Golf courses with RV parking

Click for Golf courses with RV parking

RV’s and Pacific Northwest golf
The Pacific Northwest, like the rest of the nation, is experiencing the popularity of recreational vehicles and the opportunity to camp right next to the course

For golfers with RVs the choices of places to camp is as diverse as the golf courses that offer them. Whether you like paved parking pads with a mowed green grass lawn, or just a place to park with minimal plug-ins, you have several options to choose from in the Northwest.

Don’t be mislead by all of the negative news about the economy, many of the parks at golf courses are still filling up so call ahead to reserve a spot before you head out.

Every seven seconds or so, another baby boomer turns 50, according to the Alliance for Aging Research. That’s more than 11,000 new 50-year-olds every day. Retirees may be the best-known recreation vehicle (RV) enthusiasts, but the RV traveler is getting younger—from an average age of 67 a few years ago to less than 50 now—the average age of today’s typical RV owner is now around 49.

Baby boomers have been and still are flocking to RV travel but many younger families are finding the advantages of RV camping and their number is growing steadily.

RV golfers provide a significant source of revenue to some golf courses as Louie Runge, the past owner of Willapa Harbor Golf course in Raymond, Wash. relates. Runge added a 20-unit RV park to his golf course over ten years ago and it’s been an investment Runge said that was well worth it, “I think I got my money back in under 2 years. What could be better: people can drive to one spot, setup camp for two or three days and just unwind, play golf and enjoy themselves with no stress.”

“It makes sense for golf courses off the beaten paths to have a place for RV’s,” said Runge. “We’re about two hours from Seattle or Portland and not well known, so it’s nice to have a place on site for people to stay.”

Willapa Harbor is just one of many golf courses in the Northwest which offer a chance for golfers traveling in RV’s the opportunity to stop, plug in and play golf. These days, RV parks are becoming even more user-friendly, with cable or satellite television hookups, shower and laundry facilities, restaurants and more – Mallard Creek in Lebanon, Ore. has a real upscale landscaped park adjacent to the golf course and restaurant.

Deer Park, north of Spokane, can handle 127 RV’s, and includes a pavilion, a swimming pool and hot tub and much more.

Horn Rapids RV Resort in Richland, Wash., is across the highway from the golf course and is a five-star park with activities like shuffleboard, horseshoes, and volleyball. They also provide a large swimming pool and hot tub spa.

From the coast to the inland deserts and mountains golf courses around the Northwest are being discovered by RV travelers.

Many courses have also made it more affordable by extending special rates to campers. There are plenty stay-and-play packages available, and if you have the time, many will offer weekly, monthly, seasonal and even yearly rates.

RVers have long been taking advantage of the free parking offered at casinos, it’s a nice policy that has been a win-win for RVers and the casinos. At Wildhorse Resort & Casino in Pendleton they have gone one step further by providing a full service RV park next to golf course and casino. With the casino sitting right next to I-84 it’s an easy stop when traveling between Portland or Seattle and Boise. With so much to do at Wildhorse it has become a destination in itself, a place to have fun on the course and in the casino.

One of the benefits of traveling to distant golf courses in the Northwest is the opportunity to stop at the many attractions along the route or just enjoying the terrific scenery that we are so fortunate to have. It’s easy for RV travelers who are on an extended drive to incorporate several courses in their trip.

While fuel prices are a consideration, they don’t seem to be a deterrent for RV travelers. A survey of over 400 RV owners showed that seven out of 10 RV owners surveyed plan to use their RVs more this spring/summer than they did a year ago despite higher fuel prices. Over a quarter (27%) are planning to use their RVs the same amount as last year. Only about four percent plan to use their RVs less this season.

There are many reasons people take up RV traveling–the freedom to move from place to place at will, the ability to take more stuff with you on trips, the togetherness with the family or because it’s generally cheaper than hotels and restaurants.

Breaking into the RV life-style doesn’t have to be expensive as there are several good older vehicles on the market that allow first-time buyers a chance to limit their investment.

Whatever the reasoning, once you own an RV it can easily become the main mode of transportation for nearly all of your vacation travels.

Spokane RV Resort and Deer Park Golf Club are a great combination
Spokane RV Resort and Deer Park Golf Course are a tough combination to beat. RVers enjoy great golf rates at the adjacent Deer Park Golf Club. The golf course is a 6,751-yard 18-hole links design with beautiful bluegrass fairways and huge bentgrass greens. The course is accented with reflection ponds, waterfalls and fountains, bridges, and paved cart paths. The facility includes oversized chipping and putting practice greens and a wide-open 300-yard grass driving range. The golf clubhouse features a full-service pro shop and Divots Grill and Sports Bar which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and has a large covered patio.

Spokane RV Resort is a top-of-the-line RV resort with oversized paved pads, each with a personal patio, a 3,400 sq.ft. recreational pavilion equipped with a big screen, a pool table, gas fireplace, dance floor, patio and fully appointed kitchen. There is also a large pool and spa next to the pavilion.

All RV pads are near the golf course with some right next to the fairways. For reservations or more information, you can call the golf course at 877-276-5912 and the RV resort at 877-276-1555.

New owners of Sun Country Golf & RV park make major changes
For 35 years Sun Country Golf & RV Park – you’ve seen the big GOLF sign off I-90 just before Cle Elum – has operated as a 9-hole golf course.

In 2005 it came under new ownership with a plan to improve and expand the facility.

A new nine was built under the direction of golf architect John Steidel and opened for play in April of this year.

Along with the new nine holes many improvements and alterations were done to the original nine – new irrigation, some fairways were altered and a few tees were relocated to improve the playability.

Improvements were also made to the RV park which included new 50 amp plug-ins, satellite tv connections, internet service and improved parking pads.

The overall facelift has transformed the aging facility and given it new life. Future plans are for a new clubhouse to be built on the hill near the beginning of the new nine. While the overall length of the course is short there are two elevated tees on the new nine where you can unleash the driver and enjoy the long hangtime.

The signature hole is still the par-3 15th on the original course with a 120 ft. elevation drop from tee to green.

Also new are several building lots that border the fairways of the newest nine.

For reservations or more information you can call 509-674-2226.