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Follow The Sun
BY TONY DEAR • CG EDITOR
All roads lead to CENTRAL WASHINGTON where warm weather, golf and wine meet you at every turn
There are a lot of great aspects to life in Washington, but we’re not sure anything beats a summer trip over the passes and the promise of long, warm, sunny days in the central part of the state. You might be heading east just for the weather (last year when the temperature cracked the 100-degree mark notwithstanding, is there a better place in the country from the middle of May through the middle of September?), but many will also be weighing the car down with kayaks, rafts, bikes, water skis, Jet skis, campers, tents, hammocks and golf clubs.
If you do bring your sticks along for the ride, you likely know there are loads of great places to tee it up at. There’s nothing like the same concentration of courses that there is in the Greater Seattle area, of course, but there’s more than enough for you to enjoy a memorable summer sojourn.
And we’re not taking about modest, unadorned nine-holers (though we love a quick spin around them, too) but regionally, even nationally acclaimed courses that the national publications have awarded four stars or higher. Although Gamble Sands in Brewster gets a few headlines for this part of the state, here are some of our other favorites, together with a nearby winery for each course because a tasting after your game turns ‘a day’ into an ‘A+ day’.
Suncadia Resort • CLE ELUM
If only we could spend all summer at Suncadia. What a few weeks that would be. We’d spend time at the pool, kayaking on the lakes and streams, hiking and biking, and playing a little bocce and croquet. We might throw some axes, fire some arrows on the archery range, go rafting and fly fishing. There might be a little spa time. And, yes, we may even go to the fitness center to build the energy levels and stamina we’d need for all these activities.
Most of all, though, we’d play golf.
There are three courses at Suncadia — one private (Tumble Creek) and two that anyone can play — Prospector and Rope Rider. Prospector was designed by the late, great Arnold Palmer, opened in 2005 and, like every course ‘The King’ ever built, is all about letting as many golfers as possible have as much fun as possible. Though he certainly won a few in his time, Palmer didn’t build courses to hold championships necessarily — layouts so difficult only very good golfers could possibly enjoy them.
That’s not to say Prospector is easy — you need to play well to score well — but it won’t chew you up and spit you out. Nor will Rope Rider, designed by Peter Jacobsen and Jim Hardy and opened in 2011. Rope Rider is perfect for young golfers as six-hole loops are quite possible thanks to the course’s routing, but the full 18 is a memorable round.
Visit Suncadia.com and write your own narrative there.
TASTING NOTES
Savor Suncadia at Swiftwater
Swiftwater Cellars SwiftwaterCellars.com was built right on top of Coal Mine No. 9 (Roslyn, Cle Elum, and Ronald mining operation). The winery houses the Rope Rider pro shop and is steps from the 1st tee.
Apple Tree Resort • YAKIMA
Nine miles southwest of Yakima, lies one of Washington’s most popular courses. A John Steidel design with seven good-sized water features that opened in 1992, Apple Tree was built on, and is surrounded by, land whose trees have yielded delicious fruit for over 100 years.
If, for whatever reason, you’ve not heard of Apple Tree, and reach the 17th tee without knowing what comes next, you might get quite a shock (of course, if you’re reading this it will be less startling), but most will have prepared themselves mentally for the shot over water to the 10,000 square-foot apple-shaped green.
The 17th may get 99 percent of the attention directed at what Cascade Golfer readers voted the 13th best public course in the state last year, but there’s plenty more good golf. The apple hole is part of magnificent closing stretch that begins with the 544-yard 14th whose green features a waterfall at the front left of the green.
The long par 4 15th seems to narrow significantly as you approach the green, and the short-ish, uphill par 4 16th has a string of bunkers up the left which you should do all in your power to avoid. The closing hole is a splendid par 5 with water left. Get a good drive away though and you should find your way to the green safely. Beyond the course, Apple Tree is known for its excellent service and great food.
Drop your next pin and visit AppleTreeResort.com to book today.
TASTING NOTES
Our Yakima AVA fave is Gilbert Cellars
Owned by Charlie and Gloria Gilbert who both studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Portland, Gilbert Cellars GilbertCellars.com opened in 2004 a couple of miles west of Apple Tree GC.
Lake Chelan Golf Course • CHELAN
The residents of Chelan are a lucky lot. Not only do they live in some of the most beautiful country in America with the narrow, 50-mile-long, and always-beautiful Lake Chelan right on their doorstep, they also can take the short trip up Highway 150 and No See Um Road to a municipal golf course that rarely fails to provide a great day out, especially in the summertime.
The views over Spaders Bay and whatever else of the lake you can see are the main attraction of a course that opened in 1964 and which stretches to 6,459 yards. It’s not difficult by any means but be careful the lake and mountains in the background don’t distract you too much.
Hold steady on the tougher front nine before letting loose on the ‘gettable’ back nine where five sub-400-yard par 4s and a couple of sub-500-yard par 5s give you a chance of shooting a summer score to remember.
See what lake life is all about at CityofChelan.us.
Tasting Notes
Vino Victory at Vin du Lac
In between the lake and golf course, about a mile southwest of the clubhouse is Vin Du Lac VinDuLac.com whose first vintage was in 2002. With a beautiful view over the lake as well as a bistro which uses vegetables and herbs from its own garden, it’s a great place to visit following your round.
Bear Mountain Ranch • CHELAN
We love each of the courses listed here, but Bear Mountain Ranch might well be the highlight of your trip to central Washington. The design team of Jerry Scofield, Robert Yount and Don Barth stitched together a few exhilarating holes here high above Lake Chelan. However, it’s important to note that Mark Miller, a former Seattle resident now based in his native Colorado, made some changes to the 5th, 6th, and 9th shortly after the course opened.
Following a slightly idiosyncratic tee shot at the 1st, the front nine opens out into some gorgeous golfing country with superb views of the lake. The back nine is very different, climbing to the highest point of the course at the 13th green and dropping down to a tough stretch home that includes par 5s of 586 and 680 yards, assuming you’re playing the black tees at 7,231 yards which, perhaps, you shouldn’t if you’re looking for a pleasant game with a few birdie chances.
Visit BearMtGolf.com and you’ll see what we’re talking about.
Tasting Notes
We’re toasting Tsillan Cellars
Visit this winery’s web site TsillanCellars.com and you’ll understand why we’re recommending it within a second or two. The beautiful Italian country retreat architecture as well as the wine, of course, not to mention the wonderful restaurant will make Tsillan as big a part of your day as the golf.
Highlander GC • EAST WENATCHEE
Golf is great wherever you play it, but there are just some places that work better than others. Some courses linger longer in the memory and are just thrilling to play. Highlander, which opened in 2002 six miles southeast of Wenatchee, is just such a place.
There are holes at this John Steidel design, situated 800 feet above the Columbia River, where you wonder how great a task if must have been to build a course at all. The bookends to each half are spectacularly located to put it mildly. Steidel had Jim Haley to count on, however, so the course worked out just fine. Haley is hugely experienced and a widely respected construction expert who worked with Pete Dye, Rees Jones and David McLay-Kidd at Bandon Dunes.
A number of changes have happened at Highlander over the years, especially in 2013 when the back nine was transformed with the addition of the new canyon hole at the 17th. And the course has recovered well after very high temperatures more or less destroyed the greens in 2021.
“The course is in great shape considering what the heat did to it,” says Mark Babst, the head golf professional and director of golf. “The new greens, plus all the other greens that were affected have recovered nicely. We were concerned obviously but are very happy with how everything has turned out.”
At 5,899 yards, with those amazing views of the Columbia, and the greens back to good health, Highlander is once again a great spot for a summer visit. Surf the web to HighlanderGC.com and book today.
Tasting Notes
Make your way to Martin Scott Winery
Owned by the husband-and-wife team of Tim and Becky Scott, Martin Scott MartinScottWinery.com started out from very humble beginnings but has grown into one of Wenatchee’s favorite wineries.
Desert Canyon Golf Resort • ORONDO
Twenty-five miles north of Wenatchee in another spot where golf must have seemed an unlikely possibility at one time, lies Desert Canyon, designed by Jack Frei and opened in 1993.
Set in the high desert well above the river valley, Desert Canyon might even outdo Highlander’s views, especially as it is a little more remote and there are fewer houses around.
The back tees are set at 7,285 yards but unless you play golf for a living or represent your club/state/country, and are just looking for a fun summer jaunt, you’re far more likely to enjoy your day out if you stick to the blue or whites. There are numerous standout holes, but the par 5 7th and 15th are the two that many remember most fondly.
Delve deeper at DesertCanyonResort.com.
TASTING NOTES
Cheers to Chateau Faire Le Pont
Desert Canyon is out there, so to speak, so you’ll need to head back to Wenatchee to visit the nearest winery. Chateau Faire Le Pont FaireLePont.com is at 1 Vineyard Way on the east side of the Columbia. Great wine and a terrific restaurant too.
Kahler Mountain Club • LEAVENWORTH
A year ago, we outlined the changes that were going on at Kahler Glen, or rather The Kahler Glen Golf and Ski Resort, or rather the Kahler Mountain Club — it’s come of age and so has its new name and look.
Details are ever-evolving about this amazing destination. It’s spearheaded by new owner Scott Peyree, a career entrepreneur and Kahler homeowner, who invests heavily in the resort and community-owned condo and second-home destination.
What we can happily tell you though, is that the bunker renovation Kahler Mountain Club told us about last year, is now complete and that the course looks great. “The work was done by our superintendent and the maintenance crew,” says Blaze Paul who works in the pro shop. “The course looks fantastic now, and the greens are as good as I’ve ever seen them.”
This Randy Pelton-designed course, the first nine holes of which opened in the late 1980s with a second nine completing the full 18 in 1990, has always felt a little secluded, but it’s only five miles from Coles Corner on Highway 2.
And with the new-look bunkers and the greens in terrific shape, now is a great time to play it. See the exciting changes at KahlerMountainClub.com for yourself.
TASTING NOTES
Pouring it on at Plain Cellars
Named for the town, Plain Cellars PlainCellars.com has been making award-winning wines since 2005. Be sure to try the Summer Solstice Red, a delicious Cab/Malbec/Syrah blend that was their first-ever wine. Located about seven miles southeast of the golf course in the community of Plain, Wash.
Follow The Sun To These Other Favorites
As noted in the introduction, there are plenty of courses (nine and 18 holes) that you can play in this part of the state that will make your summer trip that bit more enjoyable. We don’t have space to list them all, but it would be remiss of us not to mention a few others we particularly enjoy are:
Alta Lake Golf Resort • AltaLakeGolf.com
Leavenworth Golf Club • LeavenworthGolf.com
The Links at Moses Pointe • MosesPoint.com
Othello Golf Club • Othellowa.gov
Gamble Sands Resort • GambleSands.com
and a Cascade Golfer and Seattle Golf Show favorite
Sun Country Golf Course • GolfSunCountry.com
