Tumwater Valley Golf Course hits a milestone

Tumwater Valley Golf Course opened its doors 50 years ago and has transitioned from exclusively offering golf rounds to showcasing Tumwater’s largest community asset in a variety of ways, and it’s working! 

Tumwater Valley is home to 18 holes of championship play that can test all ability levels. It features a beautiful track with views of Mount Rainier and the Deschutes River meandering through a tranquil setting. In addition, Tumwater Valley boasts the finest practice facilities in the area with a 10-acre grass tee driving range, practice putter and chipping green complete with an oversized practice bunker.  

TVGC features year-round programming facilitated on this 200-acre golf facility. Tumwater Parks and Recreation is committed to focusing on local youth and growing the game of golf. Tumwater Valley has partnered with the First Tee of South Puget Sound, the PGA Junior League and Big Brothers Big Sisters to offer a variety of options and opportunities for hundreds of youth.  “We are proud to be the signature course for the largest junior golf programs in the South Puget Sound area,” said Russ Olsen, Director of Instruction. These programs have become a feeder to the Valley Golf Academy which is designed to prepare junior players to compete at high school and collegiate levels. In addition, Tumwater Valley has partnered with Special Olympics to be the host site for 30 Special Olympics golf athletes of which, several are now State Gold Medalists.  

What truly sets Tumwater Valley apart is the numerous community events put on by the Tumwater Parks & Recreation Department. These events attract all ages of both golfers and non-golfers alike. “Our vision is not only to provide quality conditions and a fantastic golf value, but also to be creative with scheduling in-and-around our daily play in an effort to attract as many non-golfers as possible,” said Chuck Denney, Tumwater Parks & Recreation Director. “We have hosted everything from high school proms on the driving range, to fun runs along our cart paths, outdoor movie nights, craft beer festivals, fundraising events for local charities, and our largest annual community celebration – the 4th of July Artesian Family Festival and Thunder Valley Fireworks Show,” Denney said.  These events continue to grow in popularity each and every year, with over 20,000 attending 2019’s July 4th celebration. “It’s exciting to see this facility being utilized for more than golf. Community members are now referring to this property as Tumwater’s outdoor community center.” 

In addition to the variety of program offerings, Tumwater Valley Golf Course also became the first municipal golf course in Washington State to earn Salmon-Safe certification in 2019. This designation means that the City of Tumwater is proactively and significantly improving the environmental health of the 200-acre golf course alongside the Deschutes River.

Visit the Tumwater website at https://www.ci.tumwater.wa.us/departments/parks-recreation