GoGolfNW Palouse Ridge

Palouse Ridge offers perfect location, conditions

SUSAN CONARD
GoGolfNW.com Correspondent
8/21/2008

If ”Palousey” were a word, it’d be the perfect adjective to describe Washington State University’s newly constructed Palouse Ridge Golf Club.

I was fortunate enough to be one of the first groups to play the course when the designers, engineers and pro staff invited representatives form the media to play Aug 1, before its official opening on Aug 29.

The first things I noticed is how the course fits into the terrain as if Mother Nature herself decided to take up golf and wanted her home course set among the beautiful rolling hills of the Palouse.

The next thing I noticed was the visual intimidation the course presented with its Links style fairways and deep bunkers. Grassy fields along the sides would swallow your ball only to be found if you were lucky enough to step on it as you hoped in vain to not have to take a lost ball penalty.

Fortunately, the fairways are designed to allow forgiveness, and with course knowledge even amateur players can avoid the tall thick grass. Good course management will also help you stay out of the deep bunkers, or so I heard. I found myself in the bunkers quite often, hitting out of very fluffy sand the engineers placed in the hollows only a few days before.

Five tee boxes at each hole provide options for all level of players. Champion level hitters will shoot from the Crimson tee boxes. Blue, gray and black tee boxes are more typical yardages, with gray being the “new white”, and black the “new red.”

The most forward tees are the green tee boxes. Options for our play day were gray or green. I shot from the green wanting to give myself that extra advantage playing a Links course for the first time. I would definitely choose the blacks or gray next time. I think most women would agree.

Our host for the day encouraged us to hit from one of the Crimsons. A good drive allowed me to carry the 180 yard wheat field between us and the fairway.

After the first few holes, I wasn’t so intimidated as I was at the first visual impression. After 18 holes, I still had a great respect for this course with a better understanding of what the architects and designers had in mind when as they built a course fitting for champion level play yet allowing players of all levels to go take pleasure in the scenic views of the Palouse while partaking in a challenging round of golf.

Following the golf round we had the opportunity to discuss details with a panel comprised of the architects, designers and WSU staff. They settled curiosities of various players, and addressed queries about the controversial environmental issues much gossiped about. I learned that it is just that – gossip.

WSU staff has used most the resources of its many research department to ensure the course and its facilities are environmentally friendly with sound water usage and electric carts that can recharge a percentage of their own batteries while driven around the hilly curves. The primary designer, John Harbottle III, had a fairway wide smile as he explained his thoughts from concept to conception to Friday’s play. He seemed as proud as a papa on the birth of his first son.

Driving home with a smile myself, I was very pleased. It may have had much to do with a day on a spectacular golf course, rather than behind my desk at work.

Bruce Perisho, the course’s general manager, and staff treated us like golf royalty with handouts of hats, towels and buckets of balls at the expansive driving range, with practice areas for the long game, short game and even a chance to practice sand shots out of a sample bunker.

And as I looked in the rear-view mirror and saw my wind tangled hair, I reminded myself to ensure I recommend a snug fitting ball cap when you visit. After all, it wouldn’t be a true Links course if there were no wind.

Palouse Ridge Golf Club recently opened in Pullman. For more information call 509-335-4342 or click here. If you would like to book online Tee Times, click here