Not only was 2008 a great year for golf in the Northwest, it was a pretty good year for us, too. Over the course of our four issues this year, we featured 62 different Northwest courses, reviewed more than 50 of the hottest products and services on the market, and took our readers with us on golf vacations both near (Bellingham, Idaho, Portland) and far (Ireland, Scotland). Without a doubt, however, what gave us the biggest smiles throughout the year was not just giving you “Northwest golf news and views you can use,” but in bringing many of those stories off the page and into the lives of our readers. In just the past eight months, we’ve given our readers concert tickets, tournament entries, $500 lesson packages and stay-and-play packages to Coeur d’Alene, Snoqualmie Ridge/Salish Lodge, the Kitsap Peninsula, even Malaysia — not to mention a near bagful of top-of-the-line clubs. Of course, just giving something away only tells half the story. We wanted to know — just what was Malaysia like? How did our Cascade Golfer American Amateur Champion do? So, we followed up with a couple of our big winners to find out how they enjoyed their CG experiences.

Brady McMullin • Seattle

When we sent Brady McMullin into this summer’s American Amateur Championship, an exciting four-day tournament held on eight premier area courses, we didn’t care if the 40-year-old Seattle resident was the best golfer we had to choose from. We wanted to help him prove to his two kids, six-year-old Jack and three-year-old Hannah, that he still had it. A 10 handicap, Brady was placed in the tourn’s third flight for the first three rounds, after which the top-four finishers would advance to the final round at Chambers Bay. Despite firing respectable scores of 75, 79 and 76, Brady ended up missing the final-round cut — which, while disappointing, wasn’t what it was all about anyway. “My kids are always asking me how I’d do in a real tournament, so it was fun to have the chance to show them,” he says. “Sorry I couldn’t pull out a win, but it was fun and challenging — it felt great to have butterflies in the gut! My kids made me a trophy of sorts and were excited to hear the results each day, which was truly the best part. Thanks to everyone at Cascade Golfer for selecting me to play! Keep up the good work.”

Dwayne Dickerson • Spanaway

When Dwayne Dickerson sat down with the June issue of Cascade Golfer, he had no idea how far it would take him. Dwayne was the winner of this year’s most elaborate CG giveaway, an all-expenses-paid, six-day trip to stay and play at some of the Pacific Rim’s top resorts in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Dwayne’s golf game was tested at Malaysia’s famous Glenmarie Golf & Country Club and Saujana Golf & Country Club, the latter recently named one of the Top-100 Courses Outside the U.S. by Golf Digest. Dwayne says that pristine conditions, helpful staff and knowledgeable caddies were the norm — as were the occasional yips that accompany a 17 handicap. “The courses were in very good shape and the caddies were helpful and supportive,” he says. “I only wish I would have brought a more consistent game! Regardless of the score, though, I was having a blast playing and enjoying the beauty of the courses.” In addition to the golf, Dwayne was given the royal treatment with tours of the King’s Palace, the National Museum and other sights. He also made time to walk through the city and enjoy the non-commercial aspects of Malaysian life, sampling the culinary fare from street vendors and taking in the city’s vibrant culture. “In all, I couldn’t have asked for things to work out any better. The wonderful folks at ITC Golf took care of everything I needed while I was there, and nearly everyone I encountered was friendly and helpful,” he says. “You hear about these trips all the time and wonder just how good they are — well, I can tell you firsthand that this trip was all it was promised to be, and more. Thank you Cascade Golfer and ITC Golf … it was an experience I’ll never forget!”