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While it
is the largest county in the state, Okanogan County has but
six golf courses. If great scenery is an important ajunct to
challenging courses, every one should be sampled. Four of the
venues are in an area about 40 miles square: Bear Creek in Winthrop,
Okanogan Valley near Omak, Lake Woods in the Bridgeport area,
and Alta Lake, at the confluence of the Methow and Columbia
Rivers. Only the latter is an 18 hole track, with the others
playing nine holes twice around from 18 tees. The other two
courses are Sheridan Green, a sylvan outing just west of Republic,
and Oroville Golf Club, almost on the Canadian border off highway
97.
All these courses are private or member owned, and their greens
fees are in the twenty dollar range for 18 holes. Make no mistake,
the low price does not indicate low quality. Very few who have
played Bear Creek have met par, possibly due to the distracting
scenery where the North Cascade mountains stab the sky only
a few miles to the west. Being in a major tourist area, it is
not uncommon to see a Porsche or BMW parked next to a local
contractor's truck in the parking lot. Down valley, where the
Methow meets the Columbia, the latter river as well as placid
Alta Lake can be seen from the recently installed back nine,
a rolling links-like encounter punctuated by a lake and some
challenging greens.
Less than 18 miles east of here, the Lake Woods course is a
delightful tree-lined, small greened challenge. It is adjacent
to the Bridgeport State Park and only a mile from imposing Chief
Joseph Dam. Duck hook a ball on the ninth hole and it may end
up in the Columbia River. Under 30 miles north, the Okanogan
Golf Club is a literal walk in the park, with fairways lined
by shade giving maple trees. The greens here again are on the
small size, adding to the challenge and forcing the golfer to
give a lot of thought to approach shots. North again on Highway
97 to Oroville, and find a course situated high above the Similkameen
River, whose greens can rival those of any U.S. Open. Many agree
they are the most challenging greens of any public course in
the State.
Sheridan Green, near Republic on Highway 20, is off the beaten
track, and a delight to behold after a country road drive of
a few miles from the main highway. A great variety of deciduous
and evergreen trees stud the course, and care must be taken
on every shot for this is a tight layout. It is also at the
highest elevation of all the county's courses and the evergreen
forests give off a heady scent.
Even if you are not on a budget, the courses of Okanogan Country
are well worth trying, The scenery is unrivalled almost anywhere
else in the state, the people are friendly and shucks, if you
can save fifty to a hundred bucks on a round of equivalent golf,
it makes good sense.
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QUICK
FACTS
The Alta Lake Golf Course-
three miles west of Pateros off Highway 153, (509) 923-2359
Bear
Creek Golf Course- three miles southeast
of Winthrop on the East Side County Road, (509) 996-2284
Okanogan Valley Golf Club -a few minutes
west of Okanogan and Omak on Pogue Flat, (509) 826-9902
Oroville Golf Club -two miles west of
Oroville on Nighthawk Road; (509) 476-2390
Lake Woods Golf Course -two miles north
of Bridgeport, (509) 686-5721
Sheridan
Green - 91 Sheridan Road, Republic (509) 775-2767
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