One of the courses that was on our bucket list for this summer was the “Bandon Dunes of the Northwest” – Gamble Sands in Brewster Washington. When looking at scheduling the course, and after playing the courses at Bandon multiple time, it was interesting to see that the same architect that designed Bandon also designed Gamble Sands. Currently there is a single 18-hole course, the Sands Course, as well as a 14-hole par 3 course, Quicksands, that was fantastic to play. You will only need about 4 clubs to play Quicksands, whatever you hit about 150 yards, a pitching wedge, a sand wedge, and your putter. It is a great way to prepare you for playing the Sands Course and spend a lazy afternoon. Additionally, if you are staying at the Inn, there is an 18-hole putting course just in front of the Inn called the Cascades Putting Course. If you have been to Bandon and played the Punch Bowl at Pacific Dunes, this is very similar with the exception of it is flatter and has beautiful views of the Columbia River with the sun setting to the west later in the evening. As for other amenities, the Inn rooms are fantastic and set up for golfers with plenty of room, along with two eating establishments, the Barn and Danny Boy. The Barn is more for food and drinks before or after playing your rounds. Danny Boy is more of a sit-down dinning establishment. Both serve very good food choices and drinks. Danny Boy can get busy so it is best to get a reservation for those nights you want to eat on site. One option that was recommended to us for lunch / dinner was a vineyard called Lone Point Cellars, https://www.lonepointcellars.com/. It was a great setting up above the Columbia River looking down over the orchards that are all around the area. They have both inside and outside seating. We preferred outside and it was amazing. They have different types of seating, regular and swing type seating. The swing type benches are very cool and have the best view. Additionally, the food and service were fantastic and the wine is very good. Again, call for dinner reservations as there is limited seating and it does get busy. Alright, I am supposed to be commenting on the golf, so below are my caddie notes.
The course is definitely a links style course and you will find that immediately off of the first tee box. The 1st hole is a dogleg left with the green sitting up between two mounds and guarded by bunkers on the front right. A good drive to the middle right of the fairway will set up a good shot to the green, putting you in place to birdie right out of the gate. Hole 2 is a short par 4 that runs downhill. Those with accuracy off of the tee can drive the green. However, there is a large bunker front right and waste areas to the left. The smart play is to hit something that sails 200-yards or so, leaving you a wedge into the green. Play to the right of the green and let the hill funnel your ball towards the green in true links fashion. This will set you up for a birdie birdie start. Hole 3 is a par 5 that snakes right to left to start and left to right towards a smallish green. The best play off the tee box is down the left side, which may leave you with a view of the green to the right. The visuals here are tough if you have never played the course before and are on the far right off of the tee box. You won’t be able to see the green from there and you will have to vision a high fade to get around the corner leaving you with a third shot to the green. For us mire mortals, we play to the middle left of the fairway, play a 200-yard shot up the fairway with a baby fade, and use a wedge to the green for a birdie putt. Moving on, hole 4 is a short par 3 that looks very inviting. Be careful as you don’t want to go long. The best play is landing short and letting it run to the green or hit your shot to the left of the green and let the slope take your ball to the green. Hole 5 is a pretty straight away par 4 that plays longer than you think. A good shot to the middle of the fairway leaving you with a short iron into the green. The green is guarded on the right by a bunker and farther right by waste areas. The green runs back to front, so be aggressive but leave the ball short of the flag to allow for an uphill putt. Hole 6 is a fun little par 3 hole that if you play it short it will leave you a little chip and a putt. Do yourself a favor and don’t go long. The par 5 7th hole plays short and a good drive over the right waste area will leave you a long iron or hybrid into the green. However, there is a bunker just short of the green that if you find yourself in it, it will take a very good shot to clear the lip and move your ball forward. Advice – stay left of the marking stick that is placed in the fairway to escape the bunker and ensure yourself a potential eagle putt. Hole 8 is a dogleg to the right so play to the middle right of the fairway to put yourself in position to hit the green with a short iron to allow for a birdie putt. Hole 9, is a pretty straight par 4 that helps you finish the front 9 with a birdie or a par that gets you motivated for the back 9.
When heading into the back 9, hole 10 is a shortish par 3 that sits down in a hole that lets you get a good start on the backside. Note, that when going to the green to putt, take your driver as you will go beyond the green to hit your tee shot on the 11th hole. Also, there is a halfway house here, the Outpost, were you can get drinks or something to eat. Moving on to hole 11, which is a par 4 that will present you with 2 options off of the tee. You can go left to a wide area in the fairway, or go left to a slot between a bunker and the waste area that will help your ball run down towards the green. The safe play is to the left with a mid to short iron into the green. Hole 12, plays as a par 4 with bunker middle right off of the tee box and bunker left near the green. The safe play is to hit your tee shot to the middle right of the fairway missing the bunker. This will allow a short iron shot into the green setting you up for a birdie putt. Hole 13 is a long par 5 that makes you stay to the left the entire way. You need to avoid the bunker in the middle of the fairway off of the tee box, as well as, the bunker that is right just off the green to score well here. Hole 14 is another par 4 that provides you with an option on how you want to get to the green. There is a wide fairway on the right, but if you can carry 230 – 270 with your driver, the you can clear the waste area and sand on the left, leaving you with a wedge to the green. If you cannot carry 230-270, hit your tee shot to the right to set up a mid to long iron into the green. The green has a backstop on it, so you can be aggressive on your approach shot. Either way, you are setting your self up for a birdie, it not an eagle. Hole 15 looks pretty straight away, however, be aware that although the fairway looks flat, it actually runs right to left. Any tee shot middle left may end up in a giant bunker on the left, which brings a high number into play. Smart play is to the middle right of the fairway and a mid to long iron into a green that is uphill. This will leave you with a birdie putt, but take a par and be happy. Hole 16 is a fun par 3. Regardless of where they put the flag, play to the right, up on the hill, and let the ball travel left to the green. The green runs right to left allowing your ball to travel to either a flag on the right, middle, or lower left. An alternative, if the flag is on the lower left of the green, is to play at the flag, being aggressive as there is a backstop that will force the ball down towards the flag. The green is protected left with a vast waste area. On the right, it is a hill, but again, playing over the hill right will force the ball to the green. Hole 17 is an uphill par 4 that is fairly narrow. If you go right and end up in the waste or sand area it is very deep and virtually impossible to hit the green with your second shot. Play your tee shot to the middle of the fairway and hit a mid-iron to the green setting yourself up for a birdie putt. Heading into the 18th hole, prepare yourself to hit is downhill. You have a choice of going left or right. I prefer right setting up a shot towards the green without any bunkers. If you play it right, you bring a bunker into play on your second shot that is trouble getting out of – I know as I hit it day 1. This is a very scorable par 5 if played well as you can get to the green with your second shot. The green complex is large so just go for it and finish strong.
Overall, it was a great track to play and I look forward to returning next year when they open up their second course and playing both.
Course Price – 
Course Condition – Birdie
Course Amenities – Birdie
Course Personnel – Eagle
Overall Course Rating – Birdie
