The Pacific Northwest packs a powerful plethora of potent places to play. All P words aside, this is one of the few states that I have scoured meticulously. This top ten list has been thoroughly vetted and adequately researched. I have played 73 golf courses in the state of Washington and these are my 10 favorites.

Certainly some readers will take issue with the #’s below and that’s ok, I gladly welcome the discourse. Differing opinions and preferences are exactly what makes discussing golf courses an enjoyable experience. Now, if you would still like to fight me in an abandoned parking lot after reading this list, I will gladly schedule a brawl.

10. Seattle Golf Club - Seattle WA

Established in 1900, Seattle Golf Club underwent a beautiful redesign by Arnold Palmer in 1996. With narrow fairways and speedy greens, ball striking is a premium at Seattle Golf Club. This winning combination was good enough to host the US Amateur in 1952 and the Walker Cup in 1961.

The club also earns a top ten award for the strictest dress code in the nation. As Mr Palmer was a firm believer in showing respect by the observance of manners and tradition, the dress code is strictly enforced at Seattle Golf Club. I was sternly warned for taking my hat off at the exact moment that I entered the clubhouse. I don’t believe that I actually stepped foot in the clubhouse with my hat on, but I was pretty sure if I had been a step too late, I would’ve been tased.

If you look at it just right, the view on the 11th hole will remind you of Augusta National.
Seattle Golf Club really shows off when the cherry blossoms bloom, usually around March 23rd.

This was one of the very first aerial shots that I was able to capture after purchasing my drone.

9. Salish Cliffs - Shelton, WA

It’s a fan favorite for it’s lush forest views and one of the best options for public golf in the state. As part of the Little Creek Casino & Resort, the course is well maintained and almost always in great playing condition. The lush Pacific Northwest forest surrounds each golf hole and provides the golfer with a secluded and serene feel to it. Designed by Gene Bates, Salish Cliffs bears resemblance to some of his other courses and reminded me specifically of Circling Raven.

The 15,000 square-foot double green on #9 and #18 — The 15,000 square-foot double green on #9 and #18

Unfortunately, the course has been deemed “un-walkable” by management and the relatively penal nature of the golf course design prevents it from moving further up on this list.

Hole #15 at Salish Cliffs is one of the finest on the property.

8. Palouse Ridge - Pullman, WA

The rolling hills of eastern Washington are on full display as you golf your ball around Palouse Ridge. This John Harbottle III design opened to great anticipation in 2008 and has been a state favorite ever since. Palouse Ridge serves as the home course for the Washington State University Cougars and accordingly delivers a college level challenge. I particularly enjoyed the back nine configuration of 3 par 3’s, 3 par 4’s, and 3 par 5’s.

Palouse Ridge does a wildly good job of blending in with it’s natural environment.
With course designs primarily in the Pacific Northwest and in California, course architect John Harbottle III was one of the most renowned course designers in Washington. His untimely death in 2012 was saddening shock to the local golf communities. Fortunately. the many magnificent golf creations that John left behind will live on indefinitely.

7. Tumble Creek - Cle Elum, WA

Located 80 miles east of Seattle, there are three golf courses at Suncadia Resort. The public options at the Roperider Course and the Prospector Course are of high quality, but it’s the private club at Tumble Creek that steals the show.

On most days, the wind at Tumble Creek usually makes this golf course a serious challenge. Regardless of the wind, you are guaranteed to enjoy a world class round of golf in a beautiful setting at Tumble Creek. This Tom Doak creation opened for play in 2005 and has been described by Tom as “found” instead of created. The result is a natural feeling flow to your round of golf.

Spoiler Alert: Culture Club’s “I’ll Tumble 4 Ya” does not play on a loop at the first tee.

With a fun and challenging green site, the 11th hole is my favorite hole on the property.

6. Gamble Sands - Brewster, WA

The fun meter at Gamble Sands is perhaps the highest in the entire country. After David McLay Kidd took some heat for the challenge he created on courses like Tetherow, he decided to get back to the basics and what makes a golf course fun to play. He looked at the successful formula he implemented at Bandon Dunes and then pumped it up a notch. That result was Gamble Sands.

Almost every slope at Gamble Sands is capable of redirecting the golf ball towards the intended target and the result is a wildly fun round of golf. With generous landing areas, fortune will consistently smile upon the purposeful golfer at Gamble Sands. The course has even earned the reputation as the place to visit when you hit the skids. After a run of bad golf, it’s not uncommon for Seattle golfers to head east and post an all time low score at Gamble Sands. A few rounds at “The Sands” will set your golf soul on the proper trajectory.

“Gamble Sands is what I like to call a slump buster.”

— 4x Sahalee Club Champion, Ben Garrett

The fairways are huge and the views are even more huge at Gamble Sands.
I shot my third round in the 60’s at Gamble Sands and didn’t even realize it until I added them up after the round.

“It’s just golf on sand, golf as it was truly meant to be.”

— David McLay Kidd

5. Royal Oaks - Vancouver, WA

Royal Oaks consists of fast and smooth rolling greens on a challenging tree lined golf course. If executed properly, this strategy will deliver results every time. With many country clubs in the Pacific Northwest aspiring to the same ideals, Royal Oaks sets the gold standard in Washington.

With it’s close location to Portland, OR, this little gem often gets overlooked when talking about the best courses in the Evergreen State. Architect Fred Federspiel only has a handful of course credits to his name and this is easily Fred’s finest.

In 1994 Royal Oaks hosted the PNGA Amateur and a guy named Tiger Woods won it.
Despite the golf course’s name, I found no evidence that any of the oaks at Royal Oaks could be traced back to royalty.

4. Sahalee - Sammamish, WA

Trees, trees, and more trees is perhaps the finest way to sum up what you will find at Sahalee. Even though the Chinook word Sahalee translates to “High Heavenly Ground,” I have long suspected that it actually translates to “Hit Ball in Trees Many Time.” The good news is that many of those trees have recently been removed and “limbed up” to enhance the course’s playability and give players a chance to recover from a poor shot.

The pond short left on the par 3 9th hole can easily ruin a good front nine score.

Sahalee is no stranger to high level tournament golf. Most notably, Vijay Singh captured the first of his three major championships when the golf course hosted the 1998 PGA Championship. In 2010, Sahalee hosted the US Senior Open and in 2016 it welcomed the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Since 1992, Sahalee has also hosted the annual Sahalee Players Championship. With past winners that include Ryan Moore and Kyle Stanley, the tournament has become one of the nation’s most prestigious amateur events.

Since my Washington tournament experience is limited to a T15 finish at the 2016 Devil’s Nas-Saw, let’s default to the words from the word’s finest players during the 1998 PGA Championship.

3. Wine Valley - Walla Walla, WA

The only conceivable reason that you don’t hear a lot about Wine Valley is because of it’s remote location. The golf course is wicked good and I can only assume that the reason for this oversight is that not many people get to see it.

The course was designed by Dan Hixson and takes the golfer through one of the best walks in Washington. After his architectural debut at Bandon Crossings, Hixson puts forth a tremendous Sophomore effort set against the shadows of the Blue Mountains. The course gives the golfer plenty of different options to play each hole and still presents plenty of challenges once you reach the putting surface.

Hixson’s biggest asset here is the piece of property that he was given and he does a great job of using that to his advantage. Instead of giving us something predictable, Walla Walla uses the natural valleys, swales, and ridges to deliver a links like experience that stands out as something special.

The most underrated logo in all of golf belongs to Wine Valley. It’s simple, timeless, and seamlessly blends the local flair with the game of golf.
I am still pissed about the 3 foot eagle putt that I missed on the 15th hole back in 2015.

2. Aldarra Golf Club - Sammamish, WA

Built on the old grounds of the Boeing family farm, Aldarra does a great job of impressing the golfer visually on just about every golf hole. As typical with Tom Fazio designs the cart paths are hidden and the beauty of the land shines through. Aldarra also impresses with a handful an equal mix of challenging and opportunistic golf holes. Out of all the private club options in the Seattle area, Aldarra is a cut above.

The 13th hole demands your attention as well as the camera’s attention.

“Aldarra was our first course in the Northwest, which makes it a very important golf course. If my design firm is going to ‘fly our flag’ in a particular area, the golf can’t be just good…..it has to be ‘as good as it gets.”

— Tom Fazio

The golf silo on 15 is the finest golf silo in the state.
The 13th hole is the second most beautiful par 3 in Washington.

Bottom right: The #1 golf silo in Washington

1. Chambers Bay Golf Club - University Place, WA

The top spot in the state of Washington goes to Chambers Bay. When I sat down and really thought about my rankings, it wasn’t even close. Chambers Bay wins in a landslide. After famously hosting the 2015 US Open, the course garnered a wildly unjust reputation. The only legitimate critique stemming from this event was the quality of the putting surfaces. With the replacement of every green finishing up in 2019, that issue should be resolved.

If you are basing your opinion of Chambers Bay solely on the 2015 media circus, you better check yourself before you wreck yourself and set up a tee time right away.

One of the best views at Chambers Bay comes from the hill behind #16.

According to the numbers, the 15th hole at Chambers Bay is the most scenic par 3 in America. It’s got the Lone Fir, it has the beautiful bunkering in the foreground with the Puget Sound in the background. The train track running behind the green adds serious ambiance and the islands in the deep background add even more depth to the view. I can understand a disagreement, but from a qualitative standpoint, this hole is the #1 scenic par 3 in the United States.

In addition to its striking beauty, Chambers Bay is also one of the most unique places in the United States to play golf. There are several architectural features that you won’t find on any other golf course in America. You would have to travel overseas to find anything like the dune features found on #6, #7, and #10, Watching your golf ball roll down the hill and onto the 9th green is wildly fun. Attempting to drive the green on 12 is a thrilling endeavor. As you watch your tee shots fall into the fairway against the Puget Sound on holes #5 and #14, you will remember why you love this beautiful game. In fact, the only hole on the property that I don’t get down right giddy for is #8.

“Chambers Basement” is a 12 foot deep bunker in the middle of the 18th fairway. Since you could pretty much park a VW bus in that thing, it ends up costing even the most seasoned sand player a full shot. After topping his 3 wood during the 2015 US Open, Tiger Woods was the only golfer to visit “The Basement.”
The 10th hole on the property is my favorite. With the green tucked in between the dunes, it reminds me of the great golf played in Ireland and Scotland.

Side Bets

Are you still looking for more sweet Washington golf spots? Perhaps something outside of the top 10? Fret not, here is that sweet side action that you crave.