Tickets on sale for LPGA major event at Sahalee
Photo by Scott Bisch
With so many older courses being bought up by larger companies and others just closing to be turned into housing developments, it’s refreshing to see a few family courses still around. Lipoma Firs is one of the family-owned courses that has not only remained a family venture but has grown into one of the outstanding golf facilities in Western Washington.
It all began when Tony Lipoma bought 640 acres for a Christmas tree farm in the 1930s. After years as a successful tree farm where Tony and his son Sam were shipping trees around the county, they made the decision to convert the farm into an 18-hole golf course. Tony wanted a course that the average golfer, could afford to play. The year was 1989 and Lipoma Firs opened for business.
The golf course proved to be such a good venture for the Lipoma family that they decided to expand and build a companion course. In 1994 Lipoma Firs became a 27-hole facility.
The golf business seems to be a nice fit for the Lipoma family as even the great grand kids are getting exposed early to some of the chores that make up a successful golf business. Today Tony’s grandson Tony runs the facility along with his brother Nick.
Tony handles the business side and Nick is the course superintendent. Together they have created a gem of a golf complex with a range, a restaurant and 27 holes of outstanding golf at Lipoma Firs. Today the course is one of the driest winter courses around.
To honor their great-grandfather’s desire to have an every-day guy’s course they are keeping the prices exceptionally low at $15 (weekdays) per 18 holes throughout the winter months.