[Kalen Braley]

Yesterday I played a fun and quirky course about 30 minutes north of Spokane called Antler Springs.  The venue is located on private land by a doctor who always had a dream of building a course and sits on a hilly piece of property. I had a chat with his cousin who was manning the “pro shop” as he was out on vacation.  According to him he opened the 1st 9 in 2001 as a sort of trial run to see if he could actually do it and if it would be viable as a going concern.  After having good success with the locals, he added an additional 9 in 2005 to become the 18 hole course it is today.

The neat thing about the course is he moved very little dirt as he was pretty much a one man crew and didn’t have the resources to do otherwise.  What resulted was a very quirky course with a few crazy, but fun holes.  Where he ended up spending the most money was building a water feature, a moat of sorts… that has 2 greens and 2 tee boxes playing to and from it.  This will be detailed in the course review.

I’ve played a few of these mom and pa jobs and usually they are just too goofy or in such poor condition, its barely recognizable as golf.  But in this case, I thought this course worked very well because while there was plenty of quirk, the conditions were good: fast and firm fairways with good greens that stimped at about 7 and putted pure.

While the card says it plays to a par 72, that’s only more of a general guideline!    Many of the par 4s were very short and there wasn’t a true par 5 on the course.  But the smallness of the greens and the surrounding hazards keeps players honest.  To boot, 3 of the 4 par 3s were actually fairly difficult with demanding shot requirements to tiny greens.  The course also has several blind tee shots that adds mystery/intrigue!!  It even includes one terrific hole that I would put up against anything I’ve played in Spokane, (CDA area excluded).  It’s a triple dogleg par 4 that winds its way up a hill and plays to about 410 yards.

Overall there was plenty of quirk and charm to be found on the course so I’m dubbing it the Painswick of the Pacific NorthWest.  And given its location in a fairly rural setting, with only a few groups on the course at any given time, it very much has that country feel and is like playing your own private golf course!!  


The requisite turn off sign.  The review wouldn't be complete with it!!




When you drive thru the gate, this is the 1st thing you see, the life size version of thier logo.  Apparently the good doctor has lots of hobbies, up to an including learning how to weld aluminum.  Very cool!!




Then you turn the corner and you view the stately "locker rooms" on the left and "pro shop" on the right.




You also get a close up view of the course mascot...Larry the llama!




And just behind the club house, they have the members lounge area.  A perfect place to relax after a round and settle ur bets!

[Eric Smith]

Is this Mayhugh or Kalen? Really good stuff there dude! Can't wait to see the rest.

[Kalen Braley]

Hole #1 - Par 4 -250 yards - Dogleg right.

This is a gentle opener that requires precision.  With the downhill it only plays at about 220, so it is drive-able...at your own peril thou.  Its very rolly polly down the hill with a ton of trouble right and long.


The tee shot




A look into the green from about 100 yards out!




My ball ended up here after an iron off the tee.  It was such a daunting shot, I decided to just putt it!!

[Kalen Braley]

Hole 2 - Par 5 on the card, but really plays as a 4.5.

Blind tee shot up the hill!!!




And when you come over the crest, you know ur going to be in for a fun day.  Rumply ground everywhere with lots of potential crazy bounces.




Yardage markers are very simple and un-intrusive.  And as usual, yardages is more just a general idea!!   





The approach in from the right after a poor 2nd shot.  The green is tucked into the side of the hill on the left...kind of hard to see.  They had to soften this hole...apparently there used to be a green in the middle of this green!!   

[Kalen Braley]

3rd Hole - Par 4 - 265 yards.

This tee for the hole plays from back down the hill.  The tee shot partially plays over #2 green and ideally you find the top of the hill...




...to get a look in at the small green tucked in between some trees.  Why they put that 20 foot long hazard there with the bridge, I don't know...but it kinds of reminds me of St. Andrews!!   




A look from behind the green, standing on 16 tee gives one a better idea of how "demanding" the approach is!

[Kalen Braley]

4th hole - Par 5 on the card, but really just plays as a 400 yard par 4.

The tee shot requires a draw off the tee.  I found out the hard way when I hit a nice ball down the middle and it went straight thru the dogleg and OB! 




When you get around the corner, it looks like a pretty straight forward approach.




But the green is actually upside-down heart shaped and convex with a little ditch in front of it.  A precise shot is needed to hold the green!

[Kalen Braley]

5th hole - Par 4 - 245 yards.

This is likely the tightest hole on the course, both off the tee and to the green.

The fairway really is down there somewhere...




A look into the green from bout 100 yards..




I yanked my approach left and trundled down the hill and was left with this near impossible chip.  Safe to say I took a pretty big number on this hole!!   

[Garland Bayley]

Looks like a great place for you to record a few rounds and get your handicap up to where it should be.

[Kalen Braley]

Looks like a great place for you to record a few rounds and get your handicap up to where it should be.

Actually Garland,

The smallness of the greens, the blind shots, and the tightness of the holes all led me to shoot a 90. Its by no means an easy course due to it short length.

That being said it would be a great match play venue because it has so many 3.5 and 4.5 par holes...with lots of opportunities to go for it and either be rewarded hugely, or severely punished.

Hole 6 and more coming up soon!!

[Jason Topp]

Looks like we have a venue for the next grudge match!

[Kalen Braley]

Looks like we have a venue for the next grudge match!

Actually Jason,

That's what I was thinking...last time we played it was at a course Garland was familiar with.  We'll take him out to the woods this time and see how he does!!   

[Garland Bayley]

Looks like we have a venue for the next grudge match!

Actually Jason,

That's what I was thinking...last time we played it was at a course Garland was familiar with.  We'll take him out to the woods this time and see how he does!!   

Earlier I issued a challenge to him for KP next year at Sagebrush. He has been silent on that. It seems, that wide fairways like Wine Valley, Chambers Bay, and Sagebrush are wide enough for me, but not wide enough for him so he wants to play somewhere where the fairways are not wide enough for either of us.

[Kalen Braley]

Hole 6 - Another short par 4.

This hole is definitly a WTF hole??

Standing on the tee you aren't sure what to do...




So a quick look at the nicely fabricated sign, (one on each tee), at least give you some idea what to do.




So I decided to layup short of the hazard with a short iron.  When I got there, it looked like this:




Turns out there are two enormous trees directly in front of the green.  So the designer clearly punishes those trying to the safe play.  I should have gone over the pond with my tee ball to have this view/approach into the green.



After putting my 2nd shot in the water, it was double bogey time.

[Kalen Braley]

Hole 7 - Par 3

The first of back to back tough par 3s where par was a good score.  This particular one was nearly 200 yards and required a high shot over the trees or a big draw.




After I hit my tee shot long, I had this chip back to a teeny push up green.




P.S.  40 yards behind the hole, there was the first confirmed sighting of Anthony's new summer cabin.  Looks a tad small, but I'm sure its enough to meet his needs!   

[Kalen Braley]

Looks like we have a venue for the next grudge match!

Actually Jason,

That's what I was thinking...last time we played it was at a course Garland was familiar with.  We'll take him out to the woods this time and see how he does!!   

Earlier I issued a challenge to him for KP next year at Sagebrush. He has been silent on that. It seems, that wide fairways like Wine Valley, Chambers Bay, and Sagebrush are wide enough for me, but not wide enough for him so he wants to play somewhere where the fairways are not wide enough for either of us.

Garland,

Its likely I'll be at next years KP, but I haven't confirmed that yet.

Antler Springs provides real strategy because the driver isn't even needed. 

[Kalen Braley]

The 8th hole is where the round really gets going!!!

8th hole - Par 3

This par 3 is a tee shot that plays over a small valley from one ridge line to the next.  It plays at 160+ yards and as you can see, missing short is not an option!   




Here is a look back to the tee from the front of the green. 

[Kalen Braley]

9th Hole - Par 4

The 9th hole plays back down the hill to a small, well tucked in green.  Another very short hole which doesn't paly much more than 220 with the drop.


Mostly blind tee shot.




A look behind the tee shows the owners pad...nice A-frame design for all the snow this area gets in the winter!




A look to the green from fairway




A look back up the hill from just behind the green.

[Kalen Braley]

Looks like we have a venue for the next grudge match!

Actually Jason,

That's what I was thinking...last time we played it was at a course Garland was familiar with.  We'll take him out to the woods this time and see how he does!!   

Earlier I issued a challenge to him for KP next year at Sagebrush. He has been silent on that. It seems, that wide fairways like Wine Valley, Chambers Bay, and Sagebrush are wide enough for me, but not wide enough for him so he wants to play somewhere where the fairways are not wide enough for either of us.

Garland,

P.S.  I went back and calculated how many fairways I hit...I was 8 for 14!!  It was the small greens and approaches that gave me the most trouble as I only had 3 GIRs.

[Kalen Braley]

10th hole - Another short par 4.

This tee shot is played back up the valley that you hit over on #8.  As you can see a pretty tight tee shot.




And when you come up over the rise, behold the skinniest green you will ever see!!   




Here's another view from directly in front of the green complex.  It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but sure is a one of a kind.

[Kalen Braley]

11th hole - Par 5 on the card, but really plays to a lengthy par 4 of about 410 yards.

As mentioned earlier, I would put this hole up against anything I've seen in the immediate Spokane are...it really is a terrific hole.


From the tee, you can see the 1st dog leg left and the start of the 2nd dogleg going back to the right.  The aggressive line off the tee is to hit it directly over the brown dead patch on the hill.  I aimed a a little left of there and hit my natural fade 3 wood.





Here is a look at the fairway once you get around the 1st corner...





And then another look up to the green from where my tee ball ended up as it doglegs back up towards the green.





The green sits in a natural bowl.  This picture is a look back down the fairway from behind the 13th green.

[Alex Miller]

Loving Everything I'm seeing. Quirky and brown, can't keep me down! 

[Kalen Braley]

Loving Everything I'm seeing. Quirky and brown, can't keep me down! 

Alex,

Funny you should mention that.  The caretaker guy I spoke to kept apologizing for the brown parts of the fairway...and each time I tried to re-assure him that brown is OK and leads to funner golf because the bounces are unpredictable.

As fa as quirk goes, stay tuned for the 15th!!   

[Kalen Braley]

12 Hole - Par 4

This hole returns to more "conventional" golf with a tee ball that requires a forced carry over a marsh area to a fairly wide fairway.  I suppose the trees blocking the view isn't what one might normally see though.

View from the tee:





A look in for the approach after a well struck drive:





Looking back you can see the hollows he created for those trying to play a low running shot in.  Seems like a great alternative to using bunkers..

[Kalen Braley]

Hole 13 - Short par 4

This hole heads right back in the opposite direction.  The trees in the fairway set up a bit of a split fairway look.  Its wide enough to go for the green here at 275'ish, or hit a iron off the tee for safety.




After I hit the iron for safety, I had about 80 yards in to another smallish green.




But I came up just a touch short and left it in the dry moat that fronts this green.  I thought this was a really neat feature on a par 4 that is wide enough where one just may consider driving the green.

[Kalen Braley]

Hole 14 - Par 3 - Things start to get nutty again!!!

Relative to par, this is hands down the toughest hole on the course.  While I didn't do a good job with the pictures on this one, the hole plays 195 yards and slighty uphill to a green surrounded by a pond/moat on 3 sides....short, left, and long!

The tee shot plays thru a shute of trees over a small valley.  Its hard to even see the green from here much less pick out the proper spot to aim for.




After making a complete mess of this hole, here is a view from behind that shows the moat.  The tee box is that small patch of dark green just to the left of the pin.

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