April 18th in Places, Save Some Green.

Eastside Values

by Norm Maves

At Cascade Golfer, we know that you work on a tight schedule — you don’t always want to spend an hour or driving out to a “destination” course, only to spend the next five hours rushing through your round in anticipation of having to repeat the long drive back home. We also know that our readers represent a cross-section of the Northwest golfer — from the 20-something college student eating Ramen noodles each night, to the company president looking to close a deal over an outstanding round of golf. That’s why in our debut issue of 2008, we’re premiering a new column recommending three three terrific golf options in a small geographic radius, at a price you can afford — whatever that price may be. This issue focuses on what is certainly Seattle’s most accessible golf mecca — the Eastside. With dozens of courses to choose from, ranging from local munis to some of the Northwest’s most exclusive tracks, at just about every price point imaginable, it seemed an obvious place to start. We’ve narrowed the options down to three that we think you should check out.

Bellevue Golf Course

Bellevue Golf CourseThe trouble with well-maintained, not-too-hard, nicely priced municipal courses near major metropolitan areas is the same everywhere: they’re popular and accessible, so they have a steady stream of golfers. Sometimes it can slow down play, too. There have been some complaints about the speed at BGC — but none about the course itself. David W. Kent’s user-friendly design has been around since 1968 and wears well. With its affordable rates and short distance — 5,521 yards from the longest tees — it’s a terrific options for beginners, while more experienced golfers will welcome the chance to get in a low-cost practice round before dropping $75 or more at one of the area’s more exclusive courses. The course is under the new management of Premier Golf Center, which should help the speed issue. PGC reversed the nines and has lots of discounts and specials for the cold-weather player. After the change to daylight saving time, it could be a good after (or before) work option.
  • Location: Bellevue
  • Rates: $15 – $27
  • Par: 71 • 5,521
  • Website: bellevuepgc.com
  • Tel: 425-452-7250

Willows Run Golf Complex

Willows Run Golf ComplexWillows Run in Redmond tries to be the one place you need to go to indulge your level of interest in the game. Eagle’s Talon is a standard (6,800 from the tips) course; Coyote Creek is a shorter, easier course if you don’t feel like wrestling the bear today. Many locals like to take advantage of the terrific twilight rates, when the courses are a little less crowded than they can be in peak hours, and the sunset over the Sound makes for stunning views of Mount Rainier and the hot air balloons floating over the Redmond Valley. But there’s more: there’s Heron Links, a nine-hole, par-3 track just for the fun of it. There’s even an 18-hole putting green for children young and old to try out their putting stroke. Bundle that with a full-service bar and grill and a practice facility, and, indeed, Willows Run has everything you need. Winter rates are terrific for peak-hour play, while in the summer, your best bet is to hit it at twilight hours, when an 18-hole round with GPS-equipped cart will set you back less than $30.
  • Location: Redmond
  • Rates: $25-$44
  • Par: 72 • 5,763-6,803 (Eagle’s Talon), 72 • 5,441-6,344 (Coyote Creek)
  • Website: willowsrun.com
  • Tel: 425-883-1200

Trilogy Golf Club at Redmond Ridge

Trilogy Golf Club at Redmond RidgeThis lovely little (6,419 yards max) course off Novelty Hill Road is both pretty and treacherous, especially if you have difficulty dealing with water. The wet stuff comes into play a lot, including an interesting front-side Amen Corner at the third and fourth holes. The third is a 613-yard beast with water right off the tee and down the left side; the next hole is a 160-yard par-3, but it’s all liquid from tee to green, so get it all the way there or reach for your provisional ball. All reports are that Trilogy is a delight to play that makes you keep your focus the entire round. With water on nearly every hole, being long and wild won’t help you here — precise shot-making is the key to keeping a low number on your scorecard. It’s truly a course that will reveal you for whatever kind of golfer you are, rewarding your strengths and exploiting your weaknesses. Like a lot of Puget Sound courses, convenient winter pricing makes Trilogy a tempting wet-weather option, while even the spring and summer rates are far below what you’d expect to pay for a course of this quality.
  • Location: Redmond
  • Rates: $25 – $44
  • Par: 72 • 5,763-6,803 (Eagle’s Talon); 72 • 5,441-6,344(Coyote Creek)
  • Website: willowsrun.com
  • Tel: 425-883-1200


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