 yards) with a ravine in the middle, water on the left, woods on the right. If you can hit the ball, you can definitely reach the ravine. If you’re too far left, you’re in the woods; if you’re too far right, you’re in the woods. It’s a small margin.
Best Birdie Opportunity 5th hole
It’s got to be hole No. 5, par-5 (461 yards). It’s pretty wide open. If you’re in the fairway, you’ve got a chance at a birdie. It’s a reachable par-5.
Best Par 3 3rd hole
I’d say No. 3 (220 yards). It’s the best and the hardest. You hit from an elevated tee to the green, from the blue tees. There’s water on the right, sand trap on the left and back. It seems like everyone struggles on No. 3. My friend’s dad used to say, “it’s the easiest par-5 on the course.”
Favorite Hole 18th hole
My favorite hole on the course is No. 18 (par-4, 350 yards). Just for the camaraderie. There’s a hill on the back of the green. When our men’s club plays our Sunday tournaments, everyone sits on top of that hill, right above the green. We’re heckling each other, having a good time, having fun. Maybe 40-50 guys with their carts on top of that hill. Players are hitting into that gallery.
Emergency Nine front or back?
Front nine is my choice. There’s a lot more hills, a lot more undulation out there. Everything funnels to the center.
Go-To Lunch Item on the clubhouse menu
Our burgers for sure. We get a special blend from Double DD Meats in Lynnwood. These beauties are popular with the locals and very good.
HOLE PAR
Black Yellow White Blue
Mixology Maven JoJo Kitchen
JoJo Kitchen had to leave the world’s richest cocktail bar scene to find her groove, a continent away, as a bartender and masterful mixologist.
The New Jersey native went to New York City when she was 17 to go to art school. She got into the restaurant industry when she needed a job.
It was not until she moved to Seattle, however, that she found the work that led to a calling.
“I like to say I left the concrete jungle for the trees of the Pacific Northwest,” Kitchen says. “So, who knew I’d go camping? Who knew I’d love hiking?”
Who knew, likewise, that Kitchen — bar manager today at Rob Roy, a cocktail bar in Belltown — would immerse herself in the craft and community of the spirits and cocktail world?
In Seattle, the 35-year-old Kitchen worked at No Anchor, a beer bar, before moving to the Fog Room, a downtown rooftop bar.
She’s worked at Rob Roy (2332 Second Ave.) since bar seating began to reopen in 2021, after the pandemic.
“I think during the pandemic, people started appreciating what they were missing when bars were closed.”
Now, her job is not just a job.
“People in general, and you always have that aunt or someone say, “When are you going to get a real job?’
“I love creating cocktails. I love making drinks. They’re definitely my medium.”
Spring has sprung!
The Belltown Goddxss Milagro
Reposado Tequila is the stuff that stirs this spectacle
BY BART POTTER • CG STAFF WRITER
An amazing April après golf sipper
This issue’s featured 19th Hole cocktail, Belltown Goddxss, made with Milagro Reposado Tequila, started life as a non-alcoholic concoction. It fits, as such, on the Designated Drivers menu at Rob Roy, a craft cocktail bar in Seattle’s Belltown.
It also fits, according to the cocktail’s creator, JoJo Kitchen, with an emerging ethic in the bar industry and society.
“People are coming in with a wellness mindset, a self-care mindset,” says Kitchen, Rob Roy’s bar manager. “They’re just not drinking as much, and they want options.
“That’s why it was important to me to make a really delicious cocktail that can be served non-alcoholic, but if you want it’s just as delicious with a spirit in it.”
For the Belltown Goddxss, a refresher perfect for summer sipping, the spirit is Milagro Reposado, a 100 percent blue agave tequila distributed by William Grant & Sons Inc.
Milagro holds up to the bold flavors of the Goddxss’s ingredients, Kitchen says, such as house made cantaloupe shrub (syrup) and saffron sharbat, along with lemon and NA Pathfinder Amaro.
At Home Bar Mixology 19TH
And the unusual spelling of Goddxss? It’s not a typo. “It’s non-gendered,” Kitchen says, “so anyone who kind of identifies as a goddess can enjoy it.”
Its creator says everybody else can enjoy it, too, with or without alcohol.
Belltown Goddxss
By JoJo Kitchen • Rob Roy Belltown, Seattle
INGREDIENTS
• 1.5 oz. Milagro Reposado Tequila
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• .75 oz. cantaloupe shrub
• .5 oz. saffron sharbat
• .25 oz. Pathfinder Amaro
• 4-6 mint leaves
• 1.5 oz. soda water
INSTRUCTIONS
• Shake all ingredients but soda water in a shaker.
• Fine-strain into Collins glass with the soda water on the bottom.
• Add ice last.
• Serve with sprigs of mint nestled next to the straw.
Setup
RISK vs. RE WARD
By Simon Dubiel
Perhaps no course in western Washington goes under the radar more than Shuksan does. It’s straight up fun to play. Excitement and danger lurk around every corner, and the par-5 13th hole is no exception. The tee shot is a slight dogleg left over a ridge that can leave 200-250 yards in. The approach is slightly downhill towards a green with water front and right. Your approach shot requires a commitment to this skinny green.
Risk
With water short and right, the approach demands an accurate strike just to stay dry. Long and left is the bail out, but that leaves you in the mounds and hardly a guarantee to get down in two, or even three depending on how dicey your lie is. Pushing your chips in here and going for the green in two will test your nerve. And it always feels good when you do and deliver.
If you stripe a drive off the tee, you are absolutely sitting in the go zone. You may not even have to pull a head cover. Playing to the left side of the green is your attack point, as the miss right leaves you without a chip. Anything pulled left of the green keeps you in the game though, and still a great chance to put a circle on the scorecard. Strike one pure and you might have a look at two circles.
Final Call
Number 13 is a fun one. The tee shot is forgiving enough to force you to make a decision. Give it a go or layup? Sure, wedge/wedge may be a safer play, but one way or the other, you gotta get the shiny pearl over the water and onto dry land. We like to do that with our second shot. The book says to double down with 11, and we are doing the same here. Just one dealer. Let’s make it count.
Shuksan Golf Course
Hole No. 13 Par 5 500 yards (Blue Tees)
PRESENTED BY
PRODUCT REVIEWS
and equipment news you can use
IN THE BAG 1
BY TONY DEAR • CG EDITOR
New season, new gear and your best golf year awaits
The new season is upon us, and we couldn’t be more excited. Thirty-six-hole days at our favorite Washington courses, far-off golf trips, long golf weekends, a few competitions, the journey to a better handicap, polo shirts and shorts without the need for quarter-zips, windcheaters, or raingear, and peaceful evening rounds at our home course are just around the corner.
This will undoubtedly be your best golf year yet, just like every other year, as you visit new courses and tee it up with friends, family, or those you’ve not played with before. This is the year you develop an effective and repeatable swing and add 5-10 yards to your drives. You’ll soon be hitting three or four more greens every round and taking significantly fewer putts.
You’ll want to take advantage of the numerous offers, discounts, and bargains available to Cascade Golfer readers, as well as add a few new shiny tools to your arsenal.
This year’s PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla., seemed to create more buzz and interest than normal which, when you consider how much buzz and interest it typically generates, is saying something. There’s so much good golf equipment available now — equipment that promises to make your favorite game even more enjoyable.
And Puetz Golf has it all. Here are some of the items we were most interested in, and which we think could have the most profound impact on your game.
SHOT SCOPE, BLUE TEES & GARMIN LM1, Rainmaker, G82 1
In 2019, Japan’s PRGR introduced the HS-120 launch monitor, followed by the HS-130A, priced at around $230. Portable and radar-based, they were basic but affordable. Two years later, Garmin released the R10, the first sub$1,000 sim-synched launch monitor that let you play over 43,000 courses through the Garmin app and offered additional metrics (e.g. launch angle, spin). It retailed at about $600. At January’s PGA Show, Shot Scope released its first launch monitor — the LM1. Priced at just $199, it attracted much attention. Like the early PRGR models, it offers just a handful of metrics — clubhead/ball speed, smash factor, carry/total yardage — but the screen is significantly bigger/clearer and, rather than give you a 500-shot history, you can review 1,000 shots on the Shot Scope app (free, no subscription). Two other new devices, more expensive than the LM1 but still affordable, are the Blue Tees Rainmaker and Garmin G82, both syncable with simulators. The Rainmaker offers over 20 shot metrics, while the G82 is primarily a handheld GPS rangefinder with launch monitor. The long-awaited G80 successor, the G82 offers fewer shot metrics (clubhead/ball speed, smash factor, tempo) but more features, such as putting metrics, bag-mapping, and a larger screen (5 inch vs. 4.3 inch).
Blue Tees Rainmaker
Shot Scope LM1
Garmin G82
he 11th generation of the revered Spin-Milled series is Bob Vokey’s latest masterpiece. Vokey focuses on Contact, Flight, and Spin, with Contact determined by a choice of six grinds (T, M, F, S, D, K) — the player selecting the grind that best fits their set-up/shot preferences and course’s turf conditions. Spin is regulated with loft-dependent grooves (PW/GW grooves have different dimensions to SW grooves, which are different to LW grooves) while all are 5 percent larger by volume. And a new heat treatment makes those grooves more durable, meaning they stay effective for longer. As for Flight, Vokey noticed that different grinds produced different trajectories with clubs of the same loft, so he applied the same CG across all grinds at each given loft, thereby eliminating an important fitting variable. The SM11 is available in four finishes — Chrome, Nickel, Jet Black, and Raw — with 44-60 degrees of loft and 4-14 degrees of bounce. The Ping S259 features a larger elastomer insert than that of the S159 to improve sound/ feel. Wheel-cut, loft-dependent grooves, a machined face, and Ping’s hi-tech face-blast produce more spin that’s both consistent and predictable. Available in Hydropearl 2.0 Chrome and Midnight finishes, with 46-62 degrees of loft and 6-14 degrees of bounce. Your short game depends on the right array of wedges to stick it close. Visit Puetz Golf so their experts can fit you properly.
The Wingman HD doesn’t quite have the features of its predecessors (Wingman View, Wingman 2). There’s no remote control or USB-C charging port, and the Wingman 2’s battery lasts longer (you can easily get 36 holes out of the HD assuming your local course isn’t a six-hour nightmare). But the stuff most people consider important has been significantly improved. Not only do the screen and number font on the 3.5-inch Color HD Touchscreen display look a lot better, but you can also pair it with the Bushnell Golf App to get GreenView and HoleView displays. You can keep a digital scorecard and see up to six hazards. You’re also able to pair the HD with up to 100 others (it could happen) to get the full concert experience. There’s an indoor/outdoor EQ mode, meaning you can use it on the course, range, with your at-home simulator, or in your backyard. It’s rated IPX67, so dustproof and waterproof. The BITE Magnetic Cart Mount is present and correct. The custom audio features (first-tee intros and oncourse soundbites) are here. The sound quality is genuinely excellent. In the app, there’s even a setting that increases your music volume as your cart accelerates. The Wingman broke the mold when when it hit the market a few years back. Now, it’s rare to see a cart or a foursome without one as it brings entertainment and high tech to every turn and bump along your 18-hole journey.
Bushnell’s most popular rangefinder is now even better with clearer slope visuals, recallable yardages, and LINK-enabled club recommendations — without losing what made the V-series a big favorite. Bushnell knows how to make meaningful improvements without unnecessarily reinventing or over-complicating anything, and the Tour V7 Shift epitomizes that approach. There’s a dual-color OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) display, showing slope-adjusted “plays-like” distance in green and actual distance in red. Yardage Range Recall allows golfers to retrieve the last measured distance. It pairs with Bushnell or Foresight launch monitor data for personalized club recommendations. It retains trusted features like PinSeeker with Visual JOLT and includes Bushnell’s extremely useful BITE magnetic cart mount. And it’s IPX6 weather-resistant, meaning it remains waterproof provided you don’t go out in the sort of torrential rain (“heavy stuff”) Bishop Fred Pickering endured in “Caddyshack” the movie. It’s good for distances over 500 yards, and offers 6x magnification and optics that, it seems, only Bushnell can achieve. Priced less than Bushnell’s flagship Pro X3+, the Tour V7 Shift probably represents the best value rangefinder in Bushnell’s mid-range lineup for 2026. The Patriot Pack includes the Tour V7 Shift, a premium carry case, a CR2 battery, and a Folds of Honor ball marker.
Titleist Vokey SM11
5
IN THE BAG
TAYLORMADE Qi4D Drivers 7
PUETZ GOLF PRICE
$339.99 CLICGEAR
4.5 Pushcart 5 PING G440 K Driver 6 7 8 6 I Y W
t’s unlikely yesterday’s cart-pusher would recognize today’s pushcarts, so light, slick, and packed with features have they become. Clicgear is originally a Hong Kongbased manufacturer but, since May of last year, is owned by GT Golf Supply, a major golf wholesale distributor located in Vista, Calif. They make some of the highest-rated pushcarts in the game, and the company’s flagship 4.5 three-wheeler is so well-designed that pushing it around 18 holes is a breeze. It collapses down to a compact 13 x 15 x 24 inches with two easy moves and weighs just 21 pounds, making it easy to get in and out of the car. Its new Command Center Console features a sound-amplifying phone holder, magnetic and hook-and-loop storage pads, charge cord access, and a three-ball holder. There’s a new storage bag and mesh basket, an adjustable drink-holder that will hold anything from a skinny can to a wide bottle, and a new internally routed brake cable. The tough, durable silicone strap system ensures the bag stays on the cart, independent handlebar adjustments are simple, and there’s a bracket for an umbrella. As one leading golf publication insists, if you don’t have a full-time caddie, the Clicgear 4.5 Pushcart may well be your best option.
PUETZ GOLF PRICE
$647.99
ou’ll recall the hysteria surrounding 10K MOI drivers of two years ago, when extremely forgiving drivers with an MOI of 10,000g/cm² made the news. Ping was considered the pioneer with the G430 MAX 10K, but TaylorMade (Qi10 Max), Callaway (Elyte X), PXG (Lightning Max 10K), Cobra (DS-ADAPT MAX-K), and a couple of others all brought out similarly user-friendly clubs. This year, the bar has been set even higher by Ping whose G440 K driver boasts a 10,300 MOI. The G440 K has a carbon crown and sole, saving about seven grams which is relocated low in the head, dropping the CG to make the driver more stable. There’s a 32-gram tungsten backweight that can be moved to give a fade or draw bias or promote a straight shot. The thin T9S+ face is forged and features a dual-roll radius to help with off-center strikes. Interior ribs improve the sound of impact. The lightweight, eight-position Trajectory Tuning 2.0 hosel enables adjustments for loft (±1.5 degrees) and lie (up to 3 degrees flatter than standard). A 46-inch (USGA-limit) shaft increases clubhead speed and, likely, distance without widening dispersion. Available in 9-degree, 10.5-degree, and 12-degree lofts (some PGA Tour players have been seen using a 7.5-degree head).
PUETZ GOLF PRICE $649.99
ith the Qi4D, TaylorMade appears to have put its focus back squarely on speed after years of chasing higher MOI. The company has long touted the advanced aerodynamics of its drivers without making a big deal of it, but aerodynamics is a significant part of the Qi4D. TaylorMade says the shape of the head has been “reengineered with cutting-edge aerodynamic properties designed to reduce drag and increase ball speed.” The Speed Pocket, a well-known TaylorMade innovation introduced in 2012 with Rocketballz and then RocketBladez, has also been redesigned to optimize flexibility/ballspeed. That’s not to say forgiveness and MOI have been forgotten. The 60x Carbon Twist Face (with aluminum collars in the Qi4D Max and Qi4D Max Lite models), carbon crowns, and carbon soles enable engineers to lower the CG and increase MOI. A system (TAS) of adjustable weights (with different weights and a different number of weight ports across models) allows you to fine tune launch and ball flight, and a 4-degree loft sleeve adds another level of adjustability. Improved roll radius keeps spin consistent on vertical mishits. There are four models (all 460cc): Core, LS (low spin), Max (highest MOI), and Max Lite (lighter components).
IN THE BAG
PUETZ GOLF PRICE
$649.99
Callaway’s new three-layer “Tri-Force” face could be its next big game-changer. The outer layer is AI-optimized titanium. On the back is carbon-fiber, and between the two is a high-tech material called “Poly Mesh” that binds the titanium to the carbon, allowing them to flex and recover in their own way. The Poly Mesh and carbon-fiber reduce vibration, save weight and, together with the titanium, enable Quantum drivers to create more ballspeed with lower CT numbers, which means they perform well and are less likely to fall foul of the rules. Tri-Force also keeps spin consistent, reducing it on low-face hits and increasing it on high-face contact. There are five models: The multi-material, 460cc Quantum Max with discrete weights at the rear (10 grams and 2 grams); the 460cc Quantum Max D, whose closed face and internal weighting give it a draw bias; the 460cc Quantum Max Fast, which has a 360-degree carbon-fiber chassis making it the lightest of the five; the 450cc, Tour-inspired Quantum Triple Diamond with neutral or fade settings, low-spin, and a piercing trajectory; and the 460cc Quantum Triple Diamond Max, which is for players who prefer the Triple Diamond shape and neutral/fade options but also want more forgiveness.
PUETZ GOLF PRICE
$599.99
Cobra has been golf’s most innovative manufacturer of recent years, giving us the translucent SpacePort sole, PWRSHELL and H.O.T. faces, One Length irons, 3D-Printing, MIM wedges, and the FutureFit 33 hosel. By comparison, the 460cc titanium OPTM driver seems relatively conventional, though Cobra might actually be introducing its most important concept yet. Golfers are familiar with the term MOI and how it affects a club’s level of forgiveness. MOI, however, is a measure of a club’s resistance to twisting along just two axes — heeltoe and top-bottom, which are ‘disturbed’ at the moment of impact. Cobra says head/face twisting occurs along a third axis, which happens prior to impact and should, obviously, be kept to a minimum. So, while a high MOI number is ideal, Cobra also seeks to keep the Products of Inertia (POI) number low, helping the clubhead to rotate naturally before striking the ball and, thus, allowing the MOI to do its thing. To keep POI low, Cobra has reshaped the head and repositioned weight screws. In addition, OPTM drivers have the H.O.T. face and the FutureFit 33 hosel. There are four models: OPTM X (core), OPTM LS (low spin), OPTM MAX-K (highest MOI), and OPTM MAX-D (draw-bias).
PUETZ GOLF PRICE See PuetzGolf.com for pricing
n zero-torque putters, the shaft is repositioned so that it enters the head closer to the head’s CG (i.e. center-shafted). This eliminates much of the twisting (and other variables) that complicates conventional putters and to which golfers must adapt. Axis1 Golf was the pioneer in 2006, but LAB Golf (originally Directional Force) developed the technology starting in about 2014. Sales of zero/low-torque putters didn’t take off until 2024-25, however, with several manufacturers now offering at least one zero/low-torque model. The science has been proven with a handful of PGA Tour players (Justin Rose, Adam Scott, JJ Spaun, Lucas Glover, etc.) adopting ZT putters, but getting consumers to embrace the tech was a challenge. That and the fact LAB Golf’s putters just looked unique. The DF2.1 was groundbreaking to say the least, so the company looked to tone down some of the wackier-looking parts with the somewhat more refined DF3, released in January 2024. It has been LAB’s best-selling putter yet, but users wanted to know what it would feel like with a face insert. The DF3i has a 303 stainless steel insert that doesn’t soften strikes like most inserts do but actually creates two percent more ball speed and a noticeable pop.
WHEN 18 IS NOT
ENOUGH, these destinations have more than one track to keep you humming from sunup to sundown
When the itch to play won’t go away, there may be nothing for it but to follow a round of golf with a round of golf.
Who does that?
“I think it’s people who love the game of golf, and if you love the game of golf, you want to play as much as you can,” says Eric Ferrier, clubhouse manager at Avalon Golf Links in Burlington. Avalon has three full-length nines that offer maximum flexibility for configuring an expanded and expansive day of golf.
“If you’re working, or you have family obligations as well, and you get the day off, it’s like, ‘OK, I’m making the most of the situation and I’m playing 27 or 36.’”
Pro shop personnel around the state like Ferrier are ready and willing to step up and help you scratch your itch for 27 or 36 holes in a day.
“So, it’s just the love of the game, right?” Ferrier says. “If you let them play, they’ll play.” And play. And play.
The Washington courses below make it easy to extend your golf day. Not all offer specials for playing 27 or 36, so call the courses to see about potential deals and discounts. What is special, is that each of these spots scratch an itch that places with less than 19 holes can’t — these are experiences.
BY BART POTTER • CG STAFF WRITER
EAGLES PRIDE & WHISPERING FIRS
Maximum golf in the USA
jblm.armymwr.com
Eagles Pride (253) 967-6522
Whispering Firs (253) 982-2124
Get the morning/afternoon cadence going on with the two courses of Joint Base Lewis McChord in Pierce County. At Eagles Pride, the main configuration pairs the Red and Blue courses for a rugged 6,679 yards with plenty of elevation change (add the Green course to complete a self-contained 27). The scenic Whispering Firs at McChord AFB (rating 71.8/122, 6,646 yards) is not as forgiving as its military brother, requiring shots to tight windows through the trees to small greens. For your 36er, remember everyone going through the McChord gate needs an enhanced driver’s license, passport or other ID that conforms to the REAL ID act.
EAGLES PRIDE
GAMBLE SANDS
Panorama central
gamblesands.com (509) 436-8323
Imagine two David McLay Kidd golf courses on the same vast property in central Washington, each ranked as world-class from the day they opened, then imagine playing both in the same day. Imagination can be reality at Gamble Sands Golf Club in Brewster. The new course, Scarecrow, won’t kill with its length but will surprise with its playability, especially from the Sands tees at 6,261 yards (course rating 70.0, slope 122). The original Gamble Sands course is longer (7,155 yards from the back Medal tees, 6,389 from the Sands), but all tees let you lift your eyes to the big sky forever of the Gamble Sands spectacle.
HAWKS PRAIRIE
Links, woods or vice versa
hawksprairiegolf.com (360) 455-8383
The Golf Club at Hawks Prairie in Lacey offers a morning-afternoon test in two 18s as distinct from each other as their names. The Woodlands course (rating 73.1, slope 133) is classic western Washington: from the back tees, its wide fairways wind 7,170 yards alongside trees big and old, ponds and wetlands, to large multi-tiered greens. The Links course (73.4/135, 6,887 yards), with its views of Puget Sound and Mount Rainier, is a contrast to its woodsy sister with its Scottish-style open fairways and rolling terrain.
AVALON
Triple your pleasure
avalongolflinks.com (360) 757-1900
The three niners here, designed by Robert Muir Graves, have distinct characters, the better to pick and choose a 27- or 36-hole route. The signature of the North nine (3,366 yards) is its arrangement of three par 3s, three par 4s and three par 5s. The West nine is shorter and more focused on accurate driving to fairways narrowed by trees. The South nine (3,408 yards), Ferrier’s favorite, opens up broader and longer fairways, with larger greens and the best views of the Skagit Valley on the property.
GOLD MOUNTAIN
Pick your pretty poison
goldmountaingolf.com (360) 415-5432
Here in Bremerton, in the wooded foothills of the Olympic Mountains, lies Gold Mountain Golf Club, where you’ll find all you could want for 36 holes of golf in a day. The Olympic Course (rating 72.6/slope 142) is recognized as one of the best courses in the state. The Cascade Course (129/71.6) is older and not as steeply challenging, but barely a hair less pretty. Try to get lunch in between your 18s, because you’ll need a refuel stop, especially if you’re walking and you play the grand and gnarly Olympic first.
The eastside empire
newcastlegolf.com (425) 793-5566
The courses at The Golf Club at Newcastle are the scenic equal of any public course in eastern King County, so sensory overload is a possibility in your 36 holes. The Coal Creek course stretches 7,024 yards from the back, featuring thickly bunkered landing areas, rolling fairways, sloping greens and lots of up and down. China Creek packages its views with hole designs that offer variety enough for golfers of every stripe over its 6,632 yards of gently undulating terrain. Don’t fail to fit a meal and beverage at Calcutta Grill into your double-18 day.
LAKELAND VILLAGE
Just that little bit more
lakelandvillagegc.com (360) 275-6100
When 18 ain’t quite enough and 36 seems about half-again too much, LakeLand Village in Allyn, Mason County, is the place to feel the feel. Back in the day, LakeLand had three nines called Generation I, Generation II and Generation III. Today, the most common configuration is the old Gen II and III making up the 18-hole Ranch Course (rating 70.8/slope 123), which meanders 6,392 well-groomed yards through the rustic LakeLand community. Round out a 27-hole day with a cruise around Generation I, which LakeLand now calls an executive nine, at a quiet and pretty 2,407 yards.
SUNCADIA
Double down on Rope Rider and Prospector
suncadia.com (509) 260-4224
Public golfers are encouraged to dial up 36 holes on two premium courses at the Suncadia Resort community in Roslyn. The Rope Rider course offers a stiff test for good players at 7,300 yards and offers an array of tee options on down to youth tees. The Prospector course runs out to 7,100 yards, and its rolling, well-bunkered fairways and abundance of on-course water offers risk vs. reward tasks for accomplished players.
WILLOWS RUN
Diversity of experience
willowsrun.com (425) 883-1200
This Redmond club promises “softer edges” on its Coyote Creek course. But there’s no such thing as a pushover at the Willows Run Golf Complex, whether you start your 36 with Coyote (slope 120, rating 70.8) or its thornier sister Eagles Talon (125/72). There are few forced carries at Coyote Creek, but precise shot placement is a must. At Eagles Talon, you’ll need to be straight-up strategic off the tee and approaching the bunkerprotected greens. Still not done after 36? Try Heron Links on the property for nine more holes of par-3 challenge.
CG and Travel There and Back
takes you tee to tee around the world PORTUGAL
BY BOB SHERWIN • CG STAFF WRITER
ust about everyone who has taken up the game of golf has a bucket list — time-honored or well-regarded courses around the world that one day they dream of playing.
GLOBETROTTING GEMS J
When the day arrives that those folks are willing to go the extra mile or pay the extra buck to realize their golf goals, they might want to speak with Michelle Wicks Cypher. Michelle co-owns the Kennewick-based Travel There and Back agency with her husband Michael. For decades, they have spe-
cialized in sending mostly Northwest golfers to far-off golfing dreamlands.
They have the knowledge, contacts and sources that can get their clients on many of the outstanding courses in the world, plus design cool experiences once the clubs are put away.
Here are some of their most requested global golf destinations that Michelle and Michael have been sending golfers, singles, couples, foursomes and beyond: Mexico, British Columbia, Portugal, South Africia and New Zealand.
Old Course at Vilamoura • Portugal
BC
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Many golfers have been sent to the Vancouver and Whistler areas over the years, but Michelle has seen significant golf growth in the Okanagan Valley area, east of Vancouver. It is a much drier area known for more than 200 wineries, fruit orchards, the scenic Okanagan Lake and a few dandy golf layouts.
“It’s really considered a destination, staying at one resort and branching out to a bunch of different courses within a 30- to 50-minute drive,” Michelle said. “It’s like the landscape you’d find in Central Oregon or Eastern Washington. Also, there is a high density of wineries.”
One recommended golf destination is the two-course Predator Ridge Resort in Vernon, B.C., nestled among several lakes. The Predator Course is a links style layout. that has been voted the best public course in B.C. and is the two-time host of the World Skins Game. The other, the Ridge Course, is known for its beautiful granite rock outcroppings, elevation changes and stunning vistas.
The Harvest Club golf course in Kelowna, B.C., “is kind of cool because it’s built into a working orchard,” Michelle said. “If you go north of there, a day trip, there’s Tobiano in Kamloops. It sits on a bluff above the Kamloops lakes. It’s beautiful.”
For non-golfing folks who want to enjoy other Valley delights, she suggests the Sparkling Hill Resort in Vernon, B.C., an adults-only 146-room wellness spa resort. It’s adjacent to the Predator Ridge courses. Pet friendly, too.
These people know their stuff and you can find them at travelthereandback.com where your wanderlust can become reality. TAKE YOUR DREAM TRIP — ON YOUR BUDGET
MEXICO
or years, the agency has sent scores of travelers/golfers to the well-developed Cabo resorts, at the end of the Baja Peninsula. But Michelle said there are two other burgeoning and disparate golf areas: Puerto Vallarta on the West Coast, tight against the Pacific, and Cancun, a resplendent spit of land on the Yucatan Peninsula that reaches out into the Gulf of Mexico.
“We love Puerto Vallarta. They have a lot of really cool courses in the area,” Michelle said. “There are two Jack Nicklaus courses about an hour outside of Puerto Vallarta called Punta Mita, the Bahia course and Pacifico. What’s really cool about that area is the scenery. Just beautiful scenery.”
She said Pacifico has the unique distinction of having the world’s ‘only natural island green.’ It’s an optional par-3 19th hole, 194 yards straight out towards the ocean called “Tail of the Whale.”
“By the way, it can only be played at low tide,” Michelle said. “So, you have to time your golf. For those golfers who have a bucket list of courses they like to cross off, they can say they played there.”
Another course in the area that also has a unique feature is Vidanta Vallarta, a Greg-Norman-design that has hosted the PGA Tour’s Mexico Open. The course, which winds around the Ameca River, has the world’s longest golf cart suspension bridge, over the Ameca.
Norman also designed another elegant course in the Cancun area, Playa Mujeres. The area also features a Robert Trent Jones course, Riviera Maya, just 25 kilometers from the Tulum Ruins. Michelle’s agency can arrange tours to such sites as well as rum runs and tequila trips.
A popular adventure for her clients has been a trip to Jalisco, about an hour and half drive from Puerto Vallarta. It’s the tequila capital of the world, where folks can walk the fields, witness the processing as well as relish the final product.
SOUTH
MEXICO AFRICA
SOUTH AFRICA
The latest focus for golf in South Africa is the Paarl-Franschhoek area, east of Cape Town. It is one of the more well-to-do regions with a ton of golf and non-golf activities.
Nicklaus shows up again — the Pearl Valley Signature Golf Course. It’s in a pristine valley surrounded by the Simonsberg Mountain range. Nicklaus has said “it is one of the most spectacular settings in which I have designed a golf course.” It was ranked the third best course and one of its most popular destinations in the country.
Punta Mita • Mexico
Steenberg • South Africa
Vernon’s Predator Ridge • British Columbia
Another top course is Steenberg Golf Club in the Constantia Valley, winding through vineyards. The distinctive Table Top Mountain is its backdrop.
Besides plenty of destination golf courses in the region, Cape Town has travel bucket lists as well. Safaris, for sure. You can drive to nearby game farms or take a short flight to Kruger National Park, where just about every African species can be spotted. There is even a golf course just outside the park gates, Skukuza Golf Club, where play can be held up at times by crossing creatures.
There’s a penguin habitat in the region. Robbins Island, where Nelson Mandela served decades of confinement, is just a short boat ride off Cape Town. Another boat can take you to an encounter with great white sharks. Table Top Mountain has a cable car to the summit and vineyards/wineries can be found in every direction.
Steenberg • South Africa
Photos by Shutterstock Neil Bradfield
This is a country that has not only drawn increasing interest in golf but, for many Americans expats, it has become a ‘safe harbor’ for living a robust European lifestyle.
Michelle recommends the Algarve region, the southernmost point of Portugal, about 100 kilometers south of Lisbon along the Atlantic Ocean west/south coastlines. There are dozens of quality courses along the southern edge. She likes the Old Course in Vilamoura, the ‘Grande Dame’ of the region.
“It’s a challenging, world-class golf experience. It’s on people’s bucket list,” she said.
Another one that should be on many golfers’ list is
Quinta do Lago, an eight-time host of the Portugal Open.
Jack Nicklaus also has a design there, Monte Rei, a splendid course more inland, near the town of Tavira. It is consistently ranked No. 1 in Portugal.
“And especially for those golfers who have that checklist, another course (Vale de Lobo) features the most photographed hole in Europe (Vale de Lobo 16th hole at the Royals Course),” Michelle added.
“For the 16th hole, your shot needs to carry over a red sandstone cliff.”
The best shot on this hole, for many, might be the one with their phone camera.
Enter to Win a twosome to Port Ludlow
Enjoy the ferry and drive to one of the most peaceful and well-maintained golf courses in Washington, Port Ludlow. We have green fees covered for you and your partner. Go to CascadeGolfer.com to enter.
Golf Carts South Sound
Old Course at Vilamoura • Portugal
Photos by Shutterstock Serhiy Stakhnyk
NEW ZEALAND
There are few places on earth that have more spectacular golf vistas than New Zealand. The views are stunning, and the golf ain’t bad.
“Kauri Cliffs is consistently ranked as one of the world’s top courses,” Michelle said of the North Island gem. “It’s perched on a cliff top. Six of the holes are played alongside a cliff, 500 feet down. I don’t think you’re getting your ball back if that shot goes wide.”
Another course probably represented in every coffee table golf photography book is the Tom Doak-designed Cape Kidnapper, also on the North Island. It is carved out of a mountain edge where you basically hit from cliff top to cliff top.
“You’re hitting to fingers of land going out into the ocean,” Michelle said. “It’s just a modern marvel. How they can make a golf course there kind of blows your mind.”
Te Arai Links is another North Island two-course set hugging the ocean. The North course was fashioned by Doak, while the South course was designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw.
The South Island’s most noted course is Jack’s Point, more inland between the Remarkables Mountain range and Lake Wakatipu. It is picturesque to a mind-numbing degree.
The ‘Jack’ in the name is not Nicklaus. It’s actually named after a local Maori man, Jack Tewa, who bravely saved a gentleman (and himself) from drowning when their boat capsized in 1862.
Just a few miles away (everything in New Zealand is just a few miles away) is a unique layout, The Hills Golf Club. It is famous for its large-scale metalwork sculptures.
“You’re kind of playing through an art gallery,” Michelle said.
Another quality South Island course is Millbrook, with two 18-hole courses and the host of the annual New Zealand Open. It was designed by Sir Bob Charles, the legendary lefty PGA Tour icon.
New Zealand also offers an abundance of non-golf reasons to travel there. Among them, as Michelle points out, “Of course, New Zealand, wine. Hello.”
Photos
RIVER RANCH REVEALED
Tri-Cities Tee to Green
David McLay Kidd’s Snake River project takes shape
BY TONY DEAR • CG EDITOR
In the December issue, we reported that David McLay Kidd was building a new course on cliffs overlooking the Snake River, about 15 miles northeast of Pasco. We didn’t state the course’s name for a very good reason — it didn’t have one yet. That changed on January 21 at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando. Kidd, along with KemperSports which will manage the course, filled in a lot of the gaps involving the project’s plans and business model, and announced what it will be called — River Ranch.
Images courtesy of River Ranch
Readers will probably have seen pictures of the amazing site which, until about six years ago, was owned by the Gordon Estate Winery and the Gordon Family’s own vineyard operation, Kamiak Vineyards Inc. Winemaker Jeff Gordon had purchased 200 acres in 1978, planted his first vineyard in 1980, and produced his first wine in 1985. But the business began to fail in the mid-2010s and, following initiation of bankruptcy hearings, the winery scaled down operations, and the property was sold in August 2024.
The bankruptcy case finally closed in July 2025, but it took until the end of the year for the winery to wind down, sell its assets and fully vacate the premises. By then, of course, the land had been stripped of its vines and cherry trees, and work had begun on the golf course that the new owners sought to create.
The ownership group comprises four local businessmen — developers Ben Harris and Kennewick Council member Brad Beauchamp, who formed North 44 Homes in 2018, together with Keith Tiegs and his son, Jordan. Keith is son of the late agricultural titan Frank Tiegs, whose 30-plus businesses still employ over 5,000 people, own 20 food-processing plants, and farm over 140,000 acres across the Northwest.
The four joined forces to bid on more than 300 acres of the Gordon Estate that had become available and, according to tricitiesbusinessnews.com, paid $9.2 million. Harris and Beauchamp had grown up fishing and boating at the now closed, and sadly neglected, Levey Park, which juts into the river east of where the golf course will be. They initially wanted to repurpose the park as a marina with adjoining cabins. But, after walking the land with their new business partners, the idea of a golf course came up, and the thought of using this incredible place for potatoes, onions, fruit trees (or worse, houses) quickly faded.
And who better to design and build a world-class golf course in the Pacific Northwest than David McLay Kidd, the Scot who now lives in Bend, Ore., and who has created a handful of the region’s very best courses.
As we noted in December, just a few weeks after the land purchase was confirmed, Harris called Kidd, who warned him that he turned down far more propos-
HORN RAPID’S GARZA HERALDS HIS HOME
A ‘RISING TIDE’ FOR THE TRI-CITIES
Tri-Cities golf insider and Head Professional of the Keith Foster-designed Horn Rapids Golf Course Josh Garza is excited about the development of River Ranch and supports it all the way.
“It’s such an awesome place and, as Bandon Dunes and Gamble Sands would indicate, a course designed by David McLay Kidd is going to be enjoyable from start to finish,” Garza says. “Golfers and golf businesses here should be embracing it with open arms.”
Garza hopes Washingtonians and Oregonians who travel to the Tri-Cities to play the new course and stay for a few days also visit the Cities’ other layouts. There’s Horn Rapids, of course, as well as the very highly thought of Canyon Lakes, which opened in 1981 and was designed by John Steidel. There’s also Jim Engh’s excellent Columbia Point and the lovely Sun Willows designed by Robert Muir Graves and opened in 1960. And then there’s the short but always enjoyable Zintel Creek, which opened in 1938 as the Twin City Country Club, became the Tri-City Country Club in 1948 and, in 2017, was purchased by 20 members who wanted to save it from the threat of being bulldozed. (If they’re fortunate enough to know someone, golfers might also get a game at the private Meadow Springs.)
“I hope River Ranch will create a rising tide that floats all boats,” Garza adds.
Before a shot is struck at River Ranch, though, Horn Rapids will continue to enhance the visitor experience.
“We want to continue making upgrades and positive changes to the golf course every year,” says Garza. “Our goal will always be to make noticeable changes that golfers want to see.”
An important recent improvement has been adding more sand to the bunkers.
“Now they play better, look better, and are easier to get out of,” says Garza. “We want them to be hazards, but we also want to give people a better chance of getting out of them, which was becoming harder to do as we lost sand.”
The course will also continue to monitor the height of bunker lips. It doesn’t want bunker shots to be easy and not cause players at least a little anxiety, but it’s not hosting the U.S. Open.
“The bunkers should be a challenge without golfers being stuck in them for long,” says Garza.
A new tee box has been added to the 497-yard 18th hole with the aim of encouraging golfers to take on the left side of the hole, threading the needle between the bunkers on the left side of the fairway and the practice range. Take that line and you’ll likely be hitting your second from a fairly bare desert lie, but it should be very playable and the distance you have remaining to the green will be cut significantly. It gives an extra ripple of interest to an already interesting hole.
The fairways should have been aerated by the time you read this (phone ahead to make sure), which will make them play beautifully come the start of the summer season. It can certainly get pretty warm in the Tri-Cities during July and August but, from late April through June, the needle hovers around the high 60s to the high 70s, which most Pacific Northwesterners will probably prefer. And the sun will more than likely come out — the Tri-Cities receive about one-fifth as much rainfall as Seattle does in a year, and there are twice as many days when the sun shines.
With better bunkers, aerated fairways, an altered closing hole, much-improved irrigation over the last few years under Brad Rew’s management, and the always great weather, Horn Rapids promises to be a popular stop for Washington golfers this year.
River Ranch will likely be the Tri-Cities’ ultimate showstopper in future years, but Horn Rapids is definitely making strides to be the next best game in town.
Tri-Cities Tee to Green
REVEALED RIVER RANCH
als than he accepted. Harris insisted Kidd come and see the site for himself, and about six months later, Kidd’s diary finally allowed him a window of opportunity.
As we now know, Harris hadn’t been joking about the quality of his property. Kidd called it a “unicorn” and said it had everything a golf course architect hoped for — sandy soils, awesome views, interesting topography, and a year-round golf climate. The fact it was so close to his adopted home, and there was no immediate need for a housing component just made it all the better.
Construction began initially on five holes last November with Kidd working alongside Caden Jensen, an assistant construction manager with Kidd’s own course construction company, Golf Landscapes. Jensen worked under Kidd’s design partner, Nick Schaan, on Scarecrow at Gamble Sands.
Shaping continued in the new year and should be complete by late spring when the course will be grassed. It’s not clear yet when it will open but the target is August 2027. Right now, it’s thought the course
Map courtesy of @firepitproductions
will be entirely fescue, although bent grass may be used for the greens. And though there will be membership categories with members enjoying early access to the brand-new course, the development will actually be a high-end destination resort open to the public with guest cottages and upscale dining.
Kidd hopes River Ranch will become a significant part of a long-haul trip international golfers make that might also include visits to Chambers Bay, Bandon Dunes, Gamble Sands, Scarecrow, and Wine Valley.
And while Keith Tiegs likewise hopes it will put southeast Washington on the world golf map, he is also aware of how beneficial it could be to the local market.
“By drawing visiting golfers and receiving widespread attention, it will strengthen the entire golf ecosystem,” he says. “It will benefit public courses, private clubs, hospitality providers, and tourism partners alike. Ultimately, this project is not just a new course, but rather an anchor asset that will raise visibility and credibility and have a significant economic impact across the region for years to come.”
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Images courtesy of River Ranch
The Tri-Cities: Where great golf meets world-class wine
The Tri-Cities of Washington Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland
— might not be the first place that comes to mind when golfers start planning a Pacific Northwest trip. But maybe it should be. With nine public courses within a short drive, a long playing season, and a landscape shaped by three rivers and wide-open skies, this corner of southeastern Washington offers the kind of variety that makes a golf getaway feel easy.
Golf there is shaped as much by the environment as the architecture. The Columbia, Snake, and Yakima Rivers converge in the region, creating rolling terrain, desert bluffs, and ribbons of green fairway cutting through the high desert. The result is a mix of layouts that reward creativity, solid ball striking, and the occasional willingness to let the wind become part of the round.
Kennewick alone delivers several distinct golf experiences. Canyon Lakes Golf Course is often the one that gets golfers talking. Routed through dramatic elevation changes with water in play on multiple holes, it asks players to think their way around the property while still offering a fair challenge. It’s the kind of layout where club selection matters and every tee shot frames a new view of the surrounding hills.
Just a few minutes away, Zintel Creek Golf Club provides a completely different vibe. Established in 1938, this historic course offers a walkable layout lined with mature trees and a straightforward design that makes for a relaxed round for players of all skill levels.
Columbia Park Golf Tri-Plex rounds out Kennewick’s public offerings with a format that welcomes players of all abilities. The shorter layout and practice facilities make it a great spot for sharpening wedge play, introducing someone to the game, or squeezing in a quick round when time is limited.
Across the Columbia River, Pasco’s Sun Willows Golf Course provides a full-length municipal test that has quietly built a reputation among regional players. Wide fairways give golfers room to swing, but the course still demands accuracy and a thoughtful approach into the greens. It’s a layout that rewards good golf while remaining enjoyable for everyday players.
Richland adds even more personality to the local golf scene. Columbia Point Golf Course sits along the Columbia River and pairs scenic water views with a layout that challenges golfers from the opening tee shot to the finishing hole. Breezes off the river can add an extra layer of strategy, and the setting alone makes the round memorable.
Buckskin Golf Club offers a relaxed nine-hole experience locals have enjoyed for decades — perfect for a quick round that can easily stretch into a leisurely afternoon.
Canyon Lakes Golf Course
Sun Willows Golf Course
Zintel Creek Golf Club
Columbia Park Golf Tri-Plex
Three State of the art Trackman Simulator indoor climate-controlled hitting bays featuring over 270 golf courses worldwide
Summer Junior Golf Camps Begin in July
Ladies Golf Lessons & Wine Tasting openings available
High Cedars Golf Club
One of the best practice facilities in Western WA.
Over 40 stalls with 20 covered Over 400 yards long Grass tee area
Real range golf balls - not limited flight! Putting greens
Chipping green and a practice bunker
Golf Lessons
High Cedars Golf Academy
Team Griffin ( Sara and Chris, PGA Professionals )
Chris Ming, PGA Professional and Director of Instruction
Brandon Solomonson, PGA Professional
Craig Wilcox, PGA Professional
Additional public courses in West Richland and throughout the Columbia Basin round out the Tri-Cities’ nine-course lineup, giving visiting golfers the chance to play a different course each day while experiencing a range of designs.
Of course, golf might be the anchor for a visit, but the Tri-Cities offer plenty to explore once the scorecard is signed.
The region’s three rivers create a natural playground beyond the fairways. Columbia Park stretches along the riverfront with scenic paths and open spaces perfect for unwinding after a round, while the Sacagawea Heritage Trail links the Tri-Cities with more than 20 miles of paved pathways for cycling or evening walks. Richland’s Howard Amon Park is a favorite gathering spot, especially when the sun dips over the Columbia River and the sky turns the soft gold locals know well.
Then there’s the wine. The Tri-Cities sit in the Heart of Washington Wine Country, surrounded by vineyards and tasting rooms showcasing some of the state’s most respected varietals. For golfers, the 19th hole might come with a glass of cabernet or syrah and a view of the vines that produced it.
In the end, what makes golf in the Tri-Cities stand out isn’t just the number of courses — it’s the rhythm of the place: a morning tee time under wide blue skies, an afternoon along the river, and the sense that there’s always another course waiting tomorrow.
For golfers who enjoy discovering new places to play, the Tri-Cities might be one of the Pacific Northwest’s bestkept secrets.
To plan your golf getaway and pick your spots to sip in Heart of Washington Wine Country, check out VisitTri-Cities.com.
Horn Rapids Golf Course
Canyon Lakes Golf Course
Kahler Mountain Club Golf Course LEAVENWORTH
With the coming of spring, Kahler Mountain Club Golf Course in Leavenworth is back open to public play in its mountain resort setting.
Since opening in the late 1980s, Kahler Mountain has grown into a popular resort golf course that tests players with tight fairways and elevation changes without charging the premium rates of many Cascade foothills courses.
The 18-hole, par-70 layout was opened with nine original holes in 1989 and completed its 18-hole design by 1990. Architect Randy Pelton’s design routes through forested ridges and around natural water features.
The course’s terrain makes smart strategy as important as length. From the championship blue tees, the course measures 5,893 yards, while the white tees are 5,579 yards, the red tees 4,703 yards, and the gold tees 4,576 yards — offering options for players of all skill levels.
Kahler Mountain’s signature challenge is its long par-5 fourth hole, a 500-yard double-dogleg that asks for accuracy to avoid water on the second shot and an intelligently placed approach to the green. Water hazards come into play on seven holes, adding risk-and-reward decisions through much of the route.
Other holes are notable for dramatic elevation changes. Tight tree lines, ponds, fairway bunkers, and elevated greens make mid-iron precision and short-game creativity essential, especially on downhill par 3s and uphill approaches that can play significantly longer.
Green fees at Kahler Mountain Club are structured to offer value for a resort course. Typical 18-hole rates with a cart fall in the $40-$60 range midweek and $50-$70 on weekends (seasonal and subject to change). Twilight and promotional rates are often available online.
The golf facility is part of a larger resort experience with lodging options, an aqua driving range, and dining, which allows visitors to book stay-and-play packages that bundle golf with condo accommodations — a draw for regional golf trips and families seeking outdoor recreation near Lake Wenatchee.
At under 5,900 yards from the tips yet full of strategic shot values, Kahler Mountain delivers fun, walkable golf without a premium price, making it a reliable choice for both locals and visitors exploring the Wenatchee Valley.
YARDAGE (PAR 72) 4,553-5,821 yards
RATES $40-$70
TEL (509) 763-4025 • WEB kahlermountainclub.com
Port Ludlow Golf Course PORT LUDLOW 2
At Port Ludlow Golf Course, golfers traverse an 18-hole championship layout framed by dense evergreen corridors and frequent water views along the shores of Ludlow Bay and the Hood Canal.
Designed by Robert Muir Graves, known in particular for his work in the western U.S., Port Ludlow opened in 1975 and has been a Northwest golf staple ever since.
Graves brought a strategic woodland style here that rewards placement and finesse over pure length.
Originally part of a 27-hole facility with three nine-hole circuits known as Tide, Timber, and Trail, economic pressures led the resort to close the Trail nine in 2008, leaving the Tide and Timber nines as the current 18-hole layout.
The much-awarded Ludlow can be brutal from the black (championship) tees, checking in at nearly 7,000 yards with a rating of 74.3 and slope of 143. But the challenge is less daunting from the blue tees at 6,305 yards.
Similarly, the longest hole on the course — No. 8 at 615 yards from the back — is a full 100 yards shorter from the blue tees.
Multiple tee options range down to the shortest tees — the golds at 5,165 yards, an example of the playability Graves built in for the common golfer.
Tight fairways cut through woods and demand accurate shot making; several holes show off views of the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, or places where logging stumps and ponds influence club selection.
As narrow as the fairways might be, many of the greens are large: No. 5 is 56 yards deep, No. 7 is 53 yards deep, and No. 14, a long and pretty par 3 (206 yards from the blues) fits in a green of 55 yards front to back.
Current green fees at the Resort at Port Ludlow vary by day and season, with weekday 18-hole rates often in the $54-$68 range and nine-hole rates around $27-$34 per the resort’s published pricing, subject to seasonal changes.
Stay-and-play options include rooms at the adjacent resort inn, creating value for travelers seeking Olympic Peninsula recreation, premium lodging and a worthy round of golf.
Port Ludlow has been a beacon for Puget Sound golfers seeking a quick resort respite for many years and it never disappoints.
YARDAGE (PAR 72) 5,165-6,971 yards
RATES $54-$68
TEL (360) 437-0272 • WEB portludlowresort.com
Kahler Mountain Club Golf Course • Leavenworth
Port Ludlow Golf Course • Port Ludlow
Swinomish Golf Links FIDALGO ISLAND 3
Swinomish Golf Links, an 18-hole public course on Fidalgo Island, has been part of the Northwest golf landscape since 1945, when it first opened under its original name and routing before evolving into the full 18-hole layout seen today.
Designed by architect Rod Turner, the course reflects a classic links-style spirit with open fairways, strategic bunkering and views that stretch to Mount Baker, Fidalgo Bay and Similk Bay.
Owned and operated by the Swinomish Indian Tribe through Swinomish Casino and Lodge since 2013, the course is defined by its varied topography — gently rolling terrain that transitions from waterfront vistas to wooded corridors.
Swinomish plays to a par 71 from the back tees at 6,177 yards, with forward tees measuring 5,609 yards — a configuration that balances challenge and enjoyment for higher-handicap as well as seasoned players.
This course is a super option for golfers seeking rolling beauty – and it’s easy to walk. The routing is highlighted by mid-course par-5s and par-4s where water views and elevation offer the chance for memorable shots, especially on holes that reward accurate approaches to well-guarded greens.
The No. 1 hole by handicap is the par-5 7th at 520 yards. The longest hole at Swinomish — No. 3 at 535 yards — is also one of the straightest.
Green fees at Swinomish are noted for affordability relative to other Northwest courses. During the off-season, weekday 18-hole rates typically run about $34 for regular play and $30 for senior or military golfers, with weekend rounds nearing $60;
twilight and junior rates are discounted further.
The course’s proximity to the Swinomish Casino and Lodge makes it a convenient stop for travelers. Overnight stay-and-play packages often include lodging, golf rounds and access to resort amenities such as dining, entertainment and a driving range offering added value for visiting golfers.
What sets Swinomish Golf Links apart is the combination of natural Northwest scenery, flexible tee options, and green fees that allow for a full round without a premium price tag, making it a solid value for both casual rounds and weekend golf getaways.
YARDAGE (PAR 71) 5,609-6,177 yards
RATES $30-$60
TEL (360) 293-3444 • WEB swinomishgolflinks.teesnap.net
Swinomish Golf Links • Fidalgo Island
After the flood: Washington golf courses rebound from December’s deluge
Though certainly not unprecedented, December’s rain event was extremely distressing for a lot of people.
Caused by one of the strongest and longest-lasting atmospheric rivers in Puget Sound history, it dumped over 5 trillion gallons of water on our neck of the woods in just a few days. The Yakima, Snohomish, Skagit and Cedar Rivers all broke records for water flow/height, and the Skykomish, Stillaguamish and Snoqualmie Rivers came perilously close. A state of emergency was declared, and the Washington National Guard was called out. Tens of thousands of Skagit, Whatcom, Pierce, and Snohomish County resideants were ordered to evacuate. Parts of King, Benton, Chelan, and Lewis Counties were also badly affected.
Western Washington’s golf courses are used to a little precipitation — unless protected by a handy rain shadow, they’ll see upwards of 40 inches a year, sometimes 50. The amount of rain that fell on them in December, though, was absurd. And, not surprisingly, a number of courses were hit very hard.
While the temporary loss of a golf course is a frankly trivial matter compared with losing a home or business, we shouldn’t forget that golf courses provide many with their main source of income. And we should absolutely celebrate how resilient some of these courses have been in the face of what were and, in some cases, still are very trying circumstances.
Take High Cedars in Orting, 40 miles south of Seattle and 20 miles southeast of Tacoma. A very popular course that turns 55 this year and offers amazing views of Mount Rainier, High Cedars lies adjacent to the Puyallup River, which burst its banks, inundating the course. All 27 holes (18-hole main layout and nine-hole executive course) were completely closed for 30 days, and only in the last week of January were the driving range, executive course, and front-nine of the original course
BY TONY DEAR • CG EDITOR
able to open. The full 18 eventually opened on Feb. 7, almost two months after the flood.
“We still have major work to do to get back to our normal, pristine conditions,” says GM John Benedetti. “It has taken our entire maintenance staff, a number of clubhouse staff, and a construction company to remove all of the flood waters, river silt, and debris to make the complex playable again.”
Benedetti estimates the bill for the repair work will reach $300,000 and possibly go significantly higher. Amazingly, though, he seems undeterred and determined to move on.
“We’ll be fine,” he insists. “Our little piece of heaven was out for a while, but we’re getting a little better every day. The year didn’t start well, but I’m very confident 2026 will be another very successful year at High Cedars.”
Fifty miles to the north and west, the Snoqualmie River caused similar mayhem at two very popular layouts. Mount Si Golf Course, closing in on its first century, was closed for three weeks, and at one point there was three feet of water in the restaurant basement.
“The City of Snoqualmie has done some mitigation efforts, such as expanding the spillway at Snoqualmie Falls, and removing some other river impediments, which I think kept the water levels a little lower than previous floods in 1990 and 2009,” says GM Scott Barter. “But it was definitely a historical flood.”
Fortunately, the receding water didn’t reveal too much damage.
“Our perimeter elk fencing probably took the biggest hit,” says Barter, who adds that the regular maintenance staff was able to complete most of the cleanup in about a month. “There were a few areas of erosion, but the course is currently in really good shape moving into spring and summer.”
Twin Rivers in Fall City was closed for two weeks and sustained significant damage to a couple of greens. Head professional Curt Roddewig says the first phase of put-
Snohomish Valley Golf Center endured the flood’s wrath and has recovered beautifully.
ting the course back together was completed in-house but adds that more repairs will be required once the course has fully dried out and the fairways can handle some larger equipment.
We’ve mentioned just three courses that endured lasting scars, but dozens more took a pounding. Most, if not all, of them have been there and done that, though, more than once. And if our conversations with High Cedars, Mount Si, and Twin Rivers are anything to go by, the region’s courses will roll up their sleeves, brush off the silt and sediment, and come back as strong as ever.
There is only one professional golf tournament that hits the Evergreen State every year and that is the Boeing Classic. We are sending you and your three best friends up to Snoqualmie Ridge. Enter to win at CascadeGolfer.com.
