By Tom Rohrer
Sports can measure themselves based on the impact and inspiration they instill within those playing it.
On the list of the world’s most challenging sports, golf will many times find itself near the top, as it requires both physical abilities and mental concentration.
Despite the challenges, golf’s outdoor, relaxing setting, coupled with the presence of competition, continues to inspire those who play it.
A major component of that inspiration is the quality of the course one plays on, and there may be no better course in the state than Salish Cliffs Golf Club located near Little Creek Casino about 20 miles from downtown Olympia.
The par-72 course, which opened in September of 2011, stretches 7,269 yards from the championship tees, and offers a perfectly balanced variety of holes ranging from par-3 to par-5.
Ranked within the top four courses in the state by Golfweek.com, Salish Cliffs is earning a national reputation to go along with its perfectly groomed fairways and greens.
Individuals playing a round at the course have the opportunity to warm up on a tremendous driving range (with unlimited range balls) and a vast putting green.
Club golf carts are required for use by players, and a GPS enabled screen allows individuals to virtually observe each hole, while providing a precise location of each individual’s ball, and distance from the pin.
The GPS computer system also allows players to contact course-staff from the cart, along with an ability to order food from the clubhouse and keep score digitally.
While each hole will put even the most accomplished players to the test, the vast surrounding forests and spectacular views provide players with an opportunity to think about more than just their next shot.
What separates elite courses from good layouts is a wide and diverse variety of hole distances, terrain and green locations.
No two holes at Salish Cliffs are remotely the same, but all offer their own set of distinct challenges and enjoyable features, such as the lake/wetland preserve and shared green between holes 9 and 18 (located in close proximity to the two-story clubhouse, which features a pro shop and dinning opportunities).
Thanks to the preferred bent grass that is outlined by pure ryegrass in the rough, each hole has a contrastingly appealing look, while each green and tee somewhat resemble a carpet, in that the surface is perfectly even.
Before visiting the course in person, Salish Cliffs website offers a virtual fly-over of each hole, allowing individuals to prepare for what the course has to offer.
The last three holes of Salish Cliffs provide players with the perfect variety expected of a championship course. Number 16, a par-4, features a huge dog leg to the right, providing an opportunity for individuals to play it safe and lay it up, or to go for a birdie opportunity by attempting to cut the corner (while avoiding a series of treacherous bunkers).
On hole number 17, a par-3, players have an unbelievable view of the hole, which is located a wedge or nine-iron shot away at the bottom of a hill. And then there is 18, where individuals must navigate their way through an opening of trees off the tee, before encountering the shared wetland area and a tremendous view of the clubhouse beyond the vast shared green.
Only after completing a full round does one truly gain appreciation of the beautiful, yet stimulatingly challenging course, and soon after, the desire to play Salish Cliffs again (and again) will return.
For more information on Salish Cliffs Golf Club, visit www.salish-cliffs.com. For additional photos, click here.
