Northwest Golf + Travel | February 2022 by Northwest Golf and Travel

NORTHWEST G O L F + T R AV E L

Nº 01 - FEBRUARY 2022

Table of Contents

Golf Trekker — Twin Lakes Village, ID Darin Patzer

News Round-up: U.S. Adaptive Open Championship

News Round-up: Pacific Coast Amateur to Portland

News Round-up: Green-reading materials Limited

PNGA Players of the Year

The Golf Loft: New Indoor Golf Practice and Training Facility

Golf Guide: Inland Northwest

The Art of the Gimme

12 Northwest Golf + Travel Magazine PO Box 85 Newman Lake, WA 99025 Director Tom Stebbins Creative Citywide Consultants

18 GOLF IN THE NW

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Golf Trekker — Twin Lakes Village, ID Darin Patzer

NW Golf Trekker

his month Golf Trekker visits Twin Lakes Village, just north of the town of Rathdrum, ID. Located a reasonably quick 45-minutes northeast of Spokane (30 minutes from Coeur d’ Alene) one almost gets distracted into driving further than needed, always wondering what’s around the next bend within the scenic Pend Oreille River wilderness. Located near the edge of Lower Twin Lake, this semi-private course is managed by the Village Property owner’s association, but the public is always welcome to golf. I had the chance to learn about the course from former Twin Lakes Head Golf Professional Kathy Brown. Kathy shared that originally Twin Lakes was built with 9 holes in 1974, then was completed with 18 holes in 1987, with a redesign bringing it to its current state in 1995. Playing at just under 6,000 yards from the white tees the picturesque course will still challenge every level of player due to its preponderance of narrow fir and pine-lined fairways, water ponds and other menacing hazards. Spokane golfers who have played Esmeralda

shared that he’s worked at the course for over 15 years. My playing partners on a warm, sunny North Idaho afternoon in August were, first, “Safari” John (his temporary nickname due to showing up sporting what appeared to be an impressive big-game hunting hat). John is a youth consultant with Solomon Speech A little about the current head pro, C.J. Therapy. And secondly, Doug Wheeler, an Nagle grew up in Liberty Lake, WA, but moved employee benefits specialist from Airway to South Carolina to attend golf school. He took Heights, who shared that he considers Twin his first job in the golf industry as assistant Lakes his home course as he grew up playing professional of a course in Shelby, MT before here with his dad, and true to his word he was starting at Twin Lakes in 2018, eventually being a wealth of playing tips throughout the day. promoted to Head Professional in 2021. C.J.’s Doug quickly went sub-par with a birdie on family includes wife Jill, and a young daughter the second hole, a moment of glory I matched when my approach landed a foot from the hole and son. He shared, for a tap-in (briefly encouraging me as I had “My family has been fortunate enough to pelted a tree and taken a double-bogey on hole have a place here on Lower Twin, and I grew one). up with summers right here at Twin Lakes. I As our foursome continued the round, we am blessed to have this be a job where I can now share memories with my kids. The course enjoyed the views of the distant Bitterroot to me is more than just golf. It always brings Mountains, particularly from the elevated tee shot on hole 3, and after a couple of hours back memories every time I tee it up.” we’d managed to hold things together for the A friendly clubhouse assistant, Paul, front 9. At mid-round “Homefield” Doug was at welcomed our group of three players and 40, I was at 43, while Safari John was covertly in recent years, or currently Coeur d’ Alene Public, will likely know Kathy who took over the Head Golf Pro job at Twin Lakes, after working at Esmeralda for 14 seasons. She groomed C.J. Nagel who took over managing the overall Twin Lakes golf operations in 2021.

GOLF IN THE NW

keeping his own scorecard. But then (cue dramatic music) …we reached features a gumball machine holding fish food available for 25¢. hole #10, with its tee-shot of doom. Reaching the signature hole, we opened the Official Course Twin Lakes Hole #10 is a moderate length par 4, but has a fairway Guidebook and read: “Check the wind… staying short and right on this as devious and narrow as a vote-recount in a state governor election. hole will leave you an uphill birdie putt.” Note to self: apparently you With the course boundary left, and houses providing OB right, even the can be a little too short and too right. My poorly struck tee-shot hit the Official Course Guidebook says, “there are many who find this tee shot edge of the green and bounded backwards into the trout pond. I’m quite a little intimidating.” A little?! A smart man would hit an iron. We were sure that’s not what was meant with the invitation for players to “feed not smart men. By the time we’d reached the green we’d collectively lost the trout on #15.” Not being one to hold a grudge, I still deposited my three golf balls including a momentary cringe, listening for the sound quarter into the gumball machine and fed the fish and ducks. (Those of breaking window-pane glass (the sound fortunately never came). ducks were the closest any of us came to a birdie the rest of the day). Such is the glory and tragedy of golf. At last, in spite of a few remaining self-inflicted wounds to my By this point on the back nine, Safari John decided to not only hide scorecard, the round proved to be a scenic delight. Reaching the 18th his score but to ditch his cart and our companionship to get exercise tee-box Doug was closing in on a personal course record, which he by walking. Occasionally, to remind him to keep the pace Doug and I indeed set in the mid-80s. Safari John and I were not as impressive would see his ball lying in the fairway and run over it with our cart, (neither breaking 90), but sinking a 6-footer for par at 18 allowed me to chuckling at his distant yells and gesturing. Once when we mistakenly close with a feeling of satisfaction. parked our cart on top of his ball, obscuring it for several moments of Wrapping up our enjoyable round with a visit to the Million-Dollar searching, John - being a part-time pastor - appeared to be perspiring heavily and biting his tongue, no doubt trying to keep from breaking Bistro at the clubhouse we learned from waitress Jennifer that it’s “the best restaurant you’ll ever eat at.” Who knew?! Echoing one of the player any of the Ten Commandments. reviews for Twin Lakes Village, “it’s a beautiful, well-maintained course, Perhaps Chi Chi Rodriguez would have approved. Legend has it the it might be your first time here …but it won’t be your last.” No argument humorous, Puerto Rican golf professional and celebrity once visited here. Twin Lakes back in 1988 as the featured guest for a Wishing Star Reach out to Darin at: darinpatzer@yahoo.com Foundation charity fundraiser. When asked to share Twin Lakes’ signature hole, Kathy points to #15, a par 3 with a large trout pond along the right side which uniquely GOLF IN THE NW

NEWS ROUND-UP

U.S. ADAPTIVE OPEN

CHAMPIONSHIP

he United States Golf Association (USGA) announced the U.S. Adaptive Open Championship, a new national championship that will showcase the world’s best golfers with disabilities. The inaugural competition will be conducted on Course No. 6 at historic Pinehurst Resort & Country Club on July 18-20, 2022. The 2nd U.S. Adaptive Open will also be held on Pinehurst No. 6, and will be conducted from July 17-19, 2023. The U.S. Adaptive Open Championship will serve as the association’s 15th national championship, joining such iconic events as the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, U.S. Amateur and U.S. Women’s Amateur. Champions of this new event will see their names recorded in the annals of golf history alongside many of the game’s storied figures. The announcement of the championship follows through on a 2017 pledge by the USGA to establish this championship for the adaptive golf community. “Since 1895, our championships have provided the world’s best players with an opportunity to showcase their skills on a global stage, compete for a national championship and achieve their dreams,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA senior managing director, Championships. “After years of planning and delays caused by the global pandemic, we are proud to bring that same opportunity to the adaptive golf community through this championship, and to do so at Pinehurst, our second home. We believe this effort will spur participation for golfers with disabilities and hope it inspires others in the industry to make the game and its competitions more welcoming to all.”

Chewelah Golf and Country Club is a magnificent 27 hole golf course open to the public located just 45 minutes North of Spokane, Washington. The course is carved into majestic conifers, boasting plush bent-grass greens, manicured fairways, and four sets of tees to challenge any skill level.

2537 Sand Canyon Rd. Chewelah, WA 99109

chewelahgolf.com • 509-935-9807 GOLF IN THE NW

NEWS ROUND-UP

PACIFIC COAST AMATEUR TO

PORTLAND

he 55th Pacific Coast Amateur Championship will be held July 19-22, 2022 at Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland, Ore. This will be the first time Columbia Edgewater has hosted this prestigious championship, which is conducted by the Pacific Coast Golf Association (PCGA).

The Pacific Coast Amateur is one of seven premier amateur championships that make up the Elite Amateur Golf Series (EAGS), in which players earn World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points and compete for the Elite Amateur Cup, with top finishers earning exemptions into USGA Championships, as well as PGA TOUR and Korn Ferry Tour events. “In 12 years as a PCGA director, I have witnessed the increasing quality of championship venues,” said Cliff Shahbaz, president of both the PCGA and Columbia Edgewater Country Club. “I am proud that my club, Columbia Edgewater, continues that trend. We are honored to host this championship in the inaugural year of the Elite Amateur Golf Series.” The Pacific Coast Amateur remains the West Coast’s elite-level event that is circled on all amateur golf calendars in North America. The championship has regularly received an “A” strength ranking by WAGR, as provided by The R&A and USGA. Other than 2021 champion Devon Bling, the last four Pacific Coast Amateur champions (Will Zalatoris in 2016, Doug Ghim in 2017, Isaiah Salinda in 2018, and Quade Cummins in 2019) were selected to play on the U.S. Walker Cup team. The 2021 Walker Cup was played in May, prior to the playing of the 2021 Pacific Coast Amateur. The Pacific Coast Amateur was not held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Book a trip and enjoy a few rounds of golf and the mild weather in the Lewis Clark Valley. When the 19th hole rolls around, hang out at one of our many wineries, breweries, and restaurants. Adventure into Hells Canyon, North America’s deepest river gorge, on an exciting white water jet boat tour and explore the scenic vistas, world-class ﬁshing, and tales of legend and lore.

COME FOR THE GOLF, STAY FOR THE

adventure STAY & PLAY PACKAGES & SPECIALS

LEWISTON, ID • CLARKSTON, WA Photos ©Brad Stinson

GOLF IN THE NW

www.visitlcvalley.com | (509) 758-7489

NEWS ROUND-UP

GREEN-READING MATERIALS

LIMITED

olf’s governing bodies have made available a Model Local Rule (MLR) to further limit the use of Green-Reading Materials. MLR G-11 enables a committee to limit players to using only the yardage book that it has approved for use in the competition. This local rule is intended only for the highest levels of competitive golf and, even then, only for competitions where it is realistic for the committee to undertake an approval process for yardage books. It will be available starting January 1, 2022. The local rule gives a committee the ability to establish an officially approved yardage book for a competition so that the diagrams of putting greens show only minimal detail (such as significant slopes, tiers or false edges that indicate sections of greens). In addition, the local rule limits the handwritten notes that are allowed to add to the approved yardage book.

GOLF IN THE NW

wild foothills. manicured courses.

From the award-winning restaurants, a scenic river and mountainous backdrop, to culture like you wouldn’t believe, Boise has it all. There’s 15 public courses to try and over 200 days of sunshine a year – so no matter what time of year you come, you’re bound to enjoy. Visit boise.org to plan your next adventure.

GOLF IN THE NW

PNGA PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

PN GA PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

The Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA) has announced the 2021 Players of the Year for the region. Those honored include Men’s Player of the Year, Joe Highsmith of Lakewood, Wash.; Women’s, Mary Scott Wolfe of Beaverton, Ore.; Men’s Mid-Amateur, Robbie Ziegler of Tualatin, Ore.; Women’s Mid-Amateur, Amanda Jacobs of Portland, Ore.; Senior Men’s, Tom Brandes of Bellevue, Wash.; Senior Women’s, Lara Tennant of Portland, Ore.; Junior Boys’, Jeevan Sihota of Victoria, B.C.; and Junior Girls’, Kennedy Knox of Normandy Park, Wash.

Among the highlights on the year for Jacobs, she won the Pacific Northwest Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, finished runner-up at the Oregon Mid-Amateur Championship and was a semifinalist at the U.S. Mid-Am.

• Senior Men’s Player of the Year: Tom Brandes (Bellevue, Wash.). This is the eighth time that Brandes has received the PNGA Senior Men’s Player of the Year award. In 2021, he won the Washington Senior Men’s Amateur for the eighth time, won the Pacific Northwest Senior • Men’s Player of the Year: Joe Highsmith (Lakewood, Wash.). This Men’s Amateur for the sixth time and finished runner-up at the Senior marks the second year in a row that Highsmith has been named the Washington Open. PNGA Men’s Player of the Year. In 2021, Highsmith qualified for and played in the U.S. Open, finished runner-up at the Pacific Coast • Senior Women’s Player of the Year: Lara Tennant (Portland, Ore.). Amateur, made the Sweet 16 at the Western Amateur and finished as a Tennant earned the PNGA Senior Women’s Player of the Year award for quarter-finalist at the North & South Amateur. the fourth consecutive year. In 2021, she won the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship for the third year in row, won the Oregon • Women’s Player of the Year: Mary Scott Wolfe (Beaverton, Ore.). Wolfe, Senior Women’s Amateur Championship, advanced to the Round of 16 a sophomore on the Gonzaga University women’s golf team, put together at the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship and finished runneran impressive year to capture PNGA Women’s Player of the Year honors. up at the California Senior Women’s Amateur Championship. She won the Pacific Northwest Women’s Amateur Championship, finished runner-up at the Oregon Amateur Championship, finished • Junior Boys’ Player of the Year: Jeevan Sihota (Victoria, B.C.). Sihota T10 at the West Coast Conference Championship and T3 at the OGA earned the PNGA Junior Boys’ Amateur Player of the Year award after a Tournament of Champions. standout 2021 season. Competing against seasoned tour professionals, he finished runner-up at the Mackenzie Tour DC Bank Open, finished • Men’s Mid-Amateur Player of the Year: Robbie Ziegler (Tualatin, Ore.). T6 at the Mackenzie Tour ATB Financial Classic, and finished T29 at the A longtime competitor on the Mid-Amateur circuit, this marks the first Mackenzie Tour Golf BC Championship. time Ziegler has captured PNGA Player of the Year honors. In 2021 he qualified for and played in the U.S. Amateur Championship, finished • Junior Girls’ Player of the Year: Kennedy Knox (Normandy Park, Wash.). runner-up in the Oregon Mid-Amateur Championship, won the OGA Knox, a freshman on the University of Washington women’s golf team, Tournament of Champions and finished T32 in the Oregon Open enjoyed a historic 2021 season. She won the Washington Women’s Invitational. Amateur, the Seattle Women’s Golf Association City Championship, the Washington Junior Golf Association Girls’ State Championship and • Women’s Mid-Amateur Player of the Year: Amanda Jacobs (Portland, the Pacific Northwest Junior Girls’ Amateur, making her the first golfer Ore.). This marks the fourth time that Jacobs has earned the PNGA ever to make a clean sweep of the four respective championships in the Women’s Mid-Amateur Player of the Year award, and first since 2017. same season.

GOLF IN THE NW

MARCH OPENING

e h t Play louse Pa 2022 Green Fees

All fees include 18 holes, golf cart and taxes

$119 $65 $63 $55 $55 $45 $20 $49 $49

Non-Resident Resident (Local-40 mile radius) WSUAA Member Senior (60 and over) Faculty/Staff Student ($40 Monday-Thursday) Junior (17 and under) Twilight Nine Holes

Annual Pass pricing available.

Palouse Ridge Golf Club at Washington State University, Pullman, WA.

Reservations at (509) 335-4342 or PALOUSERIDGE.COM

2 nights +2 rounds starting at $307/person

S TA R T YO U R G E TAWAY AT G O L F M E S Q U I T E N EVA DA .CO M OR CALL 866-720-7111

VA L I D T H R O U G H M AY 3 1 , 2 0 2 2 . S U N D AY - T H U R S D AY. B A S E D O N D O U B L E O CC U PA N C Y. N O T VA L I D O N E XI S T I N G R E S E R VAT I O N S , WE E K E N D S , B L A C K O U T D AT E S O R H O L I D AYS . M A N A G E M E N T R E S E R VE S A L L R I G H T S .

Steve Turcotte Inside Golf Editor

The Golf Loft: NEW INDOOR GOLF PRACTICE AND TRAINING FACILITY

GOLF IN THE NW

hris Koch has been in the golf business for years as a PGA Professional. He has worked outside the shop, given lessons, sat behind a desk and crunched numbers - basically he has seen it all.

The one thing that had always been in the back of his mind was running his own golf business. And now, with the opening of The Golf Loft in Tumwater, Koch is living his golf dream. After spending 10 years at Salish Cliffs Golf Course in Shelton, Koch decided to take the plunge and go into business for himself. He opened the doors on his Golf Loft back in December and has created a place where golfers can learn, practice and play. “I had always wanted to do my own thing,” said Koch. “Something where I can have more time with the family.” Koch has twin 6-year-old daughters and a 10-year-old daughter. But it was his wife who helped him find the facility he is in now. She owns Bloom and Blossom Wellness Spa and together they found a space in Tumwater’s Old Town Plaza that her business is located in. “The idea for an indoor place had always been in the back of my mind,” said Koch. “It’s exciting to see something like that come to life.” The Golf Loft features a space with two large hitting areas which can be used for instruction, practice and playing different courses on the simulators. Koch bought GC Hawk simulators from Foresight Sports and they come with every type of number that you need to improve your game. Koch and his professional staff of Eric Fitzsimmons and Gavin Sutherland all offer lessons as well. But there is more. Golfers can practice and get instant feedback from the simulators. The facility also can host private events or parties where players can test their games on a variety of courses like St. Andrews and Pebble Beach. Club fitting is another option. Koch knew he wanted something where the weather would not be a factor. And he came up with a facility that is the only one in the area of the South Puget Sound. “I needed to do something indoors,” said Koch. “I love teaching but with the weather in the Northwest you never know what you are going to get. Indoors, we can teach year round.” For more information, call the Golf Loft at 360.628.8347.

GOLF IN THE NW

The idea for an indoor place had always been in the back of my mind. It’s exciting to see something like that come to life.

STAY AND PLAY PACKAGES ALSO AVAILABLE

HIGHLAND FALLS OR PALM VALLEY

119

EAGLE CREST

VALID UNTIL JUNE 13, 2022. RATES ARE PER PLAYER.

VISIT WWW.GOLFSUMMERLIN.COM OR CALL 800.803.0758

GOLF GUIDE

INLAND NORTHWEST

The Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course

estled on the shores of beautiful Lake Coeur d’Alene in northern Idaho is a golfers dream: Th e Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course. Recognized worldwide as home to the world’s only Floating Green, Th e Coeur d’Alene now boasts more than 80,000 visitors each year. Golf Magazine christened The Coeur d’Alene “America’s most beautiful resort course.” Th e Coeur d’Alene is also one of only a select few golf courses in the nation to be honored with the highly esteemed Gold Medal designation and the coveted 5- ‐Star award from Golf Digest. According to Golf Digest, “Th e Coeur d’Alene is what every resort should be. It’s not just upscale, it’s posh. You aren’t just pampered here, you’re spoiled. It’s not just an escape, it’s an experience.” Engineered to maximize an exhilarating round of golf, the 6,803-yard course boasts lush bent grass fairways and greens as well as a variety of undulating and elevation changing holes that are playable for all skill levels. Distracting views of Lake Coeur d’Alene can be seen from nearly every hole on the course.

It’s also laden with more than 10,000 brilliant geraniums and fragrant Junipers for a park-like setting that is truly a golfers dream. Many golf enthusiasts worldwide are particularly fascinated by the unique challenge The Coeur d’Alene’s 14th hole, a floating, movable island green which is reachable only by boat. Believed to be the most expensive golf green ever built, it has the ability to be moved along an underwater computer controlled cable system for a new designated yardage each day. The par-3 hole leaves little room for error. More than 20,000 golfers tempt fate with their golf swing each season, adding an estimated 25,000 golf balls to their watery grave at the bottom of Lake Coeur d’Alene. As if incredible golf isn’t enough, guests can also enjoy a complete luxury vacation by staying at Th e Coeur d’Alene Resort, just a few miles away by shore. Th e Coeur d’Alene Resort, with its 18-story tower, is likened to a modern- day lakeshore castle and boasts awardwinning accommodations, 13 restaurants, and a 30,000-square-foot Northwest -inspired spa. GOLF IN THE NW

Golfing guests are shuttled to the greens in style, whisked across the lake in hand- ‐crafted mahogany watercraft. If you are truly looking for an incredible golfing destination, The Coeur d’Alene offers it all and more.

The Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course 800-935-6283 www.cdaresort.com

Circling Raven Golf Course

he’s a sleeping beauty as of this writing, resting comfortably and in good health as a milestone nears. In April 2013, Circling Raven Golf Club will be 10 years old, still short in years to be sure, but unusually mature and unforgettably alluring for such a youngster. Top-dressed and tucked in for the winter, Gene Bates’ North Idaho masterpiece approaches its first decade with enough accolades to cover a century and enough quality and charm to be considered timeless. With 7,189-yards at par 72, Bates’ design rolls out among 620 acres of wetlands, Palouse

grasses and a blend of varied conifers and she did plenty, including the rare solitude of cottonwoods. It has no signature hole. Rather, Circling Raven’s back nine, where the only hole it places its own signature on the experience you see is the one you’re playing. and the memory of every player who sees it. And Mother Nature should be proud of The course is demanding, and more so for this young’un—at birth a “Top 10 Best New” the better player. e rating is 74.9 with a 144 among public courses in the U.S. and almost slope from the gold tees. But five sets of tees immediately on every magazine’s “Top 100” still make it both playable and enjoyable for list. For years running, Circling Raven has players of all ages and skills. been rated No. 1 among tribal courses, and we note that it is Indian tribes who are building The Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s own traditions, arguably the greatest courses in America these culture and heritage called for creating a course days. Circling Raven is on every “Best of” list that remains close to nature. Throughout this for resort courses and casino courses in the vast expanse, there are no homes, no gated U.S. developments, no artificial attractions or distractions. Mother Nature did enough, and Circling Raven’s 2003 opening put the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort on a path to becoming a true and significant destination resort, as it now draws guests from every state in the union and dozens of foreign countries. e upcoming Circling Raven Golf Club 10th anniversary celebration, with its many specials, will no doubt boost visits as well.

800-523-2464 www.cdacasino.com

GOLF IN THE NW

Folks around here like to say that if Mother Nature were a golfer, this is where she’d play. After you have made that last putt, we’re very sure you will agree. 19

The Links at Moses Point

stablished in 1999, Moses Pointe is a favorite destination for golfers from throughout the Pacific Northwest. Perched high above the west shore of Moses Lake, this desert gem is the ideal location for your next golf getaway. Only 2.5 hours from downtown Seattle and 90 minutes from Spokane, Washington, Moses Pointe is where east meets west and the cares of life are replaced with wide-open spaces, friendly fairways, warm sunny days, and cool desert evenings.

Type-A personality, in which case the pro shop has a friendly staff that will gladly help you with all the latest brand-name equipment to improve your round two.

It’s also easy to eliminate the stress of losing a few balls in the water by sipping your favorite beverage with friends and soaking in panoramic lake views on the deck of Moses Pointe’s award winning restaurant, The Moses Pointe Steakhouse. The only tough part will be deciding whether to go for the Chicken Caesar, Crab Stuffed Halibut, or If golf is your passion, Moses Pointe’s championship golf course is a famous Sea Salt Herb Encrusted Prime Rib. perfect match. Test yourself against the same fierce 7,500-yard course that hosted the 2005 and 2008 Washington State Amateur Championship or leave that to the pros and play a much kinder version from the tees that match your skill level. Either way, how can you go wrong? Moses Point rewards players with giant blue skies, generous emerald fairways, and perfectly sculpted greens, all framed by desert beauty and the shimmering blue waters of Moses Lake. No bad shot can spoil that—unless you’re an obsessed

The Links at Moses Point 509-764-2275 www.mosespointe.com

GOLF IN THE NW

Palouse Ridge

arved into a broad expanse of rolling hills on the Pullman campus of Washington State University, Palouse Ridge Golf Club is one of America’s finest public-access courses. This majestic 7,308-yard layout takes players on an unforgettable journey through ‘the Palouse,’ a region with undulating dunes left behind as a legacy of the last Ice Age. Located 90 minutes from Spokane in the southeast corner of the state, Palouse Ridge Golf Club is a genuine destination course hailed by leading golf publications as among of the nation’s finest. Golf Digest ranked it #2 among America’s Best New Courses in 2009. That same year, GOLF Magazine deemed it among the Top 10 New Courses You Can Play. And in 2011, Golfweek ranked it #3 in Washington state for Best Course You Can Play. Designed by John Harbottle III, Palouse Ridge is an epic, grand-scale creation that fits its setting hand-in-glove. The bold, dramatic layout, patterned after the classic courses of Scotland, has the aspect of inland links. Sound strategy and clever tactics are required to score.

Palouse Ridge 509-335-4342 www.palouseridge.com

Golfweek ranked Palouse Ridge #3 in Washington state for Best Course You Can Play.

GOLF IN THE NW

Home of the WSU Cougar men’s and women’s Pac-12 golf teams, Palouse Ridge was specifically designed to test the best collegiate golfers in the country. Yet multiple sets of tees give players at all skill levels a fighting chance. This versatile, well-groomed course presents a firm but fair challenge at every hole. After enjoying a round, relax at Banyans on the Ridge, a British Colonial-themed steak house. Eclectic regional cuisine, indooroutdoor seating, and a good selection of Washington state wines and Pacific Northwest micro-brew beers await. It’s the perfect end to a great day of golf.

Spokane City Golf Courses

Qualchan

DOWNRIVER

Downriver 509-327-5269 Esmeralda 509-487-6291 Indian Canyon 509-747-5353 Qualchan 509-448-9317 spokanegolf.org

Downriver Golf Course provides a great challenge for the accomplished golfer without intimidating the occasional player. One of the oldest golf courses in the Spokane area (built in 1916) Downriver is heavily treed and lies along the Spokane River bordered by Riverside State Park. Over the years Downriver has become a community favorite!

ESMERALDA Esmeralda in northeast Spokane was constructed in 1956. The par 70, 6,249-yards course lends itself to all levels of golfing skills with open spaces and flat fairways lined with over 2,000 trees. The course’s combination of attributes, all superbly maintained, makes it easy to break 100, yet still tough to break par. Seniors and beginners consider Esmeralda a haven and have made it Spokane’s most played municipal course.

Indian Canyon

Indian Canyon now hosts the Rosauers Open, the largest PGA section event in the United States.

QUALCHAN

The Creek at Qualchan, Spokane’s newest golf course, offers a new local dimension to the game. While a few holes display open beauty, golf enthusiasts must also tackle a creek that meanders throughout the course, as well as five ponds, wooded and hilly areas, and wellprotected greens. Four sets of tees and a par of 72 provide an incredible experience no INDIAN CANYON matter the player’s skill level. Adding to the Indian Canyon, overlooking the city of enjoyment, Qualchan is part of a sanctuary for Spokane, was designed by H. Chandler Egan many species of birds and wildlife. The Creek in 1930 and opened for play in 1935. Perched at Qualchan is a member of the New York State amid towering pines atop a 240-foot vertical Audubon Society. canyon, Indian Canyon offers 6,255 hilly yards of unique and diverse play. Its undulating greens are well bunkered and require a deft touch to achieve par at 72. Chosen by Golf Digest as “One of the Top 25 Public Courses in the United States,” Indian Canyon has hosted many major tournaments, including the USGA (three times), the United States Amateur Public Links Championship (1941 and 1984), and the United States Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship (1989).

Downriver

GOLF IN THE NW

A well-marked course, mostly what you see is what you’ll get for your shots. The balance of four par 3’s and four par 5’s let you use every club in your bag for an enjoyable round of golf.

MEADOW WOOD

Spokane County Golf Courses

Meadow Wood Golf Course was once nothing but a field of alfalfa, wheat, and grass seed. But with the generosity of Jeslyn Morris Schultz (and in the interest of conservation), the Schultz family donated this 150 acres of land to Spokane County to build Meadow Wood Golf Course. Opened in 1988, Meadow Wood Golf Course is a Robert Muir Graves- designed, links-style course. Mainly an open course with strategically placed trees, bunkers, water features and varying tees, it can be enjoyed by golfers of all skill levels. Th e course can be played as short as 5709 yards or up to 6900 yards for the highest challenge. Golf Digest once ranked Meadow Wood Golf Course “One of the Top 10 Best Public Golf Courses in the State of Washington”. Along with a full service restaurant and pro shop, it’s hard to find a better value or experience.

Hangman

Liberty Lake 509-255-6233 Meadow Wood 509-255-9539 Latah Creek 509-448-1212 spokanecounty.org/parks LIBERTY LAKE

LATAH CREEK

Liberty Lake Golf Course is an 18-hole championship public golf course. Redesigned in 2008 and opened in 2010, the $6 million facility boasts a 6607-yard par-70 layout and is a fun challenge for all skill levels with white sand bunkers, large greens, and water. Liberty Lake Golf Course utilizes a grass tee driving range with targets and yardage indicators. Separate chipping and putting areas allow players to hone their short game. After playing a round, there is also great food and beverages in the beautiful clubhouse. Come experience Spokane County’s golfing gem.

Latah Creek Golf Course is a challenging and enjoyable test for golfers of all skill levels. Opened for play in 1969, the Spokane County course features four sets of tees from which to play. Red tees make the course play just over 5000 yards while gold tees measure just under 5700 yards. The majority of golfers play the white tees at 6430 yards while the championship tees play to 6865 yards or further. The course features well bunkered greens with the water hazard of Latah Creek at seven holes. Wide fairways make the course fun to play because you can launch tee shots.

Meadow Wood

Liberty Lake GOLF IN THE NW

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The Art of the Gimme

Short putts are the Bermuda Triangle of golf. So, if you struggle with administering a Just ask Scott Hoch who missed a 2-foot putt gimme, here are some helpful guidelines: to lose the 1989 Masters. Missing a short putt is like fumbling at the goal line, dropping a Daylight Savings Time pop up for the final out, or driving across the country to discover Wally World is closed. It is The foursome waiting in the fairway has been devastating. watching your group blast from one green-side bunker to another, chunk chips, plumb bob, Fortunately, amateur golfers have a vaccine and debate who putts next. This is more frusfor these blown putts, a get out of jail free trating than waiting for a senior citizen to back card, it is called a “gimme.” It works like this. out of a parking space at Walmart. All putts are You are standing over a three-foot putt to save good. par. Sweat is running down your back into your Tommy Johns and dread is creeping into Code Blue your fragile psyche. You are agonizing over the proverbial question, “Do I ease it in or ram it You are playing partner is on life support. He home?” Then suddenly you hear those magic has landed in every bunker, splashed in evwords, “That’s good, pick it up.” ery pond, and bounced off more trees than a squirrel on crack. You cannot bear to see him Accepting a gimme is easy. Before your con- take another stroke. It is your civic duty to stop science sets in, quickly pick up your ball and the bleeding and administer the Kevorkian slink off the green like a shoplifter exiting a gimme. No range limitations in this case. If his convenience store. ball is closer to the hole than to Akron Ohio, it is good. Knock it away before he tries to hit it On the other hand, conceding a putt is more again. complicated than judging figure skating. Is the golfer worthy? Is the ball within the so-called Nothing at Stake circle of friendship or just a distant cousin? What is a reasonable distance? An arms-length? Pros putt out because they are playing for big A size twelve golf shoe? The height of your av- money, coveted trophies, and trophy wives. For erage circus midget? There is no definitive rule. the average golfer, missing or making a short It is an art. putt is more meaningless than a cup of decaf coffee or a political campaign promise. Give Some guys are generous and hand out gim- him the putt. There is no good reason not to. mes like after dinner mints, sometimes even before the lag putt has stopped rolling. I love Reward these guys. They are the Mother Teresa's of golf. The guy has stroked a winding 125-foot putt The other mothers of golf are the players who from just off the green to within three feet of would rather donate a kidney than concede a the hole. Reward him. Let him pick it up. He putt. These are the guys who keep score in ink, earned it. It is better than watching him lip out, who use a pocket calculator to split the lunch melt down, and try to disembowel himself with tab, and who believe a gimme is an assault on his putter. the integrity of the game. Keep in mind, this is a game typically played by hackers in baggy Human Kindness shorts who have already taken two mulligans and several foot wedges just to survive the Your buddy helps you tune up your car, mows front nine. What integrity? your lawn when you are on vacation, and GOLF IN THE NW

laughs at all your dumb jokes. You owe him that testy three-footer as a gesture of friendship. It is golf’s version of sending a fruit basket. No Mercy If you are embroiled in a highly competitive match and your opponent has been talking smack, there is no such thing as a gimme. Make him putt every putt. It is Cobra Kai time; it is time to sweep the knee. Retribution If the player is an obnoxious blowhard, an arrogant know-it-all, a despicable cheat, there are no gimmes. The circle of friendship only extends to the rim of the cup. Gimmes have been prevalent throughout history and occur every day of our lives. A gimme is when a traffic cop pulls you over and only gives you a warning or when the grocery store clerk honors your expired coupon without price checking your Adult Depends over the store microphone. However, let the record show that not all gimmes are desirable. Last night, in the middle of a rare but passionate love making session, just as I was about to enter the launch cycle, just as I was pondering the proverbial question, just as I was about to ecstatically self-proclaim “you da man,” my wife stopped me and said, “That’s good, dear, pick it up.” So, remember, if someone does not graciously accept a gimme, do not be offended. Understand that sometimes in the game of golf and in life, to derive a full sense of satisfaction, a man needs to hear the rattle of the ball at the bottom of the cup. Sometimes, you just need to putt out.

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