5 minute read
SAVE SOME GREEN
1 • Canyon Lakes Golf Course • Kennewick
Canyon Lakes Golf Course in Kennewick, Wash., is known as a premium facility and a premium golf challenge… and for its 12,000-square-foot green on hole No. 12.
The 12th plays at 181 yards from the black tees and 145 from the whites to the center of the massive green. Sounds easy.
“It flat amazes me how many people don’t hit the green,” Canyon Lakes General Manager Matt Mandell says. “The water hazard collects a lot of golf balls.
“And just because you do hit the green, it doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed a two-putt. There’s a canyon that runs through the green.”
By any measure, Canyon Lakes is a top-rated golf destination in the Tri-Cities area. The course, designed by John Steidel, stretches past 7,000 from the championship tees but is more playable from the blue tees at 6,630, the whites at 6,211, and the reds at 5,083.
It doesn’t boast green fees as low as many of its peers, but Canyon Lakes is consistently ranked among the best value courses in the U.S. Mandell thinks he knows why.
“There are a few things,” he says. “First, the land the golf course sits on. Each hole is identifiable as its own.
“Second, the size of the greens and the quality of the greens.”
Mandell gives a shout-out to course superintendent Kim Brock, who has worked at Canyon Lakes since the course opened in 1981.
“You (golfers) get the best conditions the course is going to give. The golf course is always in great condition.”
No. 8, a par 4 at 420 yards, features a green complex that must be played to be appreciated. Mandell: “I call it the green from hell.”
Another highlight is the 9th hole, which has earned a place on the Northwest's "Dream 18" for its design and challenge.
Weekend play before 1 p.m. asks the highest rate of $110, but there are discounts for twilight play that vary depending on the time of year.
Military Monday, for active-duty military and veterans, is $55 all day. Senior players (55 and over) love Senior Tuesday, when fees are also $55 all day.
When golfers find their way to Canyon Lakes for the first time, Mandell hears about it afterward.
“What I get from outsiders is they’re really excited when they get done because they feel like they’ve played something very fair,” Mandell says. “But the greens, they bite people.”
YARDAGE (PAR 72) 4,385-7,026 yards
RATES $55-$110
TEL (509) 582-3726
* Check website for current rates
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2 • The Links at Moses Pointe • Moses Lake
The Links at Moses Pointe in Moses Lake presents golfers an 18-hole course of challenge and beauty with its blend of open linksland and gently undulating terrain.
Moses Pointe’s rich visuals and reasonable pricing make it a popular destination in central Washington and a worthy stop on the way to Spokane, Pullman, or other points east.
Opened in 1999 and designed by Mike Moore and Dave Soushek (with a redesign by Dan Hixson in 2003), the par-72 course stretches 7,412 yards from the back tees, offering players of all skill levels a fighting chance to shoot a good score near scenic Moses Lake.
Moses Pointe is known for its broad fairways, well-stationed bunkers and some of the most interesting greens complexes around, according to Bill Porter, director of golf and a Moses Pointe fixture since 2003.
Local players would say No. 12, a visually appealing par 3 at 234 yards from the back tees, is the most difficult hole on the course. There’s no bailout here — there’s a bunker left of the green, but you don’t want to be right, either.
“If you’re having a good round,” Porter says, “you might say, ‘Oh, man, I do have to get through 12.’”
The par-4 No. 8, based on handicap, is Moses Pointe’s most difficult hole. It’s long (462 from the black tees, 402 from the whites), and its crossing bunkers force a decision on a player: lay up short of the bunkers or power it leftish to simplify your second shot. The crossing sand was part of a course-wide bunkering project in 2007.
Porter says his favorite hole — he calls it “gorgeous” — is probably the par-4 No. 16. Its uphill approach makes it look more intimidating than it really is. Hit your tee shot a little right of center and take one extra club on your shot to the green.
Moses Pointe's history as a competition venue includes hosting the Washington State Men’s Amateur Championship in 2005, 2008, and 2024, and co-hosting (with Moses Lake Golf Club) the 2023 Washington Junior Golf Association State Championship.
In terms of value, Moses Pointe offers premium play at moderate rates. In peak season (May through early October), the rate is $65 on weekdays and $75 on weekends. Discounts or packages such as twilight or super-twilight are available, and rates drop significantly in the late fall and winter months.
YARDAGE (PAR 72) 4,897-7,412 yards
RATES $36-$75
TEL (509) 764-2275
WEB MosesPointe.com
* Check website for current rates
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