US Senior Open at Sahalee

[Scott Szabo]

All I see is trees, trees and more trees.  It looks claustrophobic to me.  Is it really as tight as it seems on TV?  It seems on many holes one could be in the fairway and have to hit a 20 yard hook or slice to even get it on the green. 

Looking forward to responses from those who have played it. 

[Peter_Herreid]

 Trust me, it plays even narrower than it looks, wrap your head around that!

We do like our greenery up here though, and to be fair the views straight up are magical...

[Scott Szabo]

I couldn't agree more regarding the views.  It's certainly a beautiful place, just not my type of golf course.  I play a draw on most of my shots, okay more of a hook than a draw, and I don't think I could get around that course from what I see.

[Garland Bayley]

If you remember Tom Doak's Anatomy of a Golf Course, you may recognize that he discusses the 10th at Black Forest as a hole with a tree gate. He has called Sahalee 18 holes of tree gates tee to green.

[Garland Bayley]

Unfortunately, almost every course west of the Cascade Mts in the Pacific northwest has trees like that. It is why many from the area don't like Chambers Bay, because it is not golf as they know it.

[Andrew Summerell]

I’ve played Sahalee twice & although I bettered my handicap both rounds, I didn’t greatly enjoy the course. It is one of the tightest courses I’ve played & for me is no fun at all.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I found it to be a wonderful reflection of life in the Pacific NW. It is a wonderful course but it is hard to call it great. Yes there are a few odd holes where trees absolutely need to be taken out. In general many trees need to go.

[Peter Ferlicca]

I went there Thursday to watch first round action, and it was my first time seeing the golf course.  I have NEVER seen a course that tight before, it is tighter in person that it looks on TV.  There where so many holes where if a player started his 3 wood a couple yards off his line it would hit a tree and come straight down.  It was shocking how many tee shots you literally had to hit dead straight, but what was more shocking was how much tighter it was on most of the approach shots.  You literally have to be in a 5 yard area on some of those fairways to have any shot at the green (ridiculous).  Like Garland said the whole time I was walking around all the fans were just in awe, and in their mind the tighter the golf course the better it is (far from the truth).  I am going to play it after the Senior Open, but it would NOT be a course I would want to play on a regular basis, if you are having a bad day off the tee you ball would only go 100 yards every time because a tree would knock it straight down.  The only tee shot I liked was 18, pretty open and asks for a draw over the crest of the hill.  I must admit it is a pretty walk going around the forest when you are spectating.

[Andy Troeger]

THe course is really tight...I agree that if anything it looks even narrower in person than it does on TV. Some holes, especially #11 and 12, are really claustrophobic. As others have said, some tree removal would help, but the trees do define the golf course more than anyplace I've ever seen. The aesthetics are pretty cool with the huge trees.

[Michael Hayes]

Between 1996 and the 1998 PGA Rich Taylor and his staff removed almost 2000 Trees.  Prior to the 98 PGA each hole was total isolated from any adjacent hole down to the floor.   I would bet that at least 300 trees have been removed in the last 3 years.  The playing width is really not all that narrow compared to most PNW parkland tracks, but the intimidation factor is HUGE!.  Sahalee is a top PNW club that has invested heavily in quality playing conditions for 3+ decades.  It is a nice course that most golfers consider one of their top gets of the year, it just will never play to the Golf Club Atlas crowd.

Michael Hayes

[Bob Jenkins]

Michael Hayes is, in my opinion. right on. Having played Sahalee at least 30 times over several years, it is the incredible height of the cedar and fir trees, which are common in this part of the world, and having carved out many of the holes in cleared areas that are substantially below the tree line, makes the course look more narrow than it really is. The exception to that is No. 1, which is intimidating off of the tee and to a lesser extent, No. 4. Most holes have a substantial landing area, but almost all holes are framed wtih these massive trees, which make it look much narrower than it is.

Sahalee is definitely not the type of course that is in favour on this board because of the trees but in my humble opinion, it still provides plenty of variety, interesting greens with, on several holes, a variety of approaches.

[Sean Leary]

Garland,

I don't think the locals have not taken to it because of the trees. Its because the greens are perceived to be so bad, and it is so expensive for non county residents.

[Mike Benham]

Vertical hazards should fall right into the hands of those that like the ground game, there doesn't seem to be many, if any, forced carries at Sahalee.

[Mitch Hantman]

I played it ten years ago, and teed off last on the first hole.  All three before me hit the fairway, and I was about to tee off, then backed off my shot, and said, "I'm going to need you guys to mark your balls".

[Andy Troeger]

The two holes that really seemed oddly narrow to me were #11 and #12 for the tournament, especially #11 which has the huge trees inside the fairway line. Many other holes weren't quite so narrow, but that type of golf is not really my thing since I'm not a great driver of the ball. Its pretty easy to lose balls if you're playing a regular game and aren't driving it well, even though its really just a bunch of trees.

The conditioning was really good when were there--I would guess they have done significant tree management to get sunlight to the greens. Most of the narrowness seemed to come off the tee or in the area of the approach shot more than the area within 75 yards of the green give or take.

[Dan Herrmann]

What were the trees like after Robinson completed his work?    Honestly, I'd take the BOD to Pittsburgh to see Oakmont.  A lot of those trees have got to go.

PS - I lived in Portland for years, and I get the NW culture.  I know how tough it is to get the OK to cut down a tree (at least it was in Beaverton where I lived).  But come on - this isn't golf - this is a march through the forest.

[C. Squier]

If you think it looks tight on TV, just imagine what it looks like with a driver in your hands.  Some holes you just have to laugh at....it may be impossible to feel like you've played an errorless round there since it's impossible to go around without hitting a few conifers. 

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I too found the tree line sto be more visual than real. The course was very playable to me.

[Wayne Freeman]

  After Chambers opened I set up a trip there and wanted to play Sahalee for historical reasons (and being top 100).  Most of the way around I felt like I was choking to death ( and not from a bad score).  It is incredibly confining and there are so many trees in the lines of play that options are very much limited.  It is certainly not the type of course that I would make any effort to play again.  I was particularly impressed though with the great conditioning... amazing with so much shade everywhere.  And  I just returned from Eugene CC (on my way to play Old Mac)  a course I've always wanted to play also and frankly wasn't all that impressed either.  Yes it's a venerable old club and has wonderful greens and some excellent holes,  but to me it just doesn't cut it as a true top 100 course.  They did do a good job there with the tree removal.  These 2 courses may be old world NW culture, but give me Pumpkin Ridge, the courses at Bandon, Chambers, and Tetherow any day.

[Chris Buie]

Trust me, it plays even narrower than it looks - Peter Herreid

[Jordan Wall]

Garland,

I don't think the locals have not taken to it because of the trees. Its because the greens are perceived to be so bad, and it is so expensive for non county residents.

Sean,

Every time I've been out to Sahalee there have beens lots of members at the club.  I don't know what the fees are, but the range has always been packed and tee times are always full (yes, they take times because it is so busy).  I heard they had a big waiting list just a little while back, though I'm sure the recession slowed that down some...

I don't think the greens are bad, they just aren't great.  Sahalee is a fun, tough golf course and that's just what it is.  It's too tight to be great, and lacks any great individual holes, but it always makes for a fun day.

[DMoriarty]

I think Sean was talking about Chambers Bay. 

[Jordan Wall]

I think Sean was talking about Chambers Bay. 

Woops!   Sahalee does have a wonderful membership, though.

[Mark McKeever]

When I was watching this on TV, I couldnt get over how tight the course appeared.  Thanks for the input guys!

Mark