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THE RESORT AT
PORT LUDLOW
Tide Course
PAR 4 342 YARDS
Port Ludlow, WA
360.437.0272
www.portludlowresort.com
The Resort at Port Ludlow is home to a boutique waterfront inn, a 300-slip marina, and
"the most scenic golf course in the world," according to
Esquire magazine. Few who
have been there would debate its beauty—not now nor in the '70s, when Port Ludlow
opened as one of Washington's first resort golf courses. The celebrated Robert
Muir Graves layout is sumptuous, boasting views of Hood Canal and Mount Baker,
along with wonderful positioning of large, old-growth stumps, exotic blotches of wild
flowers, and great golf holes. Port Ludlow is one of only 200 courses in the country to
be certified with Audubon International and receive sanctuary status.
The course is comprised of 18 holes, known as Tide and Timber. One flows down
toward the water and the other treks through a dense forest. The second hole on
Tide pulls the whole picture into focus with a scenic overlook of the marina and inn
below, as well as an early, unforgettable risk/reward hole. A big hitter can challenge
this hole by aiming down the left-hand side guarded by an old-growth fir that acts
like a catcher's mitt, poised to snatch an errant shot. Right is no bargain either, as
any tee shot that direction might slip out of bounds or end up in a hazard. Most
players choose to play this hole with a long iron or fairway metal to the large part of
the fairway. Do this, and a short iron to an accessible green awaits. Just about every
pin placement on this kidney-shaped green shouts "take dead aim," and birdies
are possible.
Before playing this hole, always be sure to check that the fairway below is clear using
the distinctive periscope located just to the left of the tee box.
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Photographs courtesy of The Resort at Port Ludlow
