SPOKANE, Wash. — Spring has officially sprung in the Inland Northwest, which means it's time to break out the golf clubs and sun visors as local courses prepare to open for the season.
"We golf as soon as the courses open. We golf until we can't golf anymore and we drive to Lewiston or the Tri-Cities as well, and we do indoor golf so here we are, first available weekend, we're out," Craig Mason, a golfer, said.
Liberty Lake Golf Course opened Thursday, March 23 along with MeadowWood Golf Course.
Liberty Lake Golf Course is an 18-hole remodeled championship public golf course located in Liberty Lake, just 18 miles east of downtown Spokane. It was established in 1959 and redesigned in 2008 by Rick Phelps and opened in 2010.
MeadowWood Golf Course is an 18-hole par-72 championship public golf course located in Liberty Lake. It first opened in 1988, and it is an open course with strategically placed trees, bunkers, and water features. It has a varying set of tees.
Downriver Golf Course opened Friday, March 24. The golf course was first established in 1916, and it is the oldest golf course in Spokane. It has hosted many major tournaments and provides a challenge to all skill levels. The course plays to par 71 and is 6,130 yards. The golf course offers players views of the Spokane River.
Quinn Mitchell, a golfer, said, "I think everybody will feel it. Like they need it. They need to be outside. They need to feel the green simulators are great, but there's nothing like being outside."
Tee times start at 10:30 a.m. for the first few days until mornings warm up a bit.
Esmeralda Golf Course opened on Monday, March 27.
"Winters around here can be a little unforgiving, especially for you know a lot of golfers and so you know when the course is open up, I think everyone gets pretty excited," Brett Richardson, who works at Esmeralda Golf Course, said.
The Esmeralda Golf Course was built in 1956. It offers open space and flat fairways lined with more than 2,000 trees. This combination of attributes makes the superbly maintained course an easy one to break 100 on and tough to break par. The golf course plays to a par 70 and is 6,331 yards. It's for all levels of golfing skills, according to the Spokane city website.
Tee times will start at 9 a.m., which you will be able to book online seven days in advance.
The Creek at Qualchan Golf Course opened Wednesday, March 29. The course will be operating on one temporary green on No.9 until conditions allow and spring hours may vary.
Latah Creek Golf Course is set to open Saturday, April 1. More Spokane city golf courses will be open soon for the season.
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