Where to Play
Our picks, in order of conviction. Every course on this list has been vetted — nothing here just because it ranked well on an aggregator.
Scarecrow at Gamble Sands
$175+David McLay Kidd's second design at the property opened August 2025 and immediately won Best New Public Course of 2025 (Golf Digest) and Best New Resort Course (Sports Illustrated). Laid across old cornfields with a personality distinct from the original — tighter lines, more dramatic shaping, a different rhythm. The 'Which is your favorite?' argument starts on the drive home and never fully resolves. Book this one first. It fills faster.
Gamble Sands
$175+The original. Top-100 Golf Digest public course since 2014. Fine fescue, Columbia River views, firm and fast conditions that reward bump-and-run over aerial approaches. Wide fairways that look forgiving and play tricky. Walking-friendly — and walking it is the right call. The benchmark against which the Scarecrow gets measured, and depending on the day, it holds its own.
QuickSands
$50–$100A 14-hole McLay Kidd short course that earns its place on the itinerary. Three clubs, side bets, cold beers — this is the arrival-night round played at whatever pace you feel like. Not a throwaway layout: genuine shot-making, fun routing, and the perfect way to get your first look at the property before the proper courses demand your full attention tomorrow.
Desert Canyon Golf Resort
$50–$100Thirty minutes south in Orondo, Desert Canyon sits high above the Columbia River with the kind of views that make you lose count of your strokes. Target-style desert golf with dramatic elevation changes and canyon terrain that plays nothing like the fescue at Gamble Sands — which is exactly the point. The right fourth round when you want a different look after two days on the same property.
Where to Stay
Ranging from splurge to smart — pick based on what the group wants to spend and how much time you'll actually be at the hotel.
The Inn at Gamble Sands
$$$The only place to stay — and everything you need. 77 rooms on property with river-view and golf-view options, private patios, and walk-to-your-tee-time convenience. River-view rooms overlook the Columbia River Valley and the Cascade Mountains; the upgrade is worth it. Two restaurants on property mean you never have to leave. In Brewster, that's not a limitation — it's the whole point.
Where to Eat & Drink
2 picks across the full range of situations — the big night out, the post-round decompress, and the morning before an early tee time.
Danny Boy Bar & Grill
resort grillThe main dining room at Gamble Sands — garage-style doors that roll open to the course and the Cascades beyond, locally sourced grill food, cold regional beer and wine, and a post-round atmosphere that does exactly what a golf resort restaurant should do. Fresh-baked bread, good proteins, the right wine list for the setting. The go-to for dinner after the round.
The Barn
casual lunchThe more casual on-property option — rustic setting, relaxed vibe, good for lunch between rounds when you don't want to leave the property. Which you won't.
While You're There
When the group needs a break from golf. All of these are mandatory.
Columbia River — Fishing & Watersports
The Columbia River runs below the property. The river is legitimately world-class for steelhead and bass fishing — not just a backdrop. Bring a rod or arrange a guided trip through the resort. For the group member who insists on doing something other than golf on day 3, this is the move that earns unanimous approval.
Book this experience →Lake Chelan — Day Trip
45 minutes north. A deep glacial lake surrounded by mountains, excellent wineries on the hillsides above the water, and a completely different landscape from the high desert below. The non-golf day that earns unanimous group approval — and the one you'll want to build into the schedule rather than leaving to chance.
Book this experience →Methow Valley — Hiking & Scenery
45 minutes northeast. One of the most scenic valleys in Washington — mountain terrain, wildflowers in spring, dramatic canyon views in fall. The drive alone is worth the detour. For the guy who genuinely needs to do something other than golf on day 3 and isn't fishing.
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