Publisher's Pitch

Fun Five Northwest Nuggets for Summer – dig these or make your own memories

DICK STEPHENS

This issue is certainly a reflection of Seattle’s cool funkiness and our state’s bounty of golf and gastronomy. Our golf “cred” wields a special power up here in our tiny little corner of the world.

Since January, I experienced the sport in a lot of different sandboxes so to speak — garnering a good grasp of what’s hot and what’s not right now. I’ve been to Orlando for the PGA Show and produced our own golf expos with our team in New England, St. Louis, Kansas City, Portland and here in Seattle. I enjoyed some R and R in Pebble Beach and went to Colonial in Ft. Worth.

Having a chance to reflect, I’m surely blessed and glad to be back at it on the biz front of the sport. Why am I bringing this up? It’s simple — what we have in the Northwest no one else has anywhere. Ok, so it rained for what seemed to be 40 days and 40 nights in April and May. Well, maybe 50 nights. But with June’s arrival, that means the longest days anywhere in the lower 48 are upon us and I’m going to take full advantage — Northwest style — all summer. Strolling up the 18th of my home track Snohomish GC at 9 p.m. and I can still see twilight — eat your heart out Kansas.

Having hit all four corners of the map this year, it made me appreciate what we have here more than ever. I love the Midwest — I grew up there. But, in all candor, its golf geography is so similar from one course to the next. Not a true links in sight and no mountains. No rushing rivers with glacier melt flowing through them and salt water is 2,000 miles in both directions.

The prairies have their own beauty for sure. But nothing like Seattle in the summer.

This June issue is busting with content that showcases how awesome it is here. The Huskies winning the Pac- 12, your voice and vote counting as we let you choose the Top 10 best public courses, an inner-city Seattle kid turned rap icon turned golf fanatic in Macklemore, and amazing places to eat and drink all over the state.

So, to get you in the spirit of voting for our Top 10 Public Courses (see page 40), I thought I’d share my little Fun Five Northwest Nuggets for Summer. It’s not official, just some stops and pops that anyone can do. These are some personal faves — here ya go.

Fun Five Northwest Nuggets for Summer

• Play Chambers Bay with a caddie. Caddie service is rare and fleeting but one of the great spoils of the sport. Let a pro looper do the heavy lifting and give you the reads. It’s also just a cool feeling to experience golf as it once was. And Chambers on a late afternoon — it’s amazing as you stroll the links.

• Complete opposite — spend the day at Green Lake. Play the 9-hole Pitch N’ Putt (all 705 yards of it), take a wedge, a putter, one ball, a friend and bring not a care in the world. I’ve played it many times and always love it. The little clubhouse, the patio — it still has that 1948 kitsch. When you’re done, fold out a blanket, chill, get some Duke’s fish or chowder and people watch. And there’s pubs galore all around the lake.

• Buy a pass to the Boeing Classic and watch the greats. This is our big event — embrace it. Snoqualmie Ridge, originally a TPC course, was built for stadium hillside seating. It’s a spectator’s dream. And the 14th and 18th are as cool as anything on Tour.

• Slip on down to Gearhart (Ore.) Golf Links and play a piece of history. The true links layout here is the oldest formal course west of the Mississippi. Think about that — it’s 129 years old. The McMenamins there is above the clubhouse and there’s even a little pub on the course, too. It’s affordable and a slam dunk easy drive. The food and drink there is to die for.

• Make your own sea-to-sky golf trip. Pick anywhere in Seattle — but make it Evergreen. Something sea level and piney for round one. Then, get a fresh cup of joe, and make tracks for central or eastern Washington for round two. Play in the mountains or desert — there’s endless possibilities. And the drive between the two spots is as cool as the rounds themselves. Can’t do that in Iowa.

Our summer is bright, and we can’t wait to see you out there in the greatest place to play in America. Enjoy the sport, stay in touch and AS ALWAYS — TAKE IT EASY.