Golf Courses of the Olympic Peninsula

The Olympic Peninsula has millions of visitors each year from all parts of the globe as the reputation as a scenic wonderland is well known.

The Olympic National Park is loaded with natural wonders, as are the surrounding areas and ocean beaches. The Olympic Peninsula is home to some top-of-the-line courses like Port Ludlow (far right). The Kitsap Peninsula is another place with some terrific golf, including courses like White Horse in Kingston (near Whether you are looking for a 9-hole layout, an 18-hole course or some resort golf, you will find it all on the Olympic Peninsula. And they are all good.

Port Ludlow Golf Course
Port Ludlow was named as one of the top five public courses in Washington by Golf Magazine. Its 18 holes are divided into two 9-hole courses named Tide and Timber. Each features scenic views, dense forests and natural surroundings.

A short ferry ride from Edmonds and a 20 mile drive from the Kingston ferry dock, Port Ludlow offers the perfect get-away not only for golfers, but for anyone looking to take a break from the city.

With a quaint inn, restaurant, spa and full service marina, the resort offers something for everyone.

Discovery Bay Golf Club
Describing itself as the oldest public golf course in Washington, Discovery Bay Golf Club sits on a secluded 200-acre site above Discovery Bay, just outside the city of Port Townsend, Washington.

Formally known as Chevy Chase, the second nine was designed by golf course architect Mike Asmundson prior to him becoming the owner of the course. The two nines are vastly different: the original nine is contained in the lowlands while the newest nine is built on the top of and along the side of a hill with forest-lined fairways.

The course is great fun to play and will reward good play and punish wayward shots. Discovery Bay GC is also home to the Jefferson County Amateur.

LakeLand Village
Lakeland Village, located in Allyn, Washington, offers 27 holes of golf with three different nines.

With numerous ponds, gaping bunkers and majestic views of the Olympics and Mount Rainier, ardent golfers will appreciate the scenic driving ranges, practice chipping, bunker areas and the well-groomed putting greens.

In addition to a gourmet restaurant, cafe and espresso bar, the clubhouse also provides banquet facilities. Public play is also welcome at the course, so anyone can come out and enjoy the golf as well as the all the other amenities.

SunLand Golf Club
Established in 1971 and located in a retirement community in Sequim, SunLand Golf and Country Club winds through huge fir, cedar and spruce trees and is well protected with numerous bunkers and ponds. The course features tight fairways and above average greens, and is relatively flat with narrow fairways surrounded by houses. There are a couple of elevation changes that add a good mixture to the round.

The course, which was formerly private, is semi-private now and open to the public during limited times.

SkyRidge Golf Course
This links style course with wide fairways and large greens is always in pristine condition. After playing the first nine at SkyRidge Golf Course in Sequim, Wash., you will be treated to a completely separate new set of tee boxes for your back nine. The new tees offer totally different angles and yardages to the fairways and greens, giving golfers the feel of an eighteen-hole golf course.

With the famous blue hole of Sequim working in its favor, SkyRidge gets plenty of sunshine and power carts are allowed every day, twelve months a year. If you like to walk, the entire golf course is flat and offers incredible views of the Olympic Mountains. SkyRidge also offers an all grass driving range and two putting greens for your practicing needs. A new clubhouse with a pro shop, café, bar, and outside decks will be opening this summer.

Bayshore Golf Course
Bayshore Golf Course sits on the shores of Oakland Bay near the city of Shelton, Washington. The nine-hole course was built in 1948 and is open to the public. The course stretches just over 3,000 yards and is a par 36 and has affordable green fees starting in the low $20s. The fairways are lined with towering fir trees and that old saying that trees are 90 percent air is not the case with these bushy mammoths. As with most older courses, the greens at Bayshore are small targets and will put some pressure on your short game.

Lake Cushman Golf Course
Where can you make a birdie, jump for joy after an eagle, and see elk, deer, coyotes and raccoons in the same day? Lake Cushman Golf Course, near Hoodsport, sits in a valley on the edge of the Olympic National Park. Golfers can walk the beautiful course or take a ride in one of its Yamaha carts. While not real long, Lake Cushman will require you to concentrate as the greens are small and there is some serious trouble if you wander off the fairways.

This nine-hole course, which can be played twice from separate tees to make a par 72, is popular among locals as well as with campers and vacationers. The natural wooded setting produces a calming atmosphere for relaxing rounds of golf. The course is challenging but playable for all levels of golfers. They also have a nice practice driving range.

Oaksridge Golf Course
Oaksridge Golf Course sits just off Highway 12 in Elma and is visible from the freeway. The 18-hole track measures 5,643 yards and is a local favorite since opening in 1934.

The course is relatively level so it makes a perfect walking course. Just be advised, the prevailing winds can lengthen it considerably. Owner Rich Walker has put in endless hours to keep the course in good shape – and his work has paid off as it is very popular with local golfers.

Dungeness Golf Course
The Olympic Mountains deflect the rain clouds around the city of Sequim, making the Cedars at Dungeness one of the driest courses in Western Washington – an average of 13-15 inches of rain per year. With an 18-hole layout measuring over 6,400 yards, Dungeness is protected by sprawling bunkers and narrow approaches to elevated greens.

The signature hole is the par-5 3rd with a series of bunkers in the shape of a Dungeness crab.

Highland Golf Course
Highland Golf Course in Cosmopolis originally opened as a nine-hole venue in 1932. The course is rather short at 6,112 yards with a par of 72, but it feels like it plays much longer.

There are not many flat lies, which adds to its challenging personality and the greens are tough, too.

If you are in the area, you should set aside some time to play Highlander, we think you will like the character of this course.

New management was put in place a few years ago and its reputation as a friendly place to play continues to grow.

Ocean Shores Golf Course
Ocean Shores Golf Course has a course worth the trip to the beach, and one of the few courses that sits near the Pacific Ocean. A driving range is available for those who want to work on their games before or after their round. Check with the course for stay and play packages.

Operator Curt Zander has made several quality changes to the course, including the new driving range. A new irrigation system on the front side has helped the course green up. Zander has been in charge since 1993.

Lake Limerick Golf Course
Lake Limerick just outside of Shelton, is surrounded by a development but the houses are set back from the fairways and don’t encroach on holes. The course is tight with several sets of tees that can give the course a new look each time you play it.

The course made some changes a few years ago, including removing some trees for better shots.

The course has two sets of tees and plays to 5,864 yards. The tree-lined fairways require some precise shots which makes the course fun to play.

Alderbrook Golf Course
Alderbrook Golf Club is set in a classic Northwest wooded setting in Union, Washington. With a well-maintained and challenging golf course, Alderbrook should be on everyone’s list must-play courses.

The most talked about hole is the 8th, a double dogleg par 5 that stretches to 536 yards. Playing to 6,326 yards from the back tees, Alderbrook’s finishing hole is one of the best in the Northwest – the dog-leg right fairway plays down a long hill to a recently renovated green guarded by a newly extended pond, making this difficult hole even more of a challenge.

Salish Cliffs Golf Club
When Salish Cliffs Golf Club opened for public play last year, it was obvious that this amenity of the Little Creek Casino and Squaxin Island tribe was something special. The Gene Bates-designed course won several awards in its first year, including being named one of the top new courses for 2011.

At 7,269 yards the course offers everything – from ponds to sand traps to wetlands to 600 feet of elevation changes. The course has a GPS-enabled cart fleet, driving range and practice areas, a full-service restaurant and an outstanding golf shop. And, the nearby casino has all of the amenities that you could want.

PDF: Map of courses on the Washington Peninsula