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The Highland Course At Primland Resort
Played On 08/10/2020First-class from top to bottom
The Highland Course at Primland is exceptional in every regard. Conditions. Layout. Customer Service. Blue Ridge Mountains setting. There is nothing I would change. We played without being rushed or held up. The warm up / practice area has everyone you'd want, and like the course, in perfect condition. The design is by Donald Steel, and it's superb. What the average golfer will appreciate is how the fairways and green complexes tend to funnel balls into play. That's not to say it's contrived to be easier. You have to hit it in the proper vicinity to be rewarded. If you hit it in the wrong places, your ball can bound into unpleasant places. I can't wait to play the course again. It was a thrilling golf round in one of the most beautiful places on Earth (Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains near the NC border).
TPC Dorado Beach - East Course
Played On 09/23/2019Worthy of Top 100 status
Played the course for the second time. The first time I played with a caddie, and I had an excellent one. When I played it the second time, it was typically better as I knew what to expect more. So I saved a few strokes (once to learn it, twice to own it!). The conditions were immaculate, the design is intuitive yet creative, and the setting and beauty off the charts. It starts with the drive to the first hole which is long and gorgeous, culminating with the ocean unveiling itself as you drive along it to get to the first tee. It's a pretty a course as I've played, except maybe in Kauai at Poipu Bay or Makai. It's an amenity of the luxury Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve property, and open to the public. The greens fee is pricey, but for me, the value is there given how memorable and fulfilling was the experience. Also, if going to Puerto Rico and wanting to play several golf courses, recommend playing this course once, then a few of the others that are pretty close by (Coco Beach, Bahia Beach, Rio Mar). Make sure you hit the restaurant after your round. The food is exceptional and you never know who you'll run into. We sat next to Carlos Beltran, he of 478 MLB home runs. Forgot to mention how good the practice facilities are. Make sure you get there early to soak in that part of the experience.
Salish Cliffs Golf Club
Played On 08/28/2018Pure golf
Salish Cliffs is an 18-hole course in Shelton, Wash., about 1 hours south of Seattle by the South Puget Sound. It's a great layout by golf architect Gene Bates, and is up the hill from the Little Creek Casino Resort where we stayed. There is no surrounding development, so the course is peaceful and stunning. Lots of evergreens and native grasses frame the holes which are in immaculate condition. The holes offer great variety, and are very memorable. Three of my favorites include No. 3, a long, downhill par 3 with a green nestled along a hillside to the right, with large bunker guarding the front left; and no. 9 and 18, which share a green, and have water and lots of bunkers to factor. The customer service is first class, and the clubhouse is designed with a Native American motif. Two carved, painted totems frame the entryway of the wood, glass and stone building. The course and resort is owned by the Squaxin Island Tribe, and artwork abounds throughout the property, giving everything an excellent Native American vibe. I love this course and play it every time I'm in or near Seattle.
Circling Raven Golf Club
Played On 05/28/2018Better than most
I've played the course about a dozen times and it never disappoints. In fact, it's one of my favorites of all time, and I've played hundreds of courses. The reasons I like Circling Raven so much are the design (Gene Bates was the golf course architect), the setting (hundreds of acres with no surrounding development), the price (value), and the vibe. It's laid back and full of nice amenities. The golf shop and restaurant bar at the course are excellent, and the casino resort hotel is nice. My wife had two spa treatments (massage and facial) and said the spa is very good. The price is unreal to play. We only payed $89 for our round, and courses not nearly as good charge double that all over the U.S. When friends ask where they should try new for a golf vacation, Circling Raven is always one of my recommendations. Also, it's not far from Coeur d'Alene Resort Course, which makes for a good one-two punch of courses, although the CDA Resort Course is very pricey compared to Circling Raven.