There’s been a ton of hoopla about the new links course north of Chelan designed by David MacLay Kidd, the same architect who did Bandon Dunes in Oregon. I thought this might me a quiet week to see for the course for myself so I set out this morning and teed off at Gamble Sands around 11:30. What a treat! It’s a true links course, just missing the salt water air. Rolling fairways, lots of fairway and greenside bunkers, huge multi-level greens and none of that deep grass rough… just sand and scruffy natural grasses and shrubs. With all the slopes and bunkers every shot is a little puzzle. The 2nd hole, pictured above, is a perfect example. It’s just a 260-yard par 4 but the green is well guarded by bunkers so you have to choose a layup past, short of or right of the big fairway bunker in the middle.
I was very pleased to shoot an 86, recording eleven pars, albeit from the middle tees. Predictably, missed fairways were very penal resulting in three triple bogeys. I can’t wait to give it another go tomorrow morning.
Nutmeg50@hotmail.com 