ROSLYN, Wash. -- The grand opening of the much-anticipated Tumble Creek Golf Course at Suncadia ushers in a new era of golf in the Pacific Northwest, fulfilling expectations to be a superior example of insightful land planning and golf course design.
Renowned golf course architect Tom Doak met the challenge to create a course that would reflect the natural setting of the soaring pines, peaceful woodlands and sunny meadows, as well as the streams and ponds that prosper along the eastern slope of the Cascades.
"We had no idea how great the views to the mountains would be until we started clearing out the fairways," said Doak. "But what we saw encouraged us to clear things out wider to open up the vistas. We even changed the routing a bit after the start of construction, moving the 16th green and 17th tee to take advantage of a prominent spot overlooking the river."
Tumble Creek is the second of three golf courses at Suncadia, a 6,300-acre resort community 80 miles east of Seattle, where residents and travelers alike enjoy a four-season recreation area adjacent to the 2.2 million acre Wenatchee National Forest. The Doak course joins the Arnold Palmer-designed Prospector Course, which debuted in the summer of 2005, and will be joined in 2007 by the Rope Rider Course, designed by Peter Jacobsen and Jim Hardy. Both Prospector and Rope Rider are resort courses open to the public.
The private par-71 Tumble Creek Golf Course is as varied as its Pacific Northwest terrain, to the point that some holes are links-style and roll through open spaces, while others are lined with stands of pines. The one constant is the spectacular view of the surrounding mountains that seem to watch over golfers from every direction.
The course stretches to 6,928 yards from the fifth set of tees and features relatively small greens throughout its plateau layout, each hole a distinctive challenge with classic subtleties. Tees, fairways and greens are all bent grass, while the rough is a mix of blue grass and fescue, an ideal combination for the Suncadia climate, which records four times as much sunshine as the Puget Sound region. There are water hazards on only three holes and the bunkering is subtle, delivering a classic feel to holes.
Complementing the inviting ambiance is a sophisticated "base camp" ideal to celebrate all that makes the Pacific Northwest so special. The clubhouse at Tumble Creek is designed in the mold of a Rocky Mountain ranch, a world-class center for sporting, wellness and social activities.
While the centerpiece of Tumble Creek is the golf course, there is so much more for the outdoor soul to absorb -- more than 40 miles of hiking and biking trails, fishing and horseback riding during the warmer months as well as cross-country and downhill skiing, snow shoeing and snowmobiling in the winter.
Suncadia's on-site, state-of-the-art sports complex, meanwhile, will feature a climbing wall, aerobic and strength fitness facilities, programmed strength and flexibility activities, an indoor pool and an outdoor mega-pool with water slide and amphitheater.
Given the expertise of Suncadia's developers -- Lowe Enterprises (responsible for championship courses at Ocean Hammock, Sunriver Resort, The Reserve, Wild Dunes and more) and Jeld-Wen, Inc. (title sponsor of the Jeld-Wen Tradition, a senior major played annually in Aloha, Ore.) -- the future of the resort community offers particular promise for golf enthusiasts.
Construction on Suncadia, Washington's first all-season destination resort, began in 2002. Once completed, it is to include a village with shops, galleries and restaurants, a lodge located on a bluff 250 feet above the Cle Elum River; conference center; three golf courses; a 7,000-square-foot village residence complex; luxury condominiums; town homes, cabins, custom homes and custom home sites.
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