Cascade Golfer April 2024

Departments

4 PUBLISHER’S PITCH

6 SHORT GAME

• Kruhlak celebrates at Bandon Dunes

• High Cedars goes high tech

• Kahler Mountain Club

• CG Cup kicks off April 27

• PGA Tour’s Joe Highsmith

• Duke’s Junior Scholars

• Tito’s Travel NW: Circling Raven

• CG Players Card on sale

• 2024 NW Golfers Playbook

• CP Shootout returns in July

26 Corona Premier Property

• The Cedars at Dungeness GC

30 Hendrick’s Gin 19th Hole

• The Fore Sure Spring Cocktail

32 IN THE BAG

• Titleist Vokey SM10

• Cleveland Golf CBX4 ZipCore

• Scotty Cameron Phantom

• Cleveland Golf HB Soft 2

• MGI Zip Navigator AT

• Bag Boy Slimfold Cart

• Ecco Golf LT1

• TaylorMade TP5 Balls

• Precision Pro Titan

• Bushnell Pro X3+

42 RISK VS REWARD

• West Seattle GC | Hole No. 12

58 SAVE SOME GREEN

• Yakima’s Apple Tree GC

• Everett’s Walter Hall GC

• West Seattle GC

62 POSTGAME

• Views on golf ball rollback

44 ‘Gem’ of a Journey

Southwest Idaho’s great courses and magical terrain attract golfers far and wide

48

KPMG Women’s PGA Championship

Sahalee to host elite global field June 20-23

52 Circumnavigation of The Emerald Isle

Part Two: Continued coverage of our 2,000-mile dream trip around Ireland and Northern Ireland ON THE COVER

PUETZ GOLF SAVINGS 32-41

Circling Raven Golf Club and the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel in Worley, Idaho, tops the charts and grabs awards all over America. The 7,189-yard Gene Bates thrill ride just keeps getting better. Read all about it on page 18.

The Cedars at Dungeness Golf Course and 7 Cedars in Sequim, Wash., is a Northwest favorite. It sits in the rain shadow on the Olympic Peninsula and is a perfect spring getaway. Pictured is the 3rd hole, a par 5 known as ‘Old Crabby’. Photo courtesy of The Cedars at Dungeness GC.

Photo courtesy of Circling Raven

Art Direction by Rob Becker

CASCADE GOLFER

PUBLISHER’S PITCH

Meeting ‘The Man’ of Ballybunion on a road less traveled

My wanderlust is very much a part of my modus operandi. Making new acquaintances while I follow this little white 1.68-inch-wide bouncy ball all over world is the main reason I love the game of golf. This issue contains part two of our circumnavigation of Ireland with Co-Publisher Kirk Tourtillotte and I last August. Part one appeared in the December issue, which you can find in ‘Past Issues’ on CascadeGolfer.com.

During our 2,000-mile trek, we met handfuls of interesting people along the way: club pros, chefs, Irish street punks, politicos and hearty rural folk. But, without a doubt, the cake-taking character we spent time with is not a wallflower but part of Irish golfing folklore and a hero to the town he’s lived in for decades.

Ballybunion’s Jackie Hourigan is “The Man” in this little 1,600-person village, which is known around the world as a golfing wonder. Ballybunion Golf Club is to Ireland as St. Andrews is to Scotland.

Tony

Robert

I never heard of the man until I started doing research. We wanted our stay to be authentically pub-like, where the inn was on the top floor, and the potatoes and soda bread were below.

I stumbled across amazing reviews of a small eightroom inn called the Harty Costello Town House. I woke up at 2 a.m. to ring them for a reservation. A soft-spoken Irishman answered “Ay, may I help ya?” It was Jackie’s son John, the inn chef and co-manager there with Jackie. He said they’d love to host us, and it’s the “the place to stay” when playing there. He shared, “when you’re here, ya need to meet Jackie — he saved Ballybunion and is a past club captain. I’ll tell him you’re coming. Please share when you’re arriving, I’ll make sure he’s aware.” Click.

When we arrived a month later, 90-minutes late, we unloaded our Opel SUV and walked up a narrow, steep, creaky flight of steps that smelled comfy like an old book collector’s store.

At the top of the staircase was a lean, tall gent with a full head of perfectly groomed silver hair in a Ballybunion sweater who said “goo-ehd-ness, ya maast be Dick Steeephens from Sea-ah-tell, Wooshington, air ya naut?”

His words shook me, but not in a scary way. His greeting was warm, colloquial. “I am, sir. Oh my God, are you Jackie?” We laughed, he gave me a firm handshake and put his left hand on my right shoulder to steady me thankfully as I was gonna fall backwards down the stairwell. He nicely ordered us to quickly stow our bags — he made dinner reservations. No check in or credit card, just gave us old brass room keys.

We did as we were told, and five minutes later we’re dining at a bistro owned by his lovely lady friend — everyone there knew his name.

For two hours over local seafood, fresh chops and white wine, Jackie regaled us with decades of stories. While he was a club leader, many years ago, ocean erosion was washing away the mantle underneath the course and huge chunks of Ballybunion’s links coastline

— the course was imploding. It was Jackie, and his clubmates, that saved it with emergency efforts, geologists and soil experts who soon built a seawall to save the hallowed grounds.

But perhaps his pièce de résistance moment was in September 1998, when the White House shared that President Bill Clinton would be making a quick trip to Ireland and would be taking his own road less traveled to play a round at Ballybunion — only days to prepare.

At the same time, news was swirling regarding Ken Starr’s independent report that was submitted to the House Judiciary Committee. The town was enduring a lull in tourism and biz, and were now thrust into their own version of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?”

Rather than make it political, Jackie and town leaders welcomed thousands of visitors taking in Clinton’s visit and round of golf. They quickly commissioned a local artisan to sculpt a seven-foot-tall statue of the President golfing for his visit. The famous monument still stands today, now bronzed, to commemorate the impromptu historic appearance there. Jackie proudly shared this while showing us the statue and was quoted in The Irish Times as saying, “I was very emotional. We embraced (he and Clinton) and I thanked him for all he had done for Ballybunion...”

After dinner, Jackie invited me to join him at his pub, where I just listened to endless tales of his life and brushes with legends such as Christy O’Connor, Tom Watson, the President, heads of state and sojourning golfers who enlightened his life.

Surely, each were enlightened tenfold by Jackie, just as I was.

SHORT GAME

“I’ll never stop going” — Brian Kruhlak celebrates a quarter century playing at Bandon Dunes

Brian Kruhlak just got back from a week at Bandon Dunes, exhausted, exhilarated and excited for his next visit to the southern Oregon coast. He was so animated about the excursion, in fact, you’d think it was his first trip to Mike Keiser’s golf fantasyland overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Not so. Not even close, actually. Kruhlak, the director of golf at Sudden Valley GC outside Bellingham since 2011, was there for the 25th straight year having played the resort’s original course — the David McLay Kidd-designed Bandon Dunes — just a few months after it had opened.

Kruhlak’s original group of Bandonistas was 24 strong, but it has grown over the years to 56, with Avalon Links Head Professional Eric Ferrier the only other golfer to have been present every year.

For this year’s trip, Kruhlak had some special hats made up with ‘BDQC’ (Bandon Dunes Quarter Century) on the front. He was also gifted a Bandon Dunes bag from the group with ‘BK25’ embroidered below the handle.

Working with some local intel, and following a few years of constant cold rain, Kruhlak changed the dates of the annual visit from March to February and says it’s probably the best golf-related decision he ever made.

“March had been pretty miserable every year,” he says. “But since switching we’ve had a number of great years. We have had the four seasons a few times, though.”

Not surprisingly, he often gets asked which of Bandon’s five 18-hole courses he likes the best.

“I can’t answer that,” he says. “They’re like my kids. I love them all to pieces. The whole place is just perfect. There’s nothing out of place. It all just fits. Thank heavens we have someone like Mike Keiser to envision such a place. I’ll never stop going.”

Kruhlak (left) has been taking a group to Bandon Dunes for 25 years.

SHORT GAME

High Cedars goes high tech to meet growing need of its fans with installation of three Trackman simulators

In 24 years at High Cedars Golf Course (and 80 years of life), John Benedetti hasn’t shied away from change. But neither does he leap to change for change’s sake.

Take, for example, the new Trackman indoor golf simulators at the course in Orting, Wash., just off Highway 162.

When Benedetti, High Cedars’ general manager, recently made the decision to shut down his special events program (long known for hosting weddings and other celebrations in view of Mount Rainier and the Orting Valley), he had a 6,000-square-foot banquet room suddenly sitting empty.

Benedetti was aware of the rapid growth of golf simulator businesses. There are both indoor-only simulators as well as digitally enhanced full-length driving ranges, most of which offer food and drink service plus a range of golfgame options and virtual golf courses.

He’d already been approached by folks wanting to trick out his outdoor practice range — which he calls “the eighth wonder of the world” — as its 36 hitting bays (18 covered) all point toward the large mountain in the neighborhood.

Nope. Not going to change the range. But what about the vacated banquet room?

In January 2024, after doing its homework, the High Cedars management team installed Trackman simulators in the empty space. They were a smash hit right away.

Families can be found playing alongside the more serious enthusiasts, who are interested in the readings for ball speed, spin, ball flight, etc. Patrons of all ages and skill levels can play on any one of the 280-plus courses in the Trackman library. Options include Valderrama, Muirfield Village, Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, The Old Course at St. Andrews, and many others.

The bar is open. The grub is good. Two more simulators are on the way. What better way to serve Head Pro Scot Solomonson’s instructional program!

Benedetti, who has a house on the golf course, could retire. But why? Life around High Cedars keeps getting better. The numbers are good: the 90,000 rounds booked in 2023 was the course’s highest number ever.

How about these numbers in the simulator room?

Temperature: a steady 72, wind speed and precipitation: 0. “You don’t have to pack for a trip. You don’t have to buy a plane ticket. You don’t have to hassle with your luggage,” Benedetti says. “You can play St. Andrews right here.”

Visit their website to book a tee time in the sims.

HIGH CEDARS GOLF COURSE

SIMULATORS:

$45 per hour per bay

$350 for 10-hour certificate

14604 149th St. Ct. E., Orting, WA 98360 highcedars.com

SHORT GAME

Levenworth’s Kahler Mountain Club is a playable yet challenging jewel in the Cascade Mountains

Over the past few years, the Kahler Mountain Club has been emerging as a Pacific Northwest golf destination.

It’s not emerging anymore, though. It has arrived.

Kahler Mountain is situated on the eastern slopes of the Cascades, next to the picturesque shores of Lake Wenatchee, and 30 minutes from downtown Leavenworth and Stevens Pass. It’s close to a lot of things, but there’s plenty to do right there.

From the playable but consistently challenging golf course, to the acclaimed Wildflour Restaurant and array of lodging options, it’s enough to turn your casual golf inquiry into a firmed-up stay and play.

The golf course should be open by mid-April after a mild winter, according to Head Professional Taylor Solem.

Start with the golf. A course flyover video highlights clean grooming on the shortish (nearly 5,900 yards from the blue tees) layout that doesn’t overpower the natural feel of the place.

No. 9, a double-dogleg par-5 tester at 600 yards from

the tips, is one of the most difficult holes on the course. It begs a tee shot down the middle in front of a water hazard or risk a tight OB on the right. The par-3 No. 12 is straight up a steep hill lining the right side to a big green that offers ample options for wicked pin placements. Don’t overthink the par-5 4th hole, another double-dogleg, where a little planning and distance control wouldn’t hurt. Water comes into play. Try not to notice.

Kahler Mountain’s finishing hole, a 449-yard par 5, is probably the toughest hole on the back. It features a long, thin fairway bunker tight on the left which beckons a tee ball only slightly offline. The latest golf wrinkle at Kahler Mountain is the aquatic driving range — right next to No. 1 — which has been a hit with patrons, Solem says.

The Wildflour Restaurant features chef-driven food and craft cocktails, inspired by cuisines from around the world, and made with locally foraged and farmed ingredients. Luxury condos and townhomes are available for a golf getaway rental. Visit kahlermountainclub.rentals to see your stayover options, or to make a reservation.

SHORT GAME

Cup’s 15th season opens at Chambers Bay April 27 with amazing prize pool

The Annual Cascade Golfer Cup, a five-event, April-to-September test of golf that features many of the finest tracks in the region, returns for its 15th season.

The 2024 schedule begins April 27 with the season opener at Chambers Bay. That will be followed by competitions at Salish Cliffs Golf Club, The Home Course, White Horse GC and Oakbrook GC.

Each tournament — limited to 64 amateur two-player teams — will be a separate event, as golfers battle for travel prizes, stay-and-play packages, and golf equipment. Season standings will be used to crown a champion in both gross and net divisions. Prizes will also be awarded for all teams finishing in the top 10 in the gross and net divisions at every event, and on the season.

Here’s a closer look at the events and courses.

Chambers Bay, the site of the 2010 U.S. Amateur and 2015 U.S. Open in University Place, will be host venue for a two-person, best ball Stableford event in which each player plays his or her own ball throughout the round, recording the best score.

Salish Cliffs GC in Shelton opened in 2011 and is owned and operated by the Squaxin Island Tribe. It will host the Cascade Golfer Challenge on June 1. A best ball format will be used over the challenging 7,269-yard layout.

On June 29, the competition continues at The Home Course in DuPont for the Michelob ULTRA Open. This will be a two-person, stroke-play aggregate Stableford. In this format, both players’ scores are counted under the stroke play system. The champion is

Chambers Bay kicks off the series.

the team with the most combined points, not the fewest strokes.

The Puetz Golf Shootout at White Horse in Kingston will be the fourth Cascade Golfer Cup event. It will be held Aug. 10 and played under the two-person scramble format. Both golfers tee off separately, choose the best drive, then play on from there with each player using his or her own ball to complete the hole.

Finally, the summer of CG Cup concludes with a Sept. 7 competition at Oakwood GC in Lakewood. This will be another two-person best ball, same as at Salish Cliffs.

Time to get a partner, set your handicaps and sign up for a summer of golf fun. Someone has to win. Why not you? To learn more or to register, visit CascadeGolfer. com/Cup or email simon@cascadegolfer.com.

SHORT GAME EXTRA

ACE

Lakewood’s Highsmith parlays hole-in-one into first Tour check HIGH

It was not his first hole-in-one. Joe Highsmith believes he’s had 16 aces over the course of his lifetime. However, the timing for this one was nice.

The setting for the new PGA Tour pro from Lakewood, Wash., looked like this: Second round of January’s American Express tournament, 190-yard par-3 13th hole, Stadium Course at PGA West, La Quinta, Calif.

Highsmith’s smooth left-handed swing launched the ball on a middle-ish trajectory and came to earth at the front of the green, rolled straight at the hole, hit the pin … and dropped.

It already felt like a home game (his mom and dad now live in La Quinta), and he was able to do a round of high-fives with them and other family members after his money shot.

His first ace of the season on the PGA Tour put him in good position to make the cut, and it led to another first — his first payday on the Tour, $45,780 for his 34th place finish. He cashed in the next week, too, earning $50,175 with a 33rd place finish at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.

He doesn’t discount the role of luck in all this. For instance, he suspects 16 holes-in-one at 23 is more than most players his age. He also feels lucky to be where he is, the envy of thousands of aspiring young players.

“At this age, I’m just grateful to be on Tour already,” he says. “I definitely didn’t think I’d get there so fast.”

In Lakewood, Highsmith golfed and rubbed shoulders with guys like Andrew and Michael Putnam, Andres Gonzales, and a raft of other good players around Tacoma Country & Golf Club, where the Highsmith family were members.

Highsmith is playing on the PGA Tour because of a run of achievement which began back in junior golf. It’s a pretty long list, so we’ll stick to the highlights: In 2017, as a Bellarmine Prep HS junior, he won the Class 4A state championship with twin 67s at Liberty Lake Golf Course near Spokane. He reached the quarterfinals of the 2018 U.S. Junior Amateur, and won the 2017 Washington State Amateur, becoming the youngest to do so. He was twice named the Washington State Golf Association Junior Boys Player of the Year. At Pepperdine University — where he played alongside his former Bellarmine teammate, R.J. Manke — he was a two-time All-American, and won three intercollegiate invitationals. He worked his way through Q-school to gain status on the Korn Ferry Tour for 2023, where he made cuts in 17 of 21 events and cashed $373,028 to get inside the top 30 and earn status on the big tour.

Going forward, he doesn’t profess any particular results goals.

“I’d be plenty happy if I kept my card out here my rookie year,” he says, “but I’m obviously hoping for a little bit more than that. I kind of try to set goals day to day, doing all the right things to give myself the best chance to play well.”

And a little luck? It never hurts.

Enter to Win a High Cedars GC Twosome

FILE & FACTS HOMEGROWN HERO JOE HIGHSMITH

• His home course in Lakewood — Tacoma Country & Golf Club — was where the Putnam brothers (Andrew and Michael) honed their games growing up in Tacoma, before they reached the PGA Tour.

• Frequently had chipping contests at Tacoma Country & Golf Club with R.J. Manke, a future teammate at Pepperdine University and fellow Korn Ferry Tour member; they frequently spent all day at the golf club with their older brothers as kids, and today if they are all together, they will play a round and follow it with a pickleball match.

• Played piano for 12 years.

• Once claimed he was better at pickleball than golf.

• Favorite athletes include professional tennis players Gael Monfils, Nick Kyrgios, and Dustin Brown.

Courtesy of PGA Tour Media

High Cedars Golf Course is one of the most underrated tracks in Washington. But, don’t take our word for it, see for yourself!. Go to CascadeGolfer.com and enter to win a twosome for you and your new favorite golf partner.

Photos courtesy of WA Golf

Kylie Nguyen, Brianna Nguyen earn Duke’s Seafood Junior Golf Scholarships

Sometimes, candidates for the Duke’s Seafood Junior Golf Scholarship are so evenly matched that choosing the winner takes serious thought and deliberation. Other times, you look through someone’s long list of accomplishments, wonder what on earth you were doing at a similar age and shut it down knowing you have your winner.

Then you receive nominations for two candidates, whose lists of achievements are equally astonishing (and who are closely linked), so you decide to give them each a scholarship.

Take Fife High School senior Kylie Nguyen and Interlake High School junior Brianna Nguyen, for instance. Their playing records at school (and the WJGA where both have played since before they were teens), academic performance, and extra-curricular activities check all the necessary boxes, and that there’s so much more to their biographies than we have space for here. Those aspects alone would have made them serious candidates for the scholarship, but there’s another part of their story that deserves special mention, and had the judges looking at each other, blinking, and wordlessly scribbling in their winner(s).

During the pandemic, the WJGA had to cancel tournaments, which meant a significant revenue

Brianna Nguyen with Seattle’s Fred Couples

loss. So, in 2020, Kylie, Brianna, and a few other junior golfers with the same last name created a 144-player charity golf event at North Shore, naming it The Nguyen Junior Amateur. In the first year, it raised over $24,000 for Washington Junior Golf. Starbucks, Amazon and other local companies partnered with the tournament, which this year will benefit the Duc Foundation (Duc Nguyen was the grandfather of two of the Nguyen girls), which seeks to empowers youth through the development of leadership and life skills.

“It’s very impressive what Kylie and Brianna are doing, and both are deserving winners,” says John Moscrip, owner of Duke’s and the creator of the scholarship. “I’m very excited to have them be a part of this great scholarship history, and big congratulations to them both.”

The Duke’s Junior Golfer Scholarship is a $500 scholarship awarded three 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.”

Kylie Nguyen

TRAVEL THE NORTHWEST SHORT GAME EXTRA

Circling Raven’s bold moves lead to mesmerizing journey through forest and wetlands

At the start of the century, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe began speaking with architects about designing a golf course on its ancestral land 35 miles southeast of Spokane, and only one suggested building it on the east side of Highway 95. Gene Bates knew it was a bold move, as the plan put forward by others had none of the potential obstacles his proposed site had, but he was convinced it had the potential to produce a far better golf course.

“I knew it was risky as the wetlands and railroad might make it unworkable,” says Bates. “But that was before I developed a better understanding of tribal politics. Because the course would be on sovereign land, it would be controlled by the Tribe’s own environmental department. So, though they certainly wanted to be sensitive and respect their land, they didn’t feel nearly as nervous about using it as I had.”

Bates did grow a little anxious, though, when the original contractor hired to build the course went bankrupt a few weeks into construction. But it didn’t take too long for a replacement contractor to be found.

“After considering all the options,” says Bates, “I asked the tribe if my brother, Gary, could come on as project manager and his son, Casey, as lead shaper. Tribal members worked on the course, too. We hired the occasional sub-contractor, but basically, we built the course ourselves.”

Circling Raven would eventually cover an astonishing 620 acres, roughly 100 of which are maintained. Golfers are taken on a mesmerizing journey through forest and wetlands, over high ground and low, with a majority of holes completely cut off from the others. Bates’ team worked hard to create a few of them, but many were simply waiting to be discovered and shaped into something attractive and compelling.

“We needed to do some drilling and blasting to

create the sixth and eighth holes and move a lot of dirt around the second and fourth,” he says. “But a few months into construction after we’d cleared everything and could start shaping holes, we were hit by how amazing a site it really was.”

Bates is rightly proud of all the holes, but says the 581-yard, par 5 12th might be his favorite.

“There’s a few ways to play it,” he adds. “Off the tee, you can take the safe route left of the tree or take on a tougher drive to the right of it, and hopefully catch the speed slot which might get you within range of the green for your second shot.”

No doubt the 12th is an exciting hole − and many people’s top pick − though Director of Golf Operations Chris Runyan chooses the par-4 15th, where Bates had encountered a number of moose when building the course.

“It’s just a beautiful hole through the trees and down the hill,” says Runyan. “But there’s so many wonderful holes here. And they’re separate from each other, so you usually have this great feeling of being out there by yourself.”

Runyan, who has been at Circling Raven since November 2022, first visited the course in 2004. At the time, he was the head professional at Priest Lake GC (about 100 miles north) and started bringing groups to play there. He says that thanks to the efforts of Superintendent Kal Zaranec and his predecessor Brian Woster, who arrived in January 2001 and remained at the course for two decades, it is invariably in excellent condition.

Since 2021, it has hosted the Epson Tour’s Circling Raven Championship (Aug. 25-27). Last year’s event was won by China’s Yue Ren, who beat Thailand’s Chanettee Wannasaen in extra holes after both players had completed three rounds at 13-under 203. Ren made six birdies between her third and 10th holes on Sunday, going bo-

gey-free, and eventually carding an eight-under 64. Anyone that has played Circling Raven knows how impressive that is.

The course frequently appears in major golf publications’ top-100 U.S. public course rankings. Though Bates worked with Ron Kirby and Gary Player in the late 1970s, Jack Nicklaus in the 80s, and later with Fred Couples and Johnny Miller, his design at Circling Raven might be better than anything he built prior. His other Northwest course on tribal land, Salish Cliffs, should probably be part of that conversation, too. It took talent, experience, vision, and guts to conceive, design and build the course, though Bates will tell you he couldn’t have done it without considerable help from the Coeur d’Alenes.

“I will never forget the faith they showed in me,” he says. “They backed me every step of the way, and there was no way I was ever going to let them down.”

SHORT GAME

Cascade Golfer Players Card features 11 courses for $299 a deal you don’t want to miss!

Looking to play a bunch of great golf courses in 2024 all on one card? Well, you’ve hit the jackpot. Welcome to the Cascade Golfer Players Card, where you get 11 rounds for just $299 — a discount of over $550 — at awesome courses throughout western and central Washington. It’s a deal that’s hard to beat, and all you have to do is go play.

The Cascade Golfer Players Card is simply “golf for less.” This is the 13th edition, and the courses involved are many of the Northwest’s finest.

Play any of the 11 individually, or head out for a 36-hole day. Maybe you’re looking for a two-day journey? Head to Salish Cliffs in Shelton or Apple Tree in Yakima, a couple of the state’s best-maintained and most unique loops. Hit up Sun Country on your way over to Yakima and maybe High Cedars or Eagles Pride on your way to Shelton. Don’t forget Camaloch when you head north to Whidbey Island.

You could also head across the pass to Wenatchee to play Highlander and make a pit stop at Kahler Mountain Club just outside of Leavenworth.

The peninsula offers some great golf — imagine a 36-hole day that includes Port Ludlow and Cedars at Dungeness. Both courses combine great layouts with fantastic conditions. Now that’s a good day out.

As a bonus to our 2024 card, we also include a free appetizer at Duke’s Seafood, good at any of their seven locations throughout the Puget Sound area.

The number of Players Cards is limited − at the time of printing less than 100 remained. How long they last is uncertain as readers know they can save a bunch of cash.

Log on to CascadeGolfer.com and get your card today. See you on the fairway!

EAST WENATCHEE

Salish

Enter to Win a Twosome to Kahler Mountain Club

As much as we love telling you about great courses in the Northwest, it is even better to send you there. Go to CascadeGolfer.com and enter to win a twosome to Kahler Mountain Club in Leavenworth for this month’s ‘elevated’ experience. And, enjoy the scenic drive up Highway 2!

SHORT GAME

2024

Northwest Golfers Playbook available now: Save money all summer long with 120 offers!

Here we are again. Spring is here and golf is back in full swing. Green fees aren’t going down in 2024, but don’t fret fellow golfer because we got you.

The Northwest Golfers Playbook is back again and better than ever — packed full of golf savings, ensuring that you can golf all year long without breaking the bank.

Plenty of the courses that sit in Washington’s top 15 (Gamble Sands, Wine Valley, Suncadia, Apple Tree, White Horse, Port Ludlow, etc.) are included. Of course, we have many of our local favorites — too many to list — and we’re excited to welcome back a few new faces, including Loomis Trail, High Cedars and Alderbrook.

Golf’s popularity – indoors and out – continues to soar. We had several new indoor facilities jump into the book last year, including Five Iron Golf on Capitol Hill, Lounge by Topgolf in Kirkland, Kutting Edge Fitness in Redmond, and Loft Golf out of Olympia. We still have an offer at Back 9 Parlor in Lynnwood and have added a couple of new ones – Stadium Golf in Tacoma and Evergreen Golf Club in Redmond. Oh, and of course, Puetz Golf, where you get $10, as usual, along with several other offers.

Whether you live in the city, play your golf up north, or call the south end your home, the NWGPB has a ton of options for you. Plus, if you’re a road tripper, there are loads of courses on the Peninsula or across the passes to central and eastern Washington for you to visit.

What type of offers should you expect? Well, pretty much anything goes. You will find 2 for 1s, 4 for 3s, percentage discounts, free carts, lessons, range balls, twosome specials, foursome specials, simulator time specials, food and beverage offers and more.

With courses still packed and everyone looking to get in some golf, we’re excited to be able to put together a book jammed with so many great offers. With more than 120 pages of golf deals, you simply need to use a few coupons and you’ll soon be in the black.

You can purchase a book online for $44.95. And use the code SAVEBIGONGOLF to save another $5. Whether you play in your immediate area or head somewhere you’ve never played before, just put the book in your golf bag and count your savings all summer long.

Pick one up at NWGolfersPlaybook.com and start saving today!

SHORT GAME

Two-day Corona Premier Shootout returns to Gamble Sands this July the ultimate getaway tourney

Last year’s staging of the Corona Premier Shootout at Gamble Sands went pretty much according to plan. Scores of golfers showed up on a gloriously sunny Saturday morning in July for the first round on the Sands Course, after which players took on the highly entertaining QuickSands par 3 course, some with beers in hand.

Many stuck around for an evening of food and fun, sharing laughs on the Cascade Putting Green during happy hour, and enjoying a drink or two around the firepit. Then, on Sunday, the rank and file returned for the second round — on a similarly fine day — and went home exhausted following a wonderful experience on one of the most exciting courses in the country.

Yep, just as we planned it.

You’ll be thrilled to hear it’s all happening again this summer. This time, participants will be able to enjoy non-golf time in The Barn, which opens in April. There, you can sit and

relax in front of the TVs, enjoy a beverage, and tell everyone how you just shot the round of your life … or didn’t.

Everyone should be familiar with the format by now. The team competition will be a two-person best ball with gross and net divisions, and extra prizes for KPs (4), long and straight drive. As in years past, the top five teams will earn prizes both daily and overall, making a total of 30 team prizes.

The fee is $1,120 per team, which includes the tournament entry, green fees, Saturday round at QuickSands, use of a cart, range balls, plus lunch on Saturday and Sunday. Lodging is available at the Inn, but reservations will be difficult to come by for procrastinators.

Have you got your partner lined up yet for what promises to be the best golf weekend of the year? Go to CascadeGolfer.com to register.

Slots fill fast. Pick your partner and jump in today.

The Barn ups the ante at Gamble Sands

As if Gamble Sands wasn’t awesome enough already, our favorite central Washington venue is doubling down with a second 18-hole course, 40 more lodging rooms, and a new restaurant. Ultimately, the property will feature two 18-hole courses, 77 rooms, a 14hole par-3 course, a 100,000-square-foot putting green, and two great places to enjoy Executive Chef Chris Lamkin’s superb food.

Obviously, you already know about the original Sands Course, QuickSands Par 3, Cascade Putting Course, Danny Boy Bar & Grill, and the first phase of the Inn at Gamble Sands. We’ve told you about David McLay Kidd’s second 18-hole course, set to open on ground to the north of the Sands Course in May 2025.

What might be news to you, though, is the official opening of The Barn, coming in April.

Some readers will have seen the 4,000-square foot building southeast of the clubhouse during construction, and may have even had a peek inside.

Gamble Sands General Manager Blake Froling says it will “complement the resort’s existing Danny Boy Bar & Grill and provide guests with multiple spots to gather, eat, and swap stories about their rounds.”

The Barn seats 125 people inside, with room for 75 more guests on the patio outside. The space will be available for weddings, events, and tournament spreads. Its

large rear doors open to views of the Cascade Mountains and Columbia River Valley, and the room itself features multiple TVs, family-style dining tables, a fireplace, and late-night games.

Chef Lamkin will oversee the menus at both Danny Boy and The Barn and plans to keep the two unique. While Danny Boy will continue to serve steaks, locally sourced seafood, and farm-to-table cuisine, The Barn will offer sandwiches, pizzas, and salads. Craft beers and cocktails will also be served, of course.

“We could not be more excited for the future of Gamble Sands,” says Froling. “With the new restaurant being the next expansion stage, it will provide necessary options for our guests to have multiple dining choices. As our stays have gotten longer, offering our guests more variety and alleviating some pressure in the Danny Boy Bar and Grill has become essential.”

With The Barn opening, more rooms coming, and the new course just a year from being ready, these are exciting times for Gamble Sands with Froling at the helm.

“Watching David (McLay Kidd) and his team transform the land visible through my office window has been fantastic,” he says. “The lodging expansion is the key to it all. We have a great plan to create a similar feel to the original units while creating more variety so guests can customize their experience to how it fits them and their group best.”

CORONA PREMIER SHOOTOUT AT GAMBLE SANDS

July 27-28, Gamble Sands

Two-person best ball Saturday & Sunday Net and gross divisions

Prize pool daily & total

4 KPs, Long Drive, Straight Drive daily

Saturday Corona Premier Happy Hour at Quicksands/Cascade Putting Course

YOUR $1,120 TEAM FEE INCLUDES

Greens fees, cart, range & lunch on Saturday & Sunday plus Saturday afternoon/evening round at Quicksands.

Go to CascadeGolfer.com to register

PROPERTY

Rain shadow and sandy soil work their magic at The Cedars at Dungeness

Chad Wagner, general manager and director of golf at The Cedars at Dungeness (located six miles northwest of Sequim on the Olympic Peninsula), says this winter might be the wettest he can remember at the course. That said, according to Wagner, the 55-year-old Jack Reimer design has held up and Dungeness is considered one of western Washington’s driest courses. (Mark Miller was hired in 2007 to work on a masterplan, create a new irrigation lake, and remodel a few holes, but the financial collapse quashed those plans.)

“Our drainage is just incredible,” Wagner adds. “We pride ourselves on allowing carts on the course year-round and considering the major construction project we have going on, I couldn’t be happier with our current conditions.”

That “major construction project” includes the installation of an entirely new irrigation system. The work began back in September, and although there have been a few hiccups along the way, the final product will be fantastic. So don’t fret if you see a little work on the course this summer. It will be worth it.

In addition to new irrigation, the remodel of the pond on the 8th hole was finished, new tees were built at the 9th and 11th, the cart path at the 10th was reoriented to the west side of the green with a new retaining wall being built near the new 9th tee, and a new pumphouse (matching the property’s other structures) was completed.

Let’s take a tour with Wagner’s colleague and the head pro, Garrett Smithson, and see the course through his eyes.

A Bucket with Head Pro • Garrett Smithson

Toughest Tee Shot 9th hole

The elevated tee shot at the demanding par-4 9th is the toughest, yet probably also most scenic, with a picture-framed view of the Olympic Mountains. It has the feel of the tee shot at Augusta National’s 18th, with a tight window between trees for the first 90 yards, and OB down the whole right side. You really need to hit a perfect tee shot.

Best Birdie Opportunity 6th hole

The 6th is a short and pretty straight par 5. With no wind, it can be reached in two by most players. If the wind is coming from the west (trade wind), though, it can be a bit more challenging.

Best Par 3 17th hole

Number 17 is a great par 3, sandwiched in the middle of an awesome stretch of finishing holes. A downhill shot with water left of the green and bunkers right. And even if you find the green with your tee shot, you still have to navigate the very challenging putting surface.

Favorite Hole 3rd hole

Number 3 with the iconic Crabby bunker would have to be the favorite of most members and guests. It’s just a one-of-a-kind hole.

Emergency Nine front or back?

The back is the tougher of the two and has a ton of character. You get more elevation change, more hazards, and more scenery.

Go-To Lunch Item at Stymie’s

The Cedars Burger with tots is a go-to. Add bacon, mushrooms, sautéed onions, or other trimmings, and chase it down with one of our ever-changing beer selections.

SHORT GAME

Two years ago, when we ran our “Top 10 Public Courses in Washington” article, we tallied thousands of votes, and we weren’t surprised by any of the results. At all. That’s a good thing, of course.

Further, it meant that the hard work put in by superintendents, professionals, and managers was being recognized.

It wasn’t unexpected, as we’ve long known how female golfers love the course, that Port Ludlow was the fan favorite in the “Women’s Choice” category as the No. 1 in Washington.

Readers had Chambers Bay in the top spot with 1,584

votes (including 73 first places) and Gamble Sands in second with 1,473 votes and 62 first places, while people who work in the golf industry put Gamble Sands at the top with 80 percent more first-place votes. While the positions of the two courses had been the same in 2019, the distance between them was much smaller. We’re not entirely sure why industry folk like Gamble Sands more than Chambers Bay, or why readers increasingly put Chambers over Gamble for that matter, but the fact is the two courses totaled more first-place votes than all the state’s 300 or so other courses combined.

With the first two places more or less tied up, the battle for third was perhaps going to be the most interesting. Again, two courses – Gold Mountain (Olympic) and Wine Valley — have shared the spot the last several times with precious few to choose between them. In 2017, Gold Mountain won the race within the race by just 36 votes, even though Wine Valley had quite a few more first-places.

Two years later, Wine Valley topped Gold Mountain by 48 votes. However, the last time we put it to the vote, Gold Mountain regained the advantage with a more substantial 138-point advantage. This time, we expect Gold Mountain to hold down third place but, you know … we could be wrong.

In 2026, it’s quite possible Chambers Bay, Gamble Sands (Sands Course), Gold Mountain (Olympic), Wine Valley and every other course in the state may drop one place as Gamble Sands (2) will have been open for 12 months or more. Having walked the site twice in the last year and seen grass beginning to grow on the brilliantly contoured fairways, we’re fully expecting David McLay Kidd’s new design to crash into the top five. Yes, it looks that good.

Could it be, that by 2028, it’s Chambers Bay and the original course at Gamble Sands that are vying for third place, with Gamble Sands (2) and the highly anticipated Westport course slugging it out for top honors? The site at Westport (in Grays Harbor County), the choice of designer McLay Kidd and his initial routing maps are all superb, and we think it’s a bit of a no-brainer to give the project the green light. We’re certainly not calling it though, and don’t want to jinx anything, but it’s conceivable that McLay Kidd courses will finish 1-2-3 in a few years’ time.

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, though. Let’s just concentrate on 2024 and the amazing courses we already have. Your votes will be very much appreciated, as always. Stay tuned for the next issue where we will promote it in our ‘Best Of’ voting.

Spring is in the Air

Hendrick’s Rocks Seattle Golf Show Fore Sure

There’s no doubt that Ryan Reeder of William Grant and Sons is focused on Seattle golfers and their love of great cocktails.

His vision and campaign in Cascade Golfer and the Seattle Golf Show, both now in their second year of what he’s mapped out, is showcasing some the finest mixologists in Puget Sound with the amazing spirits in his portfolio.

This was accentuated with the 2024 version of the Hendrick’s Gin Experience at the Seattle Golf Show March 9-10 at the Seattle Convention Center. Reeder brought in his steampunk Negroni machine again, trained the bar staff at the SCC, and they wowed the thousands of golfers in attendance with watching the cocktail made before their very eyes.

“I saw the impact this liquid lounge had on the attendees last year and just knew it would be a huge hit again,” said Dick Stephens, owner of the Golf Show.

“We have partnered with Ryan and William Grant on the Taste America productions we produce on behalf of the James Beard Foundation each year at The Four Seasons Seattle, and the talent he selects with the perfect libation pairings he crafts always helps elevate the mood and offering to our event guests. We wanted that same energy at the Golf Show. The attendees just loved it.”

Late night inspiration leads to smooth, smokey libation at The Calcutta Grill

BY BART POTTER • CG STAFF WRITER

Botanicals and a Rose Bulb Make This Flourish

The newest cocktail in The Calcutta Grill at The Golf Club at Newcastle answers the question we’ve all been asking. Or not.

Ben Davison, Newcastle’s director of food and beverage, asked it of himself during an impromptu mixology session at his home.

The question: Is there such a thing as a gin cocktail mixed with Scotch, Scotch-based liqueur, sweet vermouth, and bitters? The answer, which he came up with toward the end of the night: “For sure!”

Davison says he does some of his best work at night. That particular evening, he mixed and matched, tasted and tested, and in the end, crafted a new drink. He calls it “Fore Sure” and it is good.

“It’s a fun cocktail,” Davison says. “It does not drink heavy.”

At Home Bar Mixology

Fore Sure

By Ben Davison • The Calcutta Grill

The Golf Club at Newcastle

INGREDIENTS

• 1.25 oz. Hendrick’s Gin

• .25 oz. Glenfiddich 12

• .25 oz. Drambuie

• .25 oz. sweet vermouth

• 3 dashes orange bitters

• 1 dried rose bulb

INSTRUCTIONS

Measure everything but the rose bulb into a mixing glass with ice. Take the rose bulb, remove a few outer petals, and crush the rest into the glass. Stir the drink quickly (at least 30 times), or until the rose is slightly aromatic. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with the reserved rose petals.

Gin, but not just any gin. Hendrick’s works because it’s more botanical-forward than juniper-forward, according to Davison.

Scotch adds a smokey texture. Glenfiddich 12-year single malt is a fantastic match. The one-of-a kind Drambuie, an Isle of Skye liqueur, lends a warm honey-herbal sweetness.

Hendrick’s, Glenfiddich and Drambuie (all distributed worldwide by William Grant and Sons) are produced in Scotland, the birthplace of golf, appropriate for a busy golf course bar like The Calcutta Grill.

Davison added “Fore Sure” to his cocktail menu in late March.

The new craft cocktail is the answer to a late-night question that somebody had to ask: Fore Sure.

Newcastle’s Ben Davison

PRODUCT REVIEWS and equipment news you can use

BY TONY DEAR • CG EDITOR

IN THE BAG 1

Hot off the PGA Show floor, check out these spring 2024 ‘hits’

And we’re back! Since we last met in December, the world of professional golf has continued to be filled with interesting twists and turns. Tiger Woods appeared only briefly at the Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles before leaving after a few holes on Friday due to the flu. We lost local pro legend Bill Tindall. We also lost popular Spokane pro Kim Walker, who passed before our December issue was published. On the amateur side, the USGA announced its decision to roll back the ball (see our Post Game story in this issue), which has opened up conversations both for and against the move.

We’re thankful, then, that the local golf scene has purred along nicely with a growing number of indoor facilities thriving over the winter months. In other good news, Gamble Sands opened early following an almost clement winter.

We’re choosing to focus on the positive, and what could be more positive than the arrival of the 2024 golf season in the Pacific Northwest? Okay, it might not arrive for real until May (even June or July) but it’s coming, nonetheless.

And when it arrives, you may be looking to stock up on the latest gear. January’s PGA Merchandise show in Orlando was an absolute ripsnorter. It was a humdinger, a knockout, corker, and a doozy. The breadth of innovation on view was astounding. Puetz Golf was all over the floor at the PGA Show and super excited to showcase these fantastic offerings for spring 2024.

TITLEIST Vokey SM10 1

Bob Vokey’s now-legendary series of Spin-Milled wedges is in its 10th generation, and just keeps getting better. With strict one or two-year product cycles, the differences between one generation and the next might not be significant, but the overall rise in quality over the years has been substantial. The first Spin-Milled wedge was introduced in 2005. Since then, numerous improvements have been made. The SM10 promises a lower, more attacking flight and a solid feel at impact. Something Vokey has worked hard to improve in the SM Series is the clubhead’s Center of Gravity (CG) position. A precise shift in its CG is designed to give players more control and stability. In the 46-52-degree models, the CG is lower, ensuring a more seamless transition from the irons and more consistent distance-gapping. The CG is also pushed out closer to the center of the face, which helps minimize unwanted draw spin. It also makes the club feel more solid. These lower-lofted wedges feature a smaller profile and straighter leading edge. The slightly higher CG in the higher lofts allows you to hit flatter, fast-stopping wedge shots. These clubs also have a larger footprint and a more rounded leading edge which increases their versatility. Every SM10 Spin-Milled groove is cut to the edge to maximize spin and given a heat treatment to double the durability of the grooves. The SM10 is available in six grinds, four finishes and 25 loft/bounce combinations. So, you’ll have no problem finding a wedge that suits you.

PUETZ GOLF PRICE $189.99

Equipment manufacturers have become really good at giving game-improvement clubs a more sophisticated look, allowing higher-handicappers to put great-looking clubs in their bag. They still work like traditional game-improvement models, offering plenty of forgiveness for off-center strikes, but have lost the ungainly, overly busy aesthetic usually associated with game-improvement models. Cleveland’s CBX4 wedge is a perfect example. When the first CBX wedge appeared in 2017, Cleveland said that because 84 percent of golfers used cavity-backed irons, most should also use cavity-backed wedges. The original CBX was certainly forgiving, but its use was largely limited to stock 80- to 100-yard pitches from the fairway. Subsequent models have been far more versatile, enabling golfers to hit more confidently from rough and sand, and even open the face to hit lob shots. The CBX4 Zipcore obviously features Cleveland’s Zipcore technology, which positions the club’s CG further from the heel and closer to the center of the clubface. That makes impact feel consistently solid. The club offers other technology found on the company’s flagship RTX wedges — UltiZip and HydraZip — which ensure deep, sharp, tightly-configured grooves and a laser-milled series of tiny lines on the face to enhance friction between ball and club. This improvement is designed to help golfers gain an advantage in controlling their short games. The wide sole and leading-edge chamfer (a transitional edge between two faces of an object) will help you eliminate chunks.

SCOTTY CAMERON

2024 Phantom 3

They may not generate nearly as much interest as a Taylor Swift concert, but word of a new Scotty Cameron putter line gets golfers excited. The combination of looks, tech, materials, and precision (with help from Tiger Woods winning so often with his Scotty Cameron Newport 2) has created a mystique around Cameron’s putters that has seen them become highly prized objects. While the Phantom has been available in many guises for a few years, 2024 brings 10 new models. There are four new head shapes, each with various neck options. Models include the Phantom 5, 5.5, 5s, 7, 7.5, 9, 9.5, 11, 11.5, and 11 Long Design – 38 inches. Perhaps their most distinctive characteristic is the now-familiar multi-material construction featuring 303 stainless steel with lightweight 6061 aircraft-grade aluminum. According to Cameron, the 2024 Phantoms are more rigid for additional stability, and thanks to the vibration-dampening qualities of the materials, should have an improved feel. New alignment markings (dots, straight lines, and arrows) help you get the ball rolling on the correct line, and dual-milled faces (first used in 2023’s Select line) reduce mini ridges caused by milling, to give a very satisfying sound and feel. Each putter has two customizable stainless-steel heel-toe weights. The silver mist finish on the steel portions greatly reduces glare, while the 6061 aluminum parts are misted and anodized black. With size and feel of a putter grip being paramount, the Phantom 2024 putters feature a new comfortable Full Contact grip with a chain-link texture.

While Cleveland Golf has maintained its reputation for building exceptional wedges over the years, its putters have become a notable extension of its shortgame offerings in more recent times. Not only are its putters regarded as top-quality, but they also offer excellent value. The HB Soft was introduced late in 2022, and its successor is as attractive and well-made as putters that are twice the cost. There are nine models built to fit both arcing strokes and a straight-back-and-through motion by assigning the appropriate hosel, shaft, and grip to each specific putterhead. Every HB Soft 2 putter features Speed Optimized Face Technology (SOFT), which uses individualized milling patterns to normalize ball speed across the face. That results in more consistent distance wherever the strike. The milling patterns are aligned to each head shape’s center of gravity (CG), moment of inertia (MOI) and weighting profile. A 20-gram counterbalance is positioned in the butt of the shaft on 35-inch and longer models, helping golfers move the putter more smoothly while doing wonders for their confidence. Based on stroke type and alignment preferences, HB SOFT 2 putters feature Cleveland’s custom-made pistol grips. For a slight arc stroke, the grip has a classic look and allows the hands to turn over naturally. For those with a straighter move, an oversize grip promotes a stable stroke. Also available is the HB SOFT 2 RETREVE, the company’s first-ever putter with the ability to pick the ball out of the hole without bending over.

6 IN THE BAG

ECCO GOLF LT1

Sales of powered buggies (walking trollies with batteries) are becoming increasingly popular as golfers realize they can still get the health benefits of walking a golf course without putting excessive stress on their joints. The 2024 MGI Zip Navigator All-Terrain Golf Buggy has an attractive new look with a matte black frame and striking gloss top box, chassis cover, and battery. Other upgrades include a newly designed screen, a wider range of speed options and a powerful lithium battery. The Nav AT comes with MGI’s Gyroscope Straight Tracker Technology, which keeps the buggy on track across any terrain, and it’s packed with additional features that help it traverse courses with significant elevation change. The front wheels swivel independently, giving the vehicle extra stability, and there is a fully directional remote control which allows you to walk to your golf ball and have your buggy meet you there. The downhill speed control minimizes your effort while maximizing control. Twin 230w calibrated motors give the Nav AT both power and agility, while the 24V battery should be sufficient for 36 holes. Of course, in regard to the latter, severe weather and poor course conditions could obviously impact the life of its charge. The quick-release rear wheels handle tough conditions, and there’s a fully foldable rear fifth wheel for added stability. The USB charging port keeps you connected during the round and the T-bar handle and bag support are ergonomically designed and adjustable. The battery charger is included. The Nav AT weighs around 30 pounds without the battery, and 37 with it.

While a powered trolley is a super choice, the traditional push cart is still a great option for those who like to walk but not carry. That said, there’s really nothing traditional about some of today’s push carts. Take the Bag Boy Slimfold. Not only does it look ultra-modern, its features elevate it far beyond anything your father or grandfather might have used. When folded, the Slimfold measures just 8.5 x 13.5 x 32.25 inches, making it easy to store in your car or a clubhouse locker. Built-in Top-Lok Technology holds your golf bag securely, which eliminates the need for straps and the worry of having your bag fall off the cart. Two simple steps make it extremely easy to fold, and the push handle is pleasantly comfortable. The center console holds your drink, cellphone, multiple golf balls, scorecard and more, while the extra-large accessory bag underneath the handle lets you store gloves, extra balls, or whatever else you like to take with you. There’s an umbrella holder and a parking brake on the side of the handle. The rugged wheels are good in all terrains. The Slimfold comes in six colorways — black/red, silver/black, navy/red, black/white, graphite/white, and all black — and is designed to be extremely compact while remaining functional. We think it ticks both boxes and is the ideal companion for those who want to get their steps in without putting pressure on their spine, knees, or shoulders. Northwest golfers love push carts — this one fits the bill.

ECCO’s shoes are known for their style and comfort — both are important to the Danish company’s products. The LT1 is an ultra-light, sneaker-style shoe that uses the company’s new LYTR foam for rebound and softness. The foam is embedded in the sole and combines with the midsole’s soft Phorene material to make the LT1 exceptionally comfortable. ECCO FluidForm Direct Comfort Technology ensures a finely tuned balance of cushioning and rebound in the sole, and creates a flexible, durable bond which conventionally stitched shoes can sometimes fail to deliver. Each part of the shoe has specific amounts of the two materials, and a visible shank delivers low-to-theground stability. The new E-DTS NET outsole is an updated version of ECCO’s Dynamic Traction System and provides multi-directional traction and durability. A waterproof membrane, exclusively developed for ECCO, helps keep your feet dry. The LT1 is made from premium materials including ECCO’s breathable Performance Leather, which is developed in the shoemaker’s own tanneries. The X-Tensa Invisible Technology (yes, there is a lot of weird-sounding tech) connects the sole unit to the lacing system via something ECCO calls “internal enforcement,” which makes the shoe more stable. In keeping with the theme of comfort, its removable OrthoLite insole provides cushioning and breathability. You have a choice of laces, or the BOA Fit System, which for those who haven’t tried it, is an easy way to tighten the shoe. The LT1 is available in four colorways — white/yellow, white/blue, concrete and black.

PUETZ GOLF PRICE $259.99

IN THE BAG

According to TaylorMade, the TP5 is currently the softest five-layer ball on the PGA Tour. That sounds marvelous, and fair to mention it’s currently the Tour’s only five-piece ball. Callaway has offered a couple of five-piecers in the past, but its current Tour model — Chrome Soft — is a four-piece ball. Nevertheless, the TP5 is known for its awesome feel and great spin around the green, with low driver-spin. TaylorMade introduced its original five-piece golf ball (the Penta) back in 2010, and seven years later, came out with its first TP5. The company says the 2024 version is the best to date and is engineered with a new Speed Wrapped Core to give it a lower, softer sound at impact and make the ball faster. It reduces spin with the driver and longer clubs, while generating more spin-control with the shorter clubs. It’s this variability in driver and wedge spin that maximizes the capability of these five-layer balls. The TP5 is for players who prefer a softer-feeling ball that spins a lot on and around the green. TP5x feels firmer and is faster, with lower driver-spin making it the choice of those who appreciate short-game control but whose top priority is greater ball speed − and, in turn, more distance. Because of the low driver spin, TP5x also produces a flatter trajectory. The 2024 TP5 and TP5x Pix alignment aid features a longer centerline and additional color contrast, which is designed to make alignment easier. These will fly off the shelf and be a huge hit on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

W B

e’ve featured a number of excellent Precision Pro rangefinders in these pages before (NX10, NX10 Slope, NX7 Slope) and are excited to introduce you to the company’s new Titan Slope Rangefinder which it says is the new “gold standard” in golf rangefinders. With a robust aluminum shell and a best-in-class IP67 dust and waterproof rating, the Titan is perhaps the most durable rangefinder on the market. The crystal-clear optics, slope switch, pulse vibration, flag lock, and distance-measuring capabilities are fairly standard among top manufacturers’ products these days but (as the name suggests), Precision Pro rangefinders really are precise, as the Titan is accurate up to 999 yards. We’re not aware of any 999-yard holes in the Pacific Northwest, but you may need to get the distance to the clubhouse, halfway house, or nearest bathroom. Integration between the device and the Precision Pro Golf app is utterly seamless and unlocks features that aren’t available in any other rangefinder. The “MySlope” feature gives you a personalized distance based on your unique ball flight, while “Find My Precision Pro” allows you to see the last place you connected to the rangefinder. The Titan has a magnetic grip and comes with a three-year warranty. Precision Pro sees itself as a viable alternative to Bushnell rangefinders, which are commonly regarded as the industry’s best. In an effort to keep pace with the industry leader, Precision Pro offers a free battery-replacement program, a 90-day money back guarantee on all products, and what it describes as “hassle-free” support.

ushnell products have likewise been a familiar part of “In the Bag” over the years. In fact, it’s only been 16 months since the company announced (and we featured) its Pro X3 rangefinder, which was even better than its predecessor — the Pro XE. So, what does the added “+” mean on its latest rangefinder? It has a cool new look and gives you wind speed and direction. Temperature and altitude obviously affect your distances, and these are factored into the Slope measurements to give users an incredibly precise distance. The Home Elevation Adjustment gives golfers adjusted distances based on the elevation of the course they play most often. The Locking Slope Switch allows users to move easily in and out of Slope mode, and the dual display lets you change from red to black based on lighting conditions and your individual preferences. You can magnify the view in the reticle seven times. A red ring flashes and JOLT vibrates to let you know you’re locked onto the flag, and the BITE magnetic mount lets you attach your rangefinder to the cart. The outer rubber casing is plenty durable, and its IPX7 rating means it can be submerged in water up to one meter for 30 minutes without damage. Bushnell quality is always a constant and the Kansas City-based company focuses on the golfer’s needs each year with new releases. On the consumer golf expo tour this year, Bushnell has been burning up the cash registers. Puetz Golf carries this new model and accessories.

RISK vs. RE WARD

West Seattle Golf Course

Hole No. 12 Par 5 489 yards (Blue Tees)

Setup

By Simon Dubiel

Reward

Without a doubt, the defining picture at West Seattle Golf Course is the tee shot at 12. Soaring out of the chute and overlooking the downtown Seattle skyline, it is eye candy. And if you pulled that off and found a piece of the fairway, start shuffling your chips because you have a decision to make. A decent poke leaves you 200-250 in. The challenge waiting is a shot from one side of the saddle to the other, hoping to hit a green guarded left by a bunker and trees, with little room right. Short is fine, but will leave an awkward sidehill, uphill chip.

Risk

Bunker, then trees, then death, left. Cart path, then trees, then OB, right. What could go wrong?! Getting off the tee is a feat in itself, but is this the hand you want to make your move with? Short and right leaves you some bail out, but anything pulled left will be a losing endeavor for sure. You need to be confidently bold with that 225 club if you push your chips in.

After splitting the fairway, it’s time to take a deep breath and get right back to raising the stakes. Anything near the green will work just fine. Strike something pure and a circle on your scorecard awaits, maybe even two. If you do lay-up, the approach shot from the hill is no walk in the park. You will most certainly have a sidehill, uphill lie to an elevated green. Good luck.

Final Call

The mesmerizing yet intimidating tee shot, staring out of the chute towards the Seattle skyline, is something else. If you got through that clean, it is time to be rewarded. Great shots are made from great opportunities. Count the stack out, or just push it all in. Either way, we recommend the big stick. Swing with confidence. Giddyup!

PRESENTED BY

A‘ Gem’ of a Journey

Southwest Idaho’s great courses and magical terrain attract golfers far and wide

Jug

BY BOB SHERWIN • CG STAFF WRITER

Snow sells. It’s no secret that places where flakes fall in abundance, ski birds flock. They migrate to where slopes are groomed, lifts are swift, and everyone speaks fluent apres-ski.

No matter how far or how remote, skiers from far and wide will find those spots. That’s what folks at the Southwest Idaho Travel Association (SWITA) understood when it was founded in 1981. Promoting the Gem State’s many resorts (such as Sun Valley, Tamarack, and Schweitzer) was a natural fit.

But what about those other five months? In higher elevations? When green earth returns? Would it pay off for SWITA to promote golf for such a short season? Would golfers behave in the same manner? Driving four to eight hours from Seattle, Portland, Spokane and Salt Lake City to enjoy the state’s many golf courses? How much of a reach or a risk would that be?

“I think in 2004, when we opened, everything was a gamble,” says Dustin Ames, the head golf pro at the wilderness chic Jug Mountain Ranch, located about 110 miles north of Boise in rural McCall, Idaho. SWITA has worked with Ames for all 13 years he has been at Jug.

“There were golfers back then, and obviously, there are more golfers now,” he adds. “We’ve gotten lucky that the market has done very well the last few years here, and our course never fails to wow the golfers. With us utilizing SWITA, we’ve been able to branch out into the Spokane and Seattle markets more freely. We’re definitely bringing in a lot more golfers from those areas.”

Last year, golfers from Seattle ranked second (behind Boise) for the most frequent zip code to play Jug Mountain, with Spokane and Salt Lake City tied for third. It should be noted that it’s an eighthour drive from Seattle, a seven-hour trek from SLC and takes four to get there from Spokane. Even when golfers from all those cities take an hour-long flight into Boise, it’s still a two to three-hour drive to McCall.

SWITA has helped build up that allegiance over the years as the promotional arm for all the state’s attractions and activities, including skiing, snowmobiling, fishing, hiking, wine tours, festivals, various natural attractions, and some top golf courses.

Courses are divided into three regions: Treasure Valley (Boisearea), Mountain courses and Wine Country courses.

visit SW idaho logo CMYK

McCall Golf Club

The Treasure Valley courses include Warm Springs GC in southwest Boise, Quail Hollow in the Boise foothills, BanBury GC, Eagle Hills GC, and Shadow Valley GC (all three in Eagle), plus Indian Lakes GC in Kuna.

The Wine Country courses are RedHawk GC in Nampa and Timberstone GC in Marsing.

Among the Mountain courses are Jug Mountain Ranch, Whitetail Club, and McCall GC (all in McCall), Terrace Lakes GC in Garden Valley, and the soon-to-be revived Osprey Meadows at Tamarack Ranch.

Jug Mountain Ranch and McCall Golf Club are the two jewels in the Mountain region. Jug Mountain is in the East Valley − 10 minutes from downtown McCall − and set against the 8,310-foot Jughandle Mountain. McCall GC is in the middle of the west central Idaho mountains.

Jug and McCall are the faces of Idaho golf, featured prominently in SWITA visitors’ material and provided with grants for appearances at golf shows and promotional events.

McCall GC is approaching its centennial anniversary − having opened in 1928 − nearly a decade before anyone ever shushed at Sun Valley, 80 miles (as the crow flies) to the southeast.

Local resident Robert Davis donated the land to the city for the first nine holes, and it wasn’t until 1966 that another nine was constructed to create the full 18, whose halves are known as the Aspen and the Birch Nines. An additional expansion in 1993, called the Cedar Nine, created a 27-hole complex.

“The third nine was built through the Spring Mountain Ranch subdivision,” says Eric McCormick, McCall’s superintendent who has been associated with SWITA for the past 17 years. “Aspen and Birch were intermingled to make 18 holes. Those are both tree lined and open. There are no bunkers which a lot of the old-timers prefer.”

There are plenty of bunkers on the newer, more mountainous Cedar nine, however. “And the fairways are real narrow,” McCormick adds. “There are a lot of tight OBs and plenty of wetlands, too. And you also see more wildlife on Cedar.”

McCormick says construction and maintenance on the three nines has been somewhat piecemeal over the years. A master plan for improvements has been developed, however, following the SWITA-inspired increase in demand. One of the projects completed last fall was rebuilding, leveling and adding tee boxes to the Aspen and Birch nines.

Cedar is unique in that there are three par 3s, but McCormick believes the 580-yard seventh is the hole most golfers will remember. Its right side is bordered by unyielding wetlands almost to the green, which is guarded by giant cedars to the right and bunkers on each side.

“It’s a tough hole,” says McCormick. “Not the drive so much, but that second shot. If you get a little sideways you can quickly get into the hazard.”

Built in 2004, Jug Mountain is the swanky new kid in town. Just south of downtown McCall (about a 15-minute drive from McCall GC), the course was designed by Donald Knott, a protégé of noted architect Robert Trent Jones, Jr. Knott has had a role in the design of more than 60 courses around the world, including The Links at Spanish Bay and Poppy Hills in California, as well as Makena, Princeville, and Poipu Bay in Hawaii. When Jug opened, it was rated the second-best new public course in the nation by Golf Digest.

“No fairways are parallel,” says Ames. “It’s out and back and utilizes all the terrain. There are six tree-lined holes, six water holes and six along the meadows. There are a lot of elevation changes, including the 100-foot drop from the first tee.”

Indeed, your opening drive on the 401-yard first hole is almost guaranteed to set your record for longest hang time. It also needs to be straight, as gnarly rough on both sides of the fairway can play havoc with your ball. Your second shot needs to clear the meandering stream in front of the green … and that’s just the beginning of your day.

Another hole that will stay with the golfers – for better or worse – is the 597-yard 16th. It is fraught with obstacles, a long unplayable canyon to be cleared on your drive, a blind sweeping right dogleg bordered on both sides by impenetrable brush, and another crooked stream that runs across the fairway and along the right side of the green.

“It’s very picturesque,” says Ames. “Our most photographed hole.”

This summer, the 1,410-acre property will add a six-hole par-3 course (also designed by Knott) located adjacent to the practice facility. That’s just another great reason to make the long drive to beautiful Jug Mountain.

For more information visit www.visitsouthwestidaho. org/golf-guide/ and begin to plan your Gem State golf journey.

Treasure Valley Golf Courses

• Warm Springs Golf Course — Southeast Boise

• BanBury Golf Course — Eagle

• Eagle Hills Golf Course — Eagle

• Shadow Valley Golf Course — Eagle

• Quail Hollow (elevated tees) — Boise Foothills

• Indian Lakes Golf Course — Kuna

Mountain Courses

• Jug Mountain Ranch — McCall

• Whitetail Club — McCall

• McCall Golf Course — McCall

• Terrace Lakes Golf Course — Garden Valley

• Osprey Meadows at Tamarack Resort

Wine Country Courses

• RedHawk Public Golf Course — Nampa

• TimberStone Golf Course — Marsing

Jug Mountain Ranch • McCall

McCall Golf Club

McCall Golf Club

Jug Mountain Ranch • McCall

Sahalee to host elite global field for KPMG Women’s PGA Championship June 20-23

Memories ‘Major’

BY BOB SHERWIN • CG STAFF WRITER

Sahalee Country Club

— the venerable, tree-lined golf course in Sammamish, Wash., that takes pride in hosting major golf Championships — will once again welcome the finest female golfers from across the world at the 2024 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship on June 20-23.

Indeed, we should emphasize “across the world.” It seems that Antarctica will be the only one of the seven continents unlikely to be represented at the 70th edition of the Championship, which is organized by the PGA of America and features the top LPGA Tour players. This is the second time Sahalee has been selected to host the Championship, eight years after a successful effort in 2016.

The LPGA Tour is one of the most ethnically diverse professional sports associations in the world. Sahalee’s final 156-player field is guaranteed to feature women from all reaches of the globe, as more than 30 countries are represented within the LPGA’s membership.

Since 2016, when Sahalee last hosted the Championship, women from a wide variety of nationalities have won one of the five LPGA majors: the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Evian Championship, Chevron Championship, U.S. Women’s Open, and AIG Women’s (British) Open. Just last season, the LPGA Tour’s five majors were won by Celine Boutier, representing France, Ruoning Yin, representing China, and Allisen Corpuz and Lilia Vu, both representing the United States, with Lilia winning two Majors.

The 25-year-old Corpuz grew up in Hawaii and was a two-time All-American at USC. She has been a golf prodigy all her life, becoming the youngest person ever to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links at age 10, in 2008. She turned pro in 2021 and won the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open, her first and only victory on the Tour.

Vu, 26, was born in Fountain Valley, Calif. She won the 2023 AIG Women’s Open, the Chevron Championship, and finished the season as the No. 1 player in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings as well as the LPGA Player of the Year. In total, Vu won four times last year with two of those wins being major championships.

Vu’s primary rival is Nelly Korda, 25, from Bradenton, Fla. Korda also rose to the world No. 1 ranking in 2021 (and again in 2022), when she won four Tour events, including the 2021 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club.

Korda has become perhaps the most prominent name in the women’s game today as she carries on a family tradition of excelling in professional sports. Her father Petr Korda — originally from the Czech Republic — was a former tennis Grand Slam winner. Her brother Sebastian won the 2018 Australian Open Boys’ Singles tennis title, and her older sister Jessica is a six-time winner on the LPGA Tour.

Photo by Montana Pritchard/PGA of America

Sahalee Country Club • Sammamish

Nelly Korda

Eight years ago, it was 18-year-old Brooke Henderson (representing Canada) who won the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Sahalee Country Club. Henderson was the youngest-ever winner of the event, which dates back to 1955. She beat another 18-year-old, Lydia Ko of New Zealand, with a birdie on the first playoff hole. Ko, then the No. 1 player in the world, and Henderson, are now both 26 and just reaching their prime. They have already combined for 33 career victories and four majors — two each. Both are expected to return to the “High Heavenly Ground,” which is what the word Sahalee means in the Chinook language.

“I’m so excited the event is going back to Sahalee,” Henderson said last year when the PGA of America announced it as the 2024 Championship site. “That was honestly the perfect week. Back in 2016, to win my first major in a playoff against the world No. 1 and hoist my first major championship trophy on that amazing golf course that was so tough … to go out there at six-under and win it was amazing. I’m so excited to have the opportunity to do it again.”

Henderson has captured 13 overall Tour victories, making her the winningest Canadian (man or woman) of all time in the professional golf ranks. Of note, her second major — the Evian Championship in Evian-lesBains, Haute-Savoie, France – came in 2022.

Sahalee stepped up in 2016 on relatively short notice to host the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. In addition to 2016, Sahalee has been the host of three

Brooke Henderson

Photo by Montana Pritchard/PGA of America

significant men’s Championships: the 1998 PGA Championship (won by Vijay Singh), the 2002 NEC World Golf Championship (won by Craig Parry), and the 2010 USGA Senior Open (won by Bernhard Langer).

Sahalee’s staff has the experience and with 27 holes, it has the room to stage and host significant Championships. The North-South nine-hole courses will be used for the Championship while the East nine will be utilized for ancillary groups supporting the Championship.

General admission tickets for the Championship are currently on sale, with complimentary access available for youth under 15 years old and the military. For additional information on tickets, corporate hospitality, and volunteering opportunities, visit kpmgwomenspga.com or email 2024wpga@pgahq.com.

Sahalee Country Club • Sammamish

Circumnavigation Emerald of The Isle

BY DICK STEPHENS • CG PUBLISHER

As I impatiently waited for weeks to board an Aer Lingus non-stop flight from Seattle to Dublin, my anxious coping mechanism was to hum a jingle from the 1970s over and over.

If you experienced that decade, then the catchy Heinz Ketchup song by Carly Simon is one that you will relate to. “An-tic-i-pa-tion. An-tic-ipay-yay-tion…” I couldn’t get it out of my head, which isn’t a surprise as my travel and golf companion Kirk Tourtillotte and I had been stitching together our circumnavigation of The Emerald Isle for months.

It certainly wasn’t a hardship, but our obsession became reality. The basic plan was simple — 10 days, seven courses, each along the coast — starting in Dublin and ending in Dublin. We drove clockwise along the most amazing stretches of motorways, county roads and some harrowing eyes of the needle where two cars barely fit on the road — literally with just a few inches to spare.

Kirk and I have been business partners for more than 30 years, played golf all over the U.S., and this was our second sojourn to Ireland and Northern Ireland — the last time was 15 years ago. There were a couple spots we longed to revisit but we added stops in Kinsale, Cork, Kerry, Galway, Ballybunion and Belfast this time.

In the last issue of Cascade Golfer, we shared our Portmarnock experience as part one of this two-part story. I wish to thank our Englishman Editor Tony Dear for his help and insight on a couple of our stops here.

Old Head Golf Links • Kinsale • County Cork

Cascade Golfer publishers drive on a trip of a lifetime

2,000 MILES

AROUND IRELAND

The Grafton Hotel

Dublin

Named after Charles FitzRoy, Second Duke of Grafton and illegitimate grandson of England’s King Charles II, The Grafton is one of Dublin’s hippest and most sought-after hotels with a five-star rating from 659 reviews on TripAdvisor.com.

Located on Stephen St. Lower in the city center’s affluent District 2 (or D2), the modern, red-brick building has 128 guest rooms, and has been included among Ireland’s top 50 places to stay by the Irish Independent.

Interested in a short stroll? The wonderfully peaceful St. Stephen’s Green is just a four-minute walk southeast of the hotel. For a longer trek, about 20 minutes, head west to the Guinness Storehouse.

For something a little more urbane, you can simply hop down to Bartley’s Cocktail Bar on the hotel’s ground floor. There you can sip on the divine Grafton Cosmo, a mix of Belvedere blackberry and lemongrass vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice and lime. The adjacent Bartley’s Restaurant is a cool, stylish space whose menu highlights include an eight-ounce striploin steak, and a seared salmon fillet with brown shrimp hollandaise, among other delightful entrees.

The beauty of Dublin (besides the people, the amazing nightlife, the Guinness, the tranquil green spaces, the ‘craic’ — described as a mixture of repartee, humor, intelligence, and acerbic and deflating insight — and its myriad other charms) is that, at 46 square miles in area, it’s not terribly large. For the avid golfer, that means a lot of fantastic courses are conveniently reachable from The Grafton.

It’s just a 20-minute drive east to Royal Dublin GC, and only 10 minutes further north to the historic Portmarnock GC and excellent Jameson Links. An alternative 30-minute trek gets you to the magical dunescape at The Island GC. Pat Ruddy’s The European Club is 50 minutes south, and a similar distance north takes you to Baltray for the highly rated County Louth GC. —

Tony Dear

Old Head Golf Links

Kinsale, County Cork

I’ve played 20 of the finest courses in the world by anyone’s standards, and the 24 hours Kirk and I spent at Old Head Golf Links in Kinsale is not only one of the fondest golf experiences I’ve ever had — it’s one of the best moments of my life.

This place will blow you away. Old Head, the course, famous lighthouse, Lusitania Museum, world-class hotel and spa are narrowly tethered to Ireland by a thread of land not much wider than County Cork’s rural road 604 itself.

From the air, Old Head looks like an island and it’s one of County Cork’s most-beloved tourist vistas. Just how old is Old Head? Try this — Greek historian Ptolemy mapped this hallowed ground in 100 A.D., and the Vikings occupied this spot from 820-918 A.D. The castle here was built in 12th century.

The course design is diamond-shaped, with sightlines of the sea at nearly every turn and was penned by a unique amalgamation of legendary Brit and Aussie mappers: Ron Kirby, Dr. Joe Carr, Paddy Merrigan, Liam Higgins and Haulie O’Shea. It’s the most masterful 18 holes I’ve ever walked.

At 7,135 from the tips, I’d put Old Head in a windy Kapalua category of difficulty. Frankly speaking, your heart will be in your throat all day long as the whole course is a good 150 feet above rugged coastal terrain — hilly and hearty.

Upon teeing off, this warning from the course guidebook really stuck with me. “Players, caddies and spectators are warned to not attempt to retrieve balls from the hazards at holes 2, 3, 4, 7, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17 and 18. It is positively dangerous to do so.”

I will back up that claim all the way. Basically, you step too far and you’re a goner. I took a pic of Kirk hitting his second shot on hole 3 and it literally looks like he’s hanging on to that last blade of grass in Ireland. See his heroic shot on the previous page.

The hotel is uber modern, and the patio will make you want to miss your tee time — it’s glorious. The food and drink pay homage to its special European roots there. One of my favorite parts of the trip, not including our five hours on the links, was the beer and whisky Kirk and I shared in the Lusitania Bar after our round. There with us were other globetrotting golfers from around the world, all sharing stories about where they’d been and where they were heading — each of us chirping war stories and little insights to help each other on our next stops. A modern day, Irish golf Mos Eisley Spaceport Cantina for linkster pilots.

Ballybunion Golf Club

Old Course, County Kerry

I implore you, please take a moment to read my Publisher’s Pitch this issue if you have time. It’s about our memorable moment there in Ballybunion in meeting one of their heroes Jackie Hourigan, manager of Harty Costello Town House and past club captain there. He’s one of my top 10 golf people I’ve ever met.

Established in 1893, Ballybunion’s Old Course (the other, shorter Cashen Course, is also part of the complex), ranks as one of Ireland’s best and most challenging courses. For me, it’s the ultimate links heavyweight champion. Tom Watson, who has a statue in front of the clubhouse commemorating his legacy there, said this of the Old Course: “Ballybunion is a course on which many golf architects should live and play before they build a golf course.” Amen, Mr. Watson.

At 6,739 from the blue tees, one might think you can score there. Frankly, the 6,700 yards feels like 7,700 yards with the wind and steep, blind layout. If you could only play two or three courses in Ireland, Ballybunion must be one of them. By the way, I lost nine balls that day — four of which were in the first cut of rough.

Galway Bay Golf Resort

Oranmore

Our time at Galway Bay was highlighted by one our favorite hosts during our trek. Ronan Devaney of the resort went out of his way to make our short stop there filled with hospitality, regaling us with the visions and history that have made Galway Bay a local and Hollywood A-lister favorite since opening in 1993. It’s designed by legendary Irish golfer Christy O’Connor Jr., who will long be remembered for breaking Americans’ hearts in 1989 by beating Fred Couples, which led to Europe retaining the Ryder Cup.

His routing of this 7,300-yard masterpiece is more parkland than it is links. It feels and plays like a salty air country course –sheer magic and rolling lush fairways with perfect views of Galway City across the bay. The Connacht Hospitality Group has made marvelous improvements and upgrades. This is a must play and will accentuate a Galwegian stopover.

Arglass Golf Club

Northern Ireland, County Down

When we decided to return to both Northern Ireland and its sister to the south, Ardglass was at the top of both our lists. Just 45 minutes from where we stayed in Belfast, the drive there is a reminder of the spirit, beauty and grit of this part of the UK. I’ve told countless people this — if I hit the Lotto, I’m moving there and joining Ardglass. For what it costs to play Pebble Beach twice, you can join and be a member here. And, bluntly, the par 70, 6,216yard layout is as beautiful as any links course I’ve ever seen.

The clubhouse is a 15th century castle/warehouse that still has the original cannons right by the first tee. Your first hour on the course is all rugged North Sea shoreline and your opening tee shot must cross a sea gorge with waves crashing right in front of you. This place is bliss to both Kirk and I. He is still the only golfer to ever post an albatross on the 483-yard par-5 11th hole there, which he did 15 years ago. This trip, I had a memorable back nine with three birdies — one of which was a 180-yard par-3 where I hit my driver to thwart a 35-mph gale.

The people there make this place even more memorable. The pro shop and restaurant is top shelf.

Castlemartyr Golf Resort County Cork

When you play golf on the other side of the Atlantic, you know there’s a good chance the course, the land on which it was built, the club that now owns it, or the ancient village down the lane probably has some cool history attached to it.

Maybe an Open Championship was played there in the 19th century? Perhaps a king or queen awarded the club Royal patronage, or it was designed by one of golf’s golden age famous architects? And might a Beatle or Rolling Stone have had a pint in the nearby pub?

The Castlemartyr Golf Resort, 20 miles east of Cork in southern Ireland, may not have hosted an Open Championship − and its golf course might have opened just 15 years ago − but its story is interesting, nonetheless.

The ruins of a 13th-century castle built by the Knights Templar (a popular and highly skilled military order of the Catholic faith founded in Jerusalem in 1119) stand just a few hundred feet from the 17th-century manor house that now forms the centerpiece of the 108-guestroom resort. And yes, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Brian Jones stopped for a pint in Barry’s Bar in the village of Castlemartyr in 1965 on their way to the Savoy Theatre in Cork.

Set in 220 acres of glorious parkland and woodlands with lakes, streams, abundant wildlife and an ornamental garden, the resort opened in 2008 following a significant refurbishment program which produced a grand, five-star hotel that is now listed among the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s most historic in the world.

Terre is the resort’s main fine-dining restaurant and was recently awarded a second Michelin star. The Irish Times calls it one of the best in the country and where Chef Vincent Crepel says he uses “classic French techniques to underpin exciting Asian flavors and local Irish fare.”

Enjoying a meal here is a very special and memorable way to spend an evening and not, perhaps, for the casual diner looking for some everyday comfort food. Here, you eat tuna belly with verjus, radish, trout roe, and Irish truffle seaweed. You might also try the Irish trout with carrot sauce, yuzu kosho, and timut oil, or one of the many other fantastic dishes you’ve never seen or heard of before but will never forget once sampled.

You’re also unlikely to forget the resort’s golf course − a very fine Ron Kirby design − which opened in 2009. His work can be seen elsewhere in the Emerald Isle at courses such as Dromoland Castle and Mount Juliet – where he collaborated with Jack Nicklaus – plus the magnificent Old Head, located just an hour southwest of Castlemartyr.

The setting at Castlemartyr is bucolic with an interesting layout of holes separated by wispy, golden, fescue rough making for a very pleasant round. The back nine is considerably longer than the front, which offers up several genuine birdie chances. Together, they create a course of 6,790 yards with a par of 72.

Following the round, sit down in the distinctive clubhouse for a plate of hake and chips, braised feather blade of beef, or bangers and mash made with O’Connell’s sausages from Limerick. — Tony Dear

Want to make and take a trip just like this one?

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Links to the Links

• TheGrafton.ie

• CastlemartyrResort.ie

• OldHead.com

• BallybunionGolfClub.com

• GalwayBayGolfResort.ie

• ArdglassGolfClub.com

• TheEuropeanClub.com

• Part One of this story is at CascadeGolfer. com — click December 2023 past issues

The European Club

Brittas Bay, County Wicklow

Pat Ruddy’s 20-hole Everest of golf was our final stop (and second time there.) The European Club is just a short 50-minute speed limit drive from Dublin. It’s ranked on many top 100 course lists in the world. For me, it ranks as the hardest course I’ve ever played. I haven’t played them all – but I’ve faced beasts like Carnoustie, Royal County Down and Bethpage Black. The European, which opened in 1992, would have a slope rating at 150-plus from the tips. Why is this a must-play? It’s gorgeous, linksy, rolling, seaside, hilly, prickly and the railroad tie-banked traps and pot bunkers will give you fish tales to tell forever. Par-3 holes 7a and 12a give you two more bites at the cherry and made Ruddy’s magnum opus design world famous. He bought the land, moved the dirt, routed the plan, designed every hole and green, manages the place, wrote a book about it and greeted Kirk and I personally when we arrived. We’ve never received that treatment from Coore/Crenshaw. As much as this place takes a hunk of flesh from you, I would never ever not play it on any trip to Ireland. I love the man and the course.

And Pat’s beef stew, as he puts it, “will allow your heart, mind and body to come together again after you’re done playing.” True that.

Apple Tree Golf Course

It isn’t all about the island green at Apple Tree Golf Course in Yakima.

Most of the other 17 holes could make a claim of noteworthiness, and the whole effect is one of consistent golf challenge, immaculately groomed.

And you can’t not talk about the apple-shaped, par-3 17th green, surrounded by water, which you’ll leave with an answer — for better or worse — to the question, “Did you hit it in one?”

One of Washington’s most-honored courses, Apple Tree is also playable and affordable, with a pleasant mix of man-made (it sits alongside 100-year-old orchards) and naturally scenic features. The course website features drone flyover views of five back-nine holes, and more flyovers will be appearing soon.

No. 14 is long (544 yards) and straight. The green – when you get there – is compact. The 15th is a longish par 4 at 423 yards that rolls up to a large green guarded on the left by a big peanut-shaped bunker. No. 16 is framed on the left, midway down its 388 yards, by four large white-sand bunkers. Another striking trap guards the green.

The finishing hole, a 506-yard par 5, requires

some ball placement skill around the midpoint of the fairway, where it doglegs left toward the clubhouse with huge splash hazards posed by ponds on the left.

Apple Tree is cheaper to play if you’re a Yakima resident, but opportunities for savings exist for non-residents, too. Weekday twilight rates are a particularly good bargain at $43 for all.

No matter when you play, though, you’ll eventually reach No. 17 and its justly famous green. It’s really big (more than 14,000 square feet) and its shape is the ultimate expression of the course’s fruity theme. At 180 yards from the elevated black tees (only 136 from the whites), proper club selection is crucial. You’ll want to get some air under the ball, if for no other reason than it looks cool against a blue sky.

So, did you hit it in one? Well, did you?

YARDAGE (PAR) 5,428-6,961 yards

RATES $43-$72 weekdays, $54-$93 weekends*

TEL (509) 966-5877

WEB appletreeresort.com

* Check website for current rates

Apple Tree Golf Course • Yakima

Walter Hall Golf Course

Shayne Day, General Manager for Premier Golf Centers at Walter Hall Golf Course and Legion Memorial (its sister course in Everett), describes the former — affectionately known as “Walter” — like this:

• Walter Hall has a fully stocked pro shop, a full kitchen (with some outdoor seating) and a fun golf course layout.

• The par-72 course stretches to just over 6,400 yards from the tips and boasts naturally beautiful scenery and a creek running throughout the back nine.

• Walter is a friendly course off the tee and tightens up near the greens. With 18 new greens installed a few years ago, the course is in great shape year-round.

After a tough January, when the course was closed for 11 days due to snow and severe freezing conditions, Day says business has recovered and things are looking good for 2024. Of course, this comes off the heels of 2023, which saw the best revenue year in Walter Hall history due to the continued “pandemic boom.”

Day says Walter doesn’t have a “signature hole.” It

features a traditional 4/4/10 layout, with four par 3s, four par 5s, and 10 par 4s. He adds that the two most popular holes are back-to-back, 14 and 15.

The par-3 14th has a slightly elevated teeing ground and ranges between 130 and 180 yards. Players aim over the creek bed, and if they come up short, their ball could roll back down the hill into it.

Then it’s off to the difficult 15th hole, which is visually challenging off the tee. Players navigate through a penalty area on the left and tall grass, plus a small creek on the right, before arriving at the fairly flat green. The shortish par 5 plays just under 500 yards. Day says if you can’t hit the middle of the fairway off the tee, you’re probably staring at a bogey or worse.

Like the other Premier courses, Walter Hall uses the dynamic pricing model. Day recommends booking early to get the best price possible.

YARDAGE (PAR) 5,816-6,403 yards

RATES $21-$37 weekdays, $19-$42 weekends*

TEL (425) 353-4653

WEB everettgolf.com

* Check website for current rates

2 Great Spring Events

2024

SEATTLE 3

West Seattle Golf Course

Veteran Northwest golf pro Colin Gants has no problem naming West Seattle Golf Course as his favorite course in the region.

He is biased, though. The head pro and GM has spent the last 34 years at the course, the only one where he’s ever worked. However, he does make a good case for the quality and value of the West Seattle experience.

Owned by the city of Seattle and operated by Premier Golf Centers, the course is fresh off its alltime best revenue year. Over 65,000 rounds were played there in 2023, about 30 percent of which were highly discounted opportunities for senior and youth players.

Gants grew up in Spokane and went to the University of Washington. He started as a golf professional at his favorite course in 1990 and has loved every moment of it. He has lots to say about West Seattle, designed by legendary architect H. Chandler Egan, and his passion shows through in every sentence.

“The course is spectacular,” he says. “And the membership is just as passionate about its course as me. The front nine wanders through a wooded setting with Longfellow Creek coming into play on six of the nine holes, while the back has the most

breathtaking views of Seattle’s skyline that I know.”

Most players name the oft-photographed No. 12 as Egan’s signature achievement here, according to Gants. The 480-yard par 5 offers a landing area pinched by Longfellow Creek and a bunker. The green sits on a 40-foot hill protected by the creek on the left.

The pro’s favorite hole is No. 2, a 320-yard par 4 requiring an approach to a green where the penalty area is only five feet from its edge.

Like all courses in the Premier portfolio, West Seattle operates under the dynamic pricing model, which offers the greatest affordability at low-demand times.

Value, hand in hand with quality.

“My pet peeve is when I hear golfers say West Seattle is the best muni in the Puget Sound area,” says Gants. “I quickly correct them encouraging them to remove the ’muni’ modifier. West Seattle is one of the best courses in the entire state, period.”

YARDAGE (PAR) 4,756-6,805 yards

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Does rolling back the golf ball really change the game?

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, or turned the internet off in early December, you’ll be aware that, since our last issue in December 2023, the USGA and R & A have decided to limit the distance a golf ball can travel.

In testing, the governing bodies’ robots are currently programmed to swing a club at 120 mph with the limit a ball can travel set at 317 yards (with a three-yard tolerance). Also, the launch angle in this test is set at 11 degrees with 2,200 rpm of spin. In the future, the clubhead speed will increase to 125 mph with the 317-yard limit and all the other parameters remaining the same.

According to the USGA, it means the elite, male golfer will lose nine to eleven yards with a driver. The average drive of women tour pros is expected to drop up to seven yards, while you, me, and the rest of the world will probably hit it five yards shorter. Some dispute these numbers, saying a low single-figure handicapper may lose something closer to 10 yards. But it’s generally conceded the high-80s/low90s shooter will barely detect any difference between the distance he/she hits it now and how far they hit it in 2030 — when the rule change comes into effect for everyone (elite competitions will enforce the new rule two years earlier).

Judging by the furor that followed the announcement, rolling back the golf ball is an extremely sensitive issue. Numerous polls have shown that many golfers feel negatively toward the decision, and we know there will be readers for whom it seems utterly appalling, not to mention poorly timed given the wave of popularity golf has experienced since COVID-19. It’s understandable; humans rarely enjoy having anything taken from them.

But we can’t help feeling some of the reaction was a little drastic, especially from people threatening to stop playing golf altogether. Let’s put it in perspective and give the issue of how far we hit a small ball with a stick during our leisure time its proper significance. Let’s not even suggest we’re going to quit the game we love so deeply, and which allows us to spend such quality time with our family and friends. They’ll lose the same five yards we

COMMENTARY BY TONY DEAR • CG EDITOR

might, and no one at our level (non-Tour standard) will be getting any noticeable advantage over anyone else. Though it may feel almost personal to some, let’s also remember the USGA and R & A, are acting in the best long-term interests of the game.

Mike Whan of the USGA and Martin Slumbers of the R & A knew very well this would cause a great deal of conversation. But they stood firm. In the past, both had said that golf could no longer do nothing while its footprint continued to grow. They were looking 40-50 years ahead, attempting to halt the slow but perceptible creep towards a game where choice of equipment, not development of skill, determined who won.

They saw golf taking too long, costing too much, and having too great an impact on the environment. “While thousands will claim we did too much,” Whan has been quoted as saying, “there will be just as many who say we didn’t do enough. But from the very beginning, we’ve been driven to do what is right for golf. We would be failing in our responsibility if we didn’t take appropriate action now.”

It’s also worth noting Padraig Harrington’s comments.

WThe popular Irish golfer said the hostility towards the rule makers was predominantly an American thing. “We love the R & A in Europe,” he said. “In Ireland, we all know a course that has had to change its holes because the ball is just going too far. And it’s not just the pros, it’s young guys — people we want to bring into the game. They can really hit it, and when they miss, they miss big. It’s dangerous, and the course can’t get insurance. I know there’s a bit of pain for the majority, but it’s for the greater good of the game.”

In 1990, the USGA and R & A agreed that the golf ball must be 1.68 inches in diameter (the size of today’s ball). Until then, golfers outside of USGA-governed countries had played a 1.62-inch diameter ball whose properties made it significantly longer than the 1.68-inch ball used in America. Overnight, British, European, Australian, African, South American, and Asian golfers lost 20-25 yards off the tee.

People were upset, sure. I remember my dad grumbling about how much shorter his drives were. He didn’t let it take away his love for golf, however, and it wasn’t long before he, and everyone else, had adapted. I think we can too.

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