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GOLF RESOURCE GUIDE:
the golfing nomad
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 “Flat-out fun.” The Emerald City area has a new gem for golfers to discover, and since natural beauty and golf course openings are hard to find these days, the sighting of both simultaneously is worthy of note, or at least a trip. Salish Cliffs Golf Club in Shelton, Wash., about 70 miles south of Seattle, is the latest course designed by Gene Bates and the second for him in the Pacific Northwest, coming on the heels of his acclaimed work at Circling Raven Golf Club in the Idaho panhandle a few years ago. Like Circling Raven, Salish Cliffs is a bold statement on a broad canvas, with the layout snaking through 320 acres of rugged terrain with gentle dips, curves and slopes. The course, which opened in late September, plays to a muscular 7,269 yards from the tips but has four other teeing options starting at 5,313 yards for players who want to eliminate some of the carry on their drives. “It really has 18 distinct holes,” says head pro David Kass. “There aren’t two holes that look alike on the golf course. The fairways are basically generous, and if you play the right set of tees, you’ll have a lot of fun out there.” Waiting at the edges of most fairways is long and thick fescue, which, while penal, adds a distinct color contrast to the course with its light-brown hue. The best view of the Kamilche Valley comes from the tee box on the 434-yard, par-4 12th hole, which is 600 feet above the first fairway. A panoramic spin includes seeing the tip of Mt. Rainier on a clear day through some of the towering pines and evergreens that dominate the landscape. “The elevation of the property, the character of the property, the vegetation and the overall uniqueness of the land make it pretty special,” says Bates, whose completed work at Salish Cliffs represents his 43rd solo effort. “You don’t find this very often anymore.” Work on the course, which is owned and operated by the Squaxin Island Tribe, began five years ago but was stopped for about 25 months because of expansion plans at the Little Creek Casino Resort on the property. When Bates got the call to return, he finished the layout, which includes a nice variety of short and long par-4s and a good mixture of par-3s ranging from 161 to 291 yards from the tips. Three of the par-3s have tee boxes high above the putting surface, which adds to the flat-out fun of playing the course. Another notable feature is the double green shared by the ninth and 18th holes. The huge putting surface wraps around a lake that comes into play for both holes. The ninth is a 409-yard par-4 that features a carry over water about 230 yards off the tee. The 18th is a risk-reward par-5 that’s just 537 yards from the tips, which provides an interesting decision for big hitters who launch good tee shots. “This property really offered a lot of challenge, but I saw that as an opportunity to make a course that took advantage of its elevation changes and allowed us to create a variety of holes, both in eye appeal and playability,” Bates said. “What we ended up with were 18 great golf holes. I’m so pleased with the finished product.” For more information on the course or hotel, or to book a tee time, call (800) 667-7711, (360) 462-3673 or visit salish-cliffs.com or little-creek.com. |
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RSS SubscribeReaders Feedback:
Are photos allowed on this Web site? It would be nice to see pictures of courses when they're reviewed.
| Comment at 11/2/2011 |
