Unlimited public golf and practice or inexpensive private club near Seattle & Bellevue, WA

[Werf]

I'm a young mid-handicapper looking for some course recommendations in Seattle/Bellevue WA area. I'm looking for a course that could offer unlimited golf (or something close where I can just casually go out for a 9-holer on a weekday and full rounds on weekends kind of deal) with unlimited practice on driving range and decent putting/chipping/bunker area. Also open to inexpensive private club that offers similar perks, but again I'm a young professional so prefer to keep it inexpensive. I don't care much about the clubhouse or any other amenities other than golf and practice area and all for a muni type track. Mainly focused on accessibility from Seattle or Bellevue (public transportation preferably) and availability to play and practice whenever.

 

Appreciate any suggestions!

[Mustu]

Echo Falls has really inexpensive golf memberships.  I don't think it includes driving range, but it's not very nice anyway.  Not much in the way of a practice area aside from putting green.  

[MongoSmash]

I think Chambers Bay has a plan where you can pay a flat fee for the year, and play as much as you want. Love that course

[Werf]

.

[kaschreiber]

It largely depends on what you mean by "inexpensive." Snoqualmie Ridge has a good practice area and unlimited golf with dues, the practice area at Rainer is top notch and both are reasonably priced relative to other private courses. Mt Si has a grass range, but don't know they have unlimited memberships. Willow's Run practice facility is decent as well for a public course

 

[Werf]

I guess I'm more looking for a decent 18 hole semi-private course that offers a membership option for unlimited rounds and practice. Preferably in Seattle proper or right near Bellevue/Redmond since I may not have a car and have to take public transpo. 

[CMCSGolf]

I doubt that exists.  Willows Run might have a membership?  When I lived in the city I just used the range and Interbay and Jefferson, but paid as I went.  If you load up the range card with several hundred dollars, you can get an OK discount I believe.  I don't believe there are any public courses in the city proper that are not munis.

[Werf]

Also looking around Bellevue area if that helps, as I know there's a decent number of courses around Eastside.

[kaschreiber]

23 hours ago, CMCSGolf said:

I doubt that exists.  Willows Run might have a membership?  When I lived in the city I just used the range and Interbay and Jefferson, but paid as I went.  If you load up the range card with several hundred dollars, you can get an OK discount I believe.  I don't believe there are any public courses in the city proper that are not munis.

 

Unfortunately, I think this is right. I don't know of any public courses in the area that allow unlimited memberships and practice areas. What you're looking for is effectively a private course. Willows has a membership but gets you one free round and discounts going forward. You're probably best looking at private courses.

[Werf]

Yeah I mean I know places like Harbour Pointe and Echo Falls offer monthly rates of $150-$200 for unlimited golf and unlimited (or a ton) of range practice balls. But those are further out of the city & Bellevue so a little out of my range.

[Mustu]

A little outside the box, but if you become a Shriner you can get unlimited golf at the Nile for a low price.  I don't know how much it is now, but I seem to remember a Shriner told me it was like $1.200 a couple of years ago.  They have an open area you can chip in, but otherwise no practice area to speak of.

[Azabu]

I'm also relocating to Seattle in July and looking for golf membership

btw, it'll be difficult without a car to get golf courses.

 

options i'm considering....

 

1. the golf course at Newcastle

7.5K initiation and $706/month

unlimited golf and practice range

 

little pricy but it's only 20min drive from where i'll live

also, you can play any other Oki public courses (all except Plateau i guess)

 

2. Chambers bay

4.9K/yr unlimited golf and practice

 

I thought it's good deal, but 1 hr drive...

 

 

 

[kaschreiber]

12 hours ago, Azabu said:

I'm also relocating to Seattle in July and looking for golf membership

btw, it'll be difficult without a car to get golf courses.

 

options i'm considering....

 

1. the golf course at Newcastle

7.5K initiation and $706/month

unlimited golf and practice range

 

little pricy but it's only 20min drive from where i'll live

also, you can play any other Oki public courses (all except Plateau i guess)

 

2. Chambers bay

4.9K/yr unlimited golf and practice

 

I thought it's good deal, but 1 hr drive...

 

 

 

What are are you moving to? I think Newcastle is the most overrated, overpriced course in the area personally and there are a lot better options both in terms of course and price that would be truly private. especially if you're going to be on the east side.

[Skiff]

9 minutes ago, kaschreiber said:

What are are you moving to? I think Newcastle is the most overrated, overpriced course in the area personally and there are a lot better options both in terms of course and price that would be truly private. especially if you're going to be on the east side.

 

Totally agree with Newcastle being overrated and overpriced.

 

Curious what options you'd recommend for private courses that might be a better value, as Newcastle is the closest for me.

[Pepperturbo]

Lots of private clubs have "Young Executive" programs that are kept affordable. 

 

However, I am not inclined to suggest that route.  Given you're not at a stage where Golf Club socializing interests you, I'd stick with public golf.  At least public pricing is flexible based on your ability to play, and there's no bill coming in even though you haven't had much time to play. 

[kaschreiber]

55 minutes ago, Skiff said:

 

Totally agree with Newcastle being overrated and overpriced.

 

Curious what options you'd recommend for private courses that might be a better value, as Newcastle is the closest for me.

DM sent

[Werf]

7 minutes ago, kaschreiber said:

DM sent

Mind DM'ing me as well?

[Azabu]

4 hours ago, kaschreiber said:

What are are you moving to? I think Newcastle is the most overrated, overpriced course in the area personally and there are a lot better options both in terms of course and price that would be truly private. especially if you're going to be on the east side.

Moving to Bellevue or Mercer island.  I'm hesitant now about Newcastle after reading many negative reviews...

[Azabu]

3 hours ago, Werf said:

Mind DM'ing me as well?

Me too please

 

 

[cadoipi]

I hear the scratch golfers at Jackson Park (public) are serious sticks.

 

Multiple bus lines stop nearby.  Worse case scenario you can hitchhike a ride up Interstate 5 and jump off the highway right on to the course.

Edited June 25, 2021 by cadoipi

[Left Rough]

Why all the hate for Newcastle? Granted, I haven't played it in 10 years and yes, it was overpriced, but taking those things away I thought both courses were both pretty strong.

[Skiff]

On 6/25/2021 at 8:47 PM, Left Rough said:

Why all the hate for Newcastle? Granted, I haven't played it in 10 years and yes, it was overpriced, but taking those things away I thought both courses were both pretty strong.

Newcastle (and the other Oki courses) have been bought and sold a couple of times over the past 5 years. Quality of the courses and facilities is not great, especially for the price. 

[Left Rough]

On 6/26/2021 at 9:36 PM, Skiff said:

Newcastle (and the other Oki courses) have been bought and sold a couple of times over the past 5 years. Quality of the courses and facilities is not great, especially for the price. 

 

@Skiff Got it, thanks.  The price for those courses, even when I was playing them back in the late 2000's was ridiculous, given the complete lack of nearby options if you were based in downtown Seattle (as I was back then), it was just the price of scarcity.  It was either pay $100+ for an above average option 20 minutes away, or driving and extra 20-30 minutes to get to Redmond or down to somewhere like Washington National.

 

But sounds like the quality has gone down since then, while prices remain high, which makes it even less of a value. 

[trwill000]

I have been looking into this for the last month. I live downtown and everything is about a half hour from here, at the least. It is going to be tough without a car but not impossible.

The Oki memberships are reasonably priced, Newcastle has a cheaper initiation and different number of rounds per month for Young Executive membership. Speaking to people at Interbay and Jackson Park, sounds like those rounds can get very long. 

 

I have gotten information for quite a few privates in the area for a YE membership and the cheaper ones are going to start around $3k initiation and $450-$550/ month and then the big boys are full or almost full and a YE will be over $15k for the first year. 

 

[Werf]

3 hours ago, trwill000 said:

I have been looking into this for the last month. I live downtown and everything is about a half hour from here, at the least. It is going to be tough without a car but not impossible.

The Oki memberships are reasonably priced, Newcastle has a cheaper initiation and different number of rounds per month for Young Executive membership. Speaking to people at Interbay and Jackson Park, sounds like those rounds can get very long. 

 

I have gotten information for quite a few privates in the area for a YE membership and the cheaper ones are going to start around $3k initiation and $450-$550/ month and then the big boys are full or almost full and a YE will be over $15k for the first year. 

 

I'm thinking of Bellevue (possibly with a car) and am in the same boat of Young Exec membership levels. The $3k + $500/month is too steep for me, was hoping to find some things similar to Echo Falls or Harbour Pointe in the ~200/month range of even some more, even if I have to drive a bit (if I have a car).

 

Any recommendations East side near Bellevue/Redmond or just north/south of there that would be reasonable to get to?

[trwill000]

I don't think you'll find that here. Closest would be Harbour Pointe for ~300 or like others have said, checkout Bellevue gc and get a range card. Could probably get out 4-5 times and hit the range 4-5 for about $200 a month.

[kaschreiber]

Agreed, don't know you're going to find anything at that price point in the area. Best of luck.

[Werf]

.

[Muffy]

In Seattle, one of the less expensive private options with unlimited golf (not sure about practice), and bus options not too far away is Glen Acres Golf and Country Club in South Seattle.  It is a nice course with some challenging holes, and several people from my office are members just for the golf.   I don't know about current pricing, but it is next door to a nicer club (Rainier), so seemed to have its niche market more in the reasonable/accessible side (while Rainier had a slightly better site and much better maintenance, but also costlier).  

 

I like the Newcastle courses, and was a former member, and their membership package was quite reasonable for a set amount of rounds per month (and substantially discounted fees for members' guests), and they had a reasonable ($60/month) unlimited range package with the membership.   Some of the best views in the region are on the Coal Creek course.    The initiation fee has at times been discounted to $1,500.  They do not have good public transportation access, and being public (at least pre-COVID) it was often packed with corporate and charity events, so the course would show a lot of wear in the summer.  Now, there are fewer corporate events.   They haven't reopened all of their practice facilities (e.g. the East practice area is one of the best in the region......3 bunkers and 100 yards of short game practice, a large green and grass range), but I think it is now opened only for instructors.  

[Seattlegolfnut]

Agree with others here. Nothing really fits the bill in the Seattle/Eastside immediate area, unfortunately. Several options for decent tracks w/ unlimited or at least a bunch of bundled rounds north (Avalon), south (Chambers, Classic, etc.), far east (Suncadia), and across the sound (Gold Mountain & Whitehorse). You can still do those last two without a personal car: Bus, Ferry, Uber. Obviously not ideal, but doable.

 

Jumping on the bandwagon with Newcastle: I really want to like it, did years ago, but each time I play (either course), it pushes me closer to crossing the "I'm not coming back here" line. China Creek three weeks ago and Coal in early June and both left me uninspired to sign up for the Oki card again next year. And the practice facility really needs new range balls for the price they charge per bucket. I cracked a 3W with those no-dimple rocks earlier this year warming up.