READERS CHOICE
10
Bear Mountain Ranch • Chelan
In 2013, our readers compared Desert Canyon, Bear Mountain Ranch and a handful of other tracks competing for our 10th and final “Readers Choice” spot, and picked Desert Canyon by a narrow margin. This year, readers faced a similar list, and we expected a similar result.
Uh, no.
Rather than a narrow win for Desert Canyon or any course, Bear Mountain Ranch buried the competition, earning nearly a third of all votes cast and practically doubling up the 2013 Readers Choice champ.
So, what’s going on at Bear Mountain Ranch? Crafted on a hillside overlooking Lake Chelan and the thousands of vineyard acres below, Bear Mountain Ranch has long been one of our favorite tracks, with CG cover-worthy views, eagle opportunities and more elevated tee shots than any course we can think of. Head pro Von Smith cites recent changes meant to “soften” the course for mid- and high-handicappers, and increased word of mouth, for driving more traffic to BMR in recent years.
Maybe our constant praise has finally convinced enough readers to make the trip, or maybe Bear Mountain Ranch is finally coming into its own. Either way, readers are bearish on BMR this fall — and we’re right on board with them.