Perhaps never in the last 20 years — for many of us, the majority of our adult lifetimes — has the value of a dollar been of such relevance. At the same time, Americans are being asked to work longer hours for fewer benefits — making the need for a relaxing and enjoyable escape greater than ever.

Enjoyable? Escape? On second thought, maybe golf isn’t the answer.

The good news ...]]> By Brian Beaky, CG Editor

Perhaps never in the last 20 years — for many of us, the majority of our adult lifetimes — has the value of a dollar been of such relevance. At the same time, Americans are being asked to work longer hours for fewer benefits — making the need for a relaxing and enjoyable escape greater than ever.

Enjoyable? Escape? On second thought, maybe golf isn’t the answer.

The good news is, the Rainier Valley — which we define here as the roughly rectangular area bordered by Renton to the North, I-5 to the West, Maple Valley to the East and Puyallup to the South — is loaded with reasonable options for cash-strapped golfers who aren’t going to shelve their short game just because the cookie jar isn’t as full as it used to be.

From Auburn Golf Course, to Washington National, to Druids Glen, the high-value courses in this fertile region have made regular appearances on this page — and we’ve barely scratched the surface. Perhaps no other area of comparable size in the Puget Sound region boasts as many tracks whose return exceeds their rate.

But as those who live in the area will tell you, it’s not just about the golf. Since the mid-1990s, the entire valley has undergone a gradual facelift, evolving from a rural district of open farmland and affordable commuter housing into a thriving hub of Puget Sound commerce and entertainment. The Muckleshoot Casino came first to the area, opening in Auburn in 1995 and putting the valley on the map as a leisure destination. The Auburn Supermall and its legions of shoppers followed five months later; in 1996, Emerald Downs opened just up Highway 167 to attract the recreational sports fan, followed in 2003 by the White River Ampitheater and its capacity crowds of music lovers.

Suffice to say, the Rainier Valley today represents one of the fastest-developing areas of Puget Sound — and lucky for those of us who prefer our game balls white and dimpled, there’s plenty of affordable golf to go around.

So go ahead and save that green — after all, the $2 beverage at the end of your round is going to be a pretty good salve for these difficult times, too.