Review Date
June 1, 2008

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Value Rating
 2 of 5

Reviewed by: snowdogging, Shoots in the 80s

Summary:
I almost never give bad reviews but my recent experience at this course was the worst. I had a tee time with a buddy following a tournament. The play was slow and we were waiting nearly 5 minutes at each tee box. That wouldn't have normally bothered me but one of the marshals, an elderly lady with white hair, was standing at the 8th yelling at all of the groups. Her first comment to us when we drove up was "I will kick you two off this course!" and then she proceeded to berate our play and our inability to keep up. WE WERE RIGHT BEHIND A TOURNAMENT! And then she told us we shouldn't even be playing as a twosome...even though the starter set us off that way. We talked to the group behind us. She was also rude to them. Rude and completely useless were their words. For a $100+ course I would expect at least basic respect and a marshal that understands the game and their job. I won't be going back.

Review Date
April 1, 2008

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: vmitch2, Shoots in the 70s

Summary:
This was easily my favorite golf course in western Washington until Chambers Bay came along. There are enough sets of tees to challenge any golfer, and the greens are always in great shape. I started playing this course a lot when I purchased the Oki card, which brings the green fees down from what otherwise would be an expensive round of golf. I don't mind paying a little more to play a nicer course anyway, and rarely is the course as crowded as a typical muni, which is worth the extra dough right there in my opinion. The layout, although good, is not your typical style that you would normally find in the area. Its more like something from the dessert, with bleach-white sand, waste areas, and shrubs. Unlike Chambers Bay, however, these waste areas can be played from without too much trouble, unless your ball ends up in one of the aboved mentioned shrubs. Some knock this course for being boring because depending on the tees, you pretty much just hit driver on every par 4 and par 5. But I don't agree. Even though the fairways are wide, there are several holes I'll hit 3 wood, or even 5 wood for position. There are some interesting features as well, including an island green on hole 15, a split fairway with water down the middle on hole 17, and a three-tiered green with a large "W" shaped bunker guarding the front on hole 18 (Washington National is the home course for the U of W). It's a great course that as become my home course as well.

Customer Service:
Always very friendly, and the hot chocolate is awesome on a cold, windy morning.

Similar Courses Played:
Trophy Lake (also awesome!), The Home Course, Apple Tree, Coal Creek, Gold Mountain, Hawk's Prairie...

Review Date
December 16, 2007

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 2 of 5

Reviewed by: golfaholic23, Shoots in the 80s

Summary:
I agree that the course layout is very nice, but I reserve my enthusiasm for it. It IS fun to play--when it's dry--but it DOES NOT take rain well at all. Since carts are highly encouraged, they are 'cart path only' for a majority of the year.

It IS important to select the right tees. The problem is the whites are only 5800 and the blues are 6400; they need a happy medium between those two since most golfers play those two tees.

Greens fees are very overpriced during the season, though very fair during off season. I can play many other very good courses in the summer nearby for a fraction of the cost of Wa Ntl. It is also heavy with tournaments during the nicer months.

The course architect built a 'sister' course around the same time which is MUCH better in my opinion--Trophy Lake in Port Orchard. It has a much more Northwest flavor to it and is challenging and fun to play. It has a lot of sand but not the 'tricked up' SoCal look that Wa National does. It is also too pricey during season, but not as much as Wa Ntl.

Now that these two courses are owned by Oki Golf, that bodes well as they will always be well conditioned. Hopefully Wa Ntl will be put on a periodic sanding program to make it more playable in winter when prices are lower. Purchasing the Oki card is a great way to play this course for lower rates along with the other Oki properties.

Customer Service:
Pleasant, but nothing more than any other good course. Food service and pro shop are very limited.

Similar Courses Played:
Trophy Lake, Gold Mountain Olympic Course, McCormick Woods, Druid's Glen, Hawks Prairie

Review Date
September 21, 2005

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Reviewed by: golfwa, Shoots in the 80s

Summary:
my favorite course in washington, and this one's a gem. I love the fact this course is public, because everyone that plays golf should play this course. I played it once, and liked it so much I made my friend go there for HIS birthday. Guess what...he did the same exact thing for me two months later. everybody will like this course... now i will tell you that you have to play the correct tees on this course because of how long it is. it stretches to 7400 yards with a slope of 143! and a rating of 76.5!. Has an island green on the 15th holes with railroad tyes like pete dye. this is a must play!

Customer Service:
awesome awesome awesome and great.

Similar Courses Played:
range is great.