A fan-driven, fantastical course built from the state’s best holes

BY TONY DEAR, SIMON DUBIEL, BART POTTER & BOB SHERWIN • CASCADE GOLFER STAFF

We think the reality of golf in Washington is pretty good. But what if we could somehow take the best holes from certain courses and combine them into one awesome, stupendous, make-believe Shangri-La – a fantasy layout that is literally incredible, the course of every Washington golfer’s dreams?

A couple of months ago, we asked you to nominate your favorite holes in the state so we could create a Dream 18, and boy is the resulting course something special.

We expected a handful of places to dominate the voting but didn’t want our Elysian Field to consist of nine holes from Chambers Bay and nine from Gamble Sands, or six from Chambers, six from Gamble, three from Wine Valley, and three from Salish Cliffs, and so on. We wanted to highlight the diversity, beauty, and excellence of more courses

than that. But while the aforementioned venues certainly showed up a lot, we needn’t have worried as an incredible 14 courses contributed to the final 18.

Our (well, your) utopia measures 6,829 yards from the back tees and plays to a par of 72 with five par-5s, eight par-4s, and five par-3s. Okay, three of the short holes come one after another and two of the par-5s play back-to-back but, other than that, it’s a conventional layout. Though, not really. It’s not conventional at all, in fact. It’s unimaginable, inconceivable, almost too far-fetched. And when you see the second Dream 18, you’ll fully appreciate the quality of the golf around us.

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NO. 1 • Salish Cliffs

Par 5 • 532 yards

Your drive needs to be clear of a wide wing-span tree on the right side to see the hole on your second shot. Yet too far left and you’ll get caught in a deep rough or a deeper bunker. Your approach is downhill with a little trouble left (bunker) around the green but it’s a reachable and a scorable par-5, a nice way to start.

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NO. 2 • Gamble Sands

Par 4 • 301 yards

This is Gamble’s most iconic hole and may be the signature symbol for all Eastern Washington golf. It’s a magnificent view, on a high platform tee overlooking the Columbia River, mountains and fertile pastures beyond. The average golfer can reach the downhill green, but you’ll need to negotiate a sizable bunker prominently along the pathway.

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NO. 3 • Palouse Ridge

Par 4 • 484 yards

Your drive will fall into a sweeping right-to-left fairway, a delicate shot that sets up any possible success. Try to stay right, as the slope might roll your ball into the left-side hay. There’s a high-bank trouble trap on the right ridge to be avoided. A slope to the green’s right side will funnel approach shots toward the middle. Stay away from the left.

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NO. 4 • The Home Course

Par 3 • 217 yards

It seems docile and straight forward. Just hit your drive straight, around 180 yards, and you’re in birdie range. But short straight puts you into a high-walled pot bunker. Short left into the false front and you may tumble into the high rough or water hazard. Push it left deep onto the banked green and the slope might take it 30 feet off. There’s also a prominent spine dividing the green in half. Choose wisely.

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NO. 5 • Wine Valley

Par 4 • 515 yards

It’s a fairly wide-open tee shot but the right-to-left fairway slope can slide you into the waste area along the left side. The waste area then cuts in front and along the green’s right side, so you must deal with it at least twice, perhaps three times. A huge green slants opposite the fairway, leftto-right. Take care on your approach because it could trickle down — once again — into the right-side wash.

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NO. 6 • Gold Mountain • Olympic

Par 5 • 562 yards

Blind shot to start. You can’t see the green from the tee, hidden by a hill about 120 yards away. There’s plenty of downhill landing area once over the hill but avoid the left side because of impenetrable woods all the way down, thick rough and five bunkers on your approach to the green. Right side has less trouble. Middle is always optimal.

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NO. 7 • Washington National

Par 4 • 320 yards

It’s short and reachable, serving only to tempt and terrorize. Long hitters can prosper here, if straight. Avoid the OB left and water all along the right. For the average hitter, it’s best to keep your drive down the left side, landing in a level fairway area between bunkers. Then your wedge play will determine your fate.

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NO. 8 • Chambers Bay

Par 5 • 557 yards

A slice, common to most (right-hand) golfers, can be an issue here, even arrow-straight shots. The fairway slopes significantly left to right so that every shot is susceptible to wander to the right edge, sometimes over it to a waste area. Pin placement is critical on approaches to a spacious green. Forward-pin positions sit amid undulating mounds while a backstop can benefit back-pin positions.

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NO. 9 • Highlander

Par 3 • 163 yards

This par-3 is popular because it is among the most scenic in the state. The tee and smallish green are both on plateaus, with a deep no-retrieval canyon in between. Beyond the hole are rugged mountains guarding the Columbia River below. Once you focus on your shot, there are no layups short, left or beyond. Some bailout space right but that won’t get you close. It’s all (carry) or nothing.

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NO. 10 • Suncadia Prospector

Par 4 • 411 yards

Trouble, trouble, trouble on No. 10 at Prospector – midway left, right of the green, and immediately behind it. That’s if you remember to hit the ball, transfixed as you might be standing on the tee, more than 100 feet above the green, by the dense forest and rugged mountains as backdrop.

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NO. 11 • Harbour Pointe

Par 4 • 395 yards

No. 11 is not the most difficult hole at Harbour Pointe in Mukilteo (handicap 14), but it might be the most visually arresting, with Puget Sound and Whidbey Island looming in the near distance when you’re there and lingering in your mind once you’ve left it.

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NO. 12 • Chambers Bay

Par 4 • 281 yards

They call it The Narrows, and in fact this uphill, drivable par 4 is the skinniest fairway on the course and the very definition of risk/reward. Lay up short for relative safety or challenge the blowout bunker left-center in front of the green if you’re feeling cocky.

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NO. 13 • Gamble Sands

Par 5 • 562 yards

If you can catch your breath after playing Gamble’s first 12 holes, you might lose it once again when you get here, with another birdie opportunity on the horizon but the lurking danger near the green. It’s as cool as the hole is long. It’s Gamble.

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NO. 14 • Bear Mountain

Par 5 • 586 yards

Your tee ball here launches 100 feet above the distant green, but before that take a moment to look around. An approach from the left side is the best route home … and the wind is likely waiting to mess up all your best-laid plans.

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NO. 15 • Chambers Bay

Par 3 • 139 yards

Lone Fir is a signature hole if there ever was one. Stand on the tee and admire the view for a few moments, and then take aim at the green, 172 yards and far below, toward the Lone Fir Tree, the only tree on the course.

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NO. 16 • Gold Mountain • Olympic

Par 3 • 189 yards

The easiest hole by handicap on the Olympic Course might be the easiest on the eyes, too, but who isn’t intimidated by the need to carry your tee ball over the big water in front to reach the bean-shaped green? And if you do, will it stay there?

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NO. 17 • Apple Tree

Par 3 • 180 yards

This golf hole needs no introduction, and it’s in the Dream 18 because, well, of course it is. The apple green is 10,000 square feet, so you can’t miss it. Take aim, get some air under your ball, and land it in the middle of the island. You’ll go home happy to the core.

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NO. 18 • White Horse

Par 4 • 435 yards

This difficult closing hole at White Horse doesn’t look like anybody’s idea of fun, but don’t tell that to the golfers who voted it into the Dream 18. A very large and very pretty pond on the left runs the entire length of a very narrow fairway. Have fun with it.

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PART DEUX

Another view of great holes we stitched together to craft this fantasy course for your consideration

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NO. 1 • Creek At Qualchan

Par 4

The stunning elevated opening tee shot takes you off a cliff edge and over a creek to the fairway 100 feet below.

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NO. 2 • Druids Glen

Par 5

An early par 5 that allows you the chance to get home in two, if you have the fire power to cover the pond that guards the front.

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NO. 3 • Bear Mountain

Par 3

The Lake Chelan backdrop for this exhilarating par 3 is a looker.

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NO. 4 • Washington National

Par 5

Great bunkering showcases this long par 5.

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NO. 5 • Suncadia Prospector

Par4

The entire hole half moons around a pond, making it nerve wracking every step of the way. The few, the brave and the strong may try to take a straight line off the tee at the green.

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NO. 6 • Gamble Sands

Par 3

This long par 3 plays shorter than the scorecard. A very generous hill on the right is available to play your shot into and then wait for the slope to take it down to the green.

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NO. 7 • The Home Course

Par 4

It is beautiful but demands a well struck approach over the water.

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NO. 8 • Salish Cliffs

Par 5

This dogleg left is one of the great three-shot par 5s in the state. Par is a good score here.

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NO. 9 • Chambers Bay

Par 3

Perched high above the green, your tee shot seems to hang forever as it falls against the background of the Puget Sound. One of the best views a tee box offers in Washington.

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NO. 10 • Chambers Bay

Par 4

“High Dunes” is right there with Prospector as the best 10th hole in the state. The dunes on each side frame the hole perfectly.

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NO. 11 • Avalon South

Par 4

The second hole on the South course requires two good shots to reach yet another one of Avalon’s fantastic greens. The view from the back looks down into the valley. It is a good spot.

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NO. 12 • Battle Creek

Par 3

Welcome to ‘The Rock’. This middle/long par 3 carries a ravine with a massive boulder in front of the green. One of the more intimidating tee shots in the state.

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NO. 13 • Camaloch

Par 5

A downhill approach highlights this fun hole. A good tee ball puts almost everyone in the ‘go zone.’

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NO. 14 • Gamble Sands

Par 4

This double fairway is split by several bunkers, making it one of the more diabolical tee shots on property.

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NO. 15 • Palouse Ridge

Par 4

A short par 4 with three gnarly bunkers leading from the landing zone up to the green.

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NO. 16 • Auburn

Par 3

The signature hole at Auburn, gorgeous and challenging. The line and carry over the water demand a commitment.

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NO. 17 • Echo Falls

Par 4

Beautiful and a test. A difficult tee shot is followed by an even tougher approach, with water down the entire right side.

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NO. 18 • Salish Cliffs

Par 5

Out of the shoot followed by a risk/reward second shot over water, targeting a huge double green that is shared with the ninth hole. One of the best holes in Washington.

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Notable holes on great courses that deserve a nod all over The Evergreen State

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NO. 1

The downhill opening tee shot at Shuksan is a popular hole at this underrated layout. Wine Valley’s opener plays downhill into the first of its many unique green structures. Newcastle Coal Creek opener is a three-shot par 5 with gorgeous views.

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NO. 2

The short par-4 second holes at Salish Cliffs and Port Ludlow give you some options off the tee to try to make a birdie.

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NO. 3

Druids Glen has perhaps the best set of par 3s in the state, with No. 3 leading the way. The first par 5 at White Horse doglegs left toward the perched up green.

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NO. 5

The view for Chambers Bay 5th tee shot never gets old.

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NO. 7

Both Wine Valley and Trophy Lake’s reachable par 5s are not only fantastic, but a total gas to play. The par-3 7th at Bear Mountain is quite the looker.

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NO. 9

The downhill approach on the par-5 9th at Gold Mountain’s Olympic Course is stunning. The same can be said for Apple Tree and Suncadia Prospector’s par 4s, with water very much in play as well.

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NO. 10

Suncadia Rope Rider’s dogleg right is a great risk vs. reward par 5, with the tee shot sitting below Swiftwater Cellars. Desert Canyon’s opener to the back nine is a fun downhill par 5 and a popular nomination as well.

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NO. 11

The split fairway par 5 at Loomis Trail gives you a shot to pick up a stroke.

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NO. 12

The view from the tee box at West Seattle’s par-5, 12th is one of the great shots in our state.

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NO. 13

The Classic’s old No. 4 is a lovely long par 3.

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NO. 15

Desert Canyon’s par 5 is as beautiful as it is long and challenging. Legion Memorial’s signature 15th is dynamite. The short par 4 at Gold Mountain’s Olympic course is a favorite as well.

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NO. 16

The fantastic dogleg left par 4 at Salish Cliffs gives the bombers a shot to cut the corner. Gamble Sands’ long par 3 asks you to hit a shot into a bowl surrounding a massive twotiered sloping green.

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NO. 17

The 17th at Washington National demands excellence. Port Ludlow’s downhill par-3 17th is a treat to play. Newcastle Coal Creek’s penultimate hole has an unmatched view.

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NO. 18

Washington has so many great finishing holes. Gold Mountain’s drivable par 4, Echo Falls island green par 3 and the par 5s at Wine Valley, Chambers Bay, Suncadia Prospector, Trophy Lake and Apple Tree are several of the amazing home holes in our state.

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By The Numbers

Digits and data that distinguished your votes and our findings.

• 403 - Number of nominations 

• 2 - Most nominated hole: The second at Gamble Sands was a runaway winner and is perhaps the most popular hole in Washington. 

• 10 - Most holes nominated: Chambers Bay (1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 18)

• 9 - Gamble Sands was a close second with nine holes nominated: (2, 5, 6, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18)

• 5 - Number of Par 5s and Par 3s in the Dream 18. Everyone wants more cracks at an eagle or hole-in-one. 

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