Cascade Golfer Dec. 2022

CASCADE GOLFER

cascadegolfer.com

Cascade Golfer is published and owned by Varsity Communications, Inc. It’s mailed via USPS to 50,000 homes and e-mailed to 100,000 golfers in Puget Sound.

PUBLISHER’S PITCH

VARSITY COMMUNICATIONS, INC. varsitycommunications.com

It’s hard to believe all of us here at Cas cade Golfer are putting the finishing touches on another volume of issues. This edition will be a “wrap” of our 16th volume of this periodical. As I’ve shared countlessly here, it’s a labor of love and among the lon gest running titles any of us have ever been associated with. It means this seasoned team here is “experienced” lol.

DICK STEPHENS

EDITORIAL STAFF

PUBLISHERS

Dick Stephens & Kirk Tourtillotte

EDITOR Tony Dear

ART DIRECTION & GRAPHIC DESIGN

Robert Becker WRITERS

Bob Sherwin & Taryn Hauglie

FOR EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS AND INQUIRIES:

Dick Stephens • Publisher stephens@varsitycommunications.com

FOR ACCOUNTING INQUIRIES: Kirk Tourtillotte • Publisher kirk@varsitycommunications.com

ADVERTISING & MARKETING STAFF SALES/MARKETING MANAGER & TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR

Simon Dubiel simon@cascadegolfer.com

COPYRIGHT 2022 Cascade Golfer. PRINTED IN THE USA. All rights reserved. Articles, photos, advertising and/ or graphics may not be reprinted without the written permission of the publisher. Advertising and editorial contained herein does not constitute endorsement of Cascade Golfer or Varsity Communications, Inc. Publisher reserves the right to edit letters, photos and copy submitted and publish only excerpts. The publisher has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all material contained in this issue. However, as unpredictable changes and errors do occur, the publisher can assume no liability for errors, omissions or changes.

All photos are courtesy of the course or individual unless otherwise noted.

PRODUCER AND OWNER OF THE

There’s no other band of brothers and sisters I’d want to craft this magazine with than the ones I work alongside with here. I wish to thank and point the spotlight on the following folks and say thank you to: Mike Livingston and his team at Puetz Golf, Art Director Rob Becker, Sales/Marketing Manager and Tournament Director Simon Dubiel, Editor Tony Dear, Staff Writer Bob Sherwin, Accounting Maven Pam Titland and new teammates Taryn Hauglie and Tiffanie Neyens. And of course, the amazing photogra phers like Rob Perry and others that grace these pages with their imagery.

Last, but certainly not least, one of the two people I wish to draw special attention to in this month’s column is my business partner of 31 years and the Co-Publisher of this title Kirk Tourtillotte. Kirk has taken on a back ground support role now as part of a long-awaited re tirement vision that is now being realized. He’s helping us with the business end of things still and has not cut the cord completely but stepped away from the wheel house and done so masterfully. With Ozzie Boyle, Kirk helped found Varsity Communications in 1985.

As a leader and huge part of every element of this title since we started it in 2006, Kirk has poured the sweat of his life into our company, culture, team, proj ects and clients. Frankly, his talents and reliability are standard setting. We all have learned and benefitted so much from Kirk and each of us are better for just being associated with him. Kirk launched magazine titles, golf expos, culinary events, websites, campaigns, done work in nearly 50 states and internationally — always meet ing and exceeding his marks and hitting deadlines. I’ve watched Kirk craft and close a $1 million deal and ad dress a $10 item with the same care and follow through time and time again. He’s always one to lift up those around him and is the Yin to my Yang as a biz partner. I love this dude and look forward to all of us keeping his projects healthy and alive for years to come. It’s a new honor to work with him in his new role.

Farewell friend, colleague and visionary Trisha Larsen

The North American golf industry lost a giant, a bright light and shapeshifter with the passing of our good friend Trisha Larsen just a few short weeks ago.

Upon hearing the news of losing her battle with cancer at age 54, I was in total shock. I’m still struggling with comprehending this like thousands of others that were blessed to know her and her work. We’re the same age and I have worked with Trisha and her team since 1994. In fact, she was one of my first-ever advertising clients.

Trisha was a leader and founder of the British Co lumbian company The Web Advisors, based in Vernon, B.C., nestled in among the Okanogans where she made so many impacts. If you played golf on mainland B.C. or on Vancouver Island at any time in the last 25 years, it’s nearly impossible that her work, vision and talent didn’t touch your links experiences in some way. She raised up, grew and invented the marketability of golf in B.C. in countless ways across Canada and the U.S. Her dynamic reputation is one of grace, strength, care and account ability — her results are immeasurable, and she was a one-of-a-kind talent.

Trisha was an amazing wife, mother, daughter, sib ling, co-worker and friend and those that knew her all echo the same sentiments. We greatly respect the many projects we collaborated on with her and her compa ny over the years via our magazines and golf expos. I had the great pleasure of writing about B.C. golf on the island and mainland many times because of her invitations to join her media trips she designed and set up. Our hearts are with her lovely family and The Web Advisors team.

Trisha’s family has requested that you please consid er a donation in her name to your local SPCA or the B.C. Cancer Foundation.

Thank you for your patronage and support this year, enjoy and embrace the holiday season, AND, AS ALWAYS, TAKE IT EASY.

Reflections of 2022 brings about kudos and fond farewells to industry giants

Tourtillotte (left), Stephens and the Varsity team have published Cascade Golfer for 16 years and produced over 120 golf expos nationwide.

n August, we published Washington’s top 10 (top 20, actually) public courses as voted by our read ers. And, not for the first time, Druids Glen came in 19th. The Covington course, located 30 miles south east of Seattle, had finished 19th twice before and only once slipped outside the top 20. The majority of the state’s courses would have been very happy with such a position, certainly. But for many, it seemed the 1997 Keith Foster design, once owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, could battle for top 10 course honors each year given its amazing layout.

The course was purchased in 2019 by Parks Leg acy Project (PLP) of Phoenix, which owns several properties in the western U.S. Its mission, as stated on its web site, is to ‘provide for the improvement and long-term financial sustainability of public parks and recreation facilities’, its goals realized through a ‘careful process that follows three primary principles: planning for the future, funding improvements, and creating new neighborhoods.’

In July of 2021, PLP hired course architect Forrest Richardson, then President of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, and his design partner, Jeff Danner, for a major renovation. Its aim, said Danner, would be to “create a more aesthetic and thought-provoking golf experience.”

“We really want to see Druids Glen climb into Washington’s top 10 public courses,” Richardson told us on the phone in November. “It is a great course but has definitely begun to show signs of wear and tear.”

Richardson and Danner — the company operates under the name Richardson Danner Golf Course Architects — issued a press re

lease shortly after being hired, stating that the project would focus on a bunker renovation, turf reduction, irrigation enhancements and the addition of forward tees. Richardson now says that only a “small portion” of the work began last year, specifically turf reduction (reducing the total amount of maintained turf from 113 acres to 80 would reduce water consumption by about 15 percent).

But work stopped for multiple reasons: the on going pandemic, PLP’s investments elsewhere, and in order to establish a new restaurant at Druids Glen — Grill in the Woods — which offers 30 beers on tap and has been getting some very positive reviews. It is unclear when the golf course project will kick back into action and what exactly will happen when it does.

We contacted PLP in November, but it wasn’t ready to reveal exactly what improvements will be made. Our hope is the proposed bunker work (more naturalized edges) and the addition of heather will go ahead. Danner has plenty of experience playing in the English heathland southwest of London where the beautiful, purple-colored, low-growing shrub proliferates. In the July 2021 press release, he said

“While heather is traditionally associated with re gions of western Europe, especially Surrey and Berk shire in England, the many varieties and colors can be fast-growing in North America,” he added.

We’re also keeping our fingers crossed for the new forward tees which, Danner said in 2021, would “help make the course more enjoyable for those just learning the game as well as those keen on hitting approaches into greens that are more in line with the design intent of the holes.”

Like most public courses across the country, Dru ids Glen has seen a significant rise in the number of rounds played over the last couple of years and new forward tees would certainly help new golfers enjoy the course more.

We’ll be following the Druids Glen renovation project closely and fully expect that, when completed, it could potentially push the course into the state’s top dozen public courses, or higher.

Calluna Vulgaris is actually well-suited to the Wash ington climate.

Is Druids Glen poised to become one of Washington’s best courses?

Druids Glen is consistently a fan favorite in Puget Sound.

Desert Willow Golf Resort, located in Palm Desert, California, offers two of the Coachella Valley’s best plays. Test your skills against the natural hazards and myriad water features of the challenging Firecliff Course (Ranked #20 Best Courses You Can Play by Golfweek Magazine), or play a smoother, more relaxing round on the magnificent Mountain View Course, highlighting rolling fairways, flowing water features, and natural desert floral. Desert Willow is unlike any other Southern California golf experience. You will see it in our service-oriented staff, our two championship golf courses, our spectacular Clubhouse (#35 Top Clubhouses by Club + Resort Business), The Palm Desert Golf Academy, Weddings, Meetings and Special Events, Scenic Outdoor Dining at The Terrace, and of course the incredible views of the surrounding Santa Rosa Mountains.

SHORT GAME

USGA brings two more national championships to Puget Sound

The USGA, established in 1894 and which branched out to Washington state in 1922, will feature its newest and most improved golf event at The Home Course next May: the 2023 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship.

The event, which began for women in 1977, was once called the U.S. Amateur Public Links. That titled event ended after 2014, then hosted at The Home Course when Furnie ‘Alice’ Jo defeated Seong Eun-jeong, both of South Korea, 3 and 2.

The USGA then revamped its ‘Links’ format the subsequent year to a two-per son best ball style, for both women and men (who started their competition in 1922). This will be the eighth edition of the women’s event.

“It’s a two-person best ball,” said Home Course GM Justin Gravatt. “You have teams of two women, both playing their own ball. Lowest score wins the hole.”

The event, running from May 12-17, begins with a field of 64 teams playing two days of stroke play, 36 holes. That then narrows to a field of 32 teams playing match play rounds over the next four days.

“It’s a lot of golf,” Gravatt said. “Some days, they’re playing 36 holes. The winner might have to play nine rounds in six days.”

That’s probably why the grueling schedule leads to so many junior players making up most of the contestants. At the Four-Ball championship last year played in Puerto Rico, 80 percent of the field was 18 years old or younger. A total of four teenagers advanced to the finals. At The Home Course Four-Ball qualifier last summer, a pair of 13-year-olds, Angela Zhang of Bellevue and Alice Ziyi Zhao of Irvine, Calif., won the event. They combined for a 7-under 65.

“It’s becoming a younger crowd,” Gravatt said.

2023 U.S. Women’s

Four-Ball

May 12-17 • 2023 • The Home Course

Two-person best ball Saturday & Sunday

www.usga.org

Besides the two women’s events, The Home Course has co-hosted (with Chambers Bay) a pair of other USGA events: the 2010 U.S. Amateur stroke play, and the 2021 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship. “The USGA was pleased with our (hosting),” Gravatt said. “We got back another soon after.”

This DuPont property has followed a long and varied course over the decades. When the USGA began operations in 1894, Washington had been a state for just five years. The land was held by various Native American tribes, and Hudson’s Bay Co. built a fort. There was evidence that a crude six-hole golf course was laid out around the fort.

The E.I. DuPont de Nemours Co. constructed a plant in 1906 to manufacture explosives. Weyerhaeuser took over in the late 1970s. The property was cleaned up and the golf course became part of the master plan.

2027 U.S. Women’s Senior Amateur to be played at Tacoma Country and Golf Club

emale golfers will have another championship in the Northwest five years from now. Tacoma Country & Golf Club in Lakewood was awarded the U.S. Senior Amateur by the USGA this past summer. The event will be Aug. 19-22, 2027.

This will be the ninth go-around for the Senior event. It’s also the fifth USGA women’s event hosted by the club. The previous events were the 1961 U.S. Wom en’s Amateur, the 1984 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur, the 1994 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, and the 2007 U.S. Girls’ Juniors.

Enter to Win a Seattle Golf Show VIP Package

he golf show is coming March 11-12 and we want you to be there. You and your three friends have tickets on us, and we are going to treat you like VIPs. Get free swings at the shows long drive and closest-to-thepin contests in our simulator. Play in the putting and chipping challenges — all on us! We will see you there! Enter to win at CascadeGolfer.com.

Did

Know That A VA Loan Is A Perfect Solution To Combat High Interest Rates Due To Inflation?

THANK YOU to all our Veterans for your dedicated service, and here’s a tip… NOW is the perfect time to check your VA Benefit. While your favorite golf courses go into hibernation, VA Home Loans are providing one of the best ways to leverage your buying power in a high interest rate environment with 0% down payment potential. As a LOCAL VA Loan professional, allow me to assist your family with an affordable home loan during this season of uncertain interest rates. Call me today for your free consultation, and please inquire about our special STaR Loan program designed for Veterans, First Responders, Teachers and Health Care Professionals which offers a price reduction on Lender Fees.

SHORT GAME

Miller and Agnew sweep 2022 Cascade Golfer Cup Championship

Atotal of 30 teams went to Chambers Bay in Oc tober for the Fall Classic, many having hopes of capturing a Cascade Golfer Cup Season Champi onship. In the end however, it was one team and two players, Nick Miller and Bryson Agnew, that stole the show, taking home both the Net and Gross divisions season standings in a dramatic comeback fashion.

This year marked the 13th year of the Cascade Golfer Cup. It finished where it started back in April, at Chambers Bay, with six other stops in between.

Heading into the championship weekend, sever al teams were viably still in the mix to be crowned champions. But bolstered by a gross 70, net 65, good enough for third in both divisions in the Fall Cham pionship, Agnew-Miller jumped into the top spot in both net and gross season points race.

With their winnings throughout the year and the overall, the duo took home a killing on the year, high lighted by a stay-and-play package to Ka’anapali Golf Resort in Maui for the Season Championships.

The 2022 Cup schedule took place April through

October, with players competing in a variety of two-person formats including Best Ball, Stableford, Scramble, and Stroke Play.

More than 200 players participated competing for a massive prize pool that paid out the top 10 net and gross at each event, plus the overall. Prizes included stay-and-play packages and golf experience to Hawaii, Las Vegas, Pinehurst, Bandon Dunes, Circling Raven, Central Oregon and more. Twosomes and foursomes of golf were handed out to Washington’s finest cours es including Chambers Bay, Gamble Sands, Salish Cliffs, Apple Tree, Suncadia, Port Ludlow and more. Additionally, golf products such as Tour-quality driv ers, putters, wedges, hybrids, balls, bags, push carts, rangefinders were awarded.

For Miller and Agnew, it was a win for the ages. The duo has played in numerous CG Cup events over the years, some together and others with different playing partners. Both men have won events, but have never eclipsed the season standings.

Neither were in the top spots heading into last

event, but played well when it counted and caught the leaders in both divisions.

Would you like to be the 2023 version of these champions and write your own history? Next year’s schedule is in the works and will be just as robust. Get a partner and check back at CascadeGolfer.com.

Chambers Bay kicked off and concluded the Cascade Golf Cup season in fine style.

Boasting the longest stretch of ocean front holes in all of Hawaii, the Ocean Course Hokuala will test your golf and your photography skills as you maneuver through the mango groves of the rainforest terrain and play along the cliffside of the beautiful Pacific on this Jack Nicklaus signature layout.

Bennett’s and Janho’s dramatic finish made CG Match Play history

He has alligator blood, keeps hanging around. Can’t kill him.” Those are the famous words from Teddy KGB (John Malkovich) to Mike McDermott (Matt Damon) in the movie “Rounders”, where he per fectly expressed the tenacious duel in their heads-up Texas hold ’em match that made the movie’s final scene so memeorable. The same can be said for the two men that made it to the Cascade Golfer Match Play Champi onship Match this past August at Salish Cliffs.

Sixty-four players from around the Pacific Northwest, with handicaps from Plus to 24 tested their mettle all sum mer. Eight golfers put a peg in the ground Aug. 26 at 8 a.m., in Shelton, Wash., and by nightfall, only two were left standing. After 36 holes, Peter Bennett and Stephen Janho were the best of the best — setting the stage for what was the greatest final two days in the history of the event.

Janho has played in the CG Match Play many times and won it in 2019. A four handicap, Janho has earned

a reputation of making his competitors earn each point. Bennett (a five handicap), who had won a CG Cup event at the same venue with teammate Ben Willetts, had to win the 18th hole just to make it out of the first-round months ago — pulling a rabbit out of a hat. That trick was his win in the sweet 16 and going 19 holes to punch his ticket to Salish Cliffs. His semifinal match with Clay Bel voir, however, is something he will never forget.

Down one after losing 17, Bennett had no choice but to play ultra-aggressive versus Belvoir (four handicap) on the risk/reward par-5 18th. Belvoir had made birdie to close out his quarterfinal match on the hole and was certainly capable of getting home in two.

Although both found the fairway on the dogleg left right par 5, it was Bennett who had really got into his drive down the right side and had the advantage. Belvoir then came up just short and left with his second shot. Al though he had cleared the water his stance in the green

side bunker was brutal. With the door creaked open just a tad, Bennett jumped through it, throwing a dart to eight feet and a great chance to force a playoff hole.

Belvoir, did a superb job to hack out of the sand to 30 feet then did the unthinkable, pouring in the downhill breaking bomb to stun Bennett and all in attendance. How ever, Bennett didn’t flinch and came back right over the top by draining his eagle putt to win the hole. It was a moment both players will remember for a long time. Bennett then made birdie on the first playoff hole (No. 1) and when Belvoir’s seven-footer slid by, Bennett closed it out.

The championship match Saturday morning was all Bennett. Janho, unable to find the game that had won him so many matches previously, couldn’t regain his momentum. Bennett just stayed solid on the tough Salish Cliffs layout, finally closing it out 5 & 4. Along with 24 hours of golf they won’t forget, both players won two somes to Gamble Sands for their finish.

AND

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Northwest Yamaha Golf Car can now license your Icon EV Street legal vehicle in Washington State. are a full-service dealership including service, parts and custom enclosures. For over 30 Years have brought quality to the golf transportation to the golf industry. are located in Tacoma Washington at 1106 Center Street. 800-659-7843

Northwest Yamaha Golf Car can now license your Icon EV Street legal vehicle in Washington State. We are a full-service dealership including service, parts and custom enclosures. For over 30 Years We have brought quality to the golf transportation to the golf industry. We are located in Tacoma Washington at 1106 Center Street. 800-659-7843

Northwest Yamaha Golf Car can now license your Icon EV Street legal vehicle in Washington State. We are a full-service dealership including service, parts and custom enclosures. For over 30 Years

Northwest Yamaha Golf Car can now license your Icon EV Street legal vehicle in Washington State. We are a full-service dealership including service, parts and custom enclosures. For over 30 Years We have brought quality to the golf transportation to the golf industry. We are located in Tacoma Washington at 1106 Center Street. 800-659-7843

Northwest Yamaha Golf Car can now license your Icon EV Street legal vehicle in Washington State.

We are a full-service dealership including service, parts and custom enclosures. For over 30 Years

We have brought quality to the golf transportation to the golf industry. We are located in Tacoma Washington at 1106 Center Street. 800-659-7843

We have brought quality to the golf transportation to the golf industry. We are located in Tacoma Washington at 1106 Center Street. 800-659-7843

AND Northwest Yamaha Golf Car can now license your Icon EV Street legal We are a full-service dealership including service, parts and custom We have brought quality to the golf transportation to the golf industry. We are located in Tacoma Washington at 1106 Center Street. 800-659-7843

Cascade Golfer and Duke’s Seafood congratulate this year’s winners

Kelpman is a freshman with a sharp focus on her future on the fairway

Fenton Auburn Mountainview High School

Although the Duke’s Junior Golf Scholarship is available to any junior golfer in western Washington, it has been high school seniors and graduates who have dominated the list of winners over the years. So, it is a welcome change to see a freshman earn this month’s award.

Makenna Kelpman, a ninth-grader at Tacoma’s Sound Christian Academy, which offers Pre-K through 12th-grade education, might be halfway through her first year as a high-schooler, but she represented the academy’s golf team before she even graduated from its middle school.

And what an incredible record she has already put together, being named the team’s captain and MVP and also recording its best score at every league match she has played in so far.

Kelpman finished third at the 2022 WIAA 1B/2B State Championships and was also named MVP of the SeaTac League for girls golf. Outside of school, Makenna set the women’s 18-hole course record at Highlands Golf Club during September’s Par-3 Championship, shooting a 65. She has played several Washington Junior Golf Association tournaments, competed on the Rocky Mountain Junior Golf Tour, and represented Meadow Park Golf Club in the PGA Junior League.

Before becoming a multi-sport athlete who also plays soccer, basketball, volleyball, lacrosse, and does track, Makenna competed at the national level as an Irish dancer performing in lead roles at Lakewood Play house and Tacoma Musical Playhouse. And, if all her athletic and cultural endeavors weren’t enough, she also maintains a 4.0 GPA and serves as the freshman class secretary.

Makenna first played golf at the age of 4 when her dad began taking her to the driving range. It became her focus during the pandemic when team sports were tough, if not impossible, to organize.

It would be fair to say Makenna, who says driving is probably the best part of her game, although her pitching and chipping from around the green are developing nicely, is something of a golf nut. Not only does she play, but she also volunteered at this year’s U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship at Chambers Bay where she worked as a standard-bearer.

“The most memorable experience there was making a connection with Aneka Seumanutafa of Ohio State University,” she says. “She signed one of her golf balls for me and left me a hand-written note with words of encouragement. I also met UCLA’s Annabel Wilson, who signed my Chambers Bay hat.”

Makenna’s goal is to emulate Seumanutafa and Wilson by playing college golf, ideally at Grand Canyon University or Texas Christian, she said. Until then, she will continue to gain vital experience nearer to home where she is becoming used to playing in the somewhat dubious conditions. “When you play golf in Wash ington you encounter all sorts of weather,” she says. “I’ve competed in hail and 30 mph winds.”

Because of that, she has a good idea what she’ll be spending the scholarship money on. “I’ll probably get some all-weather gear to keep me warm during our cold months.”

Clearly, she has a sensible head on her shoulders.

Do you know a worthy youth golfer that loves the game and could use a boost with some much-needed funds to help them continue to write the life narrative in the sport? Send an email about your nominee and why they are worthy to our editor and publisher at tonydear71@comcast.net and stephens@varsitycommu nications.com.

Makenna Kelpman wins the final Duke’s Seafood Junior Scholarship for 2022.

Brigitte

Cleveland High School Golf Team

Olivia Kelly Roosevelt High School

junior golfer

SHORT GAME

Premier Shootout

Corona

is back July 29-30 at Gamble Sands

Mark your calendars once again for what we like to call the best golf weekend of the year as the 3rd Annual Corona Premier Shootout will take place July 29-30, 2023, at Gamble Sands in Brewster, Wash.

This two-person, two-day tournament blends fun and competition at perhaps the most enjoyable golf course our state has to offer. Filled with birdies and beverages, laughs and lip outs, the Corona Premier Shootout is a two-day best ball bonanza, prizing out daily and overall, giving all players a great shot at not coming home empty-handed.

Although the majority of the teams are from our state of Washington, 2022 saw seven different states represented, with even a few teams down from Canada. It is no surprise as golfers from all over are making the trip to see for themselves just how great Gamble Sands is.

The Shootout includes a Saturday and Sunday competitive round on the Sands Course, while the 14-hole short course, Quicksands, is available for those who just can’t get enough.

The rolling Cascade Putting course behind the Inn is quickly becoming one of the Northwest’s best spots to settle a bet while enjoying a beverage. Stay ing at the Inn and enjoying the putting course as the sun sets over the Columbia River is pure magic.

And to think, a third course at Gamble Sands is in the works. Stay tuned for more – we will break that news as soon as it’s fit to print.

So, unless you have better plans (and we would really like to hear what they are) put July 29-30 on your schedule. Find a partner who loves to live it up and register at CascadeGolfer.com.

We can’t wait to see you at Gamble Sands!

AT

SHOOTOUT GAMBLE SANDS

CORONA PREMIER SHOOTOUT AT GAMBLE SANDS

July 29-30 • 2023 • Brewster, Wash.

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

Prize pool daily & total 4 KP’s, Long Drive, Straight Drive daily

Saturday Corona Premier Happy Hour at Quicksands/Cascade Putting Course

YOUR TEAM FEE INCLUDES ALL THESE ITEMS

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

Go to CascadeGolfer.com to register

Kevin Knox (on left) and Beau Breda. Knox made a record 17 birdies over the two days in 2022.

Gamble Sands

The Home Course, the 15-year-old golf facility cooperatively owned and operated by the Pacific Northwest Golf Association, and Washington Golf, is on track to be a sort of one-stop shop for state golf. Besides its honored golf course — opening in 2007 ranked as the state’s second-best public course — and a place to develop and en hance your game with its sparkling performance center, the course’s visionaries also hope to bring together all the various golf entities onto one campus.

There are plans to build a facility that will house not just the PNGA, WaGolf, and local USGA offices, but also allied associations such as junior golf, superintendents, turfgrass research and environ mental stewardship. It’s an effort to truly become the “Northwest Golf House.”

“We continue to improve every year,” said Home Course Gen eral Manager Justin Gravatt, a PGA professional. “We’re moving for ward for funding and design.” This was the vision from the start as The Home Course was one of just a handful of courses in the country that was developed and is operated by state golfing associations.

The Home Course has held three USGA events with the fourth scheduled for May. The course also holds national and Canadian qualifiers as well as annual WaGolf and PNGA championships.

The course was designed by the late Mike Asmundson, who grew up in Seattle. He also did several courses in the Southwest and South America.

It’s on course to be the home and house of state golf. Gravatt provides his Home Course snapshot.

The Home Course 2300 Golf House Rd. • DuPont, WA 98327 (866) 964-0520 • TheHomeCourse.com Opened in 2007 • Course Designer Mike Asmundson

Toughest Tee Shot 11th hole

That would be No. 11 (par 4,310 yards). It’s a risk/reward hole. It’s one of those short par 4s. If you try to be too aggressive, it kind of bottlenecks near the green, with a heavy slope on the right and left. (It’s also called the ‘Asmundson Challenge.’ When the course names one hole after its architect, you expect it to be demanding).

Best Birdie Opportunity 16th hole

It’s 16 for me (par 5, 500 yards). It’s pretty-straight forward. It lends itself to chase the ball close to the green on the second shot with a forgiving green complex.

Best

Par 3 14th hole

People love No. 14 (par 3, 177 yards). It has water all around the green. And the people on the patio enjoying lunch, spectating, adds an extra element.

Favorite Hole 4th hole

No. 4 (par 3, 191 yards) is a great hole. There’s a unique pot bunker in front with the opportunity for different pin placements. It’s a kidney-shaped green that runs sideways. It’s not deep but goes around the pot bunker.

Emergency Nine front or back?

I like the front. It has a little bit of everything, great par 3s, challenging par 5s and good risk/rewards par 4s.

Go-to lunch item on the menu Burgers

Almost 4-to-1 (in popularity) is the Home Course Burger, which features bacon, ched dar cheese and chipotle aioli sauce. And, get the steak fries.

A Bucket with GM • Justin Gravatt

RISK vs. RE WARD

Trophy Lake’s 18th always brings it home with features and hazards from tee to green

Trophy Lake Golf & Casting

Hole No. 18 Par 5 465 yards (White Tee)

BY SIMON DUBIEL • SALES/MARKETING MANAGER & TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR

The Setup

One of the true great risk vs. reward holes in the region, the 18th at Trophy Lake has been the decider for many many wagers and the destruction of countless great rounds. Water hugs the entire left side for your layup and approach, before cutting across in front of the green, swallowing up approach shots that fall short. Although the tees you choose heavily influences how you play this hole (blues are 65 yards back) there is little debate what awaits your approach shot, regardless of the yardage you have in. Hit straight and true or look for a splash.

Final Call

The Risk

Although the tee shot appears to have an inviting fairway, the slope to your right will leave a sidehill lie with the ball well above your feet (for righties) — far from preferred placement considering your options for your second shot. If you pounded one down the fairway and have a yardage you can handle, now is the time to find out if you have the cards to win this hand. Anything short is toast and anything sprayed right is wet as well. If you go left, you will be lucky if you find the last of Trophy’s 80-plus bunkers. Hope fully it only takes you one swing to get out.

The Reward

Imagine being on the 18th tee needing a birdie to win your club championship, or your low round or maybe just to win your $5 Nassau off your best golfing buddy. Your approach here is the North west’s ultimate test of brain or braun. Are you Da vid Simms, laying up with your tail between your legs? Or perhaps Roy ‘Tin Cup’ McAvoy, looking to be the toast of your foursome at the Dry Fly Cafe afterwards. Split the fairway and you should have the yardage to get home in two. You are just one good swing away from glory and the 19th hole.

If you have some gamble in your game and enjoy looking for trouble, you came to the right place. Water and sand? Sounds like a nice trip to Maui, but it is no place to try to play your golf ball from. If your yardage is 220 or less to the hole, then that stack of chips in the middle of the table is hard to ignore. It’s time to go hit a golf shot, and mark down that four. You got the hand to rake the chips. Just don’t end up making the greatest 12 of all time.

PRESENTED BY

BY TONY DEAR • CG EDITOR

What a year it’s been. A gorgeous summer that seemed to last well into October following an admittedly dismal spring, four resounding major championships including a sensational U.S. Open at the Country Club in Brookline, Mass., and the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews in Scotland didn’t disappoint.

Then the on-going news (and, let’s be honest, somewhat tiresome) bat tle between the PGA and LIV Tours seemed to be at every turn. Our very own Evergreen state made golf headlines this year in hosting another mag nificent event at Chambers Bay (U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship), the announcement that David McLay-Kidd will be building another 18 holes at Gamble Sands, Jeff Coston’s continued brilliance at the age of 67 and UW’s R.J. Manke winning a Golfweek All-American team selection before turning pro. All this underscored by another year of healthy numbers for the golf industry with a significant portion of the post-pandemic influx of new players remaining within the game.

And now it’s the holiday season.

As it has been since 1945, Puetz Golf will be your one-stop shop for all your golf gifts from balls to bags to clubs to shoes to apparel and everything else you can think of. Major launches in recent months from Mizuno, Titleist and Ping could well be a big part of your holiday shopping but every other golf brand worth its salt will be on display in Puetz’s four Superstores in Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue and Tukwila.

Whatever you end up getting, or giving, it will likely stir your imagina tion and have you itching for the 2023 season to begin. We sincerely hope it doesn’t start as late as it did this year. And we hope you have a wonderful winter season, a healthy new year, and that next year you will continue (or start) hitting them far and sure.

he success Titleist’s Speed drivers have had on the PGA Tour and around the world clearly vindicates the company’s decision a few years ago to totally rethink its drivers. As evidenced by the incredible consistent play from their Tour players like Jordan Spieth, Adam Scott and others, amateurs have taken keen interest. Titleist’s TS drivers demonstrated Titleist’s commitment to better aerodynamics helping players generate greater clubhead speed and, in turn, ball speed. The evolution of Titleist’s drivers continues with the TSR which features, among other refinements, a new ‘boat tail’ shape whose swing weight is positioned, says Titleist, to move one more element of drag off the club’s sole. TSR drivers use a rare alloy, used by NASA among others, that are strong, thin to help the clubface flex, and durable. Three models are currently available – the TSR2, TSR3 and TSR4 – each designed for golfers with varying swing speeds and spin/launch preferences. The toe-to-heel/soleto crown design ensures a high Moment of Inertia (MOI) providing impres sive forgiveness, and the SureFit adjustable hosel allows you to configure your driver to meet your specific requirements. Accompanying the drivers are four fairway-wood models – TSR1, TSR2, TSR2+ and TSR3 — that likewise fit a wide range of golfers looking for different shot types. The TSR1 is ultra-lightweight and designed for golfers with moderate/slow swing speeds, the adjustable TSR2 is made from Carpenter Steel and has a low Center of Gravity (CG) for a higher launch, the TSR2+ has a larger profile than the TSR2, and the TSR3 has a five-position SureFit Track for great adjustability.

Mizuno’s JPX irons, first introduced in 2011, have been remarkably successful for the Japanese clubmaker, and the new JPX923 family which consists of five models created from three different metals will, no doubt, enjoy similar acclaim. Mizuno began using a metal called Chromoly in 2016 with the JPX900. A mix of chro mium and molybdenum, it had a great weight-to-strength ratio enabling Mizuno to create extremely thin clubfaces. The original Chromoly 4140M has now been replaced by Chromoly 4335 featuring nickel, which boosts its strength still further making it possible to make clubfaces just 1.75-2.05 millimeters thick. Three JPX923 Hot Metal irons were released earlier this year (two others, ‘Tour’ and ‘Forged’ will arrive in Feb ruary 2023). The trio consists of the standard version, JPX 923 Hot Metal Pro and JPX 923 Hot Metal HL. They are all single-piece castings and feature what Mizuno calls the ‘V-Chassis’ — a distinctive toe shape designed to stabilize the head and improve feel by controlling vibration and sound. As you’d expect, each model offers different shot characteristics and levels of forgiveness — the standard version is suitable for most golfers while the Hot Metal Pro is for lower handicappers able to generate greater club head speed, and the HL (High Launch) will benefit game-improvers. Mizuno’s T22 wedge is available in four grinds and four finishes including the company’s iconic Blue IP plating. The club features a copper underlay beneath the outer surface which improves feel by extending impact by an extra millisecond or two. Hydroflow grooves improve performance in wet weather.

hat clubs and balls have improved greatly over time isn’t in dispute. And though the introduction of advancements has certainly accelerated this century, the speed at which the upgrades have appeared since the game was first played has been steady and manageable for the layman. What’s happened in the high-tech distance-measuring, stat-keeping, launch-monitoring, caddie-capable device world though is frankly astonishing and has left most Gen-Xers and older shaking their heads. It is incredible what today’s devices can do be they wearable or something you hold or attach to your bag/cart. The new Voice Caddie T9, which calls itself the most advanced, ultra-premium smart golf GPS watch available, comes equipped with a col or touchscreen, and gives yardages to the green front/center/back, offering advanced features such as ‘Active Green’ (improves accuracy), ‘V-Algorithm’ (which calculates slope), and green undulation (indicated with, would you believe, a heat map and arrows showing the direction of break — available on 13,000 U.S. courses and 15,000 worldwide). It has a Practice Tempo Mode, tracks all shots, a course layout view with yardages to all bunkers and water bodies, customizable pin placement, course and green zoom, and is completely fee-free. The T9 is 1.8 x 1.8 x 0.52 inches and weighs 1.07 ounces. It is available in black (and limited numbers of gray). The display has a diameter of 1.2 inches. Battery type is Lithium-Polymer/USB 2.0 Rechargeable, and it lasts for 10 days in watch mode and 27 holes in golf mode. It comes with 40,000 pre-loaded courses.

$187.50 per club

PRICE $278.99

PUETZ GOLF PRICEPUETZ GOLF PRICE $198.99 L

ing President and CEO, John K. Solheim, says the new i230 puts him in mind of Ping’s best-selling iron ever — the EYE2. It’s difficult to see the connection at first glance perhaps — the EYE2 was a large-headed, cavity-backed iron with a high toe while the i230, part of Ping’s better player i-stable, looks more like a blade. However, Solheim says that though the i230 has the precise control, feel and con sistency of a player’s iron it also offers the forgiveness of a game-improvement club. “It reminds me of the EYE2 iron because it will appeal to so many player-types,” he says. “It’s packed with performance.” The i230 is designed to offer an impressive combination of speed, feel and forgive ness. The feel comes from reduced impact vibrations and a softer, less harsh sound resulting from improvements to the activated elastomer located low and inside the cavity, plus a four-piece cavity badge that combines a thin 304 stainless steel cap with an injection-molded thermoplastic piece secured to the cavity with a high-strength adhesive. A more flexible face, supported by the elastomer inside provides the speed and results in roughly three more yards per club according to Ping. The Hydropearl 2.0 finish helps to improve consistency especially in the wet, and tightly packed MicroMax grooves also help keep your spin rate consistent. Club manufacturers have got really good at making clubs suitable for a range of players. The i230 might get as close to bridging the low-high handicapper divide as anything.ike Coke or Boeing, there’s just certain brands that come to mind that are synonymous and identifi able with the public. Consumers love consistency. This is not a bad thing. It means the quality of the product and company is so solid, stood the test of time and is the standard that others are measured against. Ping was built on the success of its heel/toe weighted Anser model (the Anser wasn’t Karsten Solheim’s first design but certainly his most groundbreaking, influential and successful), so any new putter line from Ping is worthy of attention. Unlike most clubs these days, the 2023 putter is not part of a series or family and has no single unifying innovation, no universal element of technolo gy that binds each model together. There are blades, mini-mallets and large, high-MOI mallets, steel and graphite shafts, and a mix of hosels. Some have tung sten weighting in the head to stabilize contact, some don’t. There is some cohesion in color, but that’s about it. Instead of applying the same tech to each putter, each of the ten models has been designed separately. The 2023 putters are grouped according to the type of stroke they are best-suited to — slight arc (Anser, Anser 2D, Shea, and DS72); strong arc (Kushin 4, Prime Tyne 4); and straight back and through (DS72 C, Tyne G, Mundy, Tomcat 14, and DS72 Armlock). Hit the Puetz Superstores now or Puetz.com as these models will not last past the holiday season.

ing had developed into an all-round clubmaker by the start of the 21st century, 40-odd years after Karsten Solheim, who graduated from Ballard High School in 1931 and attended UW for a year before the Great Depression took its toll, began making putters in his Redwood City, Calif., garage in 1959. The company’s first irons arrived in the late ‘60s along with its ground-breaking fitting sys tem, and the first driver -- the Karsten 1. Club series then didn’t follow a merry-go-round pattern as they do now, so the second driver didn’t appear until nine years later. The famous Eye 2 irons were accompanied by a driver that lasted eight years before being replaced by the Zing after which new driver introductions followed a more familiar yearly or two-yearly pattern. Specialist wedges arrived in the late 1990s since when Ping has built some fine clubs without ever really threatening Vokey or Cleveland’s dom inance. The Glide 4.0 has an appealing, rounded, compact design in which the lower-lofted wedges (50 and 52 de grees) are milled with a 20-degree sidewall and a .005inch edge radius for optimal full-shot performance. The precision-machined face and groves increase spin while an internal elastomer CTP insert improves feel. Four sole grinds, six lofts and two different bounces enable you to find a wedge that will fit the ground and sand conditions at your home course. The brushed, unfinished head of the Raw rusts shortly after being put in the bag, giving you a look preferred by many Tour players.

ack in the old days, like the really old days, Scottish golfers employed a jigger, aka a pitching niblick, to help them around the greens (strangely, a jigger was also a long/mid-iron with the loft of about a 4-iron). It had 38-40 degrees of loft and a relatively short shaft. Because it was such a unitasker incapable of hitting anything other than a short, chip shot, its use died out. Professionals became adept at hitting chips and pitch es with a short iron or wedge which could obviously be used to hit a much greater range of shots. It has reappeared at various times with a varying degrees or success and now Ping believes there are enough golf ers whose chipping is so poor they require a club made specifically for the job of lofting the ball onto the green and letting it run out. Indeed, Ping says its research in dicates that one-third of all golfers would greatly bene fit from using its new jigger-style club which it is calling the ChipR. It’s not clear what exactly ‘greatly benefits’ means though we’re guessing those that consider themselves hopeless chippers could cut maybe four or five shots from their score. The ChipR has 38.5 degrees of loft and weighs 325 grams. The sole has eight de grees of bounce, and the club is 35 inches long. Micro Max grooves, a shallow face, cambered sole and even a little perimeter-weighting are all there to help you get it close to the hole from, say, 40 yards and closer.

FOOTJOY Stormwalker 8

PUETZ GOLF PRICE $129.99

The rounded-toe, athletic profile Stormwalker has a soft, full-grain leather upper designed to give it outstanding waterproof comfort, breathability, and durability. It is guaranteed to keep your feet dry under normal use for two years. The Fast Twist 3.0 cleat system and Pulsar cleats by Softspikes, the overwhelming choice of touring professionals worldwide, make for easy replacement and provide the same grip and walking comfort advantages of the best-selling Black Widow cleat, while radiused legs give extra durability. Cleat webbing makes the sole of the boot easier to clean.

NIKE Air Zoom Infinity Tour 2 Shield 9

PUETZ GOLF PRICE $179.99

Winter has arrived meaning a high-top waterproof golf boot may be in order. The style isn’t for everybody per haps, but warm, dry feet are. Nike’s Air Zoom Infinity Tour 2 Shield has locking, ergonomically shaped zippers that make it easy to take the shoes on and off while wearing rain gloves. The elevated cuff around the ankle integrates with rain pants, and the quiet hook-and-loop closure adds another layer to help you stay covered. Piston spikes and the innovative traction pattern give you as solid a grip on the ground as you’re likely to get. The 2 Zoom Air units in the sole help cushion your walk ensuring comfort.

ADIDAS S2G Recycled Polyester Mid-Cut

PUETZ GOLF PRICE $139.99 Men’s $129.99 Women’s

Twenty percent of the S2G’s upper is made with a minimum of 50 percent recycled content in accordance with Adidas’s mission to reduce plastic waste. This boot has a wide fit, lace closure, a textile lining, a rubber V-Traxion outsole with four Thintech cleats and comes in a variety of color schemes.

All products featured here are subject to change. Please visit a Puetz Golf store or PuetzGolf.com to view current inventory and pricing.

IN THE BAG

What was once seen as a possible trend 15 years ago with the advent of the rangefinder – many seeing it as a product that was a luxury item to keep in your bag – it’s now become an invaluable tool and the “15th club” in your arsenal. Laser rangefinders are probably the piece of golf equipment improving the most rapidly, and Bushnell is one of a handful of manufactur ers leading the charge. The Pro X3 features an incredible range of features including Elements -- the ability to compensate for both temperature and al titude. Together with Bushnell’s patented Slope technology (not legal during tournament play), Elements assures you get the most accurate distance every time. And you can put in your home elevation to get compensated distances at the elevation where you play most of your golf. Dual Display gives you the ability to easily toggle between red or black display settings based on lighting conditions and your preferences. The Slope-Switch, with interactive locking mechanism, significantly reduces the risk of accidently setting the unit to Slope mode during tournament play. Bushnell says the Pro X3 is the most powerful golf laser rangefinder ever made and will give you consistent yardage readings within a yard to flags from 600-plus yards. The integrated BITE magnetic mount allows you to adhere the unit to the cart, which saves you the trouble of taking it out of your bag every shot. The Pro X3 comes in a rubber-armored, metal housing meaning it won’t get damaged if dropped, and is fully waterproof.

hat’s better than receiving (or giving) a dozen Titleist golf balls for the holidays? That’s right, getting (or giving) two dozen Titleist balls. And what better way to show someone how much you care than by giving them a dozen of each version of golf’s best-selling ball – the Pro-V1 and Pro-V1x are just the ticket. The solid-core Pro-V1 has been golf’s most popular ball since October 2000 (four months after Tiger Woods dominated the U.S. Open with a Nike-made solid-core ball) and the PGA Tour’s Invensys Classic in Las Vegas where Billy Andrade beat Phil Mickelson by a shot. The ball flew far with the durability of two-piece dis tance balls and had the spin, feel and control of the wound balls that better play ers preferred. Several iterations later, it remains golf’s most-used ball. The cast, urethane elastomer cover, high-flex casing, 2.0 ZG Process Core and Spherically Tiled 388 Tetrahedral dimple design provide what Titleist says is the ultimate in distance, feel, spin and control. The firmer Pro-V1x followed in 2003 and is now a four-piece, urethane-covered ball with 348 dimples. It launches higher than the Pro-V1 with more spin. The Pro-V1 and Pro-V1x consistently win PGA Tour event ball counts – at the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba in Mexico in November, 97 players played either the Pro-V1 (52) or Pro-V1x (47) compared with just 16 for the nearest competitor. Over 300,000 are made every day at Titleist’s Ball Plant 3 factory in New Bedford, Mass. Maybe 24 of them will end up under your tree.

FOR CUSTOM THE NEW SERIES

Mizuno’s JPX923 irons are engineered for custom performance.

Five unique iron models created from three specific metals - based on Swing DNA data from over 100,000 real golfers. The expanded head options combine with one of over 50 custom shafts for specific trajectory, ball speed and ease of use.

This creates options for elite tour players, slow swinging amateurs and every player in between.

Niles Peacock

is one of the finest mixologists in the U.S. and his new establishment is now open in Edmonds.

You need a drink!

Cascade Golfer’s Holiday Cocktail

starring Seattle’s own Niles Peacock

Guide

TBY TARYN HAUGLIE • FOR CASCADE GOLFER

is the season to be jolly! The holiday season is upon us, and the nights are often anything but silent. Planning a holiday party can take weeks –from the decorations, to the entertainment, games (a good ol’ white elephant gift exchange never fails!), and, of course, the food and drink.

Planning the perfect holiday party spread can be stressful with so many different dietary needs and considerations to keep in mind. Luckily, we consulted an expert for guidance on how to navigate your cocktail bar — and your kitchen — at home to satisfy everyone with cocktails, mocktails, and a good, hearty appetizer that’s sure to put you on the nice list!

Master of Mixology

Niles Peacock

A

ward-winning mixologist and restaura teur Niles Peacock has a penchant for enter taining. He has been creating craft cocktails for decades and developed craft cocktail pro grams for Michelin-star chefs and recently was featured at James Beard Taste America Seattle. He said he had great opportunities to develop his talent for cocktail-making around some of the most elite cooking teams.

Peacock said he gained the skill to use culinary applications to cocktail making when he worked as a bar manager in Aspen. He soon realized that he could not simply walk into a kitchen and ask the chef questions. “So, I put on an apron, I’d bring a notepad, and I would do prep work for them while I asked them questions.”

Peacock says what he did not know or value at the time was that he was learning important skills in the kitchen that aided his ability to make craft cocktails, particularly knife skills.

After his time in Aspen, Peacock moved to Las Vegas, where he said he could use his advanced skillset of culinary techniques and apply them to creative drinks. He recalled working for a hotel which offered weekly movie nights at its swimming pool, and he created a series of cocktails that tasted like various movie candies. That effort gained the attention of publications such as Las Vegas Weekly and USA Today.

Peacock then got recruited by Michelin-star Charlie Trotter’s Restaurant Group, and he re alized it was time to get a formal education. He went to the Academy of Spirits and Fine Ser vice, which he said was the tipping point to be ing an educated bartender. “Now I have knife skills and cocktail skills and cocktail knowledge, so I was rounding out my education.”

After three years in Las Vegas, Peacock returned to Seattle and studied for his Level One exam with the Court of Master Som meliers. He later received his Level One and other certifications with the International Sommelier Guild.

In addition to managing his own restau rant, Niles Peacock Kitchen & Bar in Ed monds, Wash., Peacock is now looking to use his skills in philanthropic efforts. “I feel like I am in a position that I can support so many things doing what I love to do.” Pea cock is looking to serve his cocktails at local area fundraisers and galas to put his passion toward a purpose.

1NaNa’s Blue Bird

By Niles Peacock

INGREDIENTS

• 5 oz. Martinelli’s Sparkling Apple Cider

• 1 oz. Apple Cider Vinegar

• 2 dashes All The Bitter non-alcoholic cocktail bitters

INSTRUCTIONS

• Pour into pre-chilled champagne flute.

• Garnish with twist of lemon peel.

2Strong Dark & Lovely

By Niles Peacock

INGREDIENTS

• 1 oz. Henry McKenna 10-year Bourbon

• 1 oz. Cynar 70 Amaro

• 1 oz. Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth

• 2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters

INSTRUCTIONS

• Pour/stir into ice-filled old fashioned glass.

• Garnish with twist of orange peel.

•

Winter in the Woods

By Niles Peacock

INGREDIENTS

•

•

•

INSTRUCTIONS

•

•

My Hot Date Pizza

By Niles Peacock

INGREDIENTS

• Pizza dough (Note: If you don’t make your own pizza dough you may be most happy finding pre-made dough or dough balls available at your trusted grocery outlet.)

• 4 oz. whole milk mozzarella

• 3 oz. crumbled gorgonzola

• 2 oz. sliced pitted dates

• Balsamic glaze

INSTRUCTIONS

— FOR 12-INCH PIZZA

• Form a dough ball weighing 10-12 oz.

• Roll the dough out to desired size.

• Assemble toppings on top of the dough.

• Bake on pizza stone or sheet pan for 8-10 minutes at 500 degrees or until crust is golden brown.

• Finish with a drizzle of reduced balsamic glaze.

Niles Peacock Kitchen & Bar Edmonds

P

eacock aimed to open his first craft cocktail bar in late 2019. However, zoning restrictions of the property he purchased did not allow him to use the space as a bar. His architect gave him two options: He could not open at all, or he could turn the space into a full-ser vice restaurant. The original space had 72 seats and a tiny kitchen, but Peacock got to work creating a new vision for the space.

After he read a book by pizza chef and James Beard Award-winner Ken Forkish, Pea cock thought, “If I could pull off one of his recipes – one of his pizzas – I could make world-class pizza.” Peacock found a recipe, bought used equipment from a pretzel shop, and began making pizza dough with his own hands every night.

Shortly after Niles Peacock Kitchen & Bar opened, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, causing widespread closures of bars and restaurants. Peacock’s initial struggle with zoning restric tions ended up being his saving grace. When other cocktail bars were forced to close, Pea cock was able to keep his business open for to-go orders.

Struck by more good luck, Peacock re ceived an offer to buy out his lease of his orig inal location, which gave him an opportunity to open up a larger space in Edmonds.

Peacock teamed up with world-champion pizza chef, Will Grant in July 2021 to devel op an original pizza dough recipe, and he opened his new restaurant that September. A few months later, Grant gave Peacock a 128-year-old sourdough starter as a birthday gift that year, and Peacock was able to elevate his dough recipe to new heights.

Peacock went on to win his very first piz za competition at the 2022 Pizza Expo in Las Vegas, adding to his collection of bartending awards. Visit Niles Peacock Kitchen & Bar at 178 Sunset Avenue South, Edmonds, WA. 98020 or at NilesPeacock.com on the web.

This is the pizza that won first place for Best Pizza in Northwestern United States at the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas 2022.

Desert Diamond

DESERT WILLOW

BY TONY DEAR • CG EDITOR

The numbers may have dipped slightly early in 2022 due primarily to some crummy weather. But it’s well-known that golf in the U.S. enjoyed a surge in popularity in 2020 and 2021 -- a result, of course, of the pandemic and the opportunity golf gave people caged up at home during lockdowns to recreate outside safely.

Some of the figures demonstrating the phenomenon were frankly remarkable. Here are some good ones (all according to the National Golf Foundation):

• Despite 42 percent fewer rounds being played in the U.S. during the first few months of 2020, May, by which time golf courses had begun to open again, saw an increase of over six percent.

• More than half a million new golfers tried the game for the first time in 2020.

• Eleven million more rounds were played in October 2020 than had been played in October 2019.

• Some leading retailers recorded a 70 percent increase in business over 2020 and 2021.

• The number of rounds played in 2021 was roughly 18 percent higher than the average in the years 2017-19.

• And just a couple of months ago, eight out of 10 golf businesses surveyed by the NGF said their financial health rated between eight and 10 on a scale of 10.

is on a record pace for play, performance and pure golf pleasure in Palm Desert

ne of our favorite stats, though, involves a course (well, two) we invariably en joy when visiting the southwest deserts in the fall and winter. Desert Willow Golf Club in Palm Desert, Calif., has always been a busy place with 36 holes designed by Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry. Pre-pandemic, the courses Firecliff and Mountain View, averaged slightly less than 90,000 rounds between them. From July 2021 to July 2022, however, that number surpassed 100,000 — almost an extra 30 rounds a day, every day, or seven additional fourballs. That’s an impressive number when you consider how busy it already was.

Director of Sales and Marketing Brian Simpson says golfers began flocking back to Desert Willow in April 2020 as soon as Riverside County lifted its restrictions. “And it’s just continued growing since then,” he adds, with both courses contributing equally to the record-breaking 2022. “We were at capacity almost every day during our peak season,” Simpson continued, “with a mix of returning golfers and those out here for the first time.” (And it isn’t just golfers that are enjoying what Desert Willow has to offer as the wedding lawn is on schedule to host 50 weddings this year, and the terrace saw more than 600 diners enjoying Thanksgiving dinner just a couple of weeks ago).

You might think courses, and their maintenance departments, would buckle under the weight of such traffic, but reviews of Desert Willow seemingly always mention the quality of the turf and its appearance in general.

Responsible for the playing surfaces is superintendent Chris Bien, who worked on the Tom Weiskopf, Greg Norman and Jack Nicklaus (private)-designed courses at PGA West before moving to Desert Willow three years ago and who has somehow managed to produce quality conditions without hiring a single new staff member. Bien also having to deal with California’s worsening drought and serious shortages of water from the Col orado River which supplies many Southern Californian and Coachella Valley golf courses. He oversees a maintenance staff of 39 and relishes the challenge of keeping his turf firm and fast without becoming wall-to-wall brown.

It’s clear he has taken the significant increase in traffic very much in his stride. “Sure, it has been slightly more difficult,” he admitted. “But we were plenty busy before. Our operation hasn’t changed a great deal.”

Bien says mowing the rough during the afternoon has been his toughest task — one he has met by combining the work force of two courses more often on to just one. “That has helped us stay ahead of play and create less disturbance for the players,” he says.

It’s a job that most definitely must be done as Desert Willow is a municipal facility and, in order to keep players coming back, needs to remain playable. Both courses have the prerequisite number of teeing options you’d except of a city-owned course, but neither is terribly easy, especially the Firecliff which stretches to 7,056 yards from the back tees.

The Firecliff, whose name is derived from Leonard Firestone, son of Firestone Tire and Rubber Company founder Harvey S. Firestone, and Cliff Henderson, who co-founded the City of Palm Desert, opened in 1997 and has been ranked in the top 25 Californian courses by both Golfweek and GolfPass. Hurdzan and Fry took out 10 percent of the bunkers a few years ago in an effort to make it more player-friendly (without becoming

a pushover) though sand is probably not the golfer’s primary concern with water coming closely into play on half a dozen holes.

Two of the course’s best are the 17th and 18th, both of which feature the wet stuff on the right, though there’s plenty of sand on that side of the 204-yard 17th too. Aiming left would seem to be the best policy, but steer safely away from the trouble and you might find another bunker to the left of the green.

Bailing left might be problematic at the 536-yard 18th too, with bunkers at various intervals all down that side. “It’s a great finish,” Simpson asserts. “The 17th is the most demanding par 3 we have, and the 18th with its second shot over water is truly one of the best in the Valley.”

Water also affects six holes on Mountain View, which opened in 1998 and where the right-to-left dogleg 18th is another birdie-able, but trouble-strewn par 5. There’s water all down the right on the tee shot (with a trio of bunkers on the other side) and left for the second.

Exciting though the 18th surely is, it could be the 6th that people remember most — another risk/reward par 5 where two stout shots will see you putting for eagle but anything defective off the tee will make you see the hole very differently.

Many players have a hard time picking between the two courses at Desert Willow and both will prove hugely popular again this winter when daytime temperatures will likely hover around the 70-degree mark.

We will definitely be hoping to squeeze in some Coachella time this winter and a cou ple of rounds, at least, at Desert Willow, where Brian Simpson says the entire property is thriving. Be sure to book your tee-times as far in advance as possible to be sure of getting on the course. And, if you’re going to be in the area for an extended period, consider joining either the Platinum Club or Champions Club. Membership of either will likely end up saving you a packet because, once you play at Desert Willow, you’ll probably want to make it a regular thing.

Pre-pandemic, the courses Firecliff and Mountain View, averaged slightly less than 90,000 rounds between them. From July 2021 to July 2022, however, that number surpassed 100,000

Desert Willow Golf Club • Palm Desert, Calif.

AMauiMiracle

Ka’anapali

BY TONY DEAR • CG EDITOR

The northwest corner of Maui and the oval of land with 5,788-foot Pu’u Kukui (the highest point in the West Maui Mountains) at its center is surely one of the most popular winter destinations among Pacific Northwest golfers for whom summer is by now but a distant memory and who face another prolonged stretch of cold rain.

Before Hawaii became the 50th state of the Union in August 1959, the archipelago wasn’t much of a golf destination possessing just a few military nine-holers and a couple of rudimentary 18-hole courses. That began to change in 1960, however, when Robert Trent Jones arrived to build a championship-cal iber course at the $40 million Ka’anapali Beach resort being built by development and sugar giants American Factors (Amfac) and the Pioneer Mill Company who together were transforming 800 acres on a 2.5-mile stretch of beach.

is the ultimate spot for sunseekers looking to play golf on island time

Jones was the most sought-after designer in the business at the time and built what he described as a ‘big course’ that extended to a formidable 7,215 yards. Jones felt it was a course from which ‘only true champions will emerge’ — a theory that would be put to the test in 1964 when the Canada Cup was staged there. The forerunner to the World Cup of Golf, the Canada Cup saw two-man teams from 20 nations play four rounds of stroke play in which every player’s medal score counted.

Representing the home team was Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer (actually, the U.S. side wasn’t the only ‘home’ team that week as Hawaii was invited to field a team of its own) — a pretty strong pairing that not sur prisingly ran away with the title shooting a team score of 554 — which was 22 under par. The two best players in the world (they also finished first and second in the individual competition) each recording the equivalent of -11 was a fair representation of the course’s demands — scoreable, but far from easy.

It’s fair to say Jones’s prediction that only true cham pions would emerge was fairly accurate.

In 1976, a second layout was added with 14 holes on the east side of the Honoapi’ilani Highway which begins in Kahului and doesn’t quite make a full circle of the West Maui Mountains. The Jack Snyder-designed/Robin Nelson renovated (2005) Ka’anapali Kai Course is shorter and certainly less demanding than its bigger, older brother, but it’s equally as popular sharing the burden of a com bined 90,000 rounds a year — a barely conceivable num

ber given Maui’s population (just over 165,000), and the fact the mainland is over 2,000 miles away.

Managed by Indigo Partners, the original course at Ka’anapali, now called Royal Ka’anapali (the nearby town of Lahaina was capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii between 1820 and 1845) has a number of strong holes, on either side of the highway, perhaps the most notable of which is the 474-yard 5th. It dog-legs left slightly with a couple of large fairway bunkers at the hinge and May’s Beach on the right side of the green, making it a beautiful, but very tricky, approach shot. Some, intimidated by the prospect of a long-iron or hybrid with the beach so near, layup and hope to bump-and-run the ball close, while stronger, more confident players might take on the carry over the left fairway bunker and leave a much shorter approach.

Either way, golfers will be able to see the gorgeous sandy beach and the famous Black Rock when they arrive at the green. Formed by an ancient lava flow that divides the Ka’anapali sand into two, Black Rock (Pu’u Keka’a) is a popular cliff-diving spot where Hawaii’s last chief, King Ka hekili, often jumped into the ocean, earning the respect of his people.

The 5th is understandably ranked the No. 1 handicap hole, and a par or better will certainly feel good. But it’s one of those holes where a bogey or worse soon gets forgotten, thanks to the beauty of the setting.

On the neighboring Kai Course, which hosted the Golf Channel’s ladies-only “Big Break Ka’anapali” in 2008, the favorite hole just might be the uphill 7th, which

The climate here is warm, muggy, mildly windy and clear. Over the course of the year, the daytime temperature is usually 80-89 during the day and 60-69 in the evening.

stretches to 395 yards and whose tee shot crosses a rock/ tree-filled depression. After a couple of solid shots to the diagonally oriented green protected by a couple of huge bunkers, you are treated to a panoramic view of the Pacific and the neighboring islands (Lanai to the left, Molokai to the right). Scan the deep, blue water for a moment and you might see whales breaching, which certainly will delay your arrival on the 8th tee.

The TifEagle Bermuda greens invariably run fast and true at Ka’anapali. It is the site of one of college golf’s most anticipated tournaments each year. The Royal Course first hosted the Ka’anapali Classic Collegiate Invitational in 2014. Since then, a number of future PGA Tour players — Collin Morikawa, Aaron Wise, Sam Burns, Doc Redman — have appeared. This year’s event took place in October with 20 teams from 17 states. The University of Oklahoma shot an impressive three-round total of -41 811 to beat Clemson by 12. (Gonzaga, the only Washington team in the field, finished 17th at 862).

Finding a good place to stay at Ka’anapali shouldn’t be a problem. There are six major hotels within the resort, along with five luxury villa/condominium properties. Doz ens of dining options and activities (zip-lining, parasailing, snorkeling, whale-watching, sailing, canoeing, spa, surfing, etc.), in addition to the golf, make a Ka’anapali vacation a memorable trip. And when the daytime temperature av erages 79-81 degrees from January to April, one wonders what could possibly go wrong. Even a double-bogey or two in this paradise will barely register.

Golf Club at Newcastle (China Creek) NEWCASTLE

China Creek, and its sibling, Coal Creek, are per fect examples of the kind of course we talk about when looking for those winter golf opportunities.

Tucked high on the Newcastle ridge over looking Bellevue in the foreground, and down town Seattle in the distance, they’re kept dry in the winter months by the slopes that send the water running downhill, and by the winds that blow steadily across the fairways and greens on the exposed areas of the ridge.

They’re also courses that, while at the high end of the region’s greens fees in the summer time, drop right into the CG wheelhouse come winter. China Creek, in particular, is an excel lent deal, topping out at $125 in summer, but dropping as low as $55 in winter, giving you the chance to save more than 50 percent on the peak greens fee, while not sacrificing much in terms of value given its excellent winter condition.

Where Coal Creek starts off with one of the most-photographed tee shots in Washington — the downhill, par-5 first, with views that stretch seemingly from Everett to Tacoma — China Creek heads inland, paralleling the driving range before turning south into a maze of trees and home sites for most of its front nine. Besides the views, though, you’d be hard-pressed to find many differences between the holes themselves — Coal Creek is longer, with more bunkers, up hill approaches and uneven lies, but China offers plenty in the way of difficulty, particularly from its 6,102-yard blue tees or 6,632-yard gold tees. Nu merous doglegs, particularly on the tighter front nine, force players to target certain sides of the fairway for the easiest approaches to the green, while Newcastle’s ever-present, British Open-

style second cut of rough swallows up anything that strays too far from the fairway.

And for those who relish any chance to put a 2 on the scorecard, the par-71 China Creek re places a par-4 with a fifth par-3 — a pleasure, since each of China Creek’s par-3s offer some thing a little different. The downhill, 200-yard (blues) second requires a good long iron ap proach, while the 148-yard seventh and 144-yard ninth are both straight uphill, the latter back dropped by Newcastle’s iconic clubhouse. The 169-yard 11th is all carry, with water from tee to green, while the 143-yard 15th lets you breathe a little easier.

Our favorite holes are almost always drive able par-4s, and China Creek’s third is no ex ception. At 293 yards from the white tees and 322 from the blues, it’s a reach, but the steep downhill slope from tee to green puts eagle into play. Miss the green, and you may never find your ball, since the direct approach requires fir ing blind over the left side of the ridge towards the green below. Make it, though, and it’s a shot you’ll never forget.

Of course, China’s 19th hole also makes it a favorite winter-weather choice. Sipping a whiskey or a glass of red wine at the Wooly Toad, with a roaring fireplace putting some color back in your fingers, it’s a taste of the good life — on a middle class budget.

YARDAGE (PAR) 4,782 - 6,632 (71)

RATES See website for current rates.

TEL (425) 793-4653

WEB newcastlegolf.com

2 Discovery Bay GC PORT TOWNSEND

Discovery Bay is the perfect golf course to play when you’re trying to plan a weekend day trip that includes both golfers and non-golfers alike. Why? Because Dis covery Bay is located just two miles from downtown Port Townsend, one of Washington’s most celebrated day-trip locations. While the non-golfers browse the boutiques, bakeries, shops and historical buildings of Port Townsend, the golfers can enjoy one of Washington’s most laid-back rounds of golf.

Originally built as a nine-holer in 1925, and expanded to 18 holes by owner Mike Asmundson (whose credits also include The Home Course) two decades ago, its outof-the-way locale keeps Discovery Bay largely uncrowded, despite rates ($25-$45) and quality that would suggest more frequent play.

The front or “Farm” nine is the original nine-hole layout, played through the open countryside, with more room to miss on either side of the fairway. Since taking ownership of Discovery Bay in 2004, Asmundson and his team have put a significant amount of cash and labor into the Farm nine, and their efforts show. The “Forest” nine, meanwhile, is the newer circuit, cut through the forested hills that overlook the Farm nine below. While just 40 yards longer than the Farm on the scorecard, the narrow fairways and frequent doglegs of the Forest make for many more long irons than you probably used on the front, and put a premium on target golf.

After your round — which shouldn’t take more than four hours — head back into town to pick up your travel mates, then drive out to Fort Warden for beautiful views, or down to Manresa Castle or Port Gamble, before hitch ing the ferry home. If you can’t find peace on a day like that, then we’re afraid golf just may not be the game for you.

YARDAGE (PAR) 5,140-6,659 yards (72/73)

RATES See website for current rates.

TEL (360) 385-0704

WEB discoverybaygolfcourse.com

Golf Club at Newcastle, China Creek • Newcastle

Discovery Bay G.C. • Port Townsend

Understanding golf’s ‘sandwich generation’ is a lesson in stress relief

BY DAVID LORENTZ NATIONAL GOLF FOUNDATION

It’s a bittersweet thing‚ giving up my status among the highly-dynamic, ever-evolving, often-vilified 18- to 34-year-old cohort. For the first time in my 10year career at NGF, I’m no longer the self-proclaimed spokesperson for the “young crowd.” That torch has been passed.

Now, as I leave behind provisional adulthood and settle into this more refined life stage full of rapid per sonal development and major life transitions (I just got married), I find myself curious to understand my new peer group — the mostly-overlooked 35- to 49-yearolds. What makes us different? As golfers, how do our needs and behaviors contrast with other groups?

Turns out there are some interesting distinctions. Including foundationally — our motivations for play ing golf skew differently than our younger and older counterparts. The biggest differentiator? For us, golf is a means to recover from stress and recharge the mental battery.

That stress relief is a key driver for our group

should make sense. This is a time in life when indi viduals assume the greatest number of social roles — worker, spouse or partner, parent, adult child — and must divide time and energy across these roles. Many of us are also part of what demographers call the “sandwich generation,” faced with the added time and financial pressures of raising young chil dren and caring for aging parents. And of course, these tend to be the most demanding years of a person’s career, too. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that people between the ages of 30 and 45 had the greatest increase in resignation rates between 2020 and 2021.

You’ll believe then that golfers in my age group who are playing less golf these days — roughly one in four of us — most commonly rationalize that we

have neither the time nor money to participate in the way or at the level we’d prefer. This is different from other groups. The 18- to 34-year-olds are more likely to suggest they’ve throttled down because of finding other activities, while the 50-and-older crowd is slowed more by injury and the inability to find regular playing partners.

You’ll believe too that 35- to 49-year-olds are the most likely cohort to have played a solo round of golf over the past 12 months. More than 60 percent of us have, compared to 46 percent of all other golfers. This seems like a natural byproduct of the stress and time deficiency — you play whenever you can, even if you have to go alone. Or you go alone anyway. Golf is cer tainly a social experience, but sometimes it’s a needed escape from the daily grind and other people.

ust like it sounds. Put your name in the hat and if we pull it, we are contacting you with free golf. We give you the choices, you tell us where you want to play. Are you a southender? We got your covered. Live up north? No problem. Near the city? We got you! We have a fairway for you to hit no matter what. Just answer the phone when it is your lucky day! Enter to win at CascadeGolfer.com.

‘Sandwich Generation’ golfers drive the sport and see golf as stress relief. Stats show they will play with mates or alone in order to escape the pressures of life.

Jon Thunselle from Snohomish, Wash., did just that on a recent trip to Pebble Beach.

Whidbey Golf Club • Oak Harbor, Wash.