Harbor Pointe?

[myspinonit]

EDIT: Plans changed...not heading down this month as planned. But since we do head down to Mukilteo from time to time, any comments still apreciated for future ref.

 

My wife and I are staying in Mukilteo for three nights in a couple of weeks coming from Vancouver, Canada.

 

Weather permitting, we hope to play a round on Thursday on the way down, or on the Friday and one on Sunday. The Sunday round will be on the way home, likely Avalon or Padden.

 

Harbor Pointe seems like a no-brainer for convenience, and I realize it's not cheap.

But....I've read some on-line comments that the course may be a bit tricked up, at least on the front nine. My wife likes "pretty" courses so that might fit the bill. However she doesn't play full size courses that often other than on vacation, so difficult and especially forced carries aren't a good thing.

 

So folks, does HP seem like a good bet, or any other suggestions for a short drive from Mukilteo? I initially was thinking White Horse, but I've read it's a very tough track that wouldn't appeal to either of us.

 

Thanks.

[CMCSGolf]

The front nine is so bad I'm not sure it's worth playing. It is routed through houses in a semi wetland like area, so I'm not really sure how much they could do. The tee on the 9th hole is actually suspended above water on a large steel platform.

 

That being said, the back nine is pretty good. There are a few nice views or the sound and the holes are much more open and playable. The back 9 is a solid, but for the price it is not worth it. I was charged $75 on a Monday and it is maybe a $50 course. Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of options on the north side of Seattle. If you're set on playing north of the city, stop closer to the border and play in Bellingham.

 

I've mentioned it here before, but if you are open minded go play Cedarcrest in Marysville. It's short on the card (5,900) but it is a pretty good course. The holes are routed around a large hill in the middle of the property, so it plays longer and requires more thought on how aggressive you want to be off the tee. It won't blow you away by any means, but it's a solid place to spend 4 hours. And at less than half the price of Harbour Pointe, you'll at least save some cash.

[Cheech n Jon]

White Horse is also an option. You have to take the ferry from Mukilteo but worth the travel

[myspinonit]

White Horse is also an option. You have to take the ferry from Mukilteo but worth the travel

 

Thanks, I thought of White Horse but as I said in my initial post I've read it's supposed to be a very tough track and that doesn't appeal to us.

[kaschreiber]

White Horse is also an option. You have to take the ferry from Mukilteo but worth the travel

 

Thanks, I thought of White Horse but as I said in my initial post I've read it's supposed to be a very tough track and that doesn't appeal to us.

 

Without getting too nit picky, I think it depends on what you mean by tough. I've never found it that difficult (15 hc), it's a fairly short track (6100 from blues, 5500 from the whites), with a lot of risk/reward that can make it tough if you are trying to bite off more than you can chew. It's also super reasonably priced, a much, much better course than HP (overpriced, poorly maintained, which can be the MO with most of the Oki courses imho), and if you have the time the ferry ride adds a fun element to get out there. If you give the course 24 hours notice, they will even shuttle you to/from the terminal if you prefer just to walk on.

[myspinonit]

White Horse is also an option. You have to take the ferry from Mukilteo but worth the travel

 

Thanks, I thought of White Horse but as I said in my initial post I've read it's supposed to be a very tough track and that doesn't appeal to us.

 

Without getting too nit picky, I think it depends on what you mean by tough. I've never found it that difficult (15 hc), it's a fairly short track (6100 from blues, 5500 from the whites), with a lot of risk/reward that can make it tough if you are trying to bite off more than you can chew. It's also super reasonably priced, a much, much better course than HP (overpriced, poorly maintained, which can be the MO with most of the Oki courses imho), and if you have the time the ferry ride adds a fun element to get out there. If you give the course 24 hours notice, they will even shuttle you to/from the terminal if you prefer just to walk on.

Thanks for the clarification. Will certainly consider WH when we do next get down.

[evanm]

Harbor Pointe is nice but overpriced. Although, I was actually surprised by the good conditions a month or so ago. From the tips, the course can be a little lame due to the overly tucked away tee boxes. It's easy to lose a lot of balls with a lack of familiarity of the course for longer hitters. But for casual golf I think you'll enjoy it, there isn't anything similar in the area. There's some nice views but nothing new if you're from Vancouver.

 

Agree with the above, Cedarcrest is a very playable muni. It's a great course to play for a variety of abilities. I really like Avalon, it's definitely an underrated course. Eaglemont is another course not mentioned enough, but that's more of a challenging course.

[myspinonit]

Harbor Pointe is nice but overpriced. Although, I was actually surprised by the good conditions a month or so ago. From the tips, the course can be a little lame due to the overly tucked away tee boxes. It's easy to lose a lot of balls with a lack of familiarity of the course for longer hitters. But for casual golf I think you'll enjoy it, there isn't anything similar in the area. There's some nice views but nothing new if you're from Vancouver.

 

Agree with the above, Cedarcrest is a very playable muni. It's a great course to play for a variety of abilities. I really like Avalon, it's definitely an underrated course. Eaglemont is another course not mentioned enough, but that's more of a challenging course.

Thanks. Will take that as a big plus one for Cerdarcrest and I've bookmarked it. Avalon is certainly high on my wife's list in the NW, and might have been the first full-size course she played. Certainly one of the first...the deer heading onto a par 3 when she was ready to hit is a good memory for her. They were also accomodating, adjusting our schelduled 9's so they closed off the nine behind our tee-time so we wouldn't be holding anyone up or feeling pressured.

 

Have played Eaglemont several times in recent years. You are right it can be tough. It was much friendlier to start on the old layout, and I recall I liked that layout. I even like the tough (7th?) hole with quirky landing area that I think now is the first. The last time my wife and I played after the new clubhouse was built, (five years ago maybe?), I think the only sign of life we saw on the front nine was the cart girl, once. My wife loved it but I found it a very frustrating front nine especially as I recall it felt to be a lot uphill with tight blind shots.