Nobody outside the Pacific Northwest was talking about Brewster, Washington until Gamble Sands opened in 2014 and immediately landed on Golf Digest's 100 Greatest Public Courses. Then the Scarecrow course opened in August 2025 — designed by the same architect, David McLay Kidd — and won Best New Public Course of 2025 from Golf Digest and Best New Resort Course from Sports Illustrated. Now people are paying attention. The concept is simple and executed brilliantly: fine fescue turf in the high desert above the Columbia River, firm and fast conditions that play like a Scottish links except the backdrop is canyon walls and the Columbia River Valley instead of the North Sea. The original Gamble Sands course plays 7,169 yards through rolling terrain with wide fairways that encourage every type of shot. Scarecrow was laid across the best land on the property — former cornfields — and has a personality distinct from its older sibling. The QuickSands 14-hole short course is the arrival-night round, played with a few clubs and cold beers while you argue about who's going to get destroyed tomorrow. The honest caveat: Brewster is remote. There's nothing else for miles. The Inn at Gamble Sands has 77 rooms and two restaurants on property, which is everything you need. This is the trip for the group that goes for the golf and nothing else — and comes back with 50 holes of stories.
Dogleg's Pick Courses
Where to Play
In order of conviction. Every course on this list was chosen deliberately.
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.
The Cascades Putting Green — 100,000 square feet of fescue putting surface. Play it at sunset with whatever's left in the cooler. The most fun you'll have not actually playing golf.
Where to Stay
Lodging Picks
Ranging from splurge to smart. Pick based on what the group wants 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.
Rent a House
Rent the Whole Place
Great for groups of 6–10 who want a shared house — more space, a kitchen, and no hotel hallway noise. Filter by beds, pool, and proximity to the courses.
Where to Eat & Drink
The Right Restaurants
2 picks across the full range — the big dinner 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.
Beyond the Course
When the Group Needs a Break
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.
Pro Tips
Before You Book
Book the Scarecrow course first — it fills faster than the original since it's still in the 'new and hot' window. Then build the rest of the itinerary around it.
Drive from Spokane rather than Seattle if you have the choice — it's an hour shorter and the drive through eastern Washington is genuinely beautiful.
Request a river-view room when booking — the Columbia River and Cascade Mountain backdrop from the patio is what makes people immediately plan the return trip.
QuickSands is not a throwaway round. Three clubs, arrival evening, side bets. It sets the tone for the trip.
Pair with Walla Walla into a 5-day Eastern Washington road trip: two nights at Gamble Sands, two nights in Walla Walla, four top-ranked public courses total.
Who This Trip Is For
✓ Best for
- →Golf-first groups who want a bucket-list domestic destination without flying internationally
- →Links-style golf enthusiasts — fescue, firm and fast, walking culture
- →Groups who want 50 holes in two days without leaving the property
- →Pacific Northwest travelers who haven't discovered the eastern side of the Cascades
✕ Not for
- →Groups who need more than golf to keep them entertained — Brewster is remote
- →Nightlife-focused trips — on-property dining is excellent but the town has nothing
- →Cart riders — the culture here is walking, and the courses reward it
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