RV GOLFER
Wowed in Walla Walla
By Rick Stedman
Visitors to Walla Walla in southeast Washington have more than sweet onions and great wine to experience with the addition of a fabulous new golf course: Wine Valley Golf
Club. Just seven miles west of town, it is arguably the premier golf
course to open in the state in 2009. The links-style course officially opened last spring, much to the appreciation of locals and visitors alike. “This is truly one of the finest golf courses I’ve played,”
said an impressed Ron Anderson, general manager of the Marcus
Whitman Hotel and Conference Center, the city’s landmark hotel.
Designed by architect Dan Hixson, Wine Valley Golf Club
unfolds on a grand scale, playing over rolling hills in the shadow
of the Blue Mountains. The par 72 measures 7,360 yards. It has so
many impressive holes that neither Hixson nor John Thornes,
director of golf, could pinpoint a signature hole. “Well, it could be
4, 5 or 7,” said Hixson, who then added, “but it could also be 9, 14,
or 18.” What a conundrum.
After overseeing a handful of remodel and renovation projects
in the Pacific Northwest, Hixson gained prominence with his
acclaimed debut course at Bandon Crossings in Bandon, Oregon.
Wine Valley Golf Club is his second solo design.
Most golfers will appreciate the generous fairways and large
greens that feature considerable contouring on the putting surfaces. And whether you visit for a round of golf or just to sip a glass
of wine, everyone will love the stunning beauty of this southeast
corner of Washington state.
For golfers, the 18th is a great finishing hole. The tee box of
this par 5, 565-yarder sits at the highest point on the course and
overlooks the entire layout, including the valley and surrounding
Blue Mountains.
Destined to become one of the state’s top 10 courses, Wine
Valley will host the 2010 Northwest Open Aug. 23-25. The 54-hole
tournament, one of the oldest and most prestigious in the
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Rick Stedman
Northwest, has a list of past champions that includes Fred
Couples, Bob Gilder, Don Bies and Rick Acton. The field will consist of 168 of the top professionals and amateurs from the
Northwest. For more information on the tournament and the golf
course, visit winevalleygolfclub.com.
The 19th hole (and a few chip shots)
Enjoy a free 10-minute golf lesson
It’s time to take advantage of the PGA’s annual free 10-minute
lesson. Last year during the month of May, more than 5,200 PGA
and LPGA professionals nationwide gave more than 80,075 free
10-minute lessons. Taking a free 10-minute lesson is the perfect
introduction for new golfers to the game. It can help both casual
and avid golfers who just want to fine-tune a portion of their game
or simply get out of a slump. Here are a few things you might consider improving during a 10-minute lesson: how to hit a high, soft
sand shot; how to improve your tempo and add distance; how to
switch your focus from line to speed before you putt; how to get
your backswing in synch, or how to grip the club.
The free lesson month is part of the PGA’s 2010 Play Golf
America Days national promotion. Other PGA programs include
Women’s Golf Month in June; Take Your Daughter to the Course
Week, July 5-11; Family Golf Month in July; and Patriot Golf Day
2010, Labor Day weekend, Sept. 3-6. To find out about these programs and the free 10-minute lesson, visit playgolfamerica.com. The
Wine Valley Golf Club is a new course on rolling hills in Walla Walla.
Rick Stedman
