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MEADOW PARK GOLF CLUB

Golf-Enomics:

Tacoma good place to be for affordable links

By Rick Walter

Tacoma Weekly
rwalter@tacomaweekly.com
Published on: June 26, 2008

The words affordable and golf, like the words short and basketball player, seldom appear in the same sentence anymore. But in Tacoma, golfers should consider themselves among the most fortunate of any who play around an urban area. Golfers, just like everyone else, are becoming more mindful of how they spend their hard-earned treasure. Inflation jumped in the past six weeks at the fastest rate in the past six months, with costs of gasoline, energy, and groceries all going up relentlessly. But the price of golf has remained affordable around here, despite the fact that golf courses face the same price increases for fuel and energy that everyone else does, but have managed not to pass them on to their customers as so many other businesses have had to do.

Within about 20 minutes of downtown Tacoma there are no fewer than a half-dozen regulation golf courses that are open to public play that will not cost you an arm and a leg – obviously, good things to have when you are trying to swing a golf club. So for the golfer who is figuring out ways to offset the price of gas at the pump, Tacoma is a pretty good place to be. For those who might want to stretch their games, their pocketbooks and their odometers a little deeper into Pierce County, there are three beautiful championship courses a bit further out, but still very easy drives, and also nicely priced, given the quality of those tracks. The prices listed below are the range from weekdays to weekends and do not include carts (typically $14-18 a round); yardages and course ratings are from the farthest tee markers. Contact the course to get the most current information on their fees, special packages, events, policies, etc. Take the time to check out each of the courses’ websites, which often provide hole-by-hole descriptions.

Allenmore –

$28.50-30; par 71; 6,093 yards; 68.4 rating

One of the older courses in Tacoma, built in 1931, and close to downtown, this is a hilly but walk-able golf course. On most of the holes the trees are not particularly dense, so you do not have to pay too stiff a penalty for going wayward. True greens, sloped a bit, but not too fast. Some interesting holes that – if they were relatives – you might call characters.

(253) 627-7211; (no website)

Brookdale –

$27-30; par 71; 6,200 yards; 70 rating

About 12 miles southeast of downtown Tacoma, Brookdale is a nice family-owned, solid, regulation golf course with a great, natural setting. It is pretty flat, and they keep the greens smooth and fast. You can walk the course and there are not a lot of surprises, but you will use most of the clubs in your bag, or at least most of the shots you know. There are pretty flowers to calm you down.

(253) 537-4400; www.brookdalegolf.com

Chambers Bay –

$95-115 resident; par 72; 7,585 yards; 76.9 rating

Yes, you need a slightly heavier wallet when you arrive at Chambers Bay. After all, it will be host to a U.S. Open and a U.S. Amateur. How many chances does a golfer get to play a U.S. Open course? For a public golf course of this caliber, it is nonetheless priced higher than say, Bethpage State Park’s Black Course or Torrey Pines, other U.S. Open courses that are publicly owned. But this may well be justified when you consider that both of those courses have several holes that are impervious to distinction. Not one square foot of Chambers could be declared such. Chambers is more properly in line with the fees at Bandon Dunes in Oregon and is more comparable as a golf experience because of the predominance of stunning seaside holes, better greens than either Bethpage Black or Torrey Pines and a pure links atmosphere.

(253) 460-4653; www.chambersbaygolf.com

Classic –

$29-39; par 72; 6,902 yards; 73.2 rating

Steve Newman, the course superintendent, has this advice for those who play here: think before you choose your club. This is the definitive thinking-player’s course. Thinking players start backwards. They have to know what confronts them on and around the greens, so they can plan their best attacking angle from which to get there. The greens at the Classic are things of beauty, both in aesthetics and in design-deviousness. Many of the greens have more or less tiered sections, so to end up on the wrong place on a green is to eliminate any thought of any easy par. The Classic tends to attract better players, and has hosted several championships, although any player who wants to really measure his or her game will find it a learning experience at any level in a gorgeous setting.

(253) 460-4440; www.classicgolfclub.net

Ft. Steilacoom –

$11.75 nine holes; par 34; 2,520 yards

Lovely short course in Lakewood, operated by Pierce County. Great variety of holes, cut through magnificent trees. All the holes, except for a pair of par-3s which both play about 175 yards, are relatively short, including the only par-5 on the course, which is 440 yards. Nothing but fun.

(253) 588-0613; www.lakespanawaygc.com

Ft. Lewis –

$31; par 72; 6,865 yards; 72.6 rating

Voted in the top 10 military courses by Travel & Leisure magazine, there are three nine-hole layouts bending through a wonderful piece of gently rolling land, framed in mature pines. Excellent practice range and facilities. Open to the public.

(253) 967-6522; www.fortlewismwr.com/golfcourse.htm

Highlands (par 3) –

$12 nine holes; par 28; 1,287 yards

A friendly, well-groomed par-3 track, located just a few minutes from downtown Tacoma. A good bet for beginning players, for seniors who are not hitting it like they used to, and even for accomplished players who want to work on short-game approaches.

(253) 759-3622; www.highlandsgolf.net

The Home Course –

$42-44; par 72; 7,437 yards; 76.5 rating

In DuPont, about 20 miles south of Tacoma, you will find this beautiful course that is jointly owned by the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA) and Washington State Golf Association (WSGA). The two groups bought the club, which was private, and opened it to the public about a year ago. With the championship tees currently set at 7,437 yards, it can obviously be set up to be a stern test for low-handicap golfers, but played from shorter tees, it is not unfriendly to the average player. A rare chance to putt on bent grass greens in this area.

(253) 964-0520; www.thehomecourse.com

Lake Spanaway –

$25-30; par 71; 6,992 yards; 73 rating

Trees. Big ones. Drive it straight. Classic 1970s vintage course. Beautiful corridor-like fairways. If you do not hit your tee shots kinda straight, you will be penalized. Length off the tee is not a bad thing, either. Greens are relatively flat, but have some subtle breaks. This is a must-play course.

(253) 531-3660; www.lakespanawaygc.com

Madrona Links –

$26-29; par 71; 5,193 yards

In Gig Harbor, this is a self-described fun and user-friendly course. Good course if you enjoy the gaming aspect of golf. The course is always in good condition and has excellent greens. Has one of the largest men’s and ladies’ clubs in the area, and is one of the most social clubs around, hosting monthly membership tournaments and regular weekend and weekly choose-ups.

(253) 851-5193; www.madronalinks.com

Meadow Park –

$26-29; par 71; 6,145 yards; 69 rating

Meadow Park was built in 1915 and is now owned by Metro Parks, which has taken stewardship of the property very seriously. The course is punctuated with 50-year-old fir trees, and it doubles as an Audubon habitat for almost as many endangered things as you can think of: flowers, plants, little animals. An environmental group works with the crew out there to restore old meadows. It is a very pretty place. Fast, flat greens. In addition to the regulation 18-hole course, which has water and sand about it, there is also a par-3 called the Williams nine, which is more open. Great practice area. Bring the family.

(253) 473-3033; www.meadowparkgolf.net

North Shore –

$32-40; par 71; 6,305 yards; 70.3 rating

North Shore will be closing at some point in the not-too-distant future so a housing development can be built. The course is in full operation now. And you should probably plan to play it this summer.

(800) 447-1375; www.northshoregc.net

Golf-Enomics:

Tacoma good place to be for affordable links

By Rick Walter

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