The Peninsula Golf Club opens to the public

We have used the term hidden gem in the past to describe a course that is seldom written or talked about. We found a course that truly qualifies as a hidden gem: Peninsula Golf Club. Sitting between the Olympic Mountains and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, just outside of downtown Port Angeles, this private course has opened its doors for public play. When it was private, not much was written about the club.

Now with the public welcome, it is time to shine the spotlight on this jewel of a course. It first opened in 1926 with nine holes, then added a second nine in 1978. There is a scorecard on the wall in the clubhouse where the legendary Byron Nelson shot a 66 in 1945. How’s that for history?

The course is not long by today’s standard, playing to 6,332 yards with a par of 72. However, shooting a low number is not as easy as it may seem. Golfers have to be able to navigate some tall trees that can encroach on fairways, be able to play on sloping fairways, sometimes leaning toward OB, and hit precise approach shots to smallish greens. And, of course, there are a couple dozen bunkers to dodge. The wind blowing in off the strait can be a factor too. This is old-school golf at its best.

The course has a covered driving range and a full-service restaurant and bar open to all. It is best to play Peninsula Golf Club on a sunny day so you can soak in the spectacular views; on one side is the towering Olympic Mountains and on the other, a view of the Strait of Juan de Fuca with Vancouver Island sitting about 20 miles away.

The course is less then two miles from downtown Port Angeles and 15 miles west of Sequim. See  golfinportangeles.com for more.