The biggest news of the summer in Destination Golf comes from Central Washington, where Gamble Sands will cut the ribbon on his second 18-hole course. It is called Scarecrow and it will open to the public this Friday. Prior to that unveiling, there are five things to know about the course.
1. It’s a David McLay Kidd design
In contrast to Bandon Dunes, Streamsong and Sand Valley, who have tapped several architects for their projects, Gamble Sands has completely discussed McLay Kidd, who also designed the original 18-hole course of the resort; his 14-hole par-3 course, Quicksands; And it’s a well course, cascades.
2. It is where McLay Kidd wanted to build the first 18
Although Scarecrow shares important characteristics with its older brother or sister-de fairways, his widely shouldered, his turf is resilient terrain is more confused and his greens are richer. It also offers more impressive views of a routing that runs along bluff and ridges overlooking the Columbia River Valley. It all comes down to a more demanding test, although it is still difficult to lose a ball.
The Scarecrow site is where McLay Kidd wanted to build the original course more than ten years ago. At the time, however, were ugly high -voltage lines, which have since been buried, stretching over the building, so McLay Kidd used other area for his first design. That course, Gamble Sands, is on the list of Golf Magazine with top 100 courses in the United States.
3. The name nods to the region
Gamble Sands is owned by an old agricultural family and Scarecrow is a cap-tip for those agricultural roots. In brainstorming sessions, the name over candidates such as Old Cob (a reference to corn and the deer farm (an allusion on a gone on a bygone local reindeer breeder). At one point McLay Kidd (half joke) suggested to baptize the sister-or-wilder’s padded brother or sister for a wilder or sister. The family checked Scarecrow all boxes, including the fact that it was LOGO-friendly, good for merchandising.
4. The routing builds up in drama
Like many fine designs, Scarecrow opens with a friendly handshake-a short par-4 that plays over a forehead to a speed-slot in the fairway that bends gently on the left. From there the track starts a gradual climb before he goes to the river valley that runs down and bumps into the bluff. Much of this piece offers a postcard panorama, nothing more striking than the view of the Par-3 9e, which plays directly to the valley, are framed green in the background through the river Valley. On the par-3 11th, the routing doubles in itself, but understandably, such as McLay Kidd and his design partner, Nick Schan, planned to use an amazing natural green site that was at a point along the bluffs.
5. There is room for more
The owners of Gamble Sands have enough land and room enough for extra golf. But it is premature to talk about future projects. In the meantime, however, Scarecrow pushes the resort to the new industry area. An axiom of the Golf Reizen, originally credited to Bandon Dunes founder Mike Keizer, is that a course is eligible as a curiosity, but two jobs count as a destination. Gamble Sands, whose draw has largely been regional since it has been open, now meets a metric with a higher wattage with the potential for a more powerful national attraction.
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