Cascade Golfer June 2025

Departments

6 SHORT

• 2025

• NW Golf Skills Fest

• Summer play in Suncadia

• Players Card Summer Sale

• Tito’s Travel the Northwest

• Bald Eagle GC open for play

• Swinomish Golf Links

• Duke’s Seafood Junior Scholar

• Northwest Golfers Playbook

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• Summer cocktails on Capitol Hill

28 RISK VS. REWARD

• Lake Chelan GC | Hole No. 12

30 IN THE BAG

• Titleist GT280 Mini Driver

• TaylorMade Quad r7 Mini

• TaylorMade Spider ZT

• Kradul golf bag line

• Club Glove Traveler models

• Cleveland RTZ Wedge

• Bettinardi HLX 6.0

• Mizuno T-1 and T-3

• Callaway Opus wedges

• Callaway S2S Max

60 SAVE SOME GREEN

• LakeLand Village GC

• Salish Cliffs GC

• Trophy Lake Golf & Casting 62 POSTGAME

• Tony Dear’s Masters notebook

Share what your fantasy Washington State course looks like hole-by-hole 40

Washington’s Dream 18

A ‘Sound’ dream built on a sand and gravel mine, the Chambers Bay story and legacy endures 42

University Place’s Permanent Sandcastle

10 Years After The Open

The world watched, crowds came, millions generated — will it happen again? 48

Great White North Turns Green

Golf’s master designers deliver true mountain golf north of the border in Whistler 54 ON THE COVER

This month we remember the 2015 U.S. Open and its champion Jordan Spieth. Here’s the Texan’s tee shot on the ninth hole towards a capacity crowd during the final round at Chambers Bay in University Place. Copyright JD Cuban/USGA

THIS PAGE

Washington’s home holes are amazing and No.18 at Trophy Lake Golf & Casting is one of our finest. But is it the best? Cast your vote for our Dream 18 Golf Course on page 40 and read more about Trophy Lake Golf & Casting on page 61.

Photo courtesy of Trophy Lake

DICK STEPHENS

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.

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, Steve Hamilton & Charles Beene

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 2025 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

The 2015 U.S. Open week was one I will never forget as a journalist, a father and a son

When I look back 10 years ago on the emotions, memories and coverage of the 115th U.S. Open at Chambers Bay, only Charles Dickens and his opening salvo in A Tale of Two Cities can aptly express what that experience truly was for me: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

I hate nothing more than to be a wet blanket — it’s not my style — so more on the “worst of times” in a moment.

The “best of times” part is easy. Reporting live at the U.S. Open was a dream realized. Cascade Golfer covered Chambers Bay, the USGA’s decisions, U.S. Amateur, countless Pierce County actions, meetings with Robert Trent Jones II, unveiling his intimate visions for the land and all news leading up to the start of the Championship — we missed nothing. In fact, we were there when the first shovel went into the sand quarry in University Place and were one of the first foursomes ever allowed to play the course — CG is OG, man.

When the Open finally arrived, it was like walking into Yankee Stadium every morning with our backpacks, laptops and cameras.

The USGA Media Center was impressive and perfectly joined the players and journalists seamlessly. Sure, there was controversy with the brown, firm conditions that presented Chambers Bay more like Carnoustie than the lush links this Northwest jewel truly is. Do I wish Chambers was greener that week? Sure, I do — but I’m not going there. I embraced it.

The world’s best slugged it out right up to the final putt. The Jones II design, Puget Sound fans, electric vibe and hot weather produced an Open for the ages and arguably the most pressure packed 72nd hole ever — I know as was in the photo pit on the 18th green with my daughter Lily watching and hearing the player’s stress and drama. The massive grandstand erected there gave rise to one the largest crowds to ever witness a U.S. Open final, where Dustin Johnson’s failed closing putt wobbled past the hole, which could have crowned him as the victor and one of the all-time closers.

The unique Chambers ecosystem did, however, cement a 21-year-old Jordan Spieth’s legacy as he crushed his 3-wood 12 minutes earlier from one million yards away on the 18th fairway, just a few paces from the pin. The young Texan put the heat on Johnson (and Jason Day) and set up his second major title of the year after winning a green jacket two months prior at Augusta. Surely, he wouldn’t change a thing about Chambers that week.

The place went nuts and the Seattle-area showed the world — just as it did at Sahalee during the 2008 PGA Championship — that WE can deliver a Major. You couldn’t have written a better script with 10 guys all having a shot at winning in the last hour of the Open.

The media circus after, the interviews, and publishing live there with our then-editor Brian Beaky — “it was the best of times.”

As for the “worst of times” — my dad Gary, 73, passed away the Wednesday of that week after a long battle with

prostate cancer. He taught me the game and bled it into me. He died peacefully at home — the USGA FOX broadcast airing in the background — as my mom Siv, brother Spencer, sister Heidi and I watched him leave this world and enter the next. It was his time and an indelible memory.

Of course, this was with me all week. But I kept a promise I made to my three kids and myself that I was going to share the U.S. Open with each of them individually. The USGA was aware of what I was going through and went out of their way in allowing me to have my sons Simon and Fletcher, and daughter Lily, with me inside the ropes — each of them having their own experience and day covering the U.S. Open with dad. On top of that, it was Simon’s 15th birthday that week and of course Father’s Day, too. It was crazy emotional.

So, “the worst of times” were a wound salved by my dad’s spirit and sharing all this with my family — we will never forget it. Now forgive me as I transpose the famous Dickens line he opened his “Tale” with so I may close out mine.

It was the worst of times, it was the best of times. Look, I got to flip the script — what a blessing.

Enjoy Bob Sherwin’s and Tony Dear’s 10th anniversary U.S. Open commemorations in this issue and, AS ALWAYS, TAKE IT EASY.

12 pm • Monday • August 25TH • 2025

Snoqualmie Ridge

CharityTournamentGolf

B.C.’s Ames aiming for three-peat at 20th Boeing Classic — Tour legend Langer may appear SHORT GAME

The Boeing Classic, which will be held for the 20th time at The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge, has the potential to make Champions Tour history this August 8-10.

Stephen Ames has won the Boeing glass world trophy the past two years, coming from seven strokes down a year ago to win by one. No one has ever won the tournament three consecutive times. If he wins, it would be the 11th time we’ve had a three-peat in Champions Tour history.

Interestingly enough, Ames comes into the 2025 season with a chance to do it twice, at both Boeing and the Mitsubishi Electric Classic. Not to be outdone, two other

veteran three-peaters, Steve Stricker (Sanford International) and Padraig Harrington (Dick’s Open), will both attempt to win their fourth straight title at a single event this season.

The 61-year-old Ames, who lives just up the road in Vancouver, B.C., joined the 50-plus Champions Tour in 2014 but did not win his first event until 2017. Overall, he has won nine events, including seven over the past two seasons. He’s among the hottest sticks on this Tour.

As always, Ames will share the headlines with hometown favorite Freddie Couples, not to mention four-time major champion Ernie “Big Easy” Els (who finished second to Ames in Snoqualmie a year ago), if he feels fit enough to play. There’s also Steven Alker, who has been a dominant force on the Tour with two Charles Schwab Cup season titles over the past three years. He finished in a tie for second behind Ames here last season.

Couples is fresh off his memorable 2025 Masters where he holed-out from 191 yards on the par-5 14th — his senior shot heard ‘round the world.

The 78-player field will likely include indefatigable Bernhard Langer, the all-time Champions Tour winner

with 47 victories. Langer, the owner of two Boeing titles, will turn 69 on August 27.

The tournament — which will be held here until at least 2029 — brings pros, sponsors, sports celebrities, and guests together for charity functions, raising more than $10 million for the Benaroya Research Institute and other local philanthropic endeavors.

Every year, weather permitting, Boeing offers its own version of a “shotgun” start Friday with a plane flyover through the Cascade Mountain valley above the 18th hole. Another Boeing plane comes ceremoniously through the valley again as the final putt drops to close the tournament, tipping a wing to the champion and the fans.

The players compete for a $2.3 million purse, as one player “Ames” for the $330,000 first-place check for a third time.

Visit boeingclassic.com for tournament updates, tickets and to volunteer.

Photo Courtesy of Boeing Classic

Photo by Shutterstock.com

Two-time defending champion Stephen Ames

Legend Bernhard Langer

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 )

Scot Solomonson, PGA Professional, and Director of Instruction - Emeritus Chris Ming, Golf Professional

Brandon Solomonson, Golf Professional

SHORT GAME

NW NW

Golf Golf Skills Skills FEST FEST

Meadow Park to host all-new Northwest Golf Skills Fest on June 28 – bring a smile and your short game

The all-new Northwest Golf Skills Fest June 28 — a day of music, food and drink for hackers and scratch players alike, is surely something you will have never experienced anywhere.

An amazing Skills Challenge along with an 18-hole Putting Championship, mix in a fantastic driving range, a few vendors and some food and beverage fun — it’s the perfect way to enjoy the game and summer sun with your friends, family or solo.

No stress, just fun, festive and full of prizes and high fives. But if you are looking for some competition, the 16 contests in the skills challenge on the Meadow Park Williams 9, will be like Disneyland for golfers.

Cascade Golfer will take over the short course in Lakewood along with their massive putting green, turning it into a golf festival of skills, sights and sounds.

THE SKINNY ON THE PUTTING CHAMPIONSHIP AND SKILLS CHALLENGE

• The Skills Challenge will consist of 16 different stations where golfers will hit 3-4 shots per stop.

• You earn points at each station depending on the results of your shots.

• The Putting Championship is 18 holes — all on the practice green there — low score wins.

YOU HIT 59-PLUS SHOTS AT THE SKILLS CHALLENGE

• Four Closest-to-the-Pins: Par-3s from 100-190 yards, each player hits four shots from each station – playing from the tees that suit your division.

• Straight Drive: Women, Juniors and Super Seniors will play different tees ranging from 160-280 yards. Each contestant hits four tee shots at two different locations.

Each contestant will make a loop around the course and compete at 16 different stations. At each stop they will showcase their skills in hitting fairways, putting, chipping, bunker play and par 3 attempts. There will be 59-plus shots using nearly every club in your bag.

In addition to awarding a champ on each hole, our Skills Fest will also crown several winners in multiple challenges and divisions. This includes a golf stay-and-play package to Mexico for the golfer that wins it all! We will award golf product and twosomes for each contest – over 50 prizes.

If you have what it takes or are looking for fun in the sun with your friends — we’ve got you covered. Entry fee is $95 for the Skills Challenge and $25 for the Putting Championship, which includes a cool swag bag. Or just come hang out.

Go to CascadeGolfer.com to register.

• Six-Foot Putt: All players try to save par with this knee-knocker.

• 10-Foot Putt: Each contestant will get four runs at a 10-foot putt.

• Lag Putt: Pick your line and dial in your speed – take four putts trying to leave a tap in.

• Texas Wedge: For those with chipping yips, this is for you – four shots from off the green with the flatstick.

• Bump-and-Run Chip: Four attempts to show your Scottish skills at the pin.

• Short Chip Shot: The bread and butter for us all. Take four and check it close.

• Bunker Shot One and Two: Six total sandy swings in two locations.

• Stinger Straight Drive Shot: Each of you take four whacks to hit it straight as a string between 140-200 yards.

• Two-Foot Putt: Coffee is for closers here. Make it and take it back two feet and so on — putt until you miss. Each contestant will get one putt.

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Cle Elum’s Suncadia defines Cascade Mountain hospitality

t’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years since a helicopter carrying Arnold Palmer landed on the practice range at the Suncadia Resort ahead of the Prospector Course’s official opening. There to schmooze with the media, the King answered questions for an hour or more, saying what a thrill it had been to build a course in so beautiful a place.

Palmer had worked in the Evergreen State before, of course, designing the excellent Semiahmoo in Blaine in 1986. At Suncadia, his layout was typical of the man — full of fun shots and delightful holes that moved through a pine forest and made the most of the site’s natural features, the round closing with a brilliant par-5 that curved left and finished on an angled green where approach shots that were pulled or hit with a hint of hook-spin ended up wet.

None of his courses were especially easy, but neither did they take a lump of flesh and spit it out. You might make a birdie or two on a Palmer course, but hopefully not make worse than a double-bogey. The King had fun playing golf and so should you. And while that may not have attracted the top-100 chasers who sought demanding golf and ‘resistance to scoring,’ it made an awful lot of golfers very glad they played the game.

Prospector is like that. It makes you happy rather than angry. And while the 18th is certainly a fine way to bring the round to an end, the course’s most pictured hole is surely the 10th. A spectacular 408-yard par-4 played from an elevated tee toward a fairway bordered by a large bunker on the left and two wrinkly bunkers on the right that are surrounded by mounds and set into a hillside which, because the hole bends to the left, look as it they are right in front of you.

The incredible view from the tee with the forest and Cascade Range in the background is overwhelming but you must focus on your task of avoiding the fairways bunkers then finding the narrow, diagonally slanting green with two more large bunkers to the right of the putting surface.

The 10th is one of the highlights in a round full of them — it’s no surprise the course gets a 90 percent

approval rating on GolfPass. And there are plenty more memorable moments on Suncadia’s other resort course — Rope Rider, which opened six years after Prospector and was designed by Peter Jacobsen and Jim Hardy.

Named for the coal miners who balanced on coal cars that sunk deep into the earth at Roslyn Mines nine and 10, Rope Rider is made up of three loops of six holes, meaning you have the option of playing six, 12 or 18.

Following the round, enjoy a glass of Proprietary Red, Red Blend or any of Swiftwater Cellars’ other delicious wines in the winery that must serve as one of the finest clubhouses in the country. From the verandah, you’ll see Tipple Hill, a 100-foot slag heap that looks an awful lot better than it sounds.

Together, the two courses record roughly 40,000 rounds a year, each doing about half that number. A lot of sand was recently put down on both courses to improve their drainage and keep the playing surfaces firm and dry.

This year, Kittitas County residents can play the course for $125 each from Monday to Thursday, and the resort is also offering a $219 36-hole special.

And speaking of doing something special, how about scheduling a Pamper and Putt stay/play package at the resort, 80 miles west of Seattle on I-90 and where your room comes with a round of golf and a 50-minute spa session — check the website for available dates or give the resort a ring on (866) 904-6300.

As with any resort of this size (the resort covers 6,400 acres of which 4,400 is permanent open space, and the Lodge has 254 guest rooms) there are plenty of dining options. Enjoy Hoist House where you’ll eat one of the finest steaks you ever had, The Fireside Lounge, The Source Plates and Pours, the Stovehouse, Coal House Market, Mulligans, and the Cascades Food Truck and Bar where a permanently-parked food truck serves up favorites.

There’s a lot to see, do, and eat at Suncadia, but you’ll have the most fun at the resort’s two superb public golf courses which you’ll play and likely rank among your favorites.

Suncadia.com is a wonderful tool to craft your experience there this summer.

Suncadia Resort • Roslyn

SHORT GAME

Summer Special for the CG Players Card features 11 courses and a bucket of balls, for less than $20 a round

At a time when golf course green fees (and everything else) continue to spike, everyone is looking to play golf without breaking the bank. If less than $20 a round is your style, the Cascade Golfer Players Card is the deal of deals. Eleven rounds for just $219 — a discount of over $500 — at awesome courses throughout western and central Washington. And the CG Summer Special is even better: $80 off, plus a NW Golfers Playbook.

The 2025 Players Card Summer Special now gets you on the course for around a dollar a hole. This is the 14th edition featuring: Port Ludlow, Apple Tree, Sun Country, Horn Rapids, Eagles Pride, Desert Aire, Whidbey, Camaloch, High Cedars, LakeLand Village and Highlander. Plus, range balls at the Puetz Driving Range in North Seattle. Lastly, you’ll get a NW Golfers Playbook and Golf Show tickets at Will Call in 2026.

Play any of the 11 individually this summer, fall or winter, they are all good through the season/end of 2025. Or grab a buddy and head out for a 36-hole day. Maybe you’re looking for a multi-day road trip? Many pair up for a great back-to-back. Or use them at your leisure knowing using just four or five of the rounds can have you in the black. The number of Players Cards is very limited − at the time of printing less than 50 remain. Log on to CascadeGolfer.com and get your card today. See you at the 19th hole!

Eagles Pride GC

Apple Tree Resort

Whidbey GC

Port Ludlow GC

Horn Rapids GC

Camaloch GC

Desert Aire GC

High Cedars GC

Sun Country Golf & RV

LakeLand Village GC

Highlander GC

Puetz Bucket of Balls

Highlander GC

Camaloch GC

Country Golf & RV Desert Aire GC Whidbey GC Lakeland Village GC

Cedars GC

Bucket of Balls Horn Rapids GC

Country Golf & RV

Ludlow GC Whidbey

Village GC

High Cedars GC

Small Bucket of Balls

Horn Rapids GC

Sunriver Resort shimmers

in Central Oregon’s high desert

o you remember the first time you visited Sunriver? Those that have been fortunate to vacation in this gorgeous, activity-packed wonderland, 20 miles south of Bend, Ore., can usually recall their maiden trip as it revealed to them the beauty of the high desert. We have some of our own amazing high desert in Washington but, we have to admit, Oregon’s is next level.

The rocky, pine/juniper/sage-covered ground, with the snowy peaks of Mt. Bachelor, Broken Top, and the Three Sisters, 20 miles or so northwest, is otherworldly. On a glorious blue-sky day, it seems almost supernaturally separated from the rest of civilization.

The planned residential and resort community sits on roughly 3,300 acres, taking up much of a larger property the government had used during WWII as a training facility for the Army Corps of Engineers. Named Camp Abbot after distinguished military engineer Brigadier General Henry Larcom Abbot, who had surveyed the area in 1855, the base was home to about 10,000 soldiers at one time. It was decommissioned by 1944, when most of its buildings and infrastructure were torn down (the resort’s Great Hall, once the officer’s mess hall and which backs onto a cool water feature located to the right of the Meadows course’s ninth hole, is the only structure that remains).

The land on which Camp Abbot had been sited was divided into chunks with almost 2,000 acres being sold to the U.S. Forest Service (it is now a part of the Deschutes National Forest). The rest became private land which was put up for sale and was acquired in 1965 by two Port-

landers — attorney Donald McCallum and John Gray, the founder of Omark Industries, which produced cutting tools for the forestry, agriculture, and construction industries.

The new landowners conceived a residential/resort development that would be called Sunriver and whose first lots were sold in 1968, the same year the lodge opened.

Oregon golf architect Fred Federspiel was commissioned to build the resort’s first golf course called Meadows, which opened in 1969. Federspiel never quite gained national attention, but his designs at Salishan Golf Links and Royal Oaks in Vancouver, Wash., were highly regarded. His design at Sunriver was similarly acclaimed.

In the late 1990s, the resort hired Portland native and 1977 U.S. Amateur Champion John Fought to redesign the course and, though some parts of the original design were saved, the course Fought created was essentially new.

“I did a complete renovation of the course including all tees, greens and bunkers,” Fought says. “We removed a lot of trees but generally utilized the existing routing as it ran between homes. I did, however, reverse the 14th and 15th holes to put the OB on the left side of each, which we thought would be safer.”

Fought, who has been back to Sunriver several times since the project was completed in 1999, lengthened and restrategized every hole to establish classic features – “like Donald Ross,” he says.

The Woodlands course was added in 1981 and designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. It lies about three miles

north of Meadows, its holes bordered by stately lodgepole/ponderosa pines and a number of water hazards.

The resort’s third 18-hole course, Crosswater, opened in 1995. Designed by Bob Cupp, it’s widely considered the pick of not just the Sunriver trio, but one of the best tracks in the region.

Until last Spring, Meadows and Woodlands were public daily-fee courses while Crosswater was private but open to resort guests. That changed, however, with the formation of the Sunriver Golf Club that made Meadows and Woodlands private while still accessible to resort guests (actually, though the rate is significantly higher –$225 from $125 – locals can still book tee times.) Thankfully, Crosswater is still available to resort guests.

Western Washingtonians are fortunate to live within easy reach of numerous quality public courses and, though Sunriver is a lengthy drive south, its 63 excellent golf holes (the nine-hole, par-27 Caldera Links is a fun loop with the kids) make it the absolutely perfect destination for a long weekend.

Sunriverresort.com is where you can plan out your Central Oregon summer respite.

SHORT GAME

Point Roberts G&CC comes full circle and reopens with its international flair

The golf course located in the northwest corner of the Point Roberts exclave reopened this year on April 18 after years of adversity, which saw it open and close like a swinging saloon door. The tee sheet for reopening day was full, according to General Manager Tracy Evans, with 99 percent of times taken by Canadian golfers who looked for colored balls hidden in the trees and rough that won them free rounds or cart rentals.

You might know the course as Bald Eagle, but it has reverted back to its former name of Point Roberts Golf & Country Club, a move that returns its sense of place. After originally opening in 2001, it closed in 2016, when the former owners experienced financial difficulties. After reopening in 2018 (following significant renovation under new ownership), the course was forced to close again due to Covid, when neither Canadians nor Americans could enter Point Roberts. It suffered a third closure in 2023.

Now, at last, it seems stable with a new owner — Vancouver businessman Jack Li — who is a member at suburban Vancouver’s excellent Point Grey GC, which Brad Ziemer of britishcolumbiagolf.org says Li sees as a model for the Point Roberts course.

Originally designed by Canadian architect Wayne Carleton, who oversaw the 2018 renovation as well, Point Roberts G&CC is surprisingly respectable for such an out of the way destination, and after a couple more years of rehabilitation, it might conceivably threaten for a spot in our biennial Top 10 public course rankings. Indeed, Golf Digest rated it one of the 10 best new public courses in the country the year it opened.

Though technically in Washington State, all but a thousand or so Washingtonians need to go through two border crossings to get there (into British Columbia then back into the U.S.), which might prevent enough voters from playing it. However, with a weekday green fee of just $60 and $70 on the weekends, we absolutely recommend you go at least once.

Superintendent Rick Hoole, who maintained the playing surfaces by himself during Covid, was joined by a 30-man crew (volunteers and newly-appointed staff) in the months preceding the April reopening, and together, they returned the course (whose nines have been flipped) to tip-top shape.

Point Roberts G&CC

SHORT GAME

EXTRA

Swinomish Casino and Lodge offers the complete getaway package to enjoy golfing and gaming in picturesque

Anacortes

Nestled on the splendid Fidalgo Island in Anacortes, the Swinomish Casino and Lodge offers a unique blend of gaming, lodging, dining, and recreation, making it a worthy destination in your golf travels.

Swinomish is easily accessible, a couple hours’ drive from Seattle and just under an hour from Bellingham. The resort features 98 well-appointed guest rooms, each offering a view of Padilla Bay, the Swinomish Channel, the San Juan Islands, or Mount Baker. Accommodations include deluxe bay view rooms, which provide all the views you could want and all the modern amenities you expect. Room rates vary depending on the season and room type.

For golfers, Swinomish stay-and-play packages offer a seamless experience, combining overnight accommodations with rounds at the Swinomish Golf Links. Packages offer convenience and a solid value, allowing guests to enjoy both the comforts of the lodge and the challenges of the course.

Swinomish Golf Links

The Swinomish Golf Links is a rustic and playable 18hole, par-71 course designed by Rod Turner, which opened in 1945. The course stretches to a manageable 6,177 yards from the back tees, featuring open, tree-lined fairways and panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.

Green fees vary by season and time of day. During the off-season (October to March), weekday rates for 18 holes are $32, with weekend rates at $38. Seniors, military personnel, and juniors (17 and under) receive discounted rates, with juniors playing free when accompanied by a paying adult. Twilight rates are also offered in the afternoon.

The course features elevation changes and strategic challenges, with notable holes offering both scenic beauty and a test of skill. The Swinomish Golf Links Performance Center provides golf instruction for all skill levels, custom fitting sessions, and a pro shop stocked with top-tier merchandise.

Food and drink

13moons Restaurant is Swinomish’s fine-dining option, offering a menu inspired by the Pacific Northwest. Featured dishes include Alder wood-grilled seafood and meats in an elegant setting adorned with Swinomish Native tribal art.

13moons’ chef, Daniel Norman, has worked for the Swinomish tribe since 2005. He’s well-versed in the local fishery, and over the years has learned to identify the freshest seafood and native indigenous ingredients in preparing the most distinctive seafood dishes in the northwest Washington region.

Swinomish Sports Bar & Grill is a tavern-casual spot ideal for watching games in which you have a stake in the outcome (it’s next door to the BetRivers Sportsbook). Foodwise, it offers a range of all the bar grub you love: burgers, pasta, and seafood, complemented by a peerless selection of microbrews and cocktails.

Carver’s Café offers classic American cuisine in a setting surrounded by walls of historical Swinomish photos and hand-carved décor by tribal members. The menu includes starters, soups, sandwiches, salads, burgers, classic entrées, breakfast, and desserts.

At Swin Pizzeria, you can glom a slice of a classic favorite or build your own 16-incher with your favorite toppings.

For a bit of burger bliss, visit the world-famous Fatburger near the casino floor.

Casino and gaming

The Swinomish Casino features more than 600 slot machines and the whole range of table games, including blackjack, roulette, baccarat and poker, catering to both novice and experienced players. The gaming area is designed to provide a comfortable and exciting environment for all guests.

Located adjacent to the Swinomish Sports Bar & Grill is the BetRivers Sportsbook. Name a sport on which BetRivers won’t let you get a bet down. Good luck. Major League Baseball, the NFL, the NHL, the NBA, the WBA, horseracing, NCAA, NASCAR and mixed martial arts all test your betting acumen.

A 30-foot video wall, eight self-service kiosks, and a full-service counter for in-person betting.

Nifty option: Build and scan your bets online via QR codes at kiosks.

Easy to get there

Reaching the Swinomish Casino and Lodge is straightforward. From Seattle, take I-5 north to Highway 20 West, leading directly to Anacortes. From Bellingham, travel south on I-5, then west on Highway 20. The resort is conveniently located just off the highway.

Whether you’re seeking a weekend escape, a respite from city life, or everything fun this place has to offer — dining, drinking, gaming and golf — Swinomish Casino and Lodge is the complete package.

Swinomish Golf Links • Anacortes

Duke’s Seafood Junior Golf Scholarship Winner Bryson Chang is beyond impressive

When Jin Chang contacted us early last year to nominate his then-seven/now-eightyear-old son Bryson for the Duke’s Junior Scholarship, we took a brief glance at the young golfer’s resume and immediately thought “Yep, there’s a future winner.”

Jin gave us more than enough information, stats, and results for us to make the award right then and there, but we had other very impressive junior golfers lined up, so it would have to wait. When it came time to celebrate Bryson, the story would surely write itself as he had already achieved so much.

Well, that was early last year. Now, 18 months later, we have a year’s worth of new tournament results and accomplishments to report and, suffice to say, we are not short of material.

In 2024, Bryson, who attends Northshore Christian Academy in Everett, tied for ninth in the U.S. Kids’ Golf (USKG) World Championship. That’s WORLD Championship! In local tournaments, played in Seattle, Tacoma, Tri-Cities, Portland and the Central Valley in Oregon, he finished first 15 times. That’s 15! He was second five times and took third on three occasions. In USKG regional events, he finished in the top five twice and, at statewide tournaments, he won once and was runner-up twice.

In the Chambers Bay Stroke Series, he was three times a winner, and in Washington Junior Golf Association (WJGA) Sub-District No. 1 tournaments, he likewise won three times. In the one event he played on the prestigious Hurricane Junior Tour, he came in second.

At the time of writing, Bryson had only competed in one tournament in 2025 – a USKG event in Arizona where he finished second.

To build a record like that, your ball-striking, shortgame and putting all must be pretty good, obviously, but Bryson actually rates his mindset and preparation as the best parts of his game.

“I think I’m good at setting up a game plan,” he says. “It all depends on the course, the set-up, the wind, etc.”

There can’t be many eight-year-olds devising game plans ahead of a tournament round, but it’s probably a part of what set Bryson’s two great golfing heroes — Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy — apart from their competition at a similar age.

Bryson thinks the scholarship money will go towards a new set of irons, and says he likes McIlroy best of all. Yes, he watched his hero claim his first Green Jacket at the Masters in April and says he got a little emotional when the final putt dropped.

“I was really happy because it was the moment that he achieved a Grand Slam,” says Bryson, who fully in tends to play Augusta National one day.

The Duke’s Junior Golfer Scholarship is a $500 scholarship awarded two times this year in Cascade Golfer to a deserving young player from the Puget Sound region. If you know of an area youth that loves golf and has a desire to take their career to the next level, submit your letter of inquiry for scholarship consideration to both tonydear71@comcast.net and stephens@varsitycommunications.com — subject “Duke’s Scholar.”

AA vista high above the Columbia River

s you stand on Highlander Golf Course in East Wenatchee, high above the Columbia River, you gasp at the scenic 360-degree natural backdrop.

Change is an infrequent visitor to this place, located in the eastern foothills of the Cascade Range. Not so much, however, for the 23-yearold Highlander course. Change is part of its master plan. As Director of Golf and Head PGA Professional Mark Babst has said, “We’re always trying to innovate, trying to improve the experience for the player.”

Highlander opened in 2002 as a Scottish links-style course, designed by noted architect John Steidel and built by Jim Haley, who has shaped courses designed by David McLay-Kidd, Rees Jones and Pete Dye. Highlander was selected as a nominee for America’s “Best New Course’’ in 2003 by Golf Digest magazine.

Within the decade, beginning in 2011, the alterations had begun. Hundreds of deciduous trees were planted to line the fairways, particularly on the front nine, making it more of a typical Northwest course. The course also added a cool waterfall feature between holes two and three.

Two years later, the back nine was the focus. A 32-home community, Highlander Estates, was added to the property and significant revisions were made to two holes: No. 17 and No. 18. Four other holes (10, 14, 15 and 16) were altered as well.

One of the most dramatic changes came in the Spring of 2023 when a 10,000-gallon lake was finished just in front of the 496-yard, par-5 fifth hole. Babst said the move was based on feedback from the patrons who noted that the hole was, “too easy.” Be careful what you wish for!

What hasn’t changed much over the years is Highlander’s signature hole, the par-3 ninth. Golfers hit a 163-yard shot from one side of a canyon to the other, where a green on a bluff resides. That alone is worth paying a visit to this breathtaking facility.

Here are Babst’s thoughts on our six-question Corona Premier Property survey.

Toughest Tee Shot 17th hole

I feel like always the first tee shot is the toughest, but hole No. 17 has a lot of intimidation. Thinking you can play it safe and use the hillside will sometimes end up with a ball in the canyon or stuck on the hillside and you are in for a hike to get it.

Best Birdie Opportunity 13th hole

If you are looking for a birdie, No. 13 comes to mind. It has a generous fairway and the tee shot plays downhill. It’s a good way to see a little red on the scorecard.

Best Par 3 9th hole

The ninth hole is our signature hole. It’s a beautiful tee shot that covers the canyon overlooking the valley and the Columbia River below with the clubhouse perched above.

Favorite Hole 5th hole

My favorite hole is No. 5. It was a shorter downhill simple par 5, but last year we incorporated a pond in front of the green that now requires a player to have a much more calculated second shot, or they are forced to lay up and hit a wedge over the new water feature. We were tired of hearing how easy that hole was in the past. Ha!

Emergency Nine front or back?

The front nine for sure: three par 3s, three par 4s and three par 5s. It’s a great balance of fun and challenge.

Go-To Lunch Item on the clubhouse menu

I like to go with the wings, but the turkey bacon sandwich is a hit among members.

HOLE PAR

White Gold Black

2025 Northwest Golfers Playbook available now — over 120 offers at 98 locations

Spring is here and we are starting to get our first real nice nibbles of sunshine. The 2025 Northwest Golfers Playbook will help keep things warm and your wallet thicker — golf is not cheap, but we got ya with this passport of savings.

Several of Washington’s top 15 courses are included in the 2025 edition (Gamble Sands, Wine Valley, Suncadia, Apple Tree, White Horse, The Home Course and Port Ludlow) 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 more again in 2025. Backspins in Sedro Wooley, Iron Eagle in Monroe, Stadium in Tacoma and Pinseeker in Bremerton all have something to incentivize you to give them each a go.

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 SaveTen to save another $10 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.

Stadium Golf

Ocean Shores Golf Course

SHORT GAME Play in the CG Summer Classic at Chambers Bay August 16 –make your own major memories

It’s has been a decade since the U.S. Open came through Chambers Bay, and over 15 years since the inaugural Cascade Golfer Cup teed it up in University Place.

The course was developing and still five years away from hosting a Major back then. Now 15 years later, a much more mature Chambers Bay has blossomed and is a thrill to play. We at Cascade Golfer, are excited to host our 17th golf tournament on these hallowed grounds for the all-new Summer Classic on August 16. The format will be a two-person best ball with some serious loot on the line.

For the winning teams, off to Mexico you go to Villa del Palmar on the Sea of Cortez where the TPC at Danzante Bay awaits — it’s one of the most stunning golf courses on the planet. Four nights and all-inclusive food and drink comes with the package. The rest of the prize pool features gross and net payouts for any team that finishes in the top 10 of either division. Golf in Vegas plus several well-known Washington and Puget Sound course packages will be awarded. Closest-to-the-pin, straight and long drive bragging rights are all up for grabs, too.

It’s always a treat to tee it up at Chambers Bay, the track our readers voted as the Best Public Golf Course in 2024. For four of you, the Mexican dream trip above is yours for the taking. Get inside the ropes at CascadeGolfer.com.

The Summer Classic gives area golfers the chance to compete just like a pro on one of the best courses in America.

Mixology Master Nina Maldonado 19TH

Solstice sippin’

The Mangonada Slushie

Milago Silver Tequila is the star staple of this spicy slurry

BY BART POTTER • CG STAFF WRITER

As a bartender and bar owner, Nina Maldonado never knows when the inspiration for a new cocktail might strike.

“A lot of them kind of come to you in the middle of the night or whenever,” she says. “You know, it can hit at any time.”

If she can’t tell you a date and time she was inspired to create the Mangonada Slushie, she knows for sure it was before she opened El Lugar in July 2022.

Nina Maldonado wanted to bring her favorite Mexican groceries to Capitol Hill, so El Lugar Bodega Bar was created in 2022.

El Lugar Bodega Bar is a one-stop shop for your favorite Mexican drinks like Horchata or Mexican hot chocolate. Want something with a little more kick? Grab one of their various margaritas or a mezcal hot toddy. They also serve small plates ranging from esquites to tamales and in true bodega style you can pick up everything from pinatas to paletas!

Other favorites by El Lugar and Maldonado are fresh tortillas (Milpa Masa), tres leche y flan (Pueblo Viejo), selections of hot sauces, Mexican crafts and imports for your home. And a big pull of course is the full bar and mixology there.

PRO TIP: Come by Saturday and Sunday and order their pan dulce. Thank us later. Be sure to check out the family’s other restaurant Fogón Cocina Mexicana, too.

The Mangonada Slushie, made with fresh ingredients and Milagro Silver tequila, was on the opening-night bar menu, and it’s been a fixture ever since. It starts with a rocks glass with Chamoy Tajin on the rim. The slushed-ice mixture is made up of lime, agave, and mango puree. Then, a splash more salty, spicy Chamoy to cut the sweetness.

“And then of course, we add the Milagro (ounce and a half) in there,” Maldonado says, “which is just a really wonderful tequila for it.”

Finally, top it off with mango bits and tamarind candy pieces.

“We wanted to keep it kind of simple and use a puree as opposed to a syrup, you know, keep it a little healthier, a little more real,” Maldonado says. “Mangonada is like a really great, fun mix of sweet and spicy for a cocktail.”

Milagro Silver, distributed worldwide by William Grant and Sons, is the perfect flavor profile for the Maldonado Mangonada.

“It’s so balanced and smooth,” she says. “Other tequilas can have peppery, leathery notes, or some of them have additives and they’re a little caramel-y and sweeter, and we definitely don’t need that. So yeah, Milagro is like a really great, perfect balance for it.”

Launching El Lugar (606 E. Pine St.; lugarbodegabar.com) was a business decision for Maldonado, but it was a creative choice, too.

“It’s something I’ve always enjoyed, like cooking and, you know, creating my own kind of recipes and spin on things. I did (fashion) styling for a while, too. So, I was kind of always in creative fields.”

She’s put her imagination to tasty use on El Lugar’s bar menu.

“We do a lot of different margaritas,” she says. “We do a tamarind one, made with fresh tamarind paste. We do a guava one, a cilantro and jalapeno one, a spicy one where we infuse the tequila in house.”

Maldonado likes the versatility of slushies. For the holidays, she did a spicy coffee-based version, and she’s done a pear slushie, too.

At Home Bar Mixology

The Mangonada Slushie

By Nina Maldonado • El Lugar Bodega Bar • Capitol Hill, Seattle

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 oz. of Milagro Silver Tequila

• Slushie mixture of lime, agave and mango puree

• Splash of Chamoy

• Top with fresh mango

• Finish with tamarind candy bits

INSTRUCTIONS

• As batch or single cocktail serve cold.

• Pour into vessel that is available at home.

• Best served and crafted for a rocks glass.

• Sip and enjoy before it melts.

RISK vs. RE WARD

Lake Chelan Golf Course

Hole No. 12 Par 4

270 yards (Blue Tees)

Setup

At only 270 off the tee, No. 12 at Lake Chelan Golf Course is indeed very tempting. A fairly forgiving tree lined fairway spills right to left as it leads up to the challenging green. A grouping of pine and fir trees will help you make a mess of a miss left but right is even worse — stay on target. The green is tricky, so even with a good drive, don’t start counting your chickens just yet. Staying below the hole is paramount to a good score.

Risk Peel one off poorly to the right and you likely will be reloading. If you are fortunate to find it, expect to be in

By Simon Dubiel

jail with tree trouble — similar circumstance to anything pulled or hooked left. With the challenging green awaiting, a poor tee shot can quickly turn a circle into a square on this hole. Sure, knocking a seven iron into the fairway and a wedge onto the green might sound boring — we prefer to say relaxing. Ain’t nothing wrong with that.

Reward

Number 12 is the first of a three-hole stretch that features two short par 4’s followed by a short par 5. If you are going to ‘get’ Lake Chelan GC, now is the time to start pushing some chips in the pot — come on, you’re a player. Anything landing near or on the green should give you

the best hand after the flop — let’s see if your short game can fade the turn and the river. You don’t go low by laying up on drivable par fours.

Final Call

Before you even look down at your cards check the pin position and ask yourself, “where do I want to play my second shot from?” Sure, if you can knock it to 20 feet with the big stick, let’s get the betting started. However, if you’re not straight off the tee, the goal is to leave it in a spot to get up and down. Laying up is on the table and sometimes the best way to build a stack is playing small pots. Hit hybrid or 3 wood and stuff a wedge tight. Giddyup!

IN THE BAG

PRODUCT REVIEWS

and equipment news you can use

BY TONY DEAR • CG EDITOR

‘Mini’

golf high-tech style and hot gear for summer play and travel

There really aren’t many better places in the world to play golf than the Pacific Northwest, when the dark days of winter and unpredictable days of spring are behind us. So, with this season now well underway, we trust you’re getting in lots of outdoor golf. We can now look forward to three months of unfettered sunshine — bright, invigorating mornings with 6 a.m. tee times, and tranquil, golden evenings with sunlight all the way until 10 p.m.

Washington’s beautiful golf courses look and play better during summer (late spring and early fall are pretty good, too) so get out and enjoy the game in amazing surroundings.

If you hadn’t played much prior to the Masters, it’s likely the tournament got you itching to play like it always does. Whether you’re a fan of Rory McIlroy’s or not, you probably want to recreate some of the Irishman’s shots (or at least try), like his second on the 15th in round four. We’ll probably never compete for a green jacket in the final round at Augusta National, but we can still imagine it when hitting a high draw over the water to the green on the 7th at Bear Mountain Ranch, or over the pond in front of the 18th at Camas Meadows, or even over the creek on the 8th at Sudden Valley.

To hit a shot like that, or get over the water in two, you may need some new gear. Perhaps a mini driver, which are all the rage at the moment. Or, if you need to lay up in front of the water (don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone), you could probably use a new wedge with a rough face and zippy grooves. To hole the putt for eagle or birdie, you might benefit from a new putter. Maybe a zero-torque model, which like the mini drivers, are enjoying a moment. You’ll find all that, and so much more, at Puetz Golf.

Whether you’re putting for an eagle or not, we hope you’re loving your time out on the links.

TITLEIST GT280 Mini Driver 1

nless you’ve been denying yourself golf content of any form, you’ll know the mini driver has become a thing in recent months, whether it’s on the PGA Tour, especially, or even in the bags of the better players at your club or course. With Titleist’s new GT driver line already delivering four impressive new drivers, a mini driver was a natural progression. The manufacturer says the 13-degree GT280 “marks the next evolution of generational GT performance.” It features a new lightweight design, born from a new Proprietary Matrix Polymer. The acoustic properties of this new composite allow Titleist engineers to achieve new material gains while maintaining the sort of sound and feel you expect from a Titleist club. In addition to the inner tech, the club has a clean look that better players prefer. Together, the forged face and new insert – which wraps around the bottom of the club — help low-center impacts from tight lies get airborne with impressive ball-speed. Plus, impact sounds good even when you pick it clean off the turf. With a Seamless Thermoform Crown, the Center of Gravity lies low in the head to make getting the ball off the ground easier. The GT280 features two weight positions to customize launch: position the weight forward for more penetrating shots, or push it back for a combination of speed, spin, and stability. Mitsubishi’s tour-proven Tensei shaft line-up complements the clubhead perfectly, while the Titleist fairway metals SureFit Hosel sleeve fine tunes the club to your exact swing specifications.

PUETZ GOLF PRICE

$449.99

TAYLORMADE Quad r7 Mini 2

Sport Cart bag & Lux 3 PUETZ GOLF PRICE $479.99

This mini driver is inspired by two of the most popular drivers in TaylorMade’s history: the R7 (released in 2004), and the R7 SuperQuad. The original R7 won more than 30 professional events worldwide, including Retief Goosen’s victory in the 2004 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. Twenty-one years later, the R7 Quad Mini Driver incorporates the same Movable Weight Technology enabling you to dial in spin, distance, trajectory, and shot shape by precisely positioning the Center of Gravity (CG). The Quad Weighting System includes two 13-gram weights and two 4-gram weights, with two ports in the back of the clubhead and one each in the toe and heel. Pushing weight forward and back effects a shot’s trajectory and ball-speed, while adding weight to the heel or toe promotes a draw or fade bias. Additional weights, which can provide an even greater range of adjustability, are available. As with Titleist’s GT280, the main goal with this club was to minimize mass in the top of the head to lower the CG. The ultralight Infinity Carbon Crown does that, while also looking clean and elegant. Like some of its predecessors, the R7 Quad Mini features Twist Face, which helps golfers keep their shots (even mishits) under control. The Speed Pocket increases face rebound at impact, increasing ballspeed and raising the launch angle, especially on shots struck low on the face. The stock Fujikura Speeder MD shaft is designed to keep spin rates down while keeping the club stable, without adding any weight.

GOLF PRICE $199.99 Sport Cart, $269.99 • $299.99 Lux

The golf bag market has grown in recent years with the addition of specialty manufacturers like Vessel and Ghost. Kradul is another popular manufacturer, whose offerings bring a significantly lower price point. The Las Vegas-based company has been making bags for big-name brands for 20 years and is responsible for many now-familiar innovations and design silhouettes. It decided to make bags under its own name, with its own logo (the endangered Desert Tortoise) and remove the big brand markup. Its Sport Cart Bag has a 14-way club-divider and many other features, while remaining impressively lightweight at just 4.5 pounds. There are three access points to the Protective Security Pocket. The electronics (rangefinder, phone, etc.) pocket is accessed with a Tommy clip, and the 360-degree Auto-Fit & Balance Strap System is a lot easier to operate than it sounds. There’s a waterproof valuables pocket and a mesh hydration pocket, plus holders for a pen, glove, umbrella, and towel. The Lux 9.5-inch Hybrid Stand Bag is both luxurious and extremely versatile, enabling the golfer to walk, push, or ride. It is made using vegan leather and has a FlexFoot (no pedal) Stand System. There are 14 full-length dividers and Tommy Clip access for electronics. There’s a waterproof valuables pocket, a mesh hydration pocket, and a push-button Strap Buckle Release mechanism. The bag weighs 5.5 pounds and comes in three colors – Fossil, Tar, or Steel Blue. The LUX 7.5 model is also a fine choice.

CLUB GLOVE Pro & Club Traveler 4

GOLF PRICE

• $350.99

Club Glove club travel carriers have been the standard for several years, and the brand preferred by most touring professionals who require a sturdy and reliable bag in which to transport their clubs. The company continues to introduce quality models, that get mostly five-star ratings, and which more or less guarantee that your clubs arrive in the state in which you packed them. Made from 1,000 Dernier Nylon fabric, the Pro Traveler is water-resistant and has rugged wheels locked in the company’s impressively stable wheelbase for safe and smooth movement. It has premium YKK Zippers and ITW Nexus Buckles known for their durability and ruggedness. There are two outer pockets, and a stiff arm to ensure the bag remains rigid and your clubs are protected during travel. The strap is both adjustable and detachable, and the dimensions in inches are 16 x 15 x 51. It weighs 10 pounds and comes in 10 different colors. The Club Traveler (and Pro model for that matter) is for the destination-focused golfer that seeks class, sturdiness, looks and excellence in their luggage decisions. You have a lot tied up in your golf gear and all those specifics that make your 14-clubs and accessories personal to you. Club Gloves line of travel carriers make sure your tools and toys show up mint, dry, protected and ready to roll. The proper investment here is not only worthwhile but warranted. Puetz has many travel cover options — this one stands up well and is an excellent Father’s Day choice.

Sport Lux Stand Bag

Sport Cart Bag

IN THE BAG

The wedge market is largely dominated by two manufacturers — Vokey and Cleveland. Vokey’s SM line is now in its 10th generation, while Cleveland’s impressive RTX series reached its sixth before the company introduced the new RTZ Wedge earlier this year. Made with Z-Alloy, it’s 10 percent softer than RTX6 ZipCore, and less dense than 8620 stainless-steel. The RTZ goes through a series of face-blasts that create the HydraZip face which maximizes spin in wet conditions. It also possesses Cleveland’s innovative ZipCore, a high-density material positioned in the hosel, to move the club’s Center of Gravity (CG) closer to the strike zone. Sharper, deeper UltiZip Grooves clear debris from the face, optimizing spin, regardless of conditions. The RTZ comes in four grinds — Full, Mid, Low, and ADAPT. The Full Grind offers stability on full shots and has a little extra bounce (12 degrees) to handle sand and/or thick rough. The Mid Grind is the all-duty grind that works from all lies. The V-shaped sole cuts through the turf smoothly. The Low Grind has half the bounce of the Full. There’s relief in the toe, heel and trailing edge, making it ideal for chip shots from tight fairway lies which take a hop, spin, and come to an abrupt halt. The ADAPT Grind is C-shaped and features relief in the heel, toe, and trailing edge. An additional leading-edge chamfer makes it ideal for open-face shots. ADAPT models have a high toe and are available with full-face grooves — one of Cleveland’s hallmarks. You can depend on Cleveland’s quality in these new models and they are selling well.

Given the sophistication and craftsmanship of its irons, you expect Mizuno’s wedges to be pretty special, and they certainly don’t disappoint. The T-1 is a blade design with six sole profiles that cater to a variety of playing styles, which pretty much guarantees there’s a model to suit the course you play most regularly and the way you approach wedge shots. The elegant T-1 is made with 1025 Mild Carbon Steel and features Mizuno’s advanced Grain-Flow forging technique whose copper underlay creates exceptional feel. It also features a combination of tightly packed, Quad Cut+ Grooves and Hydroflow Micro Grooves, which provide great spin in both wet and dry conditions. Hydroflow technology channels moisture away from the impact area. The grooves in the stronger lofts (48, 50, 52 and 54) are designed to improve consistency, while the grooves on the higher-lofted wedges (56, 58 and 60) maximize spin. The T-1 is available in three finishes — Black Ion, Blue Ion, and Soft White Satin. The T-3 has a slightly extended head and perimeter-weighting to give it a higher MOI and make it a little more forgiving. Despite the shallow cavity-back, it still has a touch of Mizuno elegance, and the same Grain-Flow forging process used for the T-1 gives the T-3 the sort of feel you wouldn’t necessarily associate with a cavity-backed club. The T-3 is available in three sole profiles, and it has the identical Quad Cut+ Grooves and Hydroflow Micro Grooves as the T-1. The finish is Soft White Satin.

Callaway staff players used prototype Opus wedges disguised as JAWS Raw wedges for 18 months. When the company finally revealed the Opus in February, the first thing people noticed was its shape — a cleaner, smoother teardrop which players had requested. The groove technology is similarly notable. Referred to as “Spin-Gen,” it features three elements that, together, create more spin under any conditions. The aggressively milled grooves are positioned close together, which provides space for more of them, while a new face-blast (using tiny quartz crystals) creates a rougher surface producing more friction and angled micro-grooves between the main grooves channel away moisture. There are four sole grinds — W (wide with 12-14 degrees of bounce for those who play in soft conditions), S (good for virtually any situation, with bounce from 10 to 12 degrees), C (available in 58- and 60-degree lob wedges with eight degrees of bounce), and T (aggressive heel/toe/trailing edge relief which helps the club sit tight on the ground). Opus Platinum wedges place 17 grams of tungsten in the top-line to raise the CG and lower the shot’s trajectory. They’re made using Metal Injection Molding (MIM), where powdered metal is mixed with polymer binding agents, creating a metal paste that forms the clubhead when injected into a mold. The binding agents are then melted off to leave the final clubhead. Two grinds are available in S and low-bounce Z. A chamfered leading edge with trailing edge relief adds to the club’s versatility. Available in two finishes.

IN THE BAG

6.0 8

PUETZ GOLF PRICE

$199.99

Bettinardi made its name with exceptional putters but expanded into short-game clubs with the release (in December of 2014) of its forged H2 Wedge, which featured the company’s honeycomb face, designed to generate spin. It had released limited wedge lines in 2001 and 2010, but the cost of manufacturing deterred it from continuing. After 2014, however, it produced further well-crafted clubs of which the forged HLX is the latest. These wedges — made with soft 1020 carbon-steel — are engineered for superior turf interaction, to maximize control with low trajectory (created by an extended hosel and deeper channel on the back flange) and high spin. The four lowest-lofted degree wedges (48, 50, 52 and 54) have a square leading edge and reduced offset that, Bettinardi says, “give a seamless connection between club and ground.” The higher-lofted degree clubs (56, 58 and 60) have additional heel relief which increases workability, and the weight of each head has been reduced by two grams. The HLX 6.0 has an increased number of grooves and a re-engineered groove geometry, which together, gives golfers extra spin and a little more control of their launch characteristics. Meanwhile, the thinner, beveled top line produces a look and feel that better players prefer. There are two sole grinds available. There’s the C-Grind, a familiar, classic shape ideal for golfers who favor straightforward, square-faced shots. There’s also the RJ-Grind, which features extra relief in the heel, toe, and trailing edge to provide more playability.

TAYLORMADE Spider ZT 9

PUETZ GOLF PRICE

$449.99

aylorMade is now involved in the no torque movement having introduced its Spider Zero-Torque Putter (officially known as the 5K-ZT). Longtime Spider users Jason Day and Brian Harman were among the first to demo the prototype in the U.S. — Day at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in March, and Harman in April at the Valero Texas Open, which he won by three strokes. “It removes the ‘am-I-going-to-hit-a-good-putt’ variable,” Harman said after his victory, having tried it for the first time on Tuesday of tournament week. “It seems like I hit more good putts with it, so I’m focused more on line and speed, and not worried about making a good stroke.” The putter got its first exposure on the DP World Tour, however, when Spain’s Angel Ayora used it at the Qatar Masters in February. The KBS puttershaft has a single degree of shaft lean with 25 millimeters onset behind the face, and the design of the sole allows the putter to sit flush on the ground without it twisting. Indeed, Day remembers asking TaylorMade to make a Spider that didn’t twist several years ago. The high-density stainless-steel perimeter and low-density aerospace-grade aluminum body creates a stable high-MOI putter whose two milled lines (one ball width apart) on the crown are an effective alignment tool. The Surlyn/aluminum black Pure Roll insert gives the putter a soft, responsive feel and improves the ball’s roll. The SuperStroke 1-degree Off-Axis Pistol 1.0 is the standard grip, and Long and Counter-Balanced models are also available.

ODYSSEY S2S MAX 10

PUETZ GOLF PRICE $349.99

t’s interesting how long other manufacturers take to adopt a technological development once it has been introduced. Which was the first company, for instance, to introduce an Anser-style putter after Karsten Solheim (Ping) had brought the original to market in 1966? Japanese company Kasco was the first to use Titanium in drivers in 1990, but it wasn’t until Callaway introduced the Great Big Bertha, five years later, that Titanium really took off. In 2006, Axis1Golf became the first to develop a zero-torque putter but didn’t exhibit at the PGA Show until 2011 when people thought it was so odd looking it received precious little attention. Ten years ago, Bill Presse rekindled the tech and built his first Directed Force putters whose technology was purchased by Sam Hahn, CEO of L.A.B. Golf, after Presse nearly went bankrupt. Hahn partnered with Presse and slowly their putters got noticed. Adam Scott was convinced by the tech fairly early on and now other PGA Tour players — Will Zalatoris, Cameron Young, Lucas Glover, Camilo Villegas — have come aboard with the Zero-Torque revolution now in full swing. Odyssey released its first ZT models last November and followed up in March with the Cruiser (counterbalanced), Armlock, and Broomstick versions. In May, it adds the Max 1 and Max Stripe — center-shafted, zero-torque putters with the company’s Ai-One insert to promote consistent ball-speed across the face. With 3.3 degrees of forward shaft lean, it presents the hands in a forward position, preventing the face from opening.

Share what for your fantasy Washington State course looks like HOLE-BY-HOLE

OBY TONY DEAR • CG EDITOR

ur Top 10 Public Courses in Washington issue has been so popular the last few years, we felt the time was right to expand the idea. After all, who doesn’t love choosing their favorite things and ranking stuff? But what, we pondered, should the subject of the next reader poll be — best Washington players, tournaments, weekends away, instructors, indoor facilities, 19th holes, drink carts, clubhouse sandwiches…?

A far more obvious choice, and the one we felt would be most engaging, would be Washington’s best holes. And not 10 or 20 of them, but 18. Because…of course! We’d then be able to form a reader-voted Dream 18 — the best theoretical, hypothetical, conceptual, conjectural, abstract, fantasy course in Washington.

A certain amount of thought must go into choosing your 10 best courses in the state, but we believe some serious thinking will be needed to identify your favorite holes. And we hope it’s great fun.

We’ve created an online form you can access easily and where you simply choose your favorite holes. You can nominate however many you like — 1, 10, 18…50? We’ll count the votes for each hole, 1-18, to form the ideal Washington layout — best 1st hole, best 2nd, best 3rd and so on.

It’s reasonable, of course, to expect the state’s best courses to supply many of its best holes. So, we expect to see holes from Chambers Bay, Gamble Sands, Wine Valley, Salish Cliffs, etc. populating the list. But somewhere there’ll be a course that might not necessarily make it into the top 10 or 20 in the state but which has a hole that is very special.

Without mentioning any names, or even stating the number of the hole (which might give its identity away), there’s a course in western Washington that probably wouldn’t make it into the state’s top-100, maybe even 200, but which has a hole that this writer thinks is so strangely good, it looks like it’s been transplanted from another course. It’s totally incongruous and really feels a bit weird. Most of the other 17 are decidedly “meh”, but this one hole wouldn’t look out of place on a championship course.

We’ll leave you to speculate on what hole/course we’re talking about, but we’re sure you’ll have your own examples — a hole that ranks among the region’s best on a course you’ll try once and never be in any hurry to play again.

If you decide to nominate one hole, that’s entirely fair enough. Your vote will count and be added to all the other votes that particular hole gets. If you’re anything like us though, and you have a few minutes spare, you’ll jot down your choice for each hole. This game grabs people in ways they can’t explain and hooks them so completely, we wouldn’t be surprised if one or two of you even made a spreadsheet with a brief description of each hole (to be clear, we’re not asking that of you, but we know someone somewhere will be tempted to go all out, if they haven’t done so already).

We’re okay with having multiple holes from the same course (limiting it to one hole per course might result in some strange choices), but they must correspond with their actual place on that course. For instance, the 2nd at Druids Glen is a wonderful hole with its jaw-dropping view of Mt. Rainier in the background. And Salish Cliffs’ 2nd is a terrific short par 4. But both holes may lose out to the 2nd at Gamble Sands which, for some, has probably the best combination of beauty and strategy of any hole in America — with incredible views of the Columbia River and North Cascades and an intriguing decision on whether to go for the green or lay up short or right of the fairway bunker.

So, although the hole at Druids Glen might be significantly better than the choice of best 11th or 17th hole for example, it wouldn’t appear in the list. Some may regard that as unfair or not answering the question, so to speak, but the best 18 holes in Washington could all be par-5s (unlikely but stay with us). And four of them could all be, say, the 12th hole on their respective courses. But we’d end up with a course that’s roughly 9,000 yards long and which has a par of 90. We’re guessing that’s a course no one would be eager to try.

And while there are no strict stipulations on par or length, if there’s a tie, we’ll give the nod to the hole that fits the round best. Something like a 6,800-yard, par-72 would be ideal, but it’s not mandatory. We just don’t want it to be laughably unconventional.

Share your opinion and nominate as many holes as you wish. We’ll tabulate the results, make some tough decisions and come back to you in August with your Dream 18. Will it have a closing par 5? Will there be three par 3s on the front? A drivable par 4? Help us put it together at CascadeGolfer.com.

Shoot the QR Code and share your favorite holes.

Vote before July 30 and your name could be pulled for some cool prizes.

10th Anniversary U.S. Open at Chambers Bay

UNIVERSITY PLACE’S

Permanent Sandcastle

A

‘Sound’ dream built on a sand and gravel mine, the Chambers Bay story and legacy endures

BY TONY DEAR • CG EDITOR

This June, it will be 10 years since the Pacific Northwest hosted its first ever U.S. Open, when the National Championship was played at an eight-year-old Chambers Bay in University Place.

For many, that milestone will seem absurd — can it really be a decade since Jordan Spieth shot a four-round total of five-under-par 275 to beat Dustin Johnson and Louis Oosthuizen by a shot and claim his second straight major title (he had won the Masters just 10 weeks prior).

The USGA knew it was taking a risk bringing its flagship event to a part of the country it had never been to before, not to mention so young a course. And though it saw its share of controversy, the 110,000 people who attended during a week of warm temperatures and near-constant sunshine had a great time watching world-class golf. Local business-owners and tax collectors certainly enjoyed it, too, with an economic impact in the region totaling over $130 million.

Over the next few pages, we look back on what was a momentous and historic week, remembering the USGA’s groundbreaking decision to play its largest championship in our neck of the woods.

We will relive how the course was set up, how players (and others) reacted to it, and how the galleries and a new TV broadcast partner in FOX fared. And we’ll remember how the champion, a then 21-year-old Texan in the midst of an exceptional season, overcame a packed leaderboard featuring Johnson and Oosthuizen, Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, Shane Lowry, Cameron Smith, Adam Scott, Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace, and Brandt Snedeker — all of whom finished in the top 10.

In 1992, Pierce County purchased a sizeable chunk of land bordering Puget Sound in University Place from the Glacier Sand and Gravel Company — approximately 610 acres in all that were known as the Chambers Creek Properties.

Nine years later, then County Executive, John Ladenburg, visited for the first time to discuss the positioning of a barbed wire fence, separating Grandview Drive and the now-disused gravel mine, with the University Place City Manager. Ladenburg wasn’t sold on golf courses at first but, after hearing of previous ideas (1993 and 1997) to build one on the site — ideas that were voted down — he hatched a plan for a high-end, public, links-style course.

In September 2003, the County sent out an RFP (Request for Proposal) inviting golf course architecture firms to submit their proposals for the design of the course. Fifty-six of them did, including that belonging to Palo Alto-based Robert Trent Jones Jr.

The California Jones team gave an impressive PowerPoint presentation to the County in March 2004 at the end of which, Jay Blasi, a 26-year-old design associate in the company handed out bag tags on which “Chambers Creek, 2030 U.S. Open” had been inscribed (the project was then known as Chambers Creek and the 2030 part was a cheeky, but effective, marketing ploy).

In May, Jones got the job, the County voting 5-2 in favor of allocating $1.3 million of sewer utility funds to hiring him.

These are the design renderings by Robert Trent Jones Jr., which he allowed Cascade Golfer to look at and share over 10 years ago so we could educate our readers on his design visions.

10th Anniversary U.S. Open at Chambers Bay

LEGENDARY LINKS

Robert Trent Jones Jr. (pictured below) gently shaped the sand mine land into its natural expression, which resulted in timeless links land for the ages. The 15th (pictured here), 16th, 17th and 18th are arguably the greatest closing holes on the West Coast.

In September 2005, the County held a public meeting in the council chambers in Tacoma to present its funding plan for the now-named Chambers Bay Golf Course and on October 6, the County passed an ordinance reaffirming that the principal funding source for its financing, construction, operation, and maintenance would be the revenues it generated.

Having been given the green light, the County broke ground in the Fall of 2005. The cost of the course mushroomed from $13 million to $21 million during the building process. But, in February 2008, just eight months after his course had opened, the bold vision and budget pressures were vindicated when the USGA announced the 2010 U.S. Amateur Championship, and 2015 U.S. Open would be played there.

“It was a dream come true,” says Blasi, who left Jones’s employ and formed his own design company in 2012. “I had begun doodling golf holes on restaurant placemats at the age of four and, in high school, told a local newspaper in Wisconsin that I wanted to design a U.S. Open course.”

Many readers will remember that conditions in the run-up to the championship, which began on June 18, 2015, were hot and dry with the last rain the course saw before the event began falling on June 2. Temperatures between then and the first round were between 75-85 degrees and, with the USGA deciding not to water the course much, it meant the ground was baked brown and hard as a rock.

“The winter was relatively mild in comparison to prior years,” remembers Josh Lewis, who had been the Golf Course Superintendent for three and a half years and was second-in-command to Chambers Bay’s Director of Agronomy, Eric Johnson. “That allowed us to keep things pretty healthy and get a lot of work done. The last half of April and most of the month of May were uncharacteristically warm, however. I remember May specifically being downright hot at times with several days over 90 degrees, which just doesn’t happen in western Washington outside a few days of the year, and typically not until much later in the season.”

Bruce Charlton, President and Chief Design Officer at

The priceless RTJ II pencil sketch of the 15th hole was our cover image in advance of the U.S. Open.

10th Anniversary

U.S. Open at Chambers Bay

Robert Trent Jones II LLC, says the firmness of the surfaces definitely altered how some of the holes were meant to play. “We designed the course for firm and fast conditions,” he adds, “but Mother Nature gave us one of the driest, hottest periods in May and June ever. With the soils being all sand, the amount of roll that players were able to achieve was probably more than we had anticipated.”

Because of the firmness of the ground, Charlton adds, players weren’t really able to use the kicker slopes the design team had built into the green surrounds at several holes (3, 4, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 18).

“The ball was ricocheting off these slopes in a way that prevented players from controlling the ball’s speed when hitting them.”

Blasi, who was on-site a week before the event started, had seen how the firmness in the ground was going to have a big effect on players’ strategies and scoring.

“During the practice rounds, I helped guide a bunch of players round,” he remembers. “It was fun watching them trying to figure out the course considering how different it

THE ICONIC LONE FIR

The 15th hole is one the most photographed holes in the Pacific Northwest. On a long June day, the sun setting over Chambers Bay is hard to beat.

A

“It

was exciting and competitive.

dramatic end to an amazing four days an Academy Award winner for the community and Pierce County.”

Robert Trent Jones Jr.

was to most PGA Tour stops. I had Jake Knapp (who was at UCLA) and 15-year-old Cole Hammer for one round. Jake is Dustin Johnson-long, and Cole was pretty short so, because of the distances they each hit the ball together with the course conditions, the lines I was giving them were sometimes 70 yards apart.”

Charlton likewise spent a lot of time on the course during the practice rounds. “On the Sunday morning before the tournament, I walked all 18 holes with Rickie Fowler and Jordan Speith,” he says. “In the afternoon I walked another 18 with fellow Iowan Zach Johnson. It was fascinating to hear these players develop their detailed plans of attack and strategize with their caddies.”

Blasi hosted family, friends, and clients during the championship while Charlton was determined to see as much of the golf as possible. Jones, too, tried to watch the play between Golf Channel/FOX interviews saying it was “exciting” to observe the players trying to meet the demands of a fiery Chambers Bay. “There were strategies and nuances for how the players needed to play the holes,” Jones says. “Extreme accuracy was required between intentions and execution.”

For all the controversies — should the USGA have watered the course more than it did; were the fescue greens U.S. Open-worthy; why did so many spectator bottlenecks form when the USGA had had several years to prepare, etc.? We did see a great finish with six players within one shot of the lead on the back-nine on Sunday and the lead changing hands several times.

“It was exciting and competitive,” says Jones. “A dramatic end to an amazing four days — an Academy Award winner for the community and Pierce County.”

The questions still come up occasionally at the water cooler and in 19th holes. But as time marches on, the memories that seem to endure are more about amazing golf and less about the course’s set up and conditions.

Two years after the U.S. Open, Chambers Bay began the process of changing its fine fescue greens to poa annua, a turf variety more suitable for the Pacific Northwest. At first, the 7th, 10th, and 13th, which had performed poorly during the championship, were resodded. Encouraged by the positive results, the County decided to re-turf all 18 greens. It closed the course in October 2018 and reopened it on April 3, 2019, since then, the poa greens have thrived and Chambers Bay has become a bucket list course, if it wasn’t already.

10th Anniversary

U.S. Open at Chambers Bay

10 years after the Open

The world watched, crowds came, millions of dollars were generated — will it happen again?

BY BOB SHERWIN • CG STAFF WRITER

It was the players who made the most noise — heard and repeated even 10 years after the 2015 U.S. Open Championship at Chambers Bay. Those who remember the Open well, still can hear the cheers, comments and critical statements — those of acclaim and chiding – like it was yesterday.

But all the commotion shouldn’t have risen to the level it did. Without exception, players complain about the course setup, particularly the greens, at every major. Winners never do.

The criticism slightly tarnished what should have been a lasting regional celebration of those four days in mid-June 2015 — a record in ticket sales, sold out 11 months before the event, a then-record in merchandise sales and corporate tents, an outpouring of volunteers, more than 80 million TV viewers around the globe, and more than $134 million generated from the event into the local economy.

“No single event in the history of the state has ever generated that type of revenue,” Pierce County Executive Pat McCarty said after the final putt.

The overall highlight, diminished by the green noise, was a stacked leaderboard — the game’s greatest players among the top five — with a clutch play down the stretch Sunday and a dramatic finish on 18, won by young Jordan Spieth when Dustin Johnson three-putted from 12 feet to lose by one stroke.

Ten years after, it’s time to take a second look, a mulligan of sorts, to remember the bits and pieces that came together for 115th edition of the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay.

‘We don’t need another golf course in Pierce County’

Twenty-five years ago, Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg had a dilemma — what to do with this abandoned gravel pit in University Place. It cost the county $33 million and needed millions more, public or private, to develop anything out of it. Plenty big enough, some suggested, to create two full 18-hole golf courses on the site.

Pierce County already had enough courses, Ladenburg believed. Lake Spanaway, Allenmore, Meadow Park, among others.

“I came to the conclusion, we don’t need another golf course,” said Ladenburg, shutting it down soon after he took office in 2000.

Golf courses don’t generate the kind of revenue needed to make the site viable. However, he would soon realize that hosting one of golf’s major tournaments certainly would. Imagine, this unruly and nothing stretch of dirty gravel becoming a world-renown golf course? How? Attracting the world’s best players? Why?

Ladenburg researched the PGA Tour’s Phoenix Open (Waste Management) and couldn’t believe how much revenue the city generated. At the time, he was also president of the regional Puget Sound Economic Development Council and proposed a plan, linked to a U.S. Open vision, that this could pay off in grand fashion for the city, the county and the region.

“It made sense, a course that can generate revenue, serve the community and bring in people from around the world,” said Jay Blasi, who worked for Jones at time and is the man who shaped Chambers’ terrain. “We openly discussed (the U.S. Open) from the beginning.”

The Chambers team also took a page out of the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black, the first time the event was contested on a true public course, breaking a 107-year-old USGA tradition. Bethpage went through a remodel before the Open and the USGA, which hosts 15 national championships each year including the crown jewel U.S. Open, provided the needed parameters.

From the first shovel turn, Chambers also involved then-USGA Executive Director Mike Davis. He visited several times, offering guidance to what the USGA would need, inside and outside the ropes, to hold a major there. Chambers Bay opened in the summer of 2007. Eight months later, Feb. 8, 2008, the USGA awarded the course its 2010 U.S. Amateur and the 2015 U.S. Open.

The 17th hole on the final round of the final group as tension built and the Amtrak Cascades roared by.

The huge grandstand on the 9th hole and the turn to the stretched out 10th tee.

10th Anniversary U.S. Open at Chambers Bay

The 2015 U.S. Open and Masters Champion Jordan Spieth.

LEADERBOARD : Top 10 names of acclaim and fame that week

There were winners as well as losers at the 115th Open. Here are a handful of folks who made a name for themselves for what they did, or what they said:

Spieth became the youngest U.S. Open champion since Bobby Jones in 1923. He finished at 5 under par, one stroke ahead of runner-up Dustin Johnson, who three-putted 18 from 12 feet, and Louis Oosthuizen. Spieth made a 25-foot birdie on 16 but doubled 17, dropping into a tie with Oosthuizen at 4-under. There’s a plaque embedded on the par-5 18th fairway that honors Spieth’s 3-wood approach to the final green, 18 feet from the hole. His birdie would hold up as the winner.

Henrik Stenson pitching from out of the greenside bunker on the par-4 6th hole in the third round.

Stenson had the imaginative quote of the tournament when he said that Chambers Bay greens’ surface “was pretty much like putting on broccoli.”

Jordan Spieth’s caddie (also on the bag for Spieth’s victory at The Masters two months earlier), Greller was a teacher at a Tacoma middle school, occasionally caddying at Chambers. Justin Thomas used him for an amateur tournament years earlier and suggested that Spieth try him. Greller, who lived in Gig Harbor, was given full credit by Spieth afterward for his local knowledge. The two have been together for a decade now.

The longtime former USGA executive director was involved almost from the beginning with the Chambers Bay designers. He guided them for what the USGA needed to host an Open. He was also instrumental in the course setup. Davis and a team of USGA and Chambers Bay leaders formed and executed the plans that led to the storied history on both sides of the ropes in 2015.

Tried to maintain a lighter tone, saying he had a five-foot putt “and didn’t have the first idea what it was going to do. It felt like outdoor bingo at that point.”

Much more knee jerk in his quick appraisal and, in return, was viewed as bitter by some. He said Chambers was “the worst golf course I might’ve ever seen in the 63 years as a professional golfer … it’s basically unplayable.” Perhaps Player had a grudge against Chambers — and Trent Jones, Jr. Player’s design team bid didn’t make the final five.

Louis Oosthuizen and his final round drive on the 72nd hole.

Chambers was too difficult, unplayable? Oosthuizen recorded six birdies over his final seven holes Sunday for a 9-under 29, a U.S. Open back-nine record. Point to Louis.

There’s a plaque embedded on the par-5 18th fairway that honors Spieth’s 3-wood approach to the final green, 18 feet from the hole. His birdie would hold up as the winner.

The Pierce County executive in the early 2000s when decisions needed to be made on what to do with the Chambers Creek degraded gravel pit. He guided the county through the design process, bringing the USGA along as well. His vision and support for a world-class golf course and $134.5 million generated from the Open are his legacy.

It wasn’t Her fault. It never is. But the weather was quite abnormal that June 2015 week. Two weeks before and two weeks after, the weather was perfect, the grass was perfect. But that unseasonably hot, dry Open week put humans in an untenable quandary. Such is life.

The booth analyst for FOX appeared unenthused. Could it have been related to his early 90s partnership with FOX for the World Golf Tour? That never got off the ground because of being contentious with the PGA Tour. Norman lasted just one year at FOX, which also had signed a 12-year, $1.1 billion deal and backed out after just five years. This summer, the network began broadcasting the Norman-promoted, Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour with ratings that are far below that of the PGA Tour.

Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

A fancy clubhouse or an epic hole?

When the price tag for the course’s buildup pushed past $30 million, it sparked criticism among county leadership and citizenry. Detractors called it Ladenburg’s Folly. But the Pierce County exec said for every critical decision that needed to be made, one question was always asked: “Does this get us a step closer to the U.S. Open or not?”

A significant crossroads came over a design change for No. 10, a short par 4 directly west of the lower caddie shack/snack shop building. There was an enormous sand hill that the design team said would be much better if a fairway was cut through the middle. It meant a half million cubic yards of sand needed to be moved at a significant hit to the budget. The county council denied the extra expense, but Ladenburg didn’t want the course to be compromised. So, he moved money over by cutting the clubhouse budget.

No. 10, now with two giant sand dunes guarding each side, has been praised for its design quality.

... every critical decision that needed to be made, one question was always asked: “Does this get us a step closer to the U.S. Open or not?”

Will we get another? Someday maybe we just hope to be alive

How many more U.S. Opens would Chambers get? At one point, a lot, everyone thought? Turns out thus far, this was just one brief shining moment.

There’s not another one in the queue, even after Chambers completed its major renovation in 2019, replacing its highly criticized fescue greens with more reliable poa annua. In 2020, the USGA changed its scheduling policy, deciding to go with “anchor sites,” traditional courses that have held the event multiple times.

“Anchor” courses such as Pebble Beach, Oakmont, Shinnecock, Pinehurst No. 2, Merion, Oakland Hills, Winged Foot and L.A. Country Club have taken up almost all available spaces through 2051. We are a quarter into the 21st century with nearly a half century of U.S. Open commitments.

The first Open opportunity will be 2043 and then again in 2045, 2046 and 2048.

So, let’s say Chambers finally is granted the Open in 2045 — 30 years, or one full generation of golfers and fans in between. According to the PGA Tour’s marketing research, the average age of patrons attending Tour events is 57. That means all those 57-year-old folks who

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10th Anniversary U.S. Open at Chambers Bay

From our point of view, this space and place deserves another major — we shall keep hope alive.

— Cascade Golfer

Stenson and Johnson, now with LIV Golf, were “in the news” at the 2015 U.S. Open.

/

were here in 2015 and are hoping to see another U.S. Open at Chambers Bay will need to survive to 87. Spieth, the youngest to win the Open (21) since 1923, would be 52 and the likely winner would still be a few years away from being born.

If Chambers should secure a second Open a couple decades away, the folks who were part of the negotiating process for 2015 likely won’t be around to witness it.

Openings are sooner for the PGA Championship, as early as 2032 and 2033.

“I’m lobbying for a U.S. Women’s Open,” Ladenburg said. “I’d like to see that first.”

He argues that the LPGA Tour has many stars from Japan, Korea, Taiwan, “and the Pacific Northwest is the closest connection to Asia. I guarantee that if they bring a Women’s Open here, you’d have 10,000 tourists come here from Asia.”

However, the next Women’s vacancy is 2039, as some of the same “anchor sites” will be hosting it more than once: Pebble, Oakmont, L.A. Country Club, Merion and Shinnecock.

Blasi, who now runs Jay Blasi Design, agreed that a women’s major would work well for Chambers and added, “it’s a perfect match play course for a Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup.”

There have been thoughts about whether a LIV event would be a good idea, bringing back Norman, FOX TV coverage and exhibition team golf.

Discuss amongst yourselves…

Epilogue

For us at Cascade Golfer, we’ve been with and a part of the story at Chambers Bay since the first shovel went into the ground — arguably as much as any one news entity anywhere. Our staff has covered every major development since then and it’s our contention that it truly is a bucket list course. Robert Trent Jones Jr., Jay Blasi, John Landenburg, the superintendents, County, USGA and hundreds of men and women that have played into the never-ending crafting of the place have seen their dream fully realized — especially now.

From our point of view, this space and place deserves another major — we shall keep hope alive.

GREAT WHITE NORTH TURNS GREEN

Golf’s master designers deliver true mountain golf north of the border in WHISTLER

BY BART POTTER • CG STAFF WRITER

In 2010, the world came to Whistler.

As nothing else could have, the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in February of that year certified Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, as a world-class winter sports locale.

Golf, as we know, was not on the schedule of events for the Olympiad. But the bar had been set high for any kind of sport or recreational pursuit that would follow or already thrived at Whistler – cross country and alpine skiing, snowboarding and sledding in the winter, mountain biking, hiking and whitewater rafting in the spring, summer and fall ... that’s not even to mention ATVing, bungee jumping, zip lining ...

And golf.

Today, the four golf courses under the Whistler umbrella – each designed by an internationally esteemed golf architect – are renowned for their quality, individually and collectively, and their mountain-cut beauty.

With the immediacy of lodging, dining and shopping in the Whistler Village, minutes away from golf, the Whistler Resort – 350 kilometers (217 miles) from Seattle, 125 kilometers from Vancouver, B.C. – stands alone in western North America as an all-in golf destination.

“For people that haven’t experienced true mountain golf, I think that’s the number one thing,” said Jason McClean, sales and marketing manager for Tourism Whistler. “They get up here and they get to play four very unique courses. No course plays similar to the others.”

In February 2010, the golf courses were out of sight and out of mind for Winter Olympics patrons. Now, as spring 2025 turns toward summer, the courses are very much open for business.

The marquee names on the designer list at Whistler are as big as they get in golf architecture: Arnold Palmer crafted Whistler Golf Club, which opened in 1983; Jack Nicklaus designed Nicklaus North Golf Club in 1996; Robert Trent Jones Jr. laid out Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club in 1993; and Bob Cupp designed Big Sky Golf Club in 1994.

Each course bears grace notes of the signature characteristics these designers imprinted on their work.

Whistler Golf Club

Whistler Golf Club (whistler.com/activities/golf/ whistler/) grew from a desire by the resort association to create a four-season destination. Whistler was a ski resort, obviously, but there wasn’t much going on in the summer.

“And they thought about golf,” said Alan Kristmanson, general manager and director of golf at Whistler GC. “And, you know, they brought in Arnold Palmer.”

The biggest name in golf came to Whistler in 1983 to begin work on the first golf course at the resort. Palmer was on hand for a huge opening day, an event documented in a raft of photos on the golf shop walls.

The par-72 Whistler GC, at 6,722 yards, is playable for everybody, Kristmanson said.

“I know you hear that a lot,” he said. “But we’re not trying to beat anybody up. If you want a test, go to the back tees, and you can definitely get a test.”

It’s the greens, Kristmanson said, that best show Arnie’s handiwork.

“Typical Palmer greens, you know. The greens have a nice rolling slope to them. You’re going to have to be creative when you putt here.”

Whistler Golf Club • Whistler, B.C.

Nicklaus North Golf Club (nicklausnorth.com/ golf_course) has the virtue of bordering, on several holes, the spectacular Green Lake. The float plane dock next to the clubhouse is a nice touch.

As for the golf, the par-71, 6,961-yard Nicklaus North has reasonably wide fairways, a Jack Nicklaus staple, according to Gavin Eckford, general manager of Nicklaus North. But it’s the five challenging par-3 holes that are, to Eckford, the meat of the golf course.

“I think we have the best set of par 3s definitely in Whistler, but probably a much broader scale than that,” said Eckford, a 30-year golf industry veteran and a CPGA professional.

The par-3 12th takes aim at a semi-island green with an Augusta-style bridge. No. 17, another par 3, is the course’s signature hole, requiring a tee ball over the edge of Green Lake.

“A lot of the par 3s favor a high cut, which was kind of Jack’s shot back in the day,” Eckford said. “You can see some elements of him designing for himself in there.”

Nicklaus North Golf Club • Whistler, B.C.

Nicklaus North Golf Club • Whistler, B.C.

Big Sky Golf Club • Pemberton, B.C.

Nicklaus North Golf Club

Nicklaus North Golf Club • Whistler, B.C.

Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club • Whistler, B.C.

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Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club Whistler, B.C.

Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club

Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club (whistler.com/ activities/golf/fairmont-chateau) is an example of “play it as it lies,” seen through a golf design lens by Robert Trent Jones Jr.

“He really tries to use what he has and leave it kind of untouched,” said Paul Heritage, head CPGA professional at Fairmont Chateau Whistler GC. “There wasn’t a lot of demolition happening when (Jones Jr.) created this golf course. He really used the landscape as part of the picture he wanted to paint.”

The result, at the Whistler course shortest in length (6,635 yards) but highest above sea level, is drastic elevation gains and drops, especially through the first half-dozen holes.

“We’re built through the mountains,” Heritage said, “which is a fantastic way to enjoy a game of golf.”

Chateau Whistler’s signature hole is the 8th, a scenic par 3, 212 yards from the back tees. Like many holes on the course, the tee ball on 8 must carry water in front of the green, a pond in this case.

Many streams cross the course, Heritage said. As Jones Jr. might say, play them as they run by.

Big Sky Golf Club • Pemberton

Big Sky Golf Club (whistler.com/activities/golf/big-sky) is the only Whistler course not adjacent to Whistler Village. Golfers around here don’t seem to mind a bit by the 25-minute drive north to Pemberton, B.C., to play Big Sky. (Marketing guy McClean recommends the 12-person vans of VIP Whistler [vipwhistler.com/] if you don’t feel like driving).

Big Sky is the most serene of the four courses, says Corry Butler, Big Sky general manager, sitting as it does at the foot of the massive Mount Currie. It’s pure golf, he said — no houses on the course, no trails. Each hole is individual.

“You don’t feel like you’re on top of other golfers,” Butler said.

GREAT WHITE NORTH

The longest course in the Whistler sphere (7,001 yards) is also the most walkable, Butler said. At 600 feet above sea level, it’s 1,800 feet in elevation lower than the Whistler-adjacent courses, and therefore warmer earlier in the spring

Given all that, it’s challenging — requiring creativity around the greens, Butler said — but it’s playable for all skill levels. It’s all here, in the relaxed vibe of Pemberton, and it’s worth the trip to experience it.

The Village

The Whistler Village is destination-worthy by itself, even if all you want to do is eat and drink and lounge. The pedestrian-only village is huge but laid-out in such a way that — as the locals say — nothing is more than two minutes by foot from anything else.

Check out the Raven Room for good cocktails and eats … or grab a sake and crush some Hamachi at Sushi Village, one of the first Japanese restaurants in Whistler.

Three nights and three rounds at any of the four courses starting at $209 USD per person per night is a popular package, and shorter or longer durations are easily accommodated. Call (800) 944-7853 or visit Whistler.com to book.

Big Sky Golf Club • Pemberton

Whistler Village STAY & PLAY!

LakeLand Village Golf Course • Allyn

LakeLand Village Golf Course

LakeLand Village Golf Course in Allyn, Wash., offers a unique 27-hole golfing experience across three nine-hole courses: Generation I, Generation II and Generation III.

The family ownership at LakeLand Village, established in 1972, has maintained a commitment to preserving the natural landscape for the enjoyment of golfers and residents.

Located between Hood Canal and Puget Sound’s Case Inlet, overlooking the town of Allyn, the golf course winds through a seasoned and unobtrusive residential community.

Check in the pro shop for information about the aquatic practice range and the new short game practice facility.

The Generation I course, completed in 1972, was turned into a standalone executive-style course in recent years. It is suitable for beginning players but packs some punch over its 2,584 yards.

Generation II (opened in 1983) and Generation III (opened in 1997) are generally played together to make one 18-holer known as the Ranch Course. When played together, they stretch to 6,471 yards, with a course rating of 71.5 and a slope of 140. Each nine features distinctive topography, with Generation II (front nine) known for its strategic bunkering and water hazards, and Generation III (back nine) offering panoramic vistas of the surrounding landscape.

Notable holes include the challenging par-3 8th on Generation II, requiring a precise tee shot over water, and the par-4 6th on Generation III, which demands accuracy off the tee to avoid dense tree lines.

Supremely affordable golf is a prime virtue at LakeLand. Generation I, played by itself, costs only $22 for nine holes. The Ranch Course offers weekday play for $34 for 18 holes, $22 for nine; weekends and holiday fees are $42 for 18, $28 for nine. A 27-hole special spanning the three generations costs $60 with power cart on weekdays, $80 on weekends.

Twilight rates start at $21. For frequent players, a 10-round punch card for 18 holes costs $285 for weekdays and $330 for weekends.

LakeLand Village offers a diversity of golf experiences over its 27 holes, and the price is right there in the Hood Canal region for players of every skill level.

YARDAGE (PAR 72) 5,227-6,471 yards

RATES $21-$42

TEL (360) 275-6100 • WEB lakelandvillagegc.com

Salish

Cliffs Golf Club SHELTON

Salish Cliffs Golf Course offers plenty of challenges for any golfer and there’s no denying how good it looks with turf conditions that are rivaled by few.

Designed by Gene Bates and opened in September 2011, the course spans 7,269 yards from the championship tees and is renowned for its ups and downs and its thick and sticky roughs and waste areas.

The layout features dramatic elevation changes, with the par-4 12th hole standing out. This hole’s tee box sits about 650 feet above sea level, providing golfers with panoramic views and a challenging descent.

Holes 9 and 18 share a unique 15,000-square-foot double green, separated by a wetland preserve, enhancing both the challenge and the visual appeal.

Salish Cliffs offers competitive pricing, with peak season rates ranging from $105 to $150, including a GPS-equipped cart, range balls, and tax. Residents of Mason and Thurston counties can enjoy discounted rates, and military personnel receive a 10 percent discount every day.

The course also provides stay-and-play packages in partnership with the adjacent Little Creek Casino Resort, combining golf with accommodations for a comprehensive experience.

Salish Cliffs caters to golfers of all skill levels, offering five sets of tees ranging from 5,313 to 7,269 yards.

The course’s commitment to excellence is reflected in its recognition as the first golf course in the world to earn Salmon Safe certification, awarded in 2012 when the course was barely a year old. The organization’s certification had previously been given mainly to farms or vineyards, as well as urban or rural open spaces other than golf courses. The Salmon Safe award recognizes the protection and enhancement of habitat for all the wildlife species living on and near the course.

With its visually stunning design, supreme golf challenges and solid value, Salish Cliffs Golf Club stands as a premier destination for golfers in the Pacific Northwest.

Salish Cliffs is a fan favorite and host of the Cascade Golfer Match Play finals.

YARDAGE (PAR 72) 5,313-7,269 yards

RATES $99-$150

TEL (360) 462-3673 • WEB salishcliffs.com

Salish Cliffs Golf Club • Shelton

Trophy Lake Golf & Casting PORT ORCHARD

Trophy Lake Golf & Casting is just what its name implies: a place to play championship golf and get your fly fishing on, too, if that’s what your heart desires.

Fishing gets second billing here, and for good reason. This is a golf course, offering a serene if sometimes testy experience traversing the rugged beauty of the Kitsap Peninsula in Port Orchard.

Designed by renowned architect John Fought and opened in 1999, Trophy Lake’s 18 holes span 7,206 yards from the back tees, with abundant water features and dense forests. The layout features sloping fairways, expansive greens, and more than 80 strategically placed white-sand bunkers, all set against lush views of the Olympic Mountains and Mount Rainier.

The 17th hole, a 135-yard par-3, is often highlighted as the signature hole, requiring a precise tee shot over wetlands to a small, elevated green, guarded by deep bunkers on both sides. Other notable holes include the par-5 7th, where a massive center-cut bunker bisects the fairway, and the par-4 16th, which plays downhill to a green surrounded by water on both sides. The par-3 3rd demands accuracy with its deep bunkers and rolling green, and the par-4 6th offers some of the best views on the property.

Trophy Lake has made a move to implement dy-

namic pricing. This buying model ensures that golfers can look at tee times in real-time and then pick the time, fee and date that suits their needs, with multiple pricing options every day.

Under the dynamic pricing model, green fees range from $55 to $125, including a cart. The course offers several membership options, such as the Club Pass, which offers discounted rates and access to Oki Golf events.

As for the fishing, Trophy Lake features two wellstocked trout ponds located adjacent to the 18th green and 6th tee, providing a spectacular setting for anglers. The hourly fishing rate is $15, with half-day and full-day rates available.

Trophy Lake offers a one-day flyfishing school for beginners. It covers essential equipment for fly fishing, basic casting techniques and practice in the four fundamental fly-tying knots. Cost is $175 per person, which includes breakfast and lunch and use of a fly rod.

YARDAGE (PAR 72) 5,287-7,119 yards

RATES Dynamic pricing, see website for details TEL (360) 874-8337 • WEB trophylakegolf.com

Trophy Lake Golf & Casting • Port Orchard

BY TONY DEAR • CG EDITOR

It’s possible that all Masters talk will have weakened a little by the end of the year when we’ll all have a better sense of where this year’s tournament ranks among the greatest Majors of all time.

Right now, Rory McIlroy fans probably think it’s up there with Tiger Woods’s Masters win in 2019, Jack Nicklaus’ in 1986, Ben Hogan’s win in the 1950 U.S. Open at Merion, Bobby Jones’s U.S. Amateur win in 1930 (also at Merion), maybe even the 1977 Open Championship at Turnberry — “The Duel in the Sun” where Tom Watson beat Nicklaus by a shot after the two had separated themselves from the field — and the 2016 Open when Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson slugged it out at Royal Troon.

There’s some recency bias there, because McIlroy wasn’t coming back from several surgeries (and numerous other hurdles) like Woods, or a life-threatening car crash like Hogan. Rory isn’t (at least yet) the player Nicklaus was, although it’s impossible to compare them accurately. He also isn’t 46, and though the competition was certainly stiff, he didn’t have to beat the caliber of player Nicklaus did in 1986. He may have won the career Grand Slam, but not the calendar Grand Slam (again, not yet) like Jones did. Quick note here, that the British and U.S. Opens, as well as the amateur championships of both countries were that era’s Majors. Also, McIlroy shot a final round 73, not 65 like Watson in ‘77 or 63 as Stenson did in ’16.

But, though it might take a few years before we can put this Masters in its proper place, we might not actually need recency bias to elevate 2025 to one of the two or three greatest ever. It’s probably true that writers these days tend to make everything they see the greatest, or most significant, or most enjoyable, or most interesting of all time. That said, 10, 50, or even 100 years from now, the golf world will surely be talking about this Masters as the most… something.

Eleven years after his last major championship victory (an inexplicable, and at times painful stretch, that included nine top-three finishes), the boy from Northern Ireland finally won his fifth Grand Slam event. In doing so, he joined a very exclusive group of golfers who have won all four of the game’s biggest titles — Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Nicklaus and Woods. He also has two Players Championship wins, which could one day be very significant in his final tally of Major wins.

We would like to have made this column all about Fred Couples and Joe Highsmith, the two Washingtonians in the field, but apart from Couples’ amazing eagle two at the 14th in the opening round when he holed a 186-yard 6-hybrid, there really isn’t much to talk about, as both missed the cut by two shots.

While Justin Rose — the gallant 44-year-old Englishman who shot a 10-birdie 66 to make it into the playoff — deserves a huge mention, there really is space for only one man here.

TThe 35-year-old (36 on May 4) McIlroy began the final round two clear of Bryson DeChambeau, but double bogeyed the first hole and then failed to birdie the easily-reachable par-5 2nd. His body language at that point was awful — that of a man who thinks he’s going to miss out again. It had improved immensely by the 11th tee, however, after he made a birdie at the tough 10th to go two-under for the round and open up a five-shot lead.

Many no doubt thought it was all over, but others who have grown accustomed to the occasional McIlroy misstep (very occasional), thought it best to wait a few more holes before declaring him the winner. Sure enough, a dismal four-hole stretch (which included what must be the worst shot he has hit in many years, an 86-yard sand wedge into Rae’s Creek at the 13th) bought him back to the field, and when Rose birdied the 16th, the two Europeans were tied at -11.

After hitting the woeful wedge at the 13th, however, McIlroy struck one of his best shots ever two holes later when he drew (hooked?) a 7-iron from 206 yards around the trees to within five feet of the hole at the par-5 15th. It was the shot he had to hit, and my word, did he ever hit it. Another great iron came at the 17th, and then a great approach to the 18th in the playoff sealed the deal.

There were many hiccups along the way, and you know if Woods had held a five-shot lead after 10 holes, he would have shut it down — middle of the green to the house.

Still, McIlroy’s mix of hiccups and brilliance resulted in a Masters you’ll one day enjoy reliving with your grandkids.