[Matt_Ward]

Jordan:

Key golf destinations need a "buzz." That what makes Bend so interesting because there's plenty of investment opportunities and with that comes some golf options of note.

Interior Washington doesn't have that yet. It's possible some places may broaden their appeal -- like Orondo or Wenatchee. But until that happens the key golf corridor along I-5 will be the main gathering place.

FYI -- Indian Canyon may be short but rarely gets torched. Save for the time I played in the USGA Pub Links event in '84 when Jim Carter blitzed the course with an opening round 64.
The 18th -- when played as an uphill par-4 -- is a gem of a closer.

[Jordan Wall]

Jordan:

Key golf destinations need a "buzz." That what makes Bend so interesting because there's plenty of investment opportunities and with that comes some golf options of note.

Interior Washington doesn't have that yet. It's possible some places may broaden their appeal -- like Orondo or Wenatchee. But until that happens the key golf corridor along I-5 will be the main gathering place.

FYI -- Indian Canyon may be short but rarely gets torched. Save for the time I played in the USGA Pub Links event in '84 when Jim Carter blitzed the course with an opening round 64.
The 18th -- when played as an uphill par-4 -- is a gem of a closer.

Indian Canyon is only 6300 yards, and in last years tournament it really got torched.  There were like 14 kids under par and the two day winner shot 66-72 for a 6 under par total.  The 18th is a decent hole, agreed that is an awesome closer.

Like I said Orondo is now dead as it is in the middle of nowhere and now Desert Canyon is out of business.

Aldo, if someone Washington could get a permit to make some ocean courses, I am sure there would be tha 'buzz' you are talking about.

[Mike Nuzzo]

Jordan,

Have you heard of this following project...

http://yakima.co.pierce.wa.us/golf/index_content.htm

A rather large one that might be of interest for you.

Mike

[Jordan Wall]

Jordan,

Have you heard of this following project...

http://yakima.co.pierce.wa.us/golf/index_content.htm

A rather large one that might be of interest for you.

Mike

I have for sure heard of Chambers Bay.  It should be a nice course, due open for 2007 from what I hear.

Trent Jones Jr. is designing it I think, so it will at least get some attention.  

We need more courses that really create a big buzz though.

We have upscale public course like what Chambers Bay is supposed to be, but none of which really create a buzz or a real sense of excitment when you come to play Washington.

[John_Cullum]

How does a course in Washington get the name Desert Canyon?

[Craig Van Egmond]

John,

        Washington has a split personality. To the west of the Cascades it is green and lush and to the east of the Cascades it is dry and can be quite desolate.  Party politics also are divided by the Cascades.  

         Take a look at their website:  http://www.desertcanyon.com/

Jordan,

         What do you mean Desert Canyon is closed?  I haven't heard/read anything about that. I mean the course closes for the winter months but it should be open next month.

[Jordan Wall]

John,

        Washington has a split personality. To the west of the Cascades it is green and lush and to the east of the Cascades it is dry and can be quite desolate.  Party politics also are divided by the Cascades.  

         Take a look at their website:  http://www.desertcanyon.com/

Jordan,

         What do you mean Desert Canyon is closed?  I haven't heard/read anything about that. I mean the course closes for the winter months but it should be open next month.

The course is a few million dollars in debt and something to do with not being able to pay and a loan and something or another...anyways the course is closed.

If something does not happen soon, its possible it could become a nle...

[Craig Van Egmond]

Jordan,

      Sure enough.. here is a brief blurb..  looks like someone may get a bargain.. one man's loss may be another's gain.

WATERVILLE, Wash. — A judge has ordered the Desert Canyon Golf Resort to be sold at auction to pay off a $7 million debt.

Douglas County Superior Court Judge John Hotchkiss made the ruling Tuesday. He found the resort failed to repay a 1998 loan from General Electric Capital Corp., which filed suit against the resort last October.

According to the lawsuit, the 387-acre resort — located north of Orondo — took out a $6.7 million loan from General Electric, but repaid only $560,000. With lawyers' fees and interest, Hotchkiss determined the resort owes $7 million.

No auction date has been set but the judge ordered it to be handled by the Douglas County sheriff's office.


PS... Why aren't you in school Jordan?  

[Jordan Wall]

Hence Washington lost lots of its buzz from the East, and now with Chambers Bay we are gaining a little bit back for the west side...

What kind of permits would Washington need to get in order to put some kind of high end golf rsort on the ocea, maybe similar to Bandon??

That would be cool!!






btw I am at school, earlier I was bored in class and we were in the computer lab...

[W.H. Cosgrove]

Just a comment on Chambers Bay....the course is beginning to take shape.  I was out there in the last ten days.  It is indeed a RT Jones Jr. design.

The 13th is next to a public walking trail and looks like a passable par 5.  They have constructed a big fake dune on the inside of the dogleg to create containment and prevent balls from rolling down the adjacent hill.  

The par three ninth has several tee boxes hung on a very steep hillside, the green sits below and to the right and also is hanging above the site of the future clubhouse.  

I haven't been able to see a lot more of the course.  It is quite far away and I didn't make myself particularly popular early in the process by writing a fairly critical piece for the local paper.  Mostly concerning the process of chosing the architect and the scale of the project which seemed flawed.

They have moved a LOT of dirt and reshaped the entire property.  From a laymans perspective, it seems like an unnecessary amount of dirt moved to impose the vision on the waterside property.

Project is now in the $23 million range for construction.  This does not include the land purchase which was part of the total 900+ acre purchase.  I figure the land at about $11million.  

As I said earlier, I was critical, but the Jones group seems to be adding some nice shaping at this stage of the process.  Of course, impossible to tell until balls are in the air.  

I am guessing official opening as July 4th, 2007.  What remains to be seen is if there are enough players interested in coming to Tacoma to play a course with green fees in excess of $150?  Iif not the taxpayers are going to take a bath.

[Matt_Ward]

For what it's worth -- I always thought the area in and around the Spokane area could be the next "go to" place because of the I-90 being there and because of the quality terrain. Has not happened yet or maybe even ever.

Too bad about Desert Canyon -- Jack Frei did a first rate effort and despite those who opt to throw the course under the bus I like what it offers and believe it's a good bit better than most. Hope someone does buy it because there's clearly some potential there.

[Craig Van Egmond]

Matt,

         I sure hope somebody picks up a good deal with Desert Canyon and keeps it going. It would be a big loss for a state that can't afford to lose any good public golf courses.  To me it was clearly one of the top 3 public courses in the state and fun to play.

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