The natural beauty and creative golf courses in the Northwest corner of the United States will test the skills of most golfers. Forested hills, large trees, rugged lava fields, sagebrush-filled ravines, wetlands, beautiful lakes, rivers and desert outcrops are part of the landscapes of golf courses in Oregon and Washington.
Washington golfers see it all
Some of Washington’s golf courses offer unbeatable views. You can play within sight of living volcanoes, in the shadow of towering mountains, within sight of islands and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, along rivers, in an alpine desert, and other picturesque locations.
West of Seattle, the San Juan Islands have three islands that offer public golf courses, Orcas, San Juan, and Lopez Island. That makes the San Juan Islands a great place to play island-hopping golf. In all, you’ll find dozens of courses in the Seattle area, from a 705-yard, 9-hole par 27 course to an 18-hole course that’s 7,093 yards long with a par 72.
The Tacoma area has almost 20 public golf courses to choose from, several are in Tacoma. There are also three public courses in Auburn, two in Spanaway, and one each in DuPont, Ft. Lewis, Puyallup, Sumner, Union, and Gig Harbor. That makes Washington a great place for golfers from Seattle and Tacoma.
Suncadia Rope Rider from Washington at Cle Elum covers 7,271 yards. This is the fourth city with a 7,000+ yard course in central Washington, creating a great venue for long-range players.
Eastern Washington has five public courses of 7,000 yards or more. They are located in Kennewick, Moses Lake, Pullman, Richland, and Walla Walla. Pullman’s Kennewick Canyon Lakes Golf Course and WSU Palouse Ridge Golf Club are among the top-rated courses in the state.
Oregon Golfers Play Everywhere
Along the Oregon coast you will find many fields where you can see deer, elk, waterfowl and other wildlife. The natural terrain of this area offers plenty of water hazards, hills, sand dunes, and forests to keep you on your toes. Here, a golfer can drive into high winds, play within 100 yards of the Pacific Ocean, and choose from courses designed by world-class golf legends.
One of the top golf destinations in Oregon is Portland, due to the large number of public courses that are within a 30-minute drive of downtown. These include three multi-course sites.
The serious golfer will also love Central Oregon. Between Black Butte and Sunriver there are more than a dozen 18-hole public golf courses. Black Butte Ranch has two courses that are over 7,000 yards long and at Crooked River Ranch the course is played in a 300 foot deep gorge.
Redmond’s Eagle Crest Resort offers three 18-hole courses, with more courses in town. In Bend there are four 18-hole courses and Sunriver Resort has two other public courses. Resort accommodations are also plentiful.
Eastern Oregon has public courses in eleven cities. You’ll find 18-hole courses in Baker City, Milton-Freewater, Pendleton and Umatilla.
There are plenty of great golf courses in Oregon and Washington. About 350 courses are open to the public in these two states. They charge less than $10 per game to more than $200. Many have special times when it is cheaper to play. Taking advantage of twilight, early bird, senior, junior, and military discounts is one way to reduce green fees; some courses even let you play for 1/3 of the normal fee.