Rob Perry
Rob Perry
Rob Perry
Rob Perry
Overview
Many 100 Greatest courses began as open fields, then had decades of green-committees plant trees to frame fairways; many of those same clubs are now clear-cutting such trees to open up vistas and invite more sunlight and air to greens. Sahalee is not such a club. Its course was carved from a Pacific Northwest forest of cedar, spruce, fir and pine, and its dominant theme has always been narrow fairways framed by towering trees that reach to the heavens. To strip Sahalee of its trees would be to shave Samson of his locks.
About
Awards
Ranking history:
Second 100 Greatest: Ranked 2015-'16, 2019 to current.
2023-'24 ranking: 172nd.
Previous ranking: 146th.
100 Greatest: Ranked 1977-2014, 2017-2018.
Highest ranking: 48th, 1989-1990.
Best in State: Ranked first in Washington since 1985.
Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“Through the course of your round, you will be required to hit a variety of shots off the tee, however on each individual hole you usually must hit a specific shot to be in position to approach the green unencumbered by trees. Your primary choice is not usually shot shape, rather it is instead if you should hit driver or something less (with the same shot shape). There are only a couple of holes that don't have bunkers right and left of the green. The exceptions are when there is water guarding the green, and in those cases there will be a bunker tightly protecting the non-water side (2S, 1N, 8N). One of the most unique championship layouts due to the tight, tree-lined fairways."
Read More2022
Review
“I was expecting the tall western red cedars to present an extremely penal situation, but they actually presented an experience more like bumper bowling (my host called them pillow). With that said, they mess with your mind as you're constantly faced with an intimating shot through a chute of trees. A hillier site than I was expecting. We played through rain the entire day, and the course drained ok until the end. Certainly didn't play firm and fast though. The fact all three nines on the property have the same ratings and essentially the same distance seemed strangely forced/artificial. The South nine is more friendly to a left-to-right shot, with the North favoring a right-to-left. Bunkers are very well positioned and make for a difficult, though somewhat repetitive test--I wouldn't call it terribly fun. More variety would have been nice"
Read More2022
Review
“Tight tree lined course. Very fast and conditioned greens. Challenging greens well Protected by trees and bunkers. Only real conditioning knock was the rough outside fringe around some greens needed attention."
Read More2022
Review
“Sahalee is a unique course set within massive Douglas Fir trees. The course is tight with trouble on each hole. The course is very difficult and plays longer than the yardage suggests and each hole looks similar to the other (Layout Design is lacking). Conditions were so-so when I played the course. Fairway lies were especially thin and inconsistent rough (firm, then lush, then hard pan, etc.). Greens were good, but green surrounds were in spotty condition with either total dried out grass or lush lies. The PNW just experienced some unseasonal hot weather that probably played into this, but other area course have not shown such variability in conditions."
Read More2022
Review
“This epitomizes Northwest tree-lined golf at its best. The towering evergreens line every hole making keeping the ball in the fairway imperative, which is not easy considering how tight it is off nearly every tee. Greens have enough slope to make approach shot strategy a crucial part of the game."
Read More2022
Review
“The North course doesn't have any weak holes. All very defined and carved through the great Northwest. The design variety was stellar for what you would expect to be similar looks off each tee—didn't feel that way."
Read More2021
Review
“A shot makers course. It has tight tree-lined fairways and firm sand in the perfectly manicured and edged bunkers. Delightful to play as long as you hit it straight. "
Read More2021
Review
“"Sa Hall Way", as it can be referred to by the members is as unique a course one could play, with its Douglas Firs lining the fairways. Sahalee is truly a special place and one that will continue to get better, as they've removed some of their trees, while limbing up the base of the trees to provide for more playability and better sight lines. A course stepped in tradition and history, and I wouldn't be surprised if the hold a World Golf event or another major in the next 20 years, as the club has exceptional leadership."
Read More2021
Review
“Sahalee is native Chinook for “high heavenly ground”. The towering native Pacific Northwest trees are Sahalee’s trademark and is design defense. The membership and embraced the tradition, feel and heritage, as it has architect Robinson’s original strategy. The greens are tilted and undulating making short sided chips extremely challenging for the best players to get close. Nearly every hole has essentially a ‘dead spot’ around the green, making it imperative for players to pay attention to slope and pin placements. Sahalee is a residential golf course, but the homes did not limit the routing or natural appeal. The homes fit organically into the backdrop of the course. Adding to the challenge, approach shots are critical. The North nine has significantly more land movement throughout the fairways. The inward nine particularly commands various ball flights both off the tee and approach. Sahalee is a serious test on one’s ability to shape the ball, yet hit straight shots with the many narrow chutes off the tee. Conditioning is its strong suit with very firm, and very fast n’ true poa annua greens. I seriously question the general ‘excitement level’ for the average player walking off the 18th. Sahalee overall gives little room for error and offers few legitimate birdie opportunities, regardless off tee selection."
Read More2021
Review
“One of the most wooded and lush-green courses I’ve ever played. Aesthetics are very special and walking the course is extremely memorable. Greens are generally small but circulation around the greens allows good air flow."
Read More2021
Review
“Sahalee is a well-conditioned course that provides a stern test to the golfer. You are required to either work your shots left and right, or keep the ball ultra-straight."
Read More2021
Review
“Sahalee Country Club sits in the dense woods outside of Seattle amongst a neighborhood of mature homes. The drive to the clubhouse gives a peak at the tenth green, which it would seem the road purposefully passes by due to its beauty. The clubhouse is of modest size and shows that this club is truly a golf club. No pool, no playground--just golf and a small restaurant. The driving range is directly behind the clubhouse, and I assume when the Sahalee Amatuer is going on this creates a very nice seating area for members to watch some of the best amateurs in the nation. The first tee shot is great because it lets you know what you're in for. It’s possible that this sets the bar too high and can probably scare most golfers because this is by far the most difficult tee shot on the course. The following holes of the championship layout, which is the South nine followed by the North nine, create a lot of anticipation as if the course is going to burst out into an open meadow and we can see the cascades in the distance. This doesn’t happen. Sahalee is eighteen holes in a row that are their own individual experience. You cannot see another hole from others. This is a residential course, but yet it's difficult to see any homes either. What they say about Sahalee is true--there are a lot of trees, but I would argue that there are NOT too many trees. The layout of this course is expertly thought through because the course gives the impression that the trees are reaching out to slap your ball out of the air, but in reality, most tee shots are safe from their reach if put in the right area. Sahalee doesn’t ask anything superhuman of you. The course is none too long, which is a good thing. The greens are generous in size and the sand is delicate and very accommodating. The rough is virtually non-existent because it's not necessary with the trees. The trees that line the fairway are undercut up to about 25-30 feet, so no need to duck when walking under them. The North nine is a treat. It begins with the gorgeous par 4 tenth which requires a driver at most to a knoll, and then a shot down to a peninsula green that has water long and left. It’s worth taking a photograph of this great hole. The eleventh begins with an elevated tee that you can see down back on the tenth green from. The North nine is truly stacked with great holes and is the proper routing of this eighteen hole track. There are truly no bad holes, but the real treat begins with 15. A tricky tee shot to an uphill par four. Sixteen is the same, and equally excellent. The 17th is their signature hole and no wonder why--it’s a gorgeous downhill par 3 with water on three sides. Finally, the course finishes with a reachable par 5 that doglegs slightly left off the tee. If you find this fairway, you can have a go at this one in two. Finally, when I played Sahalee in July it was one of the most well-conditioned courses I’ve yet reviewed. The tees, fairways and greens were immaculate. This course could hold a tournament tomorrow. Overall Sahalee is an understated treat. In a world where every designer and re-designer wants to rip out every single tree, Sahalee does the opposite. The result? It works wonderfully. It is not overwhelming and the entire course is right there in front of you. It is an almost otherworldly experience that is well-worth it."
Read More2020
Review
“Holes 3 on South and 2 on the North have large trees in the middle of the fairways. This seemed repetitive to have this on two holes on the course -- and didn't offer much reward as opposed to the risk."
Read More2020
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