Northwest Links Monthly Newsletter - July 2025

Welcome to this month’s edition of the Northwest Links Newsletter - your cheat sheet for what’s new and happening in the world of Pacific Northwest golf. Thanks for following along - we appreciate you being part of the Northwest Links community!

What’s New in the Golf World

The Past Month — June

Local Northwest Scene

• Washington Men’s Amateur concluded at Bear Creek - huge congrats to Collin Hodgkinson, Oregon State University Golfer, for his win. He’s headed to the U.S. Am this August at the Olympic Club.

• Washington Women’s Amateur was hosted at The Home Course. Grace Lee, Bellevue native and Gonzaga Women’s Golf Team Member, brought home the win.

• Twin Lakes hosted the Northwest Women’s Open, drawing many of the region’s best female golfers. Congrats to Tsara Ralamboarison from Eybens, France for the win.

• USGA qualifiers have taken place across Washington, Oregon and Idaho for various national events including the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Amateur, and more. These will continue through July.

Broader Golf World

• J.J. Spaun won a dramatic U.S. Open at Oakmont, holding off top contenders on one of golf’s toughest courses to secure his first Major victory.

• Nail-biter finishes left and right on the PGA Tour:

  • Ryan Fox secured the RBC Canadian Open title in a thrilling playoff.

  • Keegan Bradley stole the Travelers Championship from Tommy Fleetwood with a final-hole birdie.

  • Aldrich Potgieter won the Rocket Classic after 5 playoff holes

• Maja Stark claimed the U.S. Women’s Open title at Erin Hills with a composed and precise performance.

• Carlota Ciganda won the Meijer LPGA Classic, her first victory in nearly a decade.

• Minjee Lee, sister of PGA Tour Player Minwoo Lee, won her third major with the Women’s PGA Championship at Fields Ranch East.

What’s Coming Up — July

Local Northwest Scene

• The Washington State Men’s Mid-Amateur Tournament will be hosted at Semiahmoo G&CC from July 21-23.

• The Idaho Men’s Am will be hosted at Jug Mountain Ranch from July 10-12.

• The Oregon Women’s Stroke Play Championship will be hosted at Tokatee GC July 23-25

• Club championships and summer twilight leagues kick off, offering plenty of competitive and casual golf opportunities for everyone!

Broader Golf World

• The Open Championship at Royal Portrush (July 17–20): A true test of links golf with challenging coastal winds and iconic holes like “Calamity Corner” on the 16th. Keep an eye on favorites Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and Jon Rahm.

• Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club (July 10-13): A key warm-up for The Open, featuring classic Scottish links conditions.

• Amundi Evian Championship (July 10–13): The only LPGA major in an alpine setting, with tricky greens and water hazards demanding precision.

• AIG Women’s Open at Royal Porthcawl (July 30 - Aug 3): A major championship known for its tidal bunkers and firm, undulating greens—weather will play a huge role.

Course of the Month

White Horse Golf Club — Kingston, WA

This month we’re spotlighting White Horse Golf Club, a secluded stunner tucked into the trees on the Kitsap Peninsula. Originally known for being brutally tough, White Horse has since been redesigned for playability - without losing the dense Northwest forest setting that makes it feel like you're golfing deep in the woods. We played it recently and can confirm: it’s still tough and you’ll need every club in the bag, especially if you stray from the fairway.

Ratings:

• Scenery: 9/10 – Towering firs, natural elevation changes, and that true “Pacific Northwest escape” feeling. The ferry ride over is a bonus too.

• Walkability: 7/10 – Not an easy walk, but manageable thanks to improved routing and softened terrain from the redesign.

• Difficulty: 8/10 – Still a test. Tight fairways, thick rough, and demanding greens will challenge even experienced players.

• Amenities: 8/10 – Solid range and practice facility, lodge-style clubhouse, and a great spot to grab food post-round at Cedar Ridge Grill.

  
  

Our complete golf course review is coming soon.

July PNW Golf Events to Check Out

If you’re looking for a fun tourney, a chill scramble, or just a reason to gather your foursome, here are a few events we’ve got circled on the calendar this month.

Weather Watch: July PNW Forecast

PNW golfers, rejoice - July is shaping up to be a beauty. Expect mostly sunny skies and mild mornings throughout the month, with daytime highs ranging from the low 70s to mid-80s. The warmest stretch looks to hit July 9–12, peaking at 86°F, absolutely perfect scoring conditions. A few clouds roll in mid-month, but there’s little sign of rain, making July a reliable time to get out and play.

Check out Seattle’s forecast to give you a feel for what’s ahead.

Opinion: Pro Golf Could Learn a lot from Local Men’s and Women’s Clubs

The PGA and LPGA Tours might have the cameras and the cash, but our local golf clubs have something the pros could use a little more of: soul. Whether it’s Saturday morning banter, funky formats, or the occasional breakfast beer, the grassroots version of golf is full of creativity and character.

Here are four things the pros could learn from us weekend golfers:

1. Switch the Formats

We know how to rotate formats to keep it interesting -  scrambles, best-ball, 3-club, blind draw. Not everything is a grind-it-out stroke play marathon. Pro golf could use more variety and spontaneity to keep fans (and players) on their toes.

2. Let the Trash Talk Fly

Some of the best moments in local golf happen between shots — a friendly chirp, a sarcastic “smart lay-up,” or a well-timed jab after a three-putt. Pro golf doesn’t need to become WWE, but letting players show more personality and have some fun out there would grow the game.

3. Speed It Up

Your weekend group finishes 18 in under four hours while losing balls left and right. Why does a pro group need five hours and a rules official for every ruling? The pace problem is fixable — and it starts with taking a page from everyday golf.

4. Chill on the Dress Codes

No one cares if you wear shorts or rock a hoodie. If the pros want to connect with the next generation of golfers, they should stop holding onto what golf "should" traditionally look like and start embracing how it’s actually played.

Tip of the Month from a Local Golf Pro

Jack Kelly, Director of Instruction and Short Game Specialist at Glendale CC in Bellevue, Washington, gives a great tutorial on how to approach green-side bunker shots. We’ve been trying this feel out on the course and seeing major results!

Thank you, Jack (@realjackkelly on instagram) for the incredible teaching content.

Have your own teaching channel? DM your best tip videos with us for a chance to be featured in next month’s issue.

Other Shoutouts and Last Word

Shoutouts

Big shout-out to our winners for our major Pick ‘em pools so far this year. Keep a lookout for our next one for The Open! Free to sign-up, only takes a couple of minutes to pick your players, and a chance to win a free box of Pro V1s.

• PGA Championship Pool Winner: Billy Hoyle

• U.S. Open Pool Winner: Josh Ambrozic

  
  

Merch coming soon! We’ve heard the requests and have been working hard behind the scenes to make it happen. Our first drop is almost here - crafted to reflect the culture and vibe of PNW Golf…. We can’t wait for you all to see it.

We’re working on a revised list of our favorite local golf deals. Be on the lookout!

Last Word

We all know summer is the sweet spot for golf in the Northwest, and we’re officially there. Soak it up while it lasts, and we hope Northwest Links is helping you make the most of it. We appreciate your support and we’re glad you’re along for the ride.

See you out there,

The Northwest Links Team

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