SAVE SOME GREEN
Snoqualmie Falls Golf Course • Fall City
Whidbey Golf Club • Oak Harbor
1
Whidbey Golf Club OAK HARBOR
About the only thing that might be as good as playing Whidbey Golf Club is getting there. The 61-year-old facility is situated on the north end of the island in beachy Oak Harbor, one of the most popular spots in the state. Coming from the Seattle area, folks can take I-5 to the Mukilteo-Clinton ferry for a 20-minute ride across the Sound. Then it’s another 45-minute drive to Oak Harbor, a beautiful pastoral route past Freeland, Greenbank, Ebey’s Landing and Coupeville. Or you can continue north on I-5 (or south from Bellingham/Vancouver, B.C.) to SR 20 west and come onto the island over the Deception Pass Bridge, an awe-inspiring sight. Then it’s just another 15 minutes to the course. Whidbey is semi-private which works well not just for local members but also visitors. Locals have access to the course each day until 1 p.m. when the tee-sheet opens to the public — ideal for visitors who spend the morning traveling. “It’s a nice destination for the weekend,” says Arik Dahlen, Whidbey’s general manager. “There’s a lot of stay-and-play places and five or six hotels in the area.” Something else that’s really attractive about the course is that it drains well. And even if there’s a downpour in much of the Puget Sound area, there’s a good chance of a dry round as Oak Harbor 54
JUNE 2022
2
Snoqualmie Falls Golf Course FALL CITY
is in the Olympic Mountain Rain Shadow — the area receives around 19 inches of rain annually which is about half of the rest of the region. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean your golf ball is guaranteed to stay dry. “Water is in play on almost every hole,” says Dahlen. “It’s a very good everyday play. You have to miss in the right spots on the greens which have some tricky hole locations. There’s a lot of risk/reward shots, and you’ll have to use every club in your bag — not just your driver, 8-iron and wedge. There’s good character to it.” Dahlen adds there are at least a couple holes that you’ll remember on your pleasant ride back home — the 8th, a short par 4 of 244 yards that curls around a large lake, and the 414-yard 12th where you’ll face all sorts of water and tree issues, especially as you near the green. Dahlen says the course enjoys a long list of loyal members, and visitors. “Absolutely,” he adds. “We have a lot of repeat customers.”
Snoqualmie Falls Golf Course, much like most golfers’ games, is never the same, always changing. “We’re always trying to make improvements,” says David Doty, the course’s director of golf, who has been at ‘SnoFalls’ for 29 years and has seen a myriad of changes. “We’re always moving.” The course, which sits in a flood plain adjacent to the Snoqualmie River, has undergone extensive irrigation improvements over the years. It has been lengthened and now measures 5,900 yards from the added blue tees. There’s also a new name for its eatery — ‘the Slapstick Grill’, with improved menu items and the latest microbrews. “We came out of the winter just fine,” says Doty. “We’re building a new tee (No. 3), and the course is in great shape. The greens are in wonderful condition. I’d put our greens up against anyone’s.” Like so many other golf courses, public and private, Doty says that during last year, and continuing this year, folks are playing the game in abundance. “Golf has grown like crazy here.” He adds. “I had no idea it would go up that much after the pandemic. We’re seeing a lot of new faces now becoming regular faces. They’re discovering us. It’s their golf course.” What keeps these new golfers coming back are some of the lowest green fees in the area and the companionship of the course’s clubs. SnoFalls has a Men’s Club, a Ladies Club and a Club At The Nation that’s a mix of all.
YARDAGE 4,207-6,537 yards RATES $$31-$57* TEL (360) 675-5490 WEB whidbeygolfclub.com * Check website for current rates
YARDAGE 4,767-5,900 yards RATES $32-$47* TEL (425) 222-5244 WEB snoqualmiefallsgolf.com * Check website for current rates cascadegolfer.com
