Olympia golf in Washington: Not all wet

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OLYMPIA, Wash. - The Pacific Northwest has a bad reputation in the national golf picture. The torrential rainfall six months of the year has excluded the region from all but a handful of PGA Tour events.

What potential visitors often overlook is that there are areas of the Pacific Northwest that are semi-dry all year. The leeward side of the Olympic Mountains is an example. There are playable courses year round in the range's rain shadow. Olympia has five courses which fall into this category.

Here's a roundup of some of the top venues:

Tumwater Valley G.C.

The best public course in the area is Tumwater Valley Golf Club. The staff attempts to give this city-owned course a country club atmosphere, but they fall short of this goal in counter relations, however.

The course has hosted both a Junior World and U.S. Public Links qualifier and warrants more events of this caliber. The course has some scarred fairways due to a drainage project, but once these heal, the venue is ripe for a minor tour event.

The Deschutes River meanders through most of the course, but is obscured from view by brush. Removing the overgrowth would enhance the aesthetics and challenge of the track. There are spectacular views of Mount Rainier and Olympics on most holes that add to the course's beauty

Tumwater's front side is pretty ho-hum, but plays long. The par-3 sixth demands a 200-yard tee shot to an elevated green. The par-5, dog-leg left ninth is reachable with a shaped tee shot and strong second approach.

The back nine is more of a challenge. At 521 yards, the par-5 No. 11 is the longest hole on the course, but has the most scarred fairway. The par-5 14th requires a blind tee shot through a tree-lined chute.

There are two double tee/double green par 3's, which allow for variation in course length. However, they can be confusing as there's no indication which tee/green is in play.

Green fees will run $15-32, which is right on for playing value.

The Club at Hawk's Prairie

Although it's over-priced for the area, The Club at Hawk's Prairie is a strong second to Tumwater Valley. Prime time green fees will run $35-43.

The Club has come under disrepute recently due to a housing development going into and around the venue. There are two distinctly different championship courses at Hawk's Prairie: The Woodlands and The Links.

The Woodlands was built first. As the name implies, it was carved out of dense forest and stretches from 5,600 to 7,200 yards, depending on tees played.

This course is a difficult walk as there are long cart path stretches between greens and tees. The cart paths were once tree-lined expanses and many of these trees have been cut to give way to housing tracts.

The par-4 third plays extremely long and demands a 210-yard tee shot to clear a pond. The par-5, 537-yard No. 5 is a double dogleg that requires accurate shot placement. The par-4 eighth has two environmentally protected areas, which transverse the fairway.

The par-3 11th demands a tee shot across water to an elevated green with sand trouble behind. The par-5 13th also requires a tee shot across water and has water down the entire right side.

The par-5 18th has sand traps that cross the center of the fairway 230 yards from the tee, an environmentally protected area at the end of the second shot's landing area and a green that is well-bunkered. This final hole can massacre a round quickly, if shots are not well-placed.

The Links is a Scottish links-style course where water comes into play on nine holes. Mount Rainier, The Olympics and Puget Sound are viewable from several fairways. Much of the links atmosphere has been replaced of late due to large-scale reshaping of the surrounding terrain for housing.

The par-4 fourth has water down the right side of the fairway and huge bunker down the left. The par-3 fifth is guarded by water left and sand traps front and behind. The par-5, 540-yard ninth plays uphill, making this long hole play even longer.

The 14th is a downhill par 4, which has a beautiful view of Puget Sound backing the green. The finishing hole here is another monster - a 561-yard par 5 that plays uphill. There's a large tree in the middle of the fairway which can block even the best second shot.

Solid seconds

The Capitol City Golf Club and the Fort Lewis Golf Course are also accessible. Capitol City Golf Club is the driest course in the area, but lacks maintenance and homes line the fairway on most holes here.

Fees at Capitol City are low and many special offers are available.

The once-private Fort Lewis Golf Course is now public. The Fort Lewis complex is a 27-hole track that has hosted many significant local tournaments.

Green fees on Fort Lewis will run $30 for all-day play, which is a bargain for this well-maintained military golf course.

Off course

The Olympia area boasts being the "Gateway to the Olympic Mountains." The Olympics are famous for their outdoor activities and there's plenty to do here.

The Pacific Ocean is also less than an hour away. Regardless of whether it is golf or some other recreational opportunity, the Pacific Northwest's bad reputation for rainfall shouldn't detour visitors from this overlooked area. The leeward side of the Olympic Mountains is always playable for those that want to venture.

Dining out

The Talon Grill at Hawk's Prairie has a limited, but good menu. Just down the road, however, is the Hawk's Prairie Casino and Restaurant, which has a large selection of Northwest favorites.

At Tumwater Valley, there's an adequate post-round grill on site.

Stay and play

There's a Holiday Inn Express in the area, which hosts many of the local tournaments. An outstanding Extended StayAmerica Motel is a short drive away from Tumwater Valley.

Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management. The information in this story was accurate at the time of publication. All contact information, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the golf course or resort before making reservations and/or travel plans.