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The Olympic Course at Gold
Mountain
A True Chmpionship Muni
BREMERTON, Wash. - Long before it became fashionable to be a
municipal golf course worthy of championship golf - ala the
Holy Trinity of U.S. Open venues at Chambers Bay, the South
course at Torrey Pines and the Black Course at Bethpage - it
was the Olympic Course at Gold Mountain Golf Club that embodied
great government-owned golf.
The Olympic course, built in 1996 by John Harbottle III to
complement the older Cascade Course built in 1971 by the city
of Bremerton, has won more awards from various golf
publications than any of the public golf courses in Washington.
Despite its remote location on the Kitsap Peninsula across the
Puget Sound from Seattle, Gold Mountain hosts elite college
players every fall at the Washington Husky Invitational, and
its 2010 NCAA West Regional championship will be its second in
three years. The U.S. Junior Amateur will stop by in 2011.
"One of our niches is to host championship golf. We enjoy doing
it. We are proud of it," says Director of Golf Scott
Alexander.
Gold Mountain's crowning moment, the 81st U.S. Amateur Public
Links Championship in 2006, helped mold an already good course
into an even better one. The USGA brass flip-flopped the nines,
setting up one of the most distinct finishes in top tournament
golf, a drivable par 4 that can play anywhere from 271 to 325
yards depending on the tee selection. From an elevated tee,
players can swing for glory, driving it over five bunkers and a
pond enlarged prior to the tournament for an opportunity at
eagle. It's a thrilling end to any day.
Alexander says the original design called for a long par 4, but
the shorter version fit the land better. He says when Harbottle
enlarged the pond to cut off the right side in 2005, it gave
the hole stronger risk-reward characteristics.
"The USGA wanted players to go for it in match play," Alexander
says. "It worked out so great, we left it that way. It's pretty
rare to have that hole in the spot that it's in."
Gold Mountain is hardly a one-hit wonder. From the moment
players drive around the bend toward the clubhouse, they're
usually left breathless by the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
Towering trees frame rolling fairways with the snow-covered
peaks of the Cascade Mountains hovering on the horizon.
Alexander says there will never be any houses on the
courses.
Several holes seem to fall off cliffs toward greens. The
563-yard sixth plays uphill to a ridge before rocketing
downward to a reachable, multi-tiered putting surface. The
elevated tee off the 251-yard 12th hole drops to a redan green
that slopes from the front right to the back left.
Doug Allen of Poulsbo says the Olympic course is the best value
golf course in the state. Its fees max out at $60 on summer
weekends.
"Its beauty and playability for the price are hard to beat," he
says. "It's not too hard. The fairways are wide. The landing
zones are nice. From one to 10, it's a nine."
Visitors flock to the Olympic Course. Locals, especially
seniors and higher handicaps, though, tend to favor the flatter
6,707-yard Cascade Course. It never costs more than $40, plays
several shots easier and is just as scenic. Although the
fairways are narrower, getting on in regulation is infinitely
easier with punchbowl greens receptive to approach shots.
Be forewarned: the 168-yard 17th has the most severe green on
the property.
"I get comments from people every day. They go and play Cascade
and tell me, ‘Man, I forgot how good the Cascade is,'"
Alexander says.
The Olympic Course at Gold Mountain: The verdict
The Olympic Course at Gold Mountain Golf Club will probably
always play second fiddle to the magnificent Chambers Bay in
the rankings of the state's best munis, but you could argue a
round of golf here is just as inspiring and memorable. The
setting is so rustic you almost expect to stumble upon Bigfoot.
Considering the difference in the greens fees between the two
places (roughly $100 plus caddie fees), the Olympic Course is
worth the extra drive time from Seattle or Tacoma.
July 28, 2009
by Jason Scott Deegan - July 28, 2009
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Source: http://www.worldgolf.com
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