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51 OVERLAKE Golf and Country Club PAR 4 424 YARDS Medina, WA 425.454.7971 www.overlake.club Although it is academically argued to this day which Overlake Golf and Country Club layout is the most representative of the surrounding Medina neighborhood, there is no argument about the influence of course designer A.V. Macan, one of the Northwest's most prolific and profound architects. Macan, an Irish immigrant who designed great Northwest courses ranging from Broadmoor, Fircrest, and Inglewood in Seattle to Marine Drive, Shaughnessy, and Victoria Royal Colwood in British Columbia, also designed the "new course" at Overlake in 1953 from scratch since the original 1927 Francis L. James layout did not survive the Depression. The 18th hole at Overlake is a long par-4 crescendo that features another challenging site. A drive down the right side of the fairway opens up the best angle to the green because of the grove of Douglas fir trees guarding its short-left flank. Macan believed in holes that played as "hard 4s and easy 5s." This refers to the fact that many of his holes were extremely challenging to make pars, but through intelligent play were relatively easy to make bogey. This green has long been controversial, especially as green speeds have become faster over time. Macan was a proponent of putting surfaces that challenge the best players but are receptive to a running approach shot, and nearly every green at Overlake exhibits this philosophy. Renovating the 18th green has been a perennial discussion over the years to soften the slopes and make it a fairer finish. However, it was decided that rather than compromise the character of such an interesting green, the rough around the green would be cut down to fairway-height runoff areas to allow a broader variety of creative greenside approach shots. Juxtaposed with the usually boisterous gallery balcony of the clubhouse and pressed with such a strategic green, golfers leave the 18th green knowing they have been challenged by the best. 18 Photograph courtesy of Overlake Golf and Country Club

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