Save Some Green

About the only thing that might be as good as playing Whidbey Golf Club is getting there. The 61-year-old facility is situated on the north end of the island in beachy Oak Harbor, one of the most popular spots in the state. Coming from the Seattle area, folks can take I-5 to the Mukilteo-Clinton ferry for a 20-minute ride across the Sound. Then it’s another 45-minute drive to Oak Harbor, a beautiful pastoral route past Freeland, Greenbank, Ebey’s Landing and Coupeville.

Or you can continue north on I-5 (or south from Bellingham/Vancouver, B.C.) to SR 20 west and come onto the island over the Deception Pass Bridge, an awe-inspiring sight. Then it’s just another 15 minutes to the course.

Whidbey is semi-private which works well not just for local members but also visitors. Locals have access to the course each day until 1 p.m. when the tee-sheet opens to the public — ideal for visitors who spend the morning traveling.

“It’s a nice destination for the weekend,” says Arik Dahlen, Whidbey’s general manager. “There’s a lot of stay-and-play places and five or six hotels in the area.” Something else that’s really attractive about the course is that it drains well. And even if there’s a downpour in much of the Puget Sound area, there’s a good chance of a dry round as Oak Harbor

is in the Olympic Mountain Rain Shadow — the area receives around 19 inches of rain annually which is about half of the rest of the region.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean your golf ball is guaranteed to stay dry. “Water is in play on almost every hole,” says Dahlen. “It’s a very good everyday play. You have to miss in the right spots on the greens which have some tricky hole locations. There’s a lot of risk/reward shots, and you’ll have to use every club in your bag — not just your driver, 8-iron and wedge. There’s good character to it.”

Dahlen adds there are at least a couple holes that you’ll remember on your pleasant ride back home — the 8th, a short par 4 of 244 yards that curls around a large lake, and the 414-yard 12th where you’ll face all sorts of water and tree issues, especially as you near the green.

Dahlen says the course enjoys a long list of loyal members, and visitors. “Absolutely,” he adds. “We have a lot of repeat customers.”

YARDAGE: 4,207-6,537 yards

RATES: $$31-$57

TEL: (360) 675-5490

WEB: whidbeygolfclub.com • Check website for current rates

Snoqualmie Falls Golf Course, much like most golfers’ games, is never the same, always changing. “We’re always trying to make improvements,” says David Doty, the course’s director of golf, who has been at ‘SnoFalls’ for 29 years and has seen a myriad of changes. “We’re always moving.”

The course, which sits in a flood plain adjacent to the Snoqualmie River, has undergone extensive irrigation improvements over the years. It has been lengthened and now measures 5,900 yards from the added blue tees. There’s also a new name for its eatery — ‘the Slapstick Grill’, with improved menu items and the latest microbrews.

“We came out of the winter just fine,” says Doty. “We’re building a new tee (No. 3), and the course is in great shape. The greens are in wonderful condition. I’d put our greens up against anyone’s.”

Like so many other golf courses, public and private, Doty says that during last year, and continuing this year, folks are playing the game in abundance. “Golf has grown like crazy here.” He adds. “I had no idea it would go up that much after the pandemic. We’re seeing a lot of new faces now becoming regular faces. They’re discovering us. It’s their golf course.”

What keeps these new golfers coming back are some of the lowest green fees in the area and the companionship of the course’s clubs. SnoFalls has a Men’s Club, a Ladies Club and a Club At The Nation that’s a mix of all.

YARDAGE: 4,767-5,900 yards

RATES: $32-$47

TEL: (425) 222-5244

WEB: snoqualmiefallsgolf.com • Check website for current rates

When you think of a destination golf course experience there’s those little things that you want to see that make it special or worth it. Water features, nice sand, maybe a mountain, desert, links or a parkland layout that separates it from the tracks you beat on in your hometown.

Of course, you want something with lots of sun, warmth, friendly staff, and easy to get to. Then, if you’re really looking for some sweet amenities, it would be cool if the golf getaway had RV parking and its own airport.

So, when you find a place that ticks all those boxes, top locales like Sunriver (Ore.), Sand Hills (Neb.) or the finest course in all the land Pine Valley Golf Club (N.J.) come to mind. Well, a not-so-secret golf course right here in Washington state has nearly all the aforementioned features — and a lot more — and it’s less than three hours away from metro Seattle.

Desert Aire Golf Course in the little central Washington town of Mattawa has long been a favorite of golfers that live and visit there since the first nine holes opened in 1972. The 18-hole championship course, which plays at nearly 6,500 yards from the tips, is tucked into the sand and sage in the desert and runs along the mighty Columbia River.

Known for its meticulous grooming and maintenance it’s been ranked as one of the top public courses in the region. The layout promotes course management, true shot-making and rewards players who play with their head -- not their heart. But your heart will be pounding on this original Jim Krause design — punched up with some lovely tweaking by one of our favorite architects Dan Hixon, widely known for course designs at Bandon Crossings, Wine Valley Golf Club and others.

from Golf Digest, Northwest Golfer Magazine, Washington Golf Guide, and the Central Washington PGA. We at Cascade Golfer love this track and it’s a favorite in our Northwest Golfers Playbook with great offers each year.

The course features a driving range, practice green, full-service pro shop for fitting, club repair, apparel, equipment, golf cart storage and concessions. Those that live at Desert Aire swear by the place. And, as we mentioned above, it has its own airstrip, which is cool.

You can save some green here all the time as it’s easy on the pocketbook (under $50). It’s worth the drive from Seattle for just a day tripper round and is a perfect place to stop if you are heading east to play or picking off the top spots in central Washington for a getaway.

A great review is worth its weight in gold and Desert Aire gets 4.5 out of 5 stars on GolfPass. Here’s a recent review that is worthy of publication. “When driving from Seattle to the Tri-Cities I have passed Desert Aire many times and never stopped and played. I guess I just had low expectations because it’s kind of in the middle of nowhere. Wow, glad I stopped. I found it very fun, well-manicured and well-maintained. The greens were perfect. The fairways were lush, and the ball sits up nicely. Now that I’ve discovered Desert Aire, I will be stopping by again for sure.”

Put this one in your queue for 2022 and share your experience with us after you put Desert Aire to the test yourself — we’d love to hear about it.

YARDAGE: 5,233-6,490 yards (PAR 72)

RATES: $36-$42

TEL: (509) 932-4439

WEB: doaa.org • Check website for current rates

From start to finish, Lake Chelan Golf Course is a test of both distance and precision. The 6,459-yard layout opens with the longest par 5 on the course, 531 yards from the white tees (the yellow tees provide a better birdie break at 463 yards). Then, after weaving through the picturesque course adjacent to the most scenic lake in the state, you finish with perhaps the most challenging of the four par 3s, the 182-yard 18th.

It’s a bit unusual to finish a round with a short hole, but it’s not easy. It’s uphill, which means you’ll need more club to reach the green. There’s water on the left, trees throughout and the green is pretty small. Plus, you are under pressure to finish strong because that’s where people collect with refreshments and retorts.

The course was developed in the mid-1960s as a private club to serve a local resort community but was turned over to the City of Chelan in 1970. The facility is run by local legend Jim Oscarson who graduated from Chelan High in 1985, was hired by the course in 1991 and became Chelan’s head golf professional in 1994. He has taught thousands of Lake Chelan golfers over the years and was the coach of the Lake Chelan High School golf team for 16 years.

The club has a ‘traditional’ feel to it, with tree-lined fairways, light rough and small, elevated greens. Those greens are its best defense — lightning fast in the heat of summer. Lake Chelan is a great test, but the views of the lake and surrounding mountains might be its best quality.

The lingering winter has affected the opening and maintenance of the facility, but folks are ready to play. Coming out of the COVID-19 restrictions (the course was shut down for nearly three prime months in 2020), Lake Chelan had its best season ever in 2021, and it’s expected to do even better in 2022.

YARDAGE: 5,058-6,459 yards

RATES: $$41.15-$59

TEL: (509) 682-8026

WEB: cityofchelan.us/golf-course • Check website for current rates