Save Some Green: Sumner Meadows Golf Links
Wedged between a noisy train track and an industrial park, nearly barren of trees, the land on which Sumner Meadows Golf Links was laid is hardly the stuff of a golf architect’s dreams.
Unless that golf architect is John Harbottle III. A native of Tacoma — and the man behind such Northwest gems as The Olympic Course at Gold Mountain and the all-new Palouse Ridge in Pullman — Harbottle saw not a noisy train, but a classic, character-adding visual element; not a barren, empty swamp, but a set of gentle slopes and open wetlands that, were they only in Scotland, would have been turned into pristine golf links two centuries ago.
The result of Harbottle’s vision is one of the most enjoyable rounds you can find for under $30, featuring a varied collection of holes that will require the use of almost every club in your bag. With five sets of tees and junior rates as low as $15, it’s also a terrific course for beginners or parents playing with children, providing a challenging and entertaining round for golfers of almost any skill level.
About the only thing you won’t find at Sumner Meadows are out-of-bounds stakes (in true links style, there are none) or trees — there are pockets here and there, but the course’s obstacles are more “wet” and “wild” than “woods.”
The “wet” are the number of natural wetlands Harbottle wove his holes across and around, each guarded by long marsh grasses — the “wild.” There are enough hazards to require thoughtful planning from shot to shot, while the open layout and lack of trees still allow for plenty of opportunities to make up for any mistakes.
When the train rolls by (and it will), rather than curse the noise, use the opportunity to take a breath, look around and appreciate a land that, thanks to one innovative architect, is finally receiving its just rewards.
BEST HOLE
The par-5 15th may not be the “best,” per se, but it’s certainly Sumner’s signature — at 628 yards from the tips, you can take three shots to reach the green without ever hitting anything shorter than a 3-iron.
- Yardage 5,269-6,765
- Rates $15-$28
- Web golfsumnermeadows.com
- Tel 253-863-8198
