A shining example of golf and gaming

The new normal at Salish Cliff Golf Club is starting to look like the old normal. As COVID-19 restrictions fade away, people are beginning to get reacquainted with the world.

“We’re seeing some familiar faces from Seattle, Tacoma and up the Peninsula,” says Brian Green, the associate golf professional. “We might have seen them once a month but now it’s starting to be more frequently.”

Salish Cliffs opened in 2011 and was installed as one of the top 10 public courses in the state. It was the first on the Olympic Peninsula to welcome golfers when Governor Jay Inslee lifted restrictions for golf courses three years ago.

“It didn’t seem to affect us as much as other areas ( the economy),” Green says. “We saw a little dwindling off in spring of 2021, but golf is growing.”

The course is a beast as Salish measures 7,269 yards from the championship tees. That includes the 601-yard par-5 8th hole and the 587-yard par-5 10th.

Owned by the Squaxin Tribe, Salish Cliffs as an amenity of the nearby Little Creek Casino. Notable golf course architect Gene Bates, who also designed the acclaimed Circling Raven (Idaho), created Salish with nines that return to a shared green.

The course is about to embark on another major project in replacing sand and liners in the bunkers. Here’s Brian Green’s own quick assessment of favorites.

My choice is 12 (par 4, 434 yards). It’s the narrowest tee shot on the course with hazards on both sides of the fairway. And it usually plays into the wind. There are drop-offs on both sides of the fairway with bunkers on the right side.

It’s a par 4 and is a great risk/reward hole. There are hazards (four bunkers) all along the right-hand side of the fairway. Long hitters can drive the green, but it doesn’t take a whole lot for shorter players to get to the fairway. Then it’s a short wedge to a receptive two-tier green.

Elevated tee is 168 yards to the pin. There’s a great bunker complex just to the left of the green that you must carry. There’s a bowl just short of the green that can affect how your ball rolls or bounces. It’s a beautiful hole, and not that difficult but can be tricky also.

I really like No. 17 (par 3, 161 yards), a short hole where the tee is probably 60-feet above the green. It’s a great view from up there. And visually a great backdrop, too.

I prefer the back nine. It requires a little more thought, and the holes have just a bit more character to them.

The French Dip sandwich, with house-made Salish chips.