It’s a busy road for golfers with RV’s

By
Updated: June 6, 2016

In search of golf courses with spots for recreational vehicles, golfers find there are many choices for stay and play when traveling around the Pacific Northwest looking for action

Imagine waking up in the morning and looking out your front window at a lush and inviting fairway. All is quiet except the sound of a distant mower. You make a pot of coffee and have a leisurely breakfast and enjoy the quietness of nature before you wander over the clubhouse for a relaxing round of golf. That is what golfers experience when traveling to the course with an RV.

Who wouldn’t like to spend a night or two camped at a golf course? As it turns out, the number of people golfing with an RV is on a steady increase. While the biggest group of RV owners are the baby boomers–a study by the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association shows that one in 12 households now own and RV. While the boomers represent almost 30% of the entire U.S. population (78 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964) making it the fastest groaning segment in the country, they are not the only ones embracing the RV lifestyle – the average age of RV owners is getting younger, from an average age of 67 a few year ago to less than 50 today.

The attraction to RVs is growing and why not? It’s an attractive alternative to paying for expensive motels and eating all of your meals in a restaurant, which can become quite expensive. Driving in an RV has several advantage: a better view of the surroundings (from a motorhome) at a higher vantage point; being able to pull off the road and have a relaxing meal in your home-away-from-home; being able to change your itinerary at will and, most of all, having all of your creature comforts from home with you – your clothes in the closet instead of a suitcase, your favorite brands of food and drink, your own pillow and bed.

RVers can retreat to their home-on-wheels at any time to snooze or relax when they’re tired, attend to special dietary needs, or move on whenever the mood strikes them.

Many golf courses are located near tourist attractions making it easy to explore while having a home base from which to explore local points of interest.

This growing market has not gone unnoticed by golf courses across the country and in particular, the Northwest. Mirroring the surge in RV ownership is the growth in RV clubs. These groups like to travel together and have the potential to fill a golf course or at least fill the campsites, and they tend to stay for a few days and play more than one round of golf. This is certainly good news to golf courses who have already made the investment in RV accommodations.

Many golf courses around the Pacific Northwest have either upgraded their RV lots or added spaces for recreational vehicles. And these are not just any ordinary spots. Most have full hookups with cable television, WIFI connections, laundry rooms, day rooms and some have swimming pools, kids play stations, dog washing and walking facilities and more. Some RV resorts offer volleyball or other forms of gaming.

The RV lifestyle offers wonderful moments that many people never experience – nights around the campfire with fellow travelers, comparing notes about destinations past or to come.

Most RVs come with comfortable sleeping and dining areas, well-equipped kitchens and bathrooms and the ability to tow or transport boats and sports equipment such as ATVs. Some models come with luxurious amenities ranging from satellite dishes and flat-screen TVs to fireplaces and gourmet kitchens.

There are many stories of how much cheaper traveling in an RV is over a car and motel/hotels but is that really true? When you factor in the cost of the RV and gas mileage that hovers around 10 MPG, you can stay in a lot of motels for that price. However, if you compare it to cruises or air travel and the value of your investment, it begins to look pretty good. That being said, the intangibles such as sleeping in your own bed, having the ability to take a weekend trip on the spur of the moment and without a lot of prior planning is worth a lot emotionally in our sometimes stressful and hectic lifestyle. Get away from your daily chores, job pressures, ringing telephones and overbooked schedules. Hit the road without the hassles of hotel bookings, flight delays, lost luggage, car rentals, crowded restaurants and unexpected cost overruns.

You can sleep in and approach the day on your schedule, knowing that you have all of your creature comforts that you would have at home waiting for you after your round, maybe even stopping for lunch and a refreshment at the turn.

Courses change their offers throughout the year so check their websites before leaving.

Northwest golf course with RV accommodations

OREGON
CROOKED RIVER RANCH
Crooked River
(800) 841-0563 or (541) 923-1441
18 hole par 71 golf course
97 RV spaces 21 tent spaces under
separate management

KAH-NEE-TA RESORT
Warm Springs
1-800-831-0100
18 hole par 72 golf course
50 RV spaces w/ full hookups

MALLARD CREEK GOLF & RV RESORT
Lebanon
(541) 259-GOLF (4653
18 hole par 72 championship golf course
43 RV spaces w/full hookups

OAK HILLS GOLF COURSE
Sutherlin
(541) 459-4422
18 hole par 72 golf course
41 RV spaces with full hookups

ROUND LAKE RESORT
Klamath Falls
(541) 884-2520
9 hole par 29 executive golf course

WILDHORSE CASINO
Pendleton
(541) 276-5588 golf course
(541) 966-1891 RV park
18 hole par 72 course
100 RV spaces with full hookups

WASHINGTON
DESERT AIRE GOLF COURSE
Desert Aire
(509) 932-4439
18 hole par 72 golf course
10 spaces with full hookups

CRESCENT BAR RESORT
Quincy
1-800-824-7090 or (509) 787-1511
9 hole par 35 golf course
RV park next to course

CHEWELAH GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
Chewelah
(509) 935-6807
27 hole golf course
RV spaces by separate mgmt

DEER PARK GOLF COURSE
Deer Park
(509) 276-5912
18 hole par 72 golf course
127 RV spaces

HORN RAPIDS RV RESORT
Richland (next to Horn Rapids GC)
(509) 375-4714
18 hole par 72 golf course
225 RV spaces

IRONWOOD GREEN PUBLIC GC
Glenoma (360) 498-5425
9 hole executive course
RV spaces

MAPLE GROVE GOLF COURSE
Randle
(360) 497-2741
9 hole executive course
160 RV spaces

OASIS RV GOLF PARK
Ephrata
(509) 754-5102
9 hole par-3 course
RV spaces with full hookups

ODESSA GOLF CLUB
Odessa
(509) 982-0093
9 hole par 36 golf course
RV spaces

OTHELLO GOLF CLUB
Othello
(509) 488-2376
9 hole par 35 golf course
Parking for several RVs, elec for 8

RIVERSIDE GOLF COURSE
Chehalis
(360) 748-8182
18 hole par 71 golf course
26 RV sites with full hookups

PORT LUDLOW RESORT
Port Ludlow
(360) 437-0513 (RV reservations)
27 hole championship golf course
RV spaces with shuttle to course

COLOCKUM RIDGE GOLF CLUB
Quincy
(509) 787-3244
18 hole par 70 golf course
17 spaces with electricity

ROYAL CITY GOLF COURSE
Royal City
(509)346-2052
9 hole par 36 golf course
RV spaces with full hookups

SAGE HILLS GOLF COURSE
Warden
(509) 349-2603
18 hole par 71 golf course
42 spaces with full hookups

SALISH CLIFFS
Shelton
(800) 667-7711
18 hole par 72 golf course
44 spaces with full hookups

SUN COUNTRY GOLF COURSE
Cle Elum
(509) 674-2226
18 hole par 71 golf course
14 RV spaces with full hookups

SUNTIDES GOLF COURSE
Yakima
(509) 966-9065
18 hole par 70 golf course
RV spaces (usually full)

VIC MEYERS GOLF COURSE
(Sun Lakes Resort), Coulee City
(509) 632-5738
9 hole par 36 golf course
Private park and State Park next to course

WILLAPA HARBOR GOLF COURSE
Raymond
(360) 942-2392
9 hole par 36 golf course
20 RV spaces-water & electricity, showers

IDAHO
ASPEN ACRES
Ashton
(208) 652-3524
18 hole par 60 executive course
RV park

CENTRAL LINKS GC & RV PARK
Grace
(208) 425-3233
9 hole par 33 golf course
RV park

CLEAR LAKE COUNTRY CLUB
Buhl
(208) 543-4849
18 hole par 72 golf course
20 RV spaces with full hookups
semi-private open to public

RIVER PARK GOLF COURSE
MacKay
(208) 588-2296
9 hole par 31 executive course
RV park

MONTANA
GLACIER VIEW GOLF CLUB
West Glacier
(406) 888-5471
18 hole par 68 golf course
9 RV spaces

MEADOW CREEK GOLF COURSE
Fortine
(406) 882-4474
9 hole par 27 golf course
10 RV spaces with full hookups

RIVER’S BEND AT THOMSON FALLS
Thompson Falls
(406) 827-3438
9 hole par 36 golf course
RV park next door