The 8 Best Golf Trip Destinations in the Pacific Northwest
From windswept links on the Oregon coast to desert sand courses above the Columbia River, the Northwest has some of the best buddy-trip golf in the country. Here's our countdown of the eight best places to plan your next golf trip.
8. Suncadia, Washington
A mountain resort escape in Cle Elum, about 90 minutes from Seattle. Two strong courses and a lodge setting make it an easy weekend trip.
Prospector – Arnold Palmer design with big Cascade views
Rope Rider – Peter Jacobsen and Jim Hardy design through the pines
7. South Puget Sound, Washington
Chambers Bay, host of the 2015 U.S. Open, anchors a trip that's easy to reach from Sea-Tac. Build around it with a few strong public tracks nearby.
Chambers Bay – Links-style golf on the shores of Puget Sound
Gold Mountain (Olympic Course) – One of the best public values in the state
The Home Course – Rolling, wide-open layout in DuPont, minutes from Chambers
Salish Cliffs – Hilly, scenic course near Shelton
6. Whistler, British Columbia
Mountain golf at its most dramatic, with glacier-capped peaks on nearly every tee. The village atmosphere after the round is half the appeal.
Nicklaus North – Jack Nicklaus design on the valley floor
Fairmont Chateau Whistler – Elevation changes and big mountain views
Whistler Golf Club – Arnold Palmer design steps from the village
Big Sky Golf Club – Short drive to Pemberton, set beneath Mount Currie
Furry Creek – Sea-to-Sky Highway stop with dramatic Howe Sound views
5. Thompson-Okanagan, British Columbia
Canada's answer to wine-country golf. Pair sunny desert-meets-lake courses with world-class wineries in Kelowna and beyond.
Predator Ridge – Two courses (Predator and Ridge) near Vernon
Tobiano – Dramatic clifftop course above Kamloops Lake
The Okanagan Golf Club – Bear and Quail courses in Kelowna
4. Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
A great lake town with a bucket-list gimmick and a sneaky-good course just down the road. Spokane golf is close enough to add a round.
The Coeur d'Alene Resort – Home of the famous floating green
Circling Raven – Gene Bates design in Worley, a strong case for the best course in the area
The Idaho Club – Jack Nicklaus design near Sandpoint, worth the drive north
3. Bend, Oregon
The deepest golf region in the Northwest, with high-desert sunshine, ponderosa pines and Cascade views. Add Bend's brewery scene and it's an easy trip to sell to the group.
Tetherow – David McLay Kidd design with firm, links-style turf
Juniper Preserve (formerly Pronghorn) – Nicklaus course carved through lava rock and junipers
Sunriver Resort (Crosswater, Meadows, Woodlands) – Three courses in one stay; Crosswater is typically reserved for resort guests
Widgi Creek – Fun, affordable round right in Bend
Brasada Canyons – Scenic ranch-resort golf in Powell Butte
Black Butte Ranch – Two classic courses under Black Butte
2. Gamble Sands, Washington
Bandon's sunnier, sandier cousin in Brewster, perched above the Columbia River. With a second 18 added in 2025, it's now a true multi-day destination.
Gamble Sands – Wide, fun, endlessly replayable David McLay Kidd design
Scarecrow – Kidd's second 18, routed along a dramatic ridgeline
QuickSands – Par-3 course perfect for an afternoon match
Bonus: Bear Mountain Ranch – Lake Chelan views, an easy add-on round down the road
1. Bandon Dunes, Oregon
This one isn't close. Walking-only links golf on the southern Oregon coast, with all five 18-hole courses ranked in Golf Digest's top 30 public courses, makes it the purest golf trip in America. Book early.
Pacific Dunes – Tom Doak's masterpiece along the cliffs
Bandon Dunes – The David McLay Kidd original that started it all
Old Macdonald – Big, bold tribute to classic template holes
Bandon Trails – Coore & Crenshaw route through dunes, meadow and forest
Sheep Ranch – Coore & Crenshaw clifftop course with ocean on nearly every hole
Bandon Preserve and the Punchbowl – Par-3 and putting course for the evening
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